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Happening Now
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October 11 and 12:
Taste of Atlanta.
This annual event is a culinary lover’s dream. More than 70 restaurants participate by offering a sample of their menu. And, this year, one of the newest attractions will be Amica Insurance Kid’s Avenue, perfect for your grandchildren. The tastings on Kid’s Avenue will be geared toward the younger crowd, as will activities such as decorating a chef’s hat and cooking your own concoctions. At the Atlantic Station, Atlanta. (website) Hide details
Target Free Second Tuesdays.
Every second Tuesday of the month, for children, ages 3 to , and their grown-up guests, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, opens its doors free of charge. Hours are 1pm to 7 p.m. The museum features hands-on, interactive exhibits so children and adults can learn together. At the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Atlanta. (website) Hide details
Stone Mountain Highland Games.
A little bit of Scotland comes to Georgia. OK, a lot of Scotland. The sounds of bagpipes will fill the air at this annual two-day celebration. Bring your kilt and tartan, even if you’re not Scottish, and watch the athletic events, dance to the music, shop for authentic Scottish items, and, yes, you and yiour grandchildren can sample a plate of haggis. Just don’t ask what’s in it. At the Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain. (website) Hide details
Booth Museum Anniversary.
The Booth is turning five years old, and the Western-themed museum is celebrating with a day centered on children, ages 4 to12. There will be free pony rides, a hat- decorating contest, and free pony rides. At the Booth Museum, Cartersville. (website) Hide details
Singin’ Bean Kids Karaoke.
This family-friendly, smoke-free coffeehouse is turned over to children, ages 3 and older, on Friday nights for karaoke from 6 pm to 11:30 p.m. Have a cup of java while your grandchildren get to choose from more than 12,000 song selections to belt out. Or join them on the mic! And, yes, there are many different ways to sing “The wheels on the bus…” At the Singin’ Bean Coffeehouse, Lawrenceville. (website) Hide details
Piedmont Park Green Market.
June is the perfect time to introduce any city-kid grandchildren to the fruits of the earth, and where better than at the Piedmont Park Green Market? Choose from Georgia-grown produce as well as baked goods, herbs, cheeses, and fresh flowers, and don't miss the exciting cooking demos by the city's finest chefs. Live music, historic park tours, and Saturday Safaris for the kids let everyone work off a few calories. Free. At the 12th Street and Piedmont Avenue entrance. ( website) Hide details
Ends of the Earth: From Polar Bears to Penguins.
An interactive exhibit exploring the characteristics of Earth's Polar regions. Ends of the Earth explains the current science being used in the region, and examines the role of the Poles as indicators of climate change on our planet. With your youngster, dive into a polar bear den, walk and slide like an emperor penguin, and findout how these animals have adapted to living in some of the most extreme environments. With more than 30 educational encounters, this exhibit is a cool break from the outdoors on a hot summer day. At the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. ( website) Hide details |
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Help With This Page
In the City Guides section, you'll find the best things to do with your grandchildren. To get started, choose a city below or select from among movies, home activities or things to do in the car. Whatever you do, have loads of fun with your grandchildren.
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| | Atlanta is the region's biggest city, filled with everything from Coca Cola to the Braves to buckets of delicious sweet tea. You and your little peaches will have a ball out on the town in ATL. —Compiled by Melissa Diskin | |
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Adams Farm
1486 GA-54 West
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(770) 461-9395
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Whether you’re a former farm-kid or just a wannabe, active grandparents can have their fill of produce at Adams Farm in Fayetteville, just outside southwest Atlanta. Rows of blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries beg to be picked. Even your littlest grandchildren can get in on the fun, since the berries ripen at all heights. A large produce stand offers tomatoes, beans, squash, corn, cucumbers, peppers, butterbeans, and much more, including a variety of jams, jellies, and relishes. There are picnic tables, water, and an outdoor bathroom for pit stops. Warning: the fields are HOT and most areas are unshaded, so bring lots of sunscreen, bring cold drinks, and wear heat-friendly clothing, even if you pick in the early part of the day.
Info: Free
Hours: April 1 to June 30, Monday to Saturday 9am to 4:30pm
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen
Outdoor Fun, Animals & Nature
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Make your grandchild’s birthday with a party at Andretti Indoor Karting and Games. The two racetracks include junior karts for kids 8 years and older, while a rock-climbing wall and an arcade offer a chance to compete off the racetrack. Birthday partiers get private rooms for celebrations, arcade money, race time, and climbing time, and a Fuddruckers kid’s meal. A gift shop offers racing gear and memorabilia. See the website for party packages and pricing.
Info: Varies
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 1am
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Fun & Games
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No child can resist the journal of another child, no matter how distant in time or space. The Anne Frank in the World exhibit at the Old Decatur Courthouse on the Square details the history of the Jewish girl whose diary became a symbol for so much lost in the Holocaust. A film, photos and artwork are accompanied by a replica of her hiding place during the war.
Info: Free
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm
Age: Pre-teen, Teen
Museums & Exhibits
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Take a break from summer in the Atlanta Botanical Garden. You’ll be drawn to the revamped rose garden, the Fuqua orchid house, and the fine art scattered throughout the grounds, but your grandchildren will head straight for the two-acre Children’s Garden, with giant caterpillar and butterfly structures, a small storytime amphitheater, waterplay area (bring swimsuits), and mini-gardens designed to suit Peter Rabbit and friends. There’s also a bog garden with venus flytraps and other ghoulish plants. The gardens are at their best in spring and summer, but it’s easy to beat the heat: indoors, you’ll find plenty of birds and even a couple of sleepy turtles in the Fuqua Conservatory’s Tropical Rotunda (don’t forget to check out the startlingly bright South American poison frogs in their little aquariums by the restrooms). Grandparents and older kids will love the sandwiches, salads, and snacks catered by local restaurant Sun in My Belly, but there’s also a kids’ menu for the PB and J set.
Info: Admission: Adults $12, ages 3 to 17 $9, 3 and younger free
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 7pm
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen
Outdoor Fun, Attractions & Landmarks, Animals & Nature
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It’s not exactly politically correct to do the tomahawk chop anymore at an Atlanta Braves game, but a dose of America’s favorite pastime is better than ever at Turner Field. Sporty grandparents with older grandchildren will most likely focus on the game, but there are plenty of attractions off the field for younger kids and grandparents who may want a break from the summer sun, starting with the two food and entertainment pavilions located off the main entrance plaza. Characters from the Cartoon Network roam the stadium. Near the entrance, Tooner Field offers souvenirs and games, and Scouts Alley provides an interactive look at the history of Scouting and the Braves lineup along with skill games and other exhibits. The Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame features more than 600 Braves artifacts and photographs and is open two and a half hours before each game (it closes in the seventh inning). The Coca-Cola Sky Field on top of the stadium offers space for a picnic with a view. Traditional ballpark concessions (hotdogs, sodas, ice cream) are available in various kiosks throughout the park, but if you’re looking for something a bit more substantial, head up to the Chop House above the Braves bullpen.
Info: Admission: Varies by game
Hours: Season: April to October, games vary
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Sporting Events
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If a trip to Grant Park and the Zoo is in order, take a little extra time to visit the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum, just across the plaza from the zoo’s main entrance. You and your grandchildren will sit on a tiered seating platform that rotates to view the 360-foot panoramic painting (the largest oil painting in the world) and diorama while a voiceover recounts the story of the Battle of Atlanta. (You may want to limit your trip to your older grandchildren if dim lights and battle sounds scare them, and many of the painting’s details may not engage grandchildren under ten or so.) There’s also a Civil War museum that includes The Texas, a Civil War era train and hero of “The Great Train Race,” as well as two floors of war artifacts and a film about the Battle of Atlanta narrated by James Earl Jones.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 4:30pm
Age: Pre-teen, Teen
Museums & Exhibits, Local Unique
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Every spring during the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, the grassy fields of Piedmont Park are covered by tents and crowds of people eating funnel cakes and chicken shawarma. The party’s really all about the art — hundreds of booths pepper the drives, with artists offering funky jewelry, fine photography, and pan-ethnic musical instruments. The people-watching factor means that it’s a good place for showing your older grandchildren just when and how to let your freak flag fly, but a kid-focused area with face painting and crafty pursuits lets the little kids strut their stuff, too. No neighborhood parking is allowed, so be sure to check the festival website for parking options.
Info: Admission: Free
Hours: April 17 to 19, 2009
Age: Child, Pre-teen
Outdoor Fun
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Are you a Dirtybird? Take your grandchildren to an Atlanta Falcons game and help the younger ones sign up for the Atlanta Falcons Kids Club. Kids 14 and younger get plenty of Falcons-related gear, including a pennant, pack of pencils, membership card and decal, and Atlanta Falcons tattoos, as well as special offers and discounts. On game days, check the website for directions to park at the Georgia Dome.
Info: Admission: Vary
Hours: Season: September to January, games vary
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Sporting Events
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Rouse your grandkids out of their back-to-school depression with a trip to the Atlanta Greek Festival. Sponsored by the Annunciation Cathedral and the Atlanta Greek Community every October, the festivities include Greek dancing, Greek food, and Greek crafts for purchase in the church building. There’s also a lecture in the Cathedral, but who are we kidding — this is a place to stuff yourselves silly with spanikopita, souvlaki, baklava, and more while watching troupes of dancers whirl around with abandon. Younger grandchildren can hang out with their peers in a special area with crafts and activities just their size. There is no parking allowed in the nearby neighborhoods, but free parking and shuttle buses from a nearby office park get you in and out in a jiffy.
Info: Admission: Adults $3, ages 12 and younger $1
Hours: October 2 to 5, 2008; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 11am to 11pm, Sunday
12pm to 7pm
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Local Unique, Live Performances
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An Atlanta Hawks game can be more than a game if you know just which hoops to jump through. Grandparents will want to bring their grandchildren down to the floor for 5th Quarter Hoops at the end of selected games, where children are allowed to shoot baskets for 30 minutes on the Hawks court (you must have game tickets and be present at the end of the game to participate). You can’t bring food or drink into Philips Arena, but you can buy concessions or head to the “Hawk Walk,” an indoor street with a food court offering sandwiches, pizzas, and more. If you have a lot of grandchildren and can manage to form a group of 20 (friends are also welcome), you may want to purchase a set of tickets for Chick-Fil-A Family Night. The discounted ticket comes with a Chick-Fil-A meal, a “Hawks Premium Item,” and other group benefits.
Info: Admission: Varies
Hours: Season: November to June, game times vary
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Sporting Events
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