Summer Fun from A to Z

Atlanta Braves / Matthew Grimes Jr./Getty Images

Metro Atlanta has endless ways to entertain your family from animal encounters to zip lines. Check out our favorite ideas to take your summer staycation to the next level.

A: Atlanta Braves

Head to Truist Park to watch the winning Atlanta Braves compete! Watch Friday Night Fireworks, and on Sundays after the game, ages 14 and younger can run the bases. Visit on special days for themed activities, such as Summer Beach Bash and 1996 Olympics Night, and check the schedule for Braves Block Parties with live entertainment, street performers, inflatable batting cages and more. Onsite, the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Park features a rock-climbing tower, interactive play experiences and BLOOPER meet-and-greets.

B: Bricks

Visit LEGO Discovery Center Atlanta to design and build spaceships, fight off enemy ships with Pirate Adventure Land, join a Master Model Builder workshop and more. Buy your own sets to build creations at home with Atlanta Brick Co in Newnan and the LEGO Store in Perimeter Mall.

C: Creativity

Brush up on your artistic skills with a session at one of these walk-in pottery studios for a special masterpiece and memory making. Choose from hundreds of options to paint vases, décor pieces, plates and more at All Fired Up, Just Kiln Time, Eye Candy Art Studio or ‘Stache Studio.

D: Dinosaurs

Have a roarin’ good time at these venues. Learn about the iconic dinosaur with life-sized models, specimens and engaging interactives at “T. rex: The Ultimate Predator” at Fernbank Museum. Stone Mountain Park’s Summer at the Rock will feature a dino meet-and-greet, and see if Dr. Quinn and Riley can pull off a birthday bash for America’s 250th with the “DinoTown: Red, White, and Boom Train Show.” Step through a time portal with a thrilling virtual reality experience, and explore giant skeletons, interactive dino zones and more at “DinoVerse Atlanta.”

E: Escape Rooms

Put your problem-solving and teamwork skills to the test with a themed challenge. The Escape Game offers eight themed escapes of varying difficulties. Urban Escape Games’ Marietta location features The Kings Treasure, an escape room designed and built for children. Escapology has seven themed rooms, with a Kids Mode for Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Castle Adventure.

F: Fishing

Time to teach a kid to fish! These spots are stocked with trout, bass and more for practicing your fishing skills. Multiple Georgia State Parks locations allow for fishing, including Lake Allatoona at Red Top Mountain and Lake Lanier at Don Carter. With access to the Chattahoochee River and serene ponds, go fishing at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Glow Nights / Georgia Aquarium

G: Glow

Light up the night with these glowing events. Georgia Aquarium’s Glow Nights will be held from May 29-Aug. 9 featuring a bioluminescence exhibit with marine life, live entertainment and more. The Summer Party at Atlanta Botanical Garden on June 27 will be an unforgettable evening with a puppet lantern parade.

H: Horseback Riding

Go for a trail ride to experience the beauty of nature and the fun of horseback riding. Visit Serenbe Trail Riding to enjoy a quiet ride through the rolling woodlands, or check out the Kids Intro to Horses for a hands-on horse experience. Georgia Frontiers offers a one-hour trail ride through wooded trails, which is perfect for first-timers. Sunburst Adventures has riding lessons, and choose from a scenic, mountain explorer, mountain picnic or twilight ride. Check websites for reservations, age and weight limits.

I: Ice Skating

Cool off from the summer heat by practicing your moves at these rinks. Center Ice Arena, Atlanta IceForum, The ICE Complex and Atlanta Ice House offer public skate sessions, and you can also sign up for lessons to learn how to skate.

J: Junior Ranger

Kids can explore the great outdoors and learn about history with Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites’ Junior Ranger program. Kids will work toward earning 59 different site-specific badges by completing each mission inside the Junior Ranger Activity book. Check the online calendar for special Junior Ranger events.

K: Karting

Feel the need for speed? Fun Spot America Atlanta offers three courses to choose from, as well as a Dash Junior Track for younger kids. The nearly mile-long track at Atlanta Motorsports Park features 43 feet of elevation change. Enjoy an indoor go-karting race at K1 Speed. Andretti Indoor Karting & Games offers indoor karting at both the Marietta and Buford locations.

L: Library

Libraries are an incredible resource for families, as they offer exciting activities, all for free! Head to your local library for storytimes, events for kids, crafts and more. Because libraries are for everyone, you can even go on a mini road trip to explore a library new to your family. Switzer Library in Cobb County has an updated children’s programming room and an outdoor plaza with a garden area. Explore the public art near Suwanee’s library, including the mural “Bookshelf” in the Reading Grotto and “Novel Idea,” a bench featuring different book titles. In 2025, Fulton County Library System renovated the Peachtree Library and Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Don’t have a library card yet? It’s easy to apply for one — show identification with your current name and address, and you’ll get a card immediately.

M: Mini Golf

Go for a bit of a friendly competition with a round of mini golf. Set against the iconic Atlanta skyline, The Roof at Ponce City Market has opened a new, 18-hole mini golf course. The Fringe has two 18-hole courses with surprises and adventures. LakePoint Station has an outdoor course for digging alongside Miner Jim and a blacklight indoor course for a glow-in-the-dark challenge. Plus, go indoors to beat the heat at one of PuttShack’s two locations.

N: Nature Centers

Known as the “City in the Forest,” metro Atlanta nature centers offer easy ways for your family to access and connect with the natural world. Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, Chattahooche Nature Center, Dunwoody Nature Center, Tucker Nature Preserve and Blue Heron Nature Preserve offer trails for family-friendly walks.

O: Odd Fun

The Oddities Museum in Chamblee is a unique spot showcasing the weird and wonderful with taxidermy creations, animals with distinctive anomalies, whimsical art and more. Reservations are recommended. The outdoor art project, Doll’s Head Trail at Constitution Lakes, is a short hike featuring bizarre and whimsical displays of folk art and found objects.

Los Porfiados

P: Los Porfiados

Visit the High Museum of Art’s Carroll Slater Sifly Piazza for the “Los Porfiados” (The Stubborns) exhibit, on view from June 5-Nov. 29. Inspired by a classic roly-poly wobbling toy known in Chile as “mono porfiado,” this installation comprises 14 inflatable limber sculptures with pliable surfaces. Visitors can interact, poke and prod to allow these enormous works to come to life through play.

Q: Sip like a Queen

Embrace your inner monarch for a delicious tea experience. Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party offers a more affordable high tea experience with sandwiches, quiche, cakes and baked delights. Queens Tea Party, St. Regis Atlanta and Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead offer luxury tea experiences for a celebratory feel.

R: Rock Climbing

Challenge yourself to new heights with a rock climbing experience. Escalade Rock Climbing has a Kids Play Area just for them, while Wall Crawler Rock Club, Central Rock Gym and Adrenaline Climbing offer day passes and rental gear.

S: See the Wild Side

Go to Zoo Atlanta to view animals from all over the world. Check out the African Savanna, featuring lions, zebras, ostriches and more, and Scaly Slimy Spectacular, which features more than 70 species. Play and climb the Naked Mole Rat and KIDZone Playgrounds, visit the petting zoo, get a bird’s eye view with the Treetop Tykes Trail or Treetop Trail, and splash in the cooling Splash Fountain. Get up close to animals with daily Giraffe Feedings, or book a special Wild Encounters experience to learn more about elephants, lemurs, warthogs or goats.

T: Tellus Science Museum

Become a mini scientist with the exhibits at Tellus Science Museum. Visit the new “Mazes & Brain Games” to solve and explore mazes, and permanent exhibits cover digital artifacts, minerals, fossils, transportation technology and more. Dig for fossils, pan for gems, see the stars at the Bentley Planetarium and more.

U: Up and Away

Travel high in the sky at Delta Flight Museum. Discover the history and culture of this company with an Airbus Immersive VR Experience, “A Century of Flight” documentary and climbing into different models. Families with teens can check out the Flight Simulator Experience to see what it’s like to train as a pilot.

V: Victory

The family that plays together, stays together! Hold a family-friendly competition to win games at these spots. Stars and Strikes has multiple locations in metro Atlanta with bowling, arcade games, laser tag and more. Battle & Brew is a video game restaurant and venue with everything from retro to board games. Big Play ATL has state-of-the-art bowling, arcade games, laser tag and more.

W: Wild Kratts

Visit the Children’s Museum of Atlanta for “Wild Kratts: Ocean Adventure” through September 13 to help the Wild Kratts team solve problems, care for animals and foil the villains’ nefarious plans. The interactive exhibit features ocean-themed activities and a Tot Spot for younger kids. This summer, you can also enjoy A Character Education Workshop, sensory-friendly hours and a World Cup Kick-Off.

X: X Marks the Spot

Go on a scavenger hunt for a unique way to discover fun spots around the city. Bushy Tail Art Trail is a public art display featuring tiny squirrel dining spots scattered around Henry County. View beautifully painted, accessible public pianos with Play Me Again Pianos. Tiny Doors ATL and Secret Doors feature miniature secret doors handcrafted by local artists.

Y: Yoga with Animals

Stretch it out and practice your flexibility in the company of cute creatures. GGA Dwarf Goat Yoga offers a beginner-friendly yoga class for ages 12 and younger. North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park’s NOGA YOGA has classes with penguins and capybaras for ages 10 and older. Two studios in Atlanta offer Puppies & Yoga classes for ages 10 and older.

Treetop Quest

Z: Zip Lining

Daredevils will love flying through the trees with a zip lining experience. Check websites for age, height and weight restrictions. Treetop Quest has two locations in the metro area, both of which feature a Chickpea Course for ages 4-6. The Lakeside Zip Line Adventure Course at Stone Mountain Park’s Adventure Outpost sends you sailing over the lake twice with seven zip lines and 10 obstacles. Callaway Resort & Gardens’ TreeTop Adventure Ziplines has three adventure courses with fun obstacles and zip lines.