Elsa Simcik

Latest posts by Elsa

Best Spring Festivals and Fairs in Atlanta for Families

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Fri, 04/07/2023 - 11:28am

The Georgia State Fair promises carnival rides, children's attractions, live shows, concessions, a magic show, and more! Photo courtesy of the event

What's not to love about spring festivals in Atlanta? Dogwoods are in bloom; the weather is typically sunny and mild; and Atlanta has the best spring festivals and fairs! Since we know families love to hit up spring events (most of them are FREE!), we've gathered all the details on our favorite spring festivals in Atlanta. So pack up the kids, set them loose on the bouncy houses, let them get their faces painted, and enjoy spring in Atlanta.

Want more Atlanta springtime fun? Check out our Spring Fun Guide for Kids and Families, which includes all the best spring events, activities, and travel ideas. You're definitely going to want to start checking things off our Atlanta Spring Bucket List!

Easter Weekend 2023: 14 Best Things To Do in Atlanta with Kids

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Wed, 04/05/2023 - 10:14am

The sky is falling...with eggs! Bring baskets to collect Easter eggs at the Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop. Photo courtesy of the event

Looking for the best things to do in Atlanta this Easter weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your weekend list!

It's Easter weekend in Atlanta plus the last weekend of Spring Break 2023, which means families will find lots of fun all over town. Hop around Easter egg hunts on Easter weekend, including Saturday's Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop, which features 90,000 eggs dropped by helicopter onto a football field! We also love the Hop-a-Long Easter Egg Hunt at Avalon, where children collect eggs and trade them in for treat bags. Our favorite Atlanta attractions are open this week with special spring break programming, like Spring Break at Six Flags and Spring FUN Break at Stone Mountain Park.

Still need reservations for Easter brunch on Sunday? It's not too late! Check out our list of the Best Easter Brunches in Atlanta, many include meeting the Easter Bunny. Easter is also a nice time to stay home with family —make it "eggs-tra" fun with our list of Easter Scavenger Hunts and Other At-Home Easter Egg Hunt Ideas and Easter Crafts and Egg Dyeing for Kids.

It's full on spring in Atlanta, which means you may be getting the itch to travel —see which destinations made our list of the 12 Best Places to Visit in the South. Spoiler alert: Almost all of them are driveable from Atlanta!

17 Best Things to Do in Atlanta April 2023 with Kids

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 03/26/2023 - 7:45am

On April 6, grab peanuts and Cracker Jax for the Atlanta Braves opening day. Photo courtesy of mlb.com

Easter, Passover, and Earth Day mean there's lots of fun for kids in Atlanta this April!

We kick off April with spring break for most Atlanta students. Families who stay in town will have plenty of options for entertainment, like Stone Mountain Park's Spring Fun Break. This week-long event includes Stone Mountain's usual amazing attractions but also extras like comedic stunt dogs, a magic show, and the Easter Bunny. Speaking of Easter, the holiday falls during spring break this year on April 9, 2023, so get ready with our list of Atlanta Easter Egg Hunts, including the Northeast Cobb Community Egg Drop; which dumps 90,000 eggs from a helicopter on April 8. Passover also starts during Atlanta spring break, and we've got great holiday ideas!

Another one of our favorite things about April in Atlanta? The beloved Atlanta Dogwood Festival is back for its 87th year, in Piedmont Park on April 14-16, and showcases great music, art, food, and the kids' village.

If you're looking to get away in April, we've got awesome vacay ideas for families in our Family Travel Guide, including driveable destinations like Charleston, SC plus Cheap Spring Break Ideas for Families. Find more spring activity inspiration with our Spring Fun Guide for Atlanta Families.

We’re adding more events to our family activity calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently!

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A Guide to Truist Park & The Battery Atlanta for Little Atlanta Braves Fans

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Fri, 03/10/2023 - 11:00am

Atlanta baseball is a beloved activity, so cheer on those Atlanta Braves at Truist Park! Photo by Claire Robinson

When families visit Truist Park for an Atlanta Braves game, it's like living the song, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," except so much more! Sure, the Truist Park has peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and a crowd, but it also has Chick-fil-A, pizza, and an interactive kids' zone. Visiting Truist Park for an Atlanta Braves game is an amazing experience on its own, and baseball fans (and non-sporty people) have an additional option to have fun at the surrounding Battery Atlanta. This entertainment district provides loads of fun for Atlanta families and visitors alike.

Located in the Cumberland neighborhood of Cobb County, Truist Park (originally SunTrust Park) opened in 2017 as the new home ballpark for Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves. This state-of-the-art facility sits next to The Battery Atlanta, which is open year-round for dining, shopping, and entertainment.

As baseball season approaches, cheer on the Atlanta Braves (winners of four World Series) with our helpful guide to Truist Park. And keep the party going by hanging at The Battery...or skip the sports part and just enjoy Atlanta's ultimate entertainment district!

17 Best Things to Do in Atlanta March 2023 with Kids

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 02/26/2023 - 10:18am

Atlanta Science Festival is an annual celebration of the world-class learning and STEM career opportunities in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of the festival

From Purim to St. Patrick's Day and the arrival of spring, March is a great time to get out and enjoy Atlanta!

As we spring forward into March and days get warmer, families can enjoy outdoor events like the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade with floats, bagpipes and, of course, lots of green! Purim falls in early March this year and families have several parades and festivals to choose from like the Purim Carnival with a Cause in north Atlanta. Fans of the Harlem Globetrotters have two opportunities to see the awesome antics of the basketball stars--one in Duluth at Gas South Arena and another at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta. We are also super excited for March 31, when LEGO Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza reopens after a $5 million dollar renovation.

March is a great time to take a well-deserved vacay to a family-friendly destination. We have a bajillion ideas in our Family Travel Guide, like Charleston, SC and West Palm Beach, FL. We love to check out cool Atlanta attractions and fun spots and give you all the scoop. We recently visited Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts and have lots of insights and tips to share. Have kids that like to climb and jump? (Who doesn't?) Then you will definitely want to check out our list of Ninja Warrior Gyms and Parkour Spots Around Atlanta.

Best Free and Affordable Summer Camps Near Atlanta

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 02/19/2023 - 3:02pm

Kids can spend the day playing in the park at one of several camps across Gwinnett County. Photo courtesy of Gwinnett Park and Recreation

Finding affordable summer camps in Atlanta can feel like trying to find a unicorn. But unlike unicorns, they are out there! We hunted high and low to put together a list of affordable summer camps in the Atlanta area that run all day — helping parents get the most out of their buck and helping kids have an awesome summer.

Affordable means different things to different families, and here we've capped the summer camp cost at $200 per week or less. Luckily, Atlanta's suburbs and counties have awesome parks and recreation departments that offer parents lots of affordable camp options.

Need more ideas for keeping kids entertained all summer? Check out our Atlanta Summer Camp Guide, which includes the Best Atlanta Summer Camps for Preschoolers, the Best Summer Day Camps in Atlanta, and more great ideas.

Presidents Day Weekend Things To Do in Atlanta: Hello Kitty Truck, Orchid Daze, and More

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Wed, 02/15/2023 - 9:20am

Fall in love with Atlanta Ballet 2 as the company presents the enchanting shortened family ballet of Beauty and the Beast. Photo courtesy of the ballet

Looking for the best things to do in Atlanta this Presidents Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your weekend list!

Presidents Day weekend in Atlanta means a day (or five) off from school, which could equal lots of family time. To keep everyone entertained (and off screens), we've come up with 24 Fun Things to Do for February's Winter Break in Atlanta. If ice skating has been on your winter bucket list, do it this weekend because several rinks, like Ice Days in Covington, end their runs on Sunday. Fans of Hello Kitty will squeal (or maybe meow?) with delight because the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is returning to Atlantic Station on Saturday for a one-day event with treats and more.

Atlanta made Harry Potter: The Exhibition feel so welcome that the event has decided to extend its stay here through April 16, 2023! Before you take your own muggles to the experience, check out our Guide to Harry Potter: The Exhibition Atlanta with plenty of know-before-you-go tips. If you've got family or friends visiting, or if you just want to pack in lots of Atlanta fun, take a look at the ultimate Itinerary of Three Days in Atlanta with Kids from a Local.

Best of February: 14 Awesome Things To Do in Atlanta with Kids

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 01/29/2023 - 9:32am

Fernbank launches a new exhibit, The Nature of Color, and everyone is invited to opening day with color-themed crafts and activities. Photo courtesy of the museum

Whether sending valentines or planning a Presidents Day weekend getaway—there is plenty to love about February! Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in Atlanta in February.

February in Atlanta may mean more chilly weather, but we can get excited about spring with a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden—the annual Orchid Daze exhibit opens February 18, featuring hundreds of variants of the blooming flowers (all indoors). Want more indoor fun? Atlanta Ballet 2 puts on a kid-friendly (think: one hour) production of Beauty and the Beast at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on February 18 and 19, and the Children's Museum of Atlanta holds its annual Fairy Tale Weekend, the last weekend of the month. If you have kids who love to bounce (who doesn't?), then mark your calendar for The Big Bounce America, returning to Atlanta for five jumptastic dates: February 25 and 26 as well as March 3-5.