10 Best Places to Visit in Georgia with Family

Coca-Cola was born in Atlanta in 1886, and it stakes a big claim in American pop culture. Its memorable characters and slogans span more than a century, including the Coca-Cola Polar Bear, Max Headroom, and “It’s the Real Thing.” At the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, see the cultural, commercial, and scientific history of Coke and other drinks produced by the company around the world.

The tasting room – where you can sample more than 100 drinks – is a highlight in many reviews. You can also learn about the bottling process, see hundreds of artefacts, try your own fizzy drink recipe, and meet the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. A VIP guided tour is also available.

Six Flags Over Georgia calls itself the thrill capital of the South, and it’s easy to see why. A roller coaster called the Great American Scream Machine, 1 of 11 in the park, is 10 stories tall. Goliath is 20 stories tall and reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph. Another ride, the appropriately named Acrophobia, is a free-fall drop from 200 feet.

At 290 acres, Six Flags is the largest regional theme park in the Southeast. It’s located in Austell, near Atlanta. It has a water park called Hurricane Harbour as well as rides geared towards families and youngsters. Its events include fireworks shows and the Halloween-focused Kids Boo Night.

Stone Mountain Park is the site of the world’s largest bas-relief sculpture and among the most visited attractions in Georgia by families from all over the world. The sculpture of Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis on horseback is 90 feet tall and 190 feet wide. It’s cut 42 feet into the mountain.

The park, 16 miles outside Atlanta, is 3,200 acres. It features outdoor recreational activities such as a 1-mile hike to the summit, biking, kayaking, and golf. Attractions include the Summit Skyride, a cable transport that ascends 825 feet. Events include a high-definition light show with accompanying music.

The Georgia State Railway Museum occupies the site of a historic Central of Georgia Railway manufacturing and repair facility. It’s located in Savannah’s Tricentennial Park. The museum has a fully operational turntable (where engines were turned around). Visitors can explore historic railcars and locomotives, and ride on a handcar. A train-ride tour of the museum is also available several times each day.

The museum is the oldest and most complete functional antebellum railway manufacture-and-repair facility left in the nation. Exhibits include antique machinery, a print shop, an HO-scale model-train layout, and images of the railway during the 150 years that it was Savannah’s largest employer.

Cumberland Island is Georgia’s southernmost barrier island, home to maritime forests, diverse wildlife, and undeveloped beaches. It includes the Cumberland Island National Seashore. It’s accessible via a National Park Service ferry, where you can spot dolphins and birds. Cumberland Island has a history that spans indigenous populations, Spanish missions, British occupation, slavery, and the estate of the industrialist Thomas Carnegie and his family, who sold the land to the federal government so it could be preserved.

See animals including wild horses, deer, and armadillos. Explore the remnants of history among the ruins of a castle Carnegie had built called Dungeness. A Carnegie mansion, Plum Orchard, is also open for tours. Numerous other historic and wildlife tours are available.

Macon is rich in outdoor activities, musical history, architecture, and southern charm. It provides a lot of activities for families. The 180-acre Amerson River Park provides scenic walks, bike trails, and playgrounds as well as access to the Ocmulgee River for tubing. Families can also reserve picnic pavilions. Lake Tobesofkee offers beachside swimming areas, boating, and Sandy Beach Water Park. Play disc golf at Claystone Park.

The Museum of Arts and Sciences is situated on 14 acres and offers exhibitions, a planetarium, an interactive Discovery House, and nature trails. Visit Macon in March to see 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees in bloom. At the International Cherry Blossom Festival, see magic shows and a family-oriented comedy circus, among other events.

Folkston, in Southern Georgia, is known for its railway history as well as its proximity to the vast Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. At the Okefenokee’s Richard S. Bolt Visitor Centre, learn about recreational opportunities and recent wildlife sightings in the 680-square-mile refuge. Animals include river otters, red foxes, deer, alligators, pelicans, herons, and egrets. Boat tours, kayaking, and hiking are among popular activities. Hike to the Owl’s Roost Tower for spectacular views of the swamp and prairies.

Back in town, at the Folkston Funnel Platform, families can watch railway traffic on a double track – the Folkston Funnel – going between Florida and Georgia. The platform has picnic tables and grills as well as a scanner that monitors radio traffic between trains.

Cartersville is just north of Atlanta and the gateway to Northern Georgia’s mountainous region. It offers numerous activities and destinations for families. The Tellus Science Museum focuses on natural history. It has a large brontosaurus skeleton in addition to a large fossil gallery, a mineral display, and a planetarium. The Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site south of city centre has remains from 3 periods of Native American history including mounds that once held sacred buildings. View artefacts from the area in the on-site museum.

The Savoy Car Museum uses restored vehicles and works of art to educate people about the cultural significance and beauty of cars. Head to Pine Mountain for hikes that offer views of Cartersville and Atlanta.

Helen is a Bavarian-style village in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Georgia that will keep families interested and occupied. At the Hansel & Gretel Sweets Kitchen city centre, watch as fudge is made on marble tables. Spend a day floating in a tube down the Chattahoochee River, which runs through town. Certain outfitters, including Cool River Tubing, offer drop-off and pickup.

Fly from tree to tree on a zipline for a bird’s eye view of the forest with Nacoochee Adventures. View the rare double waterfall at Anna Ruby Falls, which has a paved trail for easier access. Plan your trip for June to see the launch of the Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race and Festival.

Fort Valley is at the centre of Georgia’s peach industry, and a number of family activities are centred around this and other produce items. Visit Lane Southern Orchards, where peaches and pecans are grown. You can get fresh peaches or visit its Peachtree Café where the likes of peach cobbler, peach ice cream, and pecan bars are on the dessert menu. Pearson Farm also produces peaches and pecans, and a self-guided tour of the packing facility is available.

Check these and other growers for pick-your-own opportunities. Blueberries, pecans, and chestnuts are available for public picking in South Peach Park, where you’ll also find playgrounds, horseshoe pits, sports fields, and walking trails.