Atlanta Travel Guide
Atlanta with Kids
The family plan for Atlanta — which big-ticket attractions are worth it, how to sequence them, the free stuff kids love, and when the Atlanta CityPASS saves money.
Atlanta is one of the best family destinations in the South. Its biggest attractions were built with children in mind, many of them sit within a short walk of each other downtown, and the city's parks, fountains and trails give kids room to run between museums. The trick is pacing: the big attractions are large, busy and not cheap, and trying to do too many in a day leads to meltdowns. Here is how to plan a family trip, and how to decide whether the Atlanta CityPASS is worth it.
The downtown cluster. The heart of a family trip is the area around Centennial Olympic Park. The Georgia Aquarium is the headline: whale sharks in the vast Ocean Voyager habitat, an underwater tunnel, beluga whales, a huge shark gallery, touch pools and dolphin and sea lion presentations. Book the first timed entry window, reserve show times by QR code as soon as you arrive, and allow three hours. Next door, the World of Coca-Cola is a fun two hours, with the polar bear, the bottling line and the tasting room the highlights for kids — pace the sugar. Across the park, the College Football Hall of Fame has a 45-yard indoor field where kids can kick, throw and run drills for as long as they like. Between them, the Fountain of Rings in Centennial Olympic Park is a free water playground in warm weather; bring towels and a change of clothes. For older children, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is an important visit, but preview the intense lunch counter simulation before letting them try it.
Pandas, gorillas and dinosaurs. Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park is compact, shady and easy with small children, with an included train and carousel and a picnic-friendly policy that allows outside food. From November 6, 2026, it has giant pandas again: Ping Ping and Fu Shuang make their debut in the new Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove, so expect crowds in the first weeks and go at opening. The zoo's gorillas and reptile house are also superb. Fernbank Museum of Natural History, east of Midtown, is the dinosaur stop, with giant skeletons in its great hall, a giant screen theater and the outdoor WildWoods trails and treetop walkways through an old-growth forest; in the holiday season it runs a holiday lights event in the woods.
Free and low-cost favorites. Not everything costs money. Centennial Olympic Park has a playground and the fountain. Piedmont Park has big lawns, playgrounds and a pool in summer. The BeltLine Eastside Trail is great for bikes and scooters, with a skatepark and Historic Fourth Ward Park along the way. Ponce City Market is free to enter, and The Roof's carnival games and mini golf are a hit with kids for a modest admission plus game costs. The MLK National Historical Park's free birth home tours are pitched well for school-age children, explaining King's childhood in the house where he grew up. And the Atlanta Botanical Garden's children's garden has a splash pad in summer and is magical during Garden Lights in winter.
Does the Atlanta CityPASS pay off? The CityPASS, sold through Tiqets and other outlets, gives admission to five of six attractions — the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, Zoo Atlanta, Fernbank Museum, the College Football Hall of Fame and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights — over nine consecutive days, with savings that can reach close to half the combined gate price. Guided tours and animal encounters at the aquarium are not included. It pays off if you will genuinely visit at least four of the attractions; for two or three, compare it with individual tickets and the combination tickets that pair the aquarium with the World of Coca-Cola, the Hall of Fame or the zoo. Nine days is generous, so there is no need to cram: spread the attractions over your trip, and check whether any require a reservation for a specific time even with the pass.
A sample family weekend. Day one: the aquarium at opening, lunch, the World of Coca-Cola, then the Fountain of Rings and a playground break in Centennial Olympic Park. Day two: Zoo Atlanta at opening and a picnic, then an afternoon rest at the hotel and an evening at Ponce City Market and The Roof. Day three: Fernbank in the morning, then the College Football Hall of Fame or the Botanical Garden in the afternoon, depending on whether your kids would rather kick field goals or splash in fountains. With older children, add the MLK park and the Civil and Human Rights center.
Where to stay. Downtown is the most convenient base for families, with the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park a short walk from the aquarium and the park, and a heated pool for downtime. The Candler Hotel, also downtown, offers aquarium packages. Midtown hotels put you near Piedmont Park and the Botanical Garden, with MARTA to downtown.
Practical tips. Atlanta summers are hot, so plan outdoor attractions for mornings and save the aquarium and museums for afternoons. Strollers are welcome at most attractions, and the zoo rents them. Outside food is not allowed at the aquarium apart from small snacks for young children, but it is welcome at the zoo. And build in downtime: the city's attractions are big, and a pool break at the hotel is often the best part of a child's day.