Elsa Simcik

Latest posts by Elsa

Fall Bucket List for Kids: 40 Fun Things To Do in Atlanta This Fall

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Fri, 09/09/2022 - 10:25am

Celebrate fall by touring the Atlanta Botanical Garden for its Scarecrows in the Garden fall event. Photo courtesy of the garden

Fall in Atlanta is pretty much the peak of our seasonal activities—there are just so many things to do in Atlanta this fall with kids. We've got leaves changing colors, amazing weather (not too cold, not too hot), and lots of fall festivals. Atlanta families are also all a buzz about football season, apple picking, Halloween, and all the opportunities to get outdoors without breaking a sweat. In fact, there are so many fun fall things to do in Atlanta with families that we decided to narrow it down with a list of merely 40 ideas.

Forty ideas isn't enough for you? We've got more where that came from in our Fall Fun Guide for Atlanta Kids.

20 Awesome Fall Festivals Near Atlanta for Families

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 09/04/2022 - 8:01am

Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival runs September 17-October 30. Photo courtesy Stone Mountain

Pumpkins + football + months ending in the suffix -ber all add up to one thing: fall festivals near Atlanta! Every weekend families can fill their calendars with the best Atlanta festivals and fairs.

In fact, there are so many Atlanta fall festivals that parents may be overwhelmed trying to figure out which ones are best for their families. Luckily we have rounded up our favorite fall festivals near Atlanta, so you can be assured your family will have an awesome experience. Enjoy good food, fun activities, music, and (most likely) comfortable weather at these fall festivals in Atlanta and the surrounding area, which like so many cool happenings in our Fall Fun Guide, are perfect for both parents and kids.

Labor Day Weekend in Atlanta: Dragon Con, Hot Air Balloons, and More Fun Things to Do

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Wed, 08/31/2022 - 10:31am

Kids can take part in the Chalk Spot and decorate a square. Photo courtesy of Marietta Art in the Park

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

This Labor Day weekend in Atlanta brings around extra fun events, like the opening of the Buford Corn Maze for the fall season. Kids go on hay rides, bounce on the jumping pillow, and of course, run through the corn maze. Labor Day weekend in Atlanta means five days of costumed comic characters roaming downtown as part of popular Dragon Con. Kids especially enjoy the colorful parade on Saturday morning. Families get artsy in Marietta with the city's annual Art in the Park festival, held in Glover Park on the square. The free event runs Saturday through Monday and has tons of artist vendors, food trucks, and a children's art alley.

This weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and the start of fall fun, like the Apple Pickin' Jubilee at Hillcrest Orchards and Farms in Ellijay. For more places to go apple picking this fall, check out our guide to Awesome Apple Orchards Near Atlanta. Fall is also a fun time to take trips, even the kind that are last-minute or quick. We have tons of ideas for traveling from Atlanta in our Atlanta Weekend Getaway Guide. We hope this Labor Day weekend is full of fun (and no laboring!) for you and your family.

Best of September: 14 Top Things to Do in Atlanta With Kids

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 08/28/2022 - 8:04am

Marietta Art in the Park is a fun way to enjoy Labor Day weekend, including chalking the area! Photo courtesy Art in the Park

Labor Day kicks off September activities, launching Atlanta's season of apple picking, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes.

Families have lots of opportunities to make memories this September in Atlanta. During Labor Day weekend, head to Callaway Gardens for the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival —check out amazing hot air balloons, nightly fireworks, and other cool attractions. Also, happening Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Dragon Con, the five-day, comic/costume/superhero extravaganza. Kids especially enjoy the parade, which takes place on Saturday, September 3. Every weekend in September families can get into fall fun with the Buford Corn Maze (animals, jumpy pillow, hay rides) and the Apple Pickin' Jubilee in Ellijay (train rides, mini golf, pig races).

Since we're on the subject of fall fun and apples, you were probably just thinking, "Where can I take my kids for some adorable apple picking?" We've got the answers with our list of the Best Apple Orchards Near Atlanta for Apple Picking with Kids. With school underway for Atlanta students, we're all trying to get back into a routine, including family dinners. We have awesome tips to make that part of your life easier with our list of Family Dinner Secrets from Savvy Parents. (Full disclosure: Those savvy parents are YOU, our readers!) It's also not too late to sign up for afterschool classes; check out our Guide to Classes for Atlanta Kids for top swim lessons and music, sports and more classes.

Best Ice Cream Near Atlanta: Ice Cream Parlors and Ice Cream Shops Kids Adore

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Fri, 08/12/2022 - 11:01am

Whether you eat it in a bowl or in a cone, the ice cream from Four Fat Cows will have you drooling for more! Photo by the author

Who wants ice cream? Everybody, especially in the summer. Fortunately, we have no shortage of ice cream near Atlanta. We've got all the big ice cream chains, like Baskin-Robbins, Cold Stone Creamery, and Bruster's. We also have lots of smaller, local ice cream parlors, some with just one location —these ice cream shops are the ones that really hit the sweet spot. It was a tough job, researching and tasting various flavors and styles of ice cream near Atlanta, but somebody had to do it! Read on for the "scoop" on the yummiest ice cream parlors near Atlanta, plus cool, local mobile ice cream and popsicle stands.

Want more of our Atlanta food faves? Check out our list of Atlanta Restaurants with Outdoor Seating and Great Patios and Atlanta Food Halls That Really Hit the Spot.

Atlanta Cooking Classes for Kids to Get an Edible Education

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Sun, 08/07/2022 - 10:07am

Young Chefs Academy offers kids' cooking classes for all ages and skill levels. Photo courtesy of the academy

Whether you have a budding chef on your hands or maybe just someone who likes to get their hands dirty, cooking classes for kids are a great option. Kids' cooking classes help develop fine motor skills, offer real-world experience with kitchen tools, and possibly teach a little math (but kiddos don't need to know that). When kids take cooking classes, all they know is that they are having fun and getting to play with food. Mommy Poppins presents this delicious list of schools that teach cooking for kids. Atlanta has kids' cooking classes both ITP and OTP; parents can opt for weekly cooking classes or drop-in style at local grocery stores.

Want more classes for your future musician, coder, dancer, or baller? We have you covered with our Classes Guide for Atlanta Kids!

World of Coca-Cola: A Bubbly Review of Atlanta's Beverage Museum

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Fri, 07/29/2022 - 8:45am

Check out vintage Coca-Cola signs at the museum gift shop.

Atlanta and Coke: They just go together. If you haven't visited World of Coca-Cola with kids yet, it's time to pay tribute to the best known beverage in the world. The popular attraction first came to Atlanta in 1990 as part of Underground Atlanta but later moved to its current location downtown. In fact, it was The Coca-Cola Company that acquired the land and designated sections of it for the Georgia Aquarium and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, all part of an effort to revitalize downtown Atlanta. Now when visitors approach the plaza where World of Coke stands, they are within walking distance to several Atlanta attractions like Centennial Olympic Park and the Children's Museum of Atlanta.

When we visited World of Coca-Cola recently, we saw all types of families —those with babies in strollers to families with teens and everything in between. The Coke museum is structured into seven areas, and the tour is a good mix of guided and not-so-guided. See below for more details on each section and don't miss our know-before-you go tips. Plus, you can save money on admission with a Go City - Atlanta sightseeing pass!

25 Fun Things To Do with Atlanta Toddlers and Preschoolers in Summer

Submitted by Elsa Simcik on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 11:32am

Little ones can make a big splash at Cummings Aquatic Center. Photo courtesy Cummings Aquatic Center

Atlanta toddlers and preschoolers are curious, energetic, and active; during the summer, that means keeping them cool while letting them explore and play. Our list of summer activities in Atlanta for the younger set (think ages 18months-4 years) involve indoor attractions, easy (albeit sometimes a little messy) crafts, interactive games, and water...lots and lots of water!

For even more summer fun in Atlanta, check out our list of Fun and Free Summer Activities and Events Near Atlanta for Kids and our always popular Summer Fun Guide for Atlanta Kids.