If you’ve been looking for a family road trip that’s packed with activities but still easy to do with young kids, Atlanta deserves a spot on your list.
We recently spent four days exploring the city with our three daughters (ages 6, 4, and almost 2), and we were pleasantly surprised by just how family-friendly everything was. From one of the world’s largest aquariums to beautiful gardens, interactive museums, and plenty of green space, there was something to keep every member of our family entertained.
Since Atlanta is only about a six-hour drive from Wilmington, it made for the perfect long weekend getaway. Traveling with young kids can be challenging so we broke our trip up in Columbia, SC. All details below!
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park, and it couldn’t have been a better home base for our trip.
Located in the heart of downtown, the hotel is within walking distance of many of Atlanta’s most popular attractions, which meant we rarely had to move our car once we arrived.
Some of our favorite features included:
- Valet parking
- Comfortable, family-friendly rooms
- OMNI Kids Crew welcome bags for the girls
- A Pack ‘n Play already set up in our room
- Bedtime cookies and complimentary bottled water
- A rooftop pool and hot tub overlooking the city
- Centennial Grounds coffee shop
- Multiple onsite restaurants, including New South Kitchen, Top Draft Sports Lounge, and The CTR
Being able to return to the hotel for a swim or an afternoon break before heading back out made a huge difference when traveling with little ones.
Day 1: Road Trip & Checking In
We left Wilmington early and broke up the drive with a stop at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia, South Carolina.
It was the perfect way to let the girls tire out before finishing the drive to Atlanta. If you haven’t been to this zoo, I highly recommend. They have plenty of animals (indoors and out), plus the coolest splash pad area (I highly recommend a swimsuit).
After finishing the trip, we checked into the hotel, explored the property, enjoyed dinner in the room, and relaxed before a busy few days of sightseeing.
Day 2: Georgia Aquarium
One of the biggest highlights of our trip was visiting Georgia Aquarium.
It’s easy to see why it’s considered one of the best aquariums in the world. Home to more than 11 million gallons of water and thousands of animals representing hundreds of species, there’s something incredible around every corner.
Our girls especially loved:
- Watching the whale shark swim (it’s huge)
- Seeing playful sea otters
- The dolphin presentation (truly wow, sit in the splash zone, its worth it!)
- Touch pools
- Colorful jellyfish
- Penguins
- Beluga whales
- So much more!
As the sun went down, colorful lights, music, and glowing decorations transformed the aquarium into an entirely different experience. It was such a fun way to experience the exhibits a second time without purchasing another ticket.
We grabbed a quick lunch nearby at Subway before returning later that afternoon for the evening festivities.
Day 3: Gardens, Animals & CityPASS®
We started the morning at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. (We ended up also becoming members of the American Horticulture Society because an annual membership was only $20 more than a day pass).
Afterward, we used Atlanta CityPASS® to continue exploring the city.
CityPASS allowed us to save money while visiting several of Atlanta’s most popular attractions, making it an excellent option if you plan to see multiple sites during your stay.
We also visited Zoo Atlanta, where the girls loved seeing elephants, orangutans, gorillas, and pandas.
One thing we appreciated throughout the trip was how easy it was to return to the hotel for a midday break before heading back out for more sightseeing. After the zoo, we came back to the rooftop pool, where we swam and relaxed in the sun.
Then after having dinner at Top Draft at the hotel, we ended up stopping in the World of Coca-Cola Museum and then back to Georgia Aquarium before bedtime.
Day 4: Heading Home
Before making the drive back to Wilmington, we stopped for breakfast and then headed home, making a 2-hour pit stop in Columbia, SC along the way so everyone could burn off some energy before the final stretch. We found Greenview Park and Aquatics Center which has a few slides, a pool, and a kids splash area for only $4 per person. They had a changing room with a shower.
Breaking up the drive made traveling with young children much more manageable for all of us.
Tips for Families Visiting Atlanta
If you’re planning your own trip, here are a few things we’d recommend:
- Stay downtown if possible so you can walk to many attractions, otherwise, day parking can be an additional expense
- Consider purchasing Atlanta CityPASS® if you plan to visit multiple attractions.
- Build in downtime each afternoon, especially if you’re traveling with younger children.
- Pack swimsuits always! The Riverbanks Zoo splash pad and the hotel pool became one of our girls’ favorite parts of the trip.
- Bring a stroller, even for older preschoolers, because you’ll do a lot of walking.
Would We Visit Again?
Absolutely.
Atlanta offered the perfect balance of educational attractions, outdoor spaces, and family fun. We never felt rushed, there was plenty to do for different ages, and staying downtown made exploring the city incredibly convenient.
If you’re looking for an easy road trip from coastal North Carolina, Atlanta is definitely worth adding to your family’s travel bucket list.
Thank You
A special thank you to Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park for hosting our stay, Georgia Aquarium for partnering with us during our visit, and Atlanta CityPASS® for helping us experience so many incredible attractions.
As always, all opinions and experiences shared are our own.
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