Atlanta with kids

Our goal is for our twins, Nina and Alex, to visit all 50 states before they go to college. When we received a invitation for a wedding in Georgia over Columbus Day Weekend 2019, we were excited for a visit to a new state! Here’s what we did in Atlanta with kids (they were 9 years old).

THINGS TO DO in Atlanta with kids

Stone Mountain

We decided to go to Stone Mountain despite the appalling fact that it is a theme park that has been built around a carving memorializing confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Their faces provided a very good backdrop to begin our weekend-long discussion about the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement.

Summit Skyride

We took the cable car up the mountain and watched the sun set over Atlanta. It was beautiful. Jamming into the last tram of the evening, we hoped that the weight limit was not surpassed. The alternative (after 7:30PM) is to make the mile and a half hike down the mountain in the dark, so we took a chance (and made it!).

Pumpkin Festival Glow By Night

Because of the hour, we missed many attractions (including playing glow-in-the-dark mini golf, the farm, climbing structure, 4D movie, etc.)  We were, however, able to attend the Pumpkin Festival Glow By Night which was really cool!  We were ushered into the area with a magical forest of lights and pumpkins aglow everywhere!  Some even had faces with video projections to make it appear as though they were speaking and singing.

There were also luminescent displays featuring characters from storybooks. 

Scenic railroad

• 

• 

• 

The theme of fairy tales continued on the train ride.  Sadly, the noise from the environment (including the other passengers) drowned out the video which set the scene for the main attraction:  a stop in the woods to watch a short play about the Three Little Pigs.  Unfortunately, we were in the first car of the train and could hardly see the show (NOTE:  Stay in the third or fourth car of the train for a better view).  The train ride was long, dull and underwhelming.  We should’ve played mini golf instead.

Food

There was plenty of food available at Stone Mountain, but all of it was pretty disappointing. My kids didn’t like the pizza or the fries, and for the first time EVER, I threw away my fudge after the first bite (and anyone who knows me knows that throwing chocolate away is something I NEVER do!). Anyway, in-spite-of the confederacy, the nasty food, and the boring train ride, we had a good time at Stone Mountain. The atmosphere was lively and fun, and the exhibits were really well done.

The Center for Civil and Human Rights

To counteract our visit to Stone Mountain, our first stop of Day 2 was here. This was one of the most beautifully moving and well organized museums I have ever been to. Vistors begin at the American Civil Rights Movement and walk through to today’s Global Human Rights Movements. This museum is a must see while in Atlanta.

• 

• 

• 

There were many important and heart wrenching displays, but the most poignant part of the museum for me was the lunch counter experience.  I was instructed to sit on a swivel chair, close my eyes, put on headphones, and place my hands on the fountain shop counter, just as the peaceful protesters did in the 1960s.  Through the headset, I was transported back to that time: first, the protesters speak quietly to each other, and then the police move in.  It was horrifying to put myself in their shoes and hear what they went through. I could not stop crying. (NOTE: This exhibit is for ages 13+).

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park

Visitors Center

There are a number of interesting things to see in this building. We particularly enjoyed exploring the Interactive Children of Courage Exhibit, and joining the marchers on The Freedom Road.

International World Peace Rose Garden

This small garden and the placement of its flowers was designed very thoughtfully to represent the lives and ideals of Dr. and Mrs. King, to honor Mahatma Ghandi, and to celebrate contributions to our society by African Americans.  Plaques with quotes from children all over the world encircle this pretty area and make it even more special.

The King Center

Here you can visit the tombs of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King and see plaques that outline the principles of non-violence that they advocated. There is also an eternal flame dedicated to Dr. King. Inside the center, you can see memorabilia of the couple and Mahatma Gandhi.

You can also visit

• Martin Luther King’s birth home
• Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King was baptized, ordained and memorialized.

Ponce City Market

This former Sears factory building has been turned into a super cool mall with great shops and delicious food (see below). We were lucky enough to attend a wedding on the roof (called The Skyline), which has a beautiful city view. There’s also a bar, fun carnival games and a mini golf course up there!

World of Coca Cola 

Much to the delight of my children who are not allowed to drink soda, we were all greeted with a can upon entry to this theme park of sorts.  At the World of Coca-Cola, you can watch the longest feel-good commercial ever, view the machinery that bottles soda, and wait on line to enter a vault where the secret recipe for Coke is kept (and not revealed).  You can also view art and memorabilia, and try soft drinks from all over the world in the tasting room.

Center for puppetry

This is a great place to visit!  We saw an engaging, educational puppet show with all kinds of groovy 3D special effects. We happened to be at a sensory friendly showing; it’s so nice that they offer that!  The permanent exhibits, The Jim Henson Collection Gallery and The Global Collection Gallery, were awesome!  There was also a workshop where my kids got to create glow-in-the-dark puppets.  I loved the Center for Puppetry and highly recommend it!  

Georgia Aquarium

I was skeptical that the Georgia Aquarium would be as special as everyone said it would be…but it was!  Believe the hype and go there to see for yourself! The dolphin show was short but great (get there early if you don’t want to get wet!).  All of the exhibits were gorgeous.  We particularly liked the moving walkway through the whale shark tank. The jelly fish exhibit was the largest and most beautiful I have ever seen.  We spent two hours here, but it deserves way more!  Next time, we want to go on the “behind the scenes tour”, stay overnight, and spend more time in the interactive areas of the aquarium.

Atlanta Beltline

Much like the highline in New York, the Beltline is a green space that was created along a former railroad track that encircles Atlanta.  We walked (but you can also scoot or bike) from Krog Market (which is a huge food court) to Ponce City Market (see above).  We loved looking at all of the of street art and enjoying the sunny day…beautiful and fun!

Little Five Points 

This colorful neighborhood is the Haight-Ashbury of Atlanta.  Here you will find great street art, eclectic shops, and offbeat restaurants and pubs.  I read about the Vortex Bar and Grill and wanted to go, but we couldn’t because the minimum age is 21.

WHERE TO STAY in Atlanta with kids

We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in Buckhead. Everyone at the hotel treated us with classic Southern hospitality. Our room was spacious and comfortable: we had two queen bed and a huge, luxurious bathroom stocked with cozy bathrobes. The hotel is convenient to restaurants and shopping malls, but not to traditional tourist sites.

WHAT TO EAT in Atlanta with kids

Waldorf Astoria Café and Bar

The restaurant in our hotel had delicious food…I especially enjoyed the fried chicken slider for lunch (sorry no photos). We enjoyed breakfast there each morning, but the service was WAY slow.

Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria

We had salad, pizza and garlic knots for lunch at Max’s. We felt the food was okay; the red sauce was good, but the garlic knots weren’t very garlicky. Also, although the atmosphere was fine, I didn’t love the exceedingly loud Def Leopard music during lunchtime.

Subzero nitrogen Ice Cream

OMG this place is AWESOME! We watched as our bowls of cream, flavoring and mix-ins were magically transformed into ice-cream by a blast of nitrogen. The ice cream was delicious and the experience was fun!

Ponce City Market

• Bellina – The freshly made pasta was fantastic. We also enjoyed potatoes with parmesan cheese.
• Batter – cookie dough by the scoop! OMG!!!!!
• Honeysuckle Gelato – so creamy and good!
• Hop’s Chicken – perhaps the best fried chicken I’ve ever had! The biscuits and mac and cheese were yummy too!

Landmark diner in Buckhead 

If you’re in the mood for just a regular diner that hasn’t been renovated in a long time, this is the place for you. The fact that the dining area is carpeted made me nauseous, but the food was marginal.

Mary Mac’s Tea Room 

Go to this restaurant for real traditional and scrumptious southern cooking! We went at an off hour and had no wait.

HOW TO GET AROUND in Atlanta with kids

As a tourist, you really need a car in Atlanta. We decided to use Uber instead of renting a car. In the end, we were very happy with that decision. Our Uber rides were easy and reasonably priced, and we spared ourselves the hassle of parking and the expense of gas.

We had only two issues when using Uber:

• Not all of the cars had working seatbelts and every ride took us on the highway. That’s dangerous!
• At Stone Mountain every car must pay a $5 fee to enter the park.  This was fine on the way in, but two Uber drivers cancelled our pick-up because they didn’t want to pay the fee upfront (even though we assured them that we would reimburse).  It took a while, but I finally (at 10:30 at night) asked an employee…it turns out that there is a secret code word to get in for free.  Ask and ye shall receive.