“This is awesooooooome!” screamed my 10-year-old daughter as she flew down “Avalanche Alley” in a six-person-tube at Snow Mountain.

We all felt a rush of adrenaline as the attendant pushed our tube forward and we sailed straight down and bumped and turned along the path.

My 6-year-old nephew, Jordan, was initially reluctant to tube but yelled, “I wanna do that again!” after we slid to a stop at the bottom of the hill. So we grabbed more tubes and did just that over and over again in single, double and large tubes during our two-hour tubing time.

In the SnowZone snow play area, we gathered buckets and shovels and other snow-building tools provided and got to work on snowmen and igloos. A group next to us was busy creating a 6-foot rocket ship out of snow! Snow machines constantly blow fresh snow so the area never gets too icy or slushy.

The play zone also features a snowball shooting gallery, Penguin Run with mid-sized slides, and a Little Angels area with small hills and slides for toddlers and small children to try sledding and tubing on a calmer terrain.

While our children played together, I chatted with a mom originally from Canada who mentioned Snow Mountain gives her family a “fix” of the snow she remembers from childhood, since snow is not common in Georgia’s warmer climate.

To cap off our day, we bought $4 s’mores kits and roasted marshmallows over small fire pits. Bottles of water, hot chocolate, popcorn and other snacks are also available for hungry kids and parents coming in from the snow.

Overall, Snow Mountain was a wonderful active way for my family to spend time together on a winter day.

Know Before You Go: Be sure to take waterproof gloves, snow or rain boots and an extra pair of socks or a change of clothes for the end of the day. Lockers are available for rent ($5 for large, $3 for small.) Avalanche Alley family tubes require a minimum height of 36 inches tall; Tube Runners (single tubes) require a minimum height of 42 inches tall. Little Angels play area in SnowZone is designed for children ages 3 and younger, and maximum height is 42 inches; Penguin Run snow sliding in SnowZone has a maximum height of 54 inches.

– Becky Cooper

The Details
Snow Mountain at Stone Mountain Park
1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain
Hours: Through Feb. 26. For full operating schedule and to reserve tickets, visit stonemountainpark.com or call 800-401-2407.
Admission: $28 per person, plus a $15 parking pass; free for children age 2 and younger. Admission includes a reserved two-hour tubing time and all day access to the snow play area.