Best Things to Do in Alpharetta, Georgia for Families

Think OTP is full of chain restaurants and cookie cutter houses? Think again. If you haven’t checked out this city just 30 miles north of Atlanta, now is the time to pay Alpharetta a visit.

Get out and about

Families will find several cool parks in Alpharetta, starting with its flagship, Wills Park. This large, mostly shaded park with a walking trail and baseball fields has something for everyone. The highlight is “Wacky World,” a wooden kingdom with towers, bridges and passages, with sections for older and younger kids. Wills Park even has its own equestrian center and dog park. Be sure to check out Webb Bridge Park, too. Its two wooden playgrounds are truly unique with a little play creek that runs through one of them. The most popular and widely used green space in Alpharetta is The Big Creek Greenway. Families can stroll or bike on this flat, paved scenic trail that connects Roswell, Alpharetta, and Forsyth County.

Shop, Dine and Play

Alpharetta has two main districts–Avalon and Downtown. For somewhat sophisticated family fun, try Avalon. This hot spot is home to several fabulous restaurants, including South City Kitchen and Colletta, and more casual places like Antico Pizza and El Felix.  Parents love the shopping; kids love the grassy play area (that turns into an ice skating rink in the winter) and families love the movie theater.

Downtown Alpharetta mixes old and new, with historical buildings as well as the recent addition of City Center. Families flock to this area for festivals, a weekly farmers’ market, an amazing selection of restaurants, shopping, and green spaces. Kids especially enjoy playing in the little creek behind the courthouse. 

Celebrate

Speaking of festivals, Alpharetta residents love to celebrate. They have annual events including The Taste of Alpharetta, a 4th of July celebration, the Scarecrow Harvest, and Christmas Tree Lighting. Be sure to check out the wildly popular event Food Truck Alley, which takes place every Thursday evening from April through October in downtown Alpharetta.

Make a Splash

Renovated in 2018, the Alpharetta City Pool in Wills Park is unlike no other city pool. With a leisure pool and a 10-lane competition pool, families have their pick. The leisure pool has an interactive play area with zero depth entry plus a cool twisty slide. On the competition pool side, kids and adults can jump off one of two diving boards. Dare devil types love the high dive. The pool also has updated locker rooms, a snack bar, and a splash pad. 

Enjoy the Attractions

Even big name artists know that Alpharetta is the place to be. They all come to perform at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater at Encore Park–Zac Brown Band, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews Band, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Kidz Bop, just to name a few. Kids have few opportunities to complain of boredom in Alpharetta. Families can practice their golf swings at Top Golf, enjoy a movie and some grub at Studio Movie Grill, create pottery at All Fired Up or ice skate year round at The Cooler.