Although we are a few days into 2012, our recent family trip to Keystone resort is still fresh in our mind, the first ski experience on one of the best family ski resort in Colorado. So to keep up with our tradition, we have our review post looking back to our family travel last year. It was a fun year!

January: Snow in Atlanta

It’s not often or should I say NEVER that Atlanta metro area will get seven inches of snow in winter. So it was a real big treat for our kids to enjoy snow tubing (home-made style) at our own backyard. The snow storm in Atlanta shut down the whole city a whole week. For adults, the cabin fever started to set in but for kids it was like an unexpected winter break!

February: Indoor Water Park fun

We went up to Sevierville, Tennessee to help celebrate our friend’s birthday. An indoor water park at Wilderness in the Smokies is a great year round fun where kids (and adults) can enjoy swimming, sliding, surfing and more in the heated environment even in the middle of winter.

March: Mickey Memory with Disney Social Media Mom

This month we drove down to our familiar vacation spot in Orlando to attend the Disney Social Media Mom 2011 where we learned, laughed and connected with bloggers. It was our first time staying at the Disney’s Grand Floridian Spa & Resort and it was an experience we won’t easily forget. Mr. Z also experienced a big kid ride and hooked on the roller coaster now!

April: Fun in Atlanta at Georgia Aquarium

In Spring, we stayed close to home and enjoy local  attractions in Atlanta like the Grand opening of new Dolphin Tale show at the Georgia Aquarium, the beautiful day at Piedmont Park for the Dogwood Festival

May: Birthday Celebration at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

This year we took another trip down to Orlando to celebrate Mr. Rojo’s birthday at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We hardly stayed at the Disney’s resorts previously because our family has a timeshare in Orlando but year 2011 we stayed in not just one but two property! And I have to say I understand why people keep going back year after year!

June: Summer fun in Seattle & Vancouver

Our big summer trip this year was a two weeks trip to Seattle and Vancouver. It was a business/family trip combo. I attended TBEX 2011, the Travel bloggers conference, in Vancouver and we also enjoyed family vacation in Seattle.

July: Family Reunion in the Ozark & Side trip to St. Louis

Our first family reunion was planned at the YMCA of the Ozark. It was wonderful for kids to meet and play with their cousins. We also took a little detour to visit St. Louis, MO. A fun day but not nearly enough to discover this gem in the Midwest.

August: Back to School

Summer time flew by when you had so much fun. Before we knew it, the kids were back in school. Yes, here in Atlanta we go back to school in August!

September: Myrtle Beach on Labor Day

Now, that kids are in school, we have to work around school holidays and take advantage of every holidays we can get. So we planned a short break during Labor Day weekend to visit Myrtle Beach. What a fun place for the whole family! We found that Myrtle Beach is not just a place for fun time at the beach or various family entertainments like MagiQuest but we could also enjoy nature like Kayak tour.

October: Fall Family Camping

In October, we had our first fall family camping trip with a group of our friends at Redtop Mountain Park. It was beautiful even though a bit too cold for this tropical girl. Kids, on the other hand, had no problem with the cold temperature at night when they had the whole park to explore. The water in the lake was too cold for anyone of us to dare going in. But we knew it will be a great place to camp again in the summer.

November: Legoland Florida

During the Thanksgiving break, we went to visit the recently opened Legoland Florida. Mr. Z was beyond happy to be able to ride in EVERY SINGLE ride at his height. Miss J loved being a big kid who could take her little brother on the ride without us. Ah!! A theme park where kids rule!

December: Ski & Snow at Keystone Ski Resort

Our last but certainly not least family trip of the year was one of the memorable one for our whole family. It was their first time on ski and my first time learning to ski. One word, AMAZING trip! We certainly enjoyed our whole experience during our trip to Denver & Keystone. This will certainly be a place we would love to revisit again in the future.

Wow! I didn’t realize how much we have traveled this past year until I started this post. It certainly has been a blessing for us to be able to continue our love of travel and adventures. We are thankful for the opportunities we have been given and hope we will continue to be able to travel as a family in 2012. Here to more travel in 2012!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) A Look Back to Family Travel 2011 is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

How exciting news for us who live on the East coast to hear about upcoming attractions from LEGOLAND! Not just one but two new LEGOLAND attractions will be opening soon. First is LEGOLAND Florida theme park which is counting down to days before the opening day and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta which will be opening in Spring 2012.

LEGOLAND Florida

With the upcoming grand opening of LEGOLAND Florida on October 15, I can’t help but dream about our future trip down to our favorite tourist spot in Orlando. Luckily for us that we can just drive down there instead of booking flights to Florida.

Visiting Orlando with kids has been one of our annual vacation and adding LEGOLAND to the already long list of family attractions makes it even more enticing to plan a family trip to Orlando area.

LEGOLAND is probably one of the only few theme park that built with youngsters in mind. Yes, you have Walt Disney World and Disneyland but LEGOLAND has more to offer to toddler and young children than any parks we have visited. Our last visit to LEGOLAND California, our kids still remembered the fun day they had.

Miss J still holds on to her driver license she received from the Volvo Driving School and Mr. Z couldn’t wait to try out the FORD Driving School in LEGOLAND Florida himself because last visit he was a bit too small.

And I have already seen many pictures from LEGOLAND Florida on amazing fun built they have like the Space Shuttle!

To stay up-to-date to current news and promotion from LEGOLAND Florida, become a fan on their Facebook fan page or follow them on Twitter.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta

Like having LEGOLAND Florida within driving distance for us is not enough, we are lucky that Atlanta will be a home to new LEGOLAND Discovery Center next year as well!

LEGOLAND Discovery Center will offer a fun, highly interactive and educational two to three-hour indoor experience ideal for families with children 3-10 years old and provide a range of interactive play areas including 4D cinema; master classes from the LEGO Master Model Builder; exciting LEGO rides; special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations; as well as the popular MINILAND exhibit designed to reflect the iconic buildings and skyline of Atlanta.

Mr. Rojo went to the ground breaking ceremony for the new site of LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta Phipps Plaza in Buckhead and I can’t tell you how excited I am to have LEGOLAND nearby. Our house is full of LEGO sets and pieces. I think it’s the only toy that they never get tired of.

To keep up with the news from LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta, become a fan on their Facebook fan page for update & news.

How about you? What trip are you dreaming of this Monday?

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Dreaming Of LEGOLAND Florida & LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Over the past weekend, we went on our second family camping trip that wasn’t in our backyard. If you are a long time reader, you will know how big of a deal this is for us and our kids.

We are not the “roughing it” or “outdoor adventure” family. Our version of family camping last time involved a long list of things to pack for camping trip like big tent, pillows, electrical hookup, laptop and Nintendo DS.

Family Camping with Cub Scout

This trip is different. It’s a camping trip with the cub scout. There were no electric hookup, no electronic and no wifi.

I wasn’t sure how we will do during that weekend. One saving grace was that we would not be the only camper there. It’s a group camping so I hoped for the kindness of my neighbor.

And I was not disappointed!

We survived!

The campsite is huge and on the lake!! It’s a private camping ground for Boy Scout of USA and the location is privately guarded.

We got there a little bit late and with a long line to check in we arrived at our site when the Sun already went down.

As soon as we pulled in and unloaded our stuff which I realized that I packed too much (There will be another post about lesson learned on this one.), we were approached by another family and helped us find an empty site to start setting up our tent.

First Test for Us, Setting Up a Tent at Night

I have to say that I was pretty proud of us to be able to setup our tent at night with just lantern and headlamp under 30 minutes. Granted, tents these days are much easier to set it up as long as you follow the instruction.

Our secret weapon was we did our dress rehearsal the previous weekend. We did a backyard camping with our friends who came to Cub Scout camping with us. And I’m glad we did.

No Need for Toys

Another great thing of camping with a group of people is the fun the kids had. We don’t have to worry about finding things to do for kids on family camping trip as they immediately found new friends to run around in the wood while adults were busy unpacking and settling down.

The next morning we were ready for a full fun day of activities. There were many fun activities planned throughout the day for the boys and siblings.

Mr. Z took part in the Archery. I had to say it wasn’t bad for his first time trying. He was able to hit the target 2 out of 3 times.

We then spent the majority of the day waiting in line for more activities. I guess it’s part of learning to be patience. By dinner time, we were so tired and ready to bed. BUT there were more activities after dark!

Trick-or-Treating at Night in the Wood

After a fabulous dinner of hot dog and vegetable soup, kids were ready for yet more fun at night. We started off with joining the Halloween parade where the judges gave out prizes during the costume contest.

This was our first year attending this event so next year we already talk about new and improve costume.

The trick-or-treating was definitely a highlight of the night for us. We walked along the path to different campsites in the dark with just the light source from our flashlight. The atmosphere made the event more fun for them but not scary because there were so many kids walking at the same time.

As we stepped into our tent for the last night, the kids were hardly up long enough to change themselves into their pajamas before they were fast asleep.

Memory that Last A Lifetime

The next morning was bittersweet. It was one of the best weekend we have had outdoor and one that I know we will remember for a really long time.

It was something as simple as sleeping in the tent and running wild in the wood that create such a long lasting memory for our family. I know that this will be one of the tradition that we will look forward to doing many years to come.

Camping with kids seem like a disaster in a making but once I let go of the type A personality and my camping phobia, it probably is one of the best thing you can do as a family with kids. Back to nature!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Camping With Kids: The “Somewhat Roughing It” Version is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Before the beginning of school year, we took the kids to Fernbank Museum of Natural History. With a great deal we snagged from Groupon for 50% off for a family membership, we were able to enjoy a great family day out on a cheap.

The Fernbank Museum has a great permanent exhibits and also educational and fun special exhibit throughout the year. Currently, the Geckos: Tails to Toepads is on display until the end of September.

We went there during the weekend that they also hosted a fun family day. So kids pretty much enjoyed the fun games as well as the fun display of live bugs in the area.

Once we stepped inside the exhibit, their attention was drawn to various types and varieties of Geckos in the enclosures.

I love the fact that they put up the little treasure hunt on each enclosure. Kids and adults spent time trying to locate geckos in the enclosure to see if we could locate all the geckos in that enclosure.

Can you find where is the gecko?

It’s very interesting to learn about different environments these little creatures could survive in.

We did spend some time walking around the permanent exhibits. Even though, we have visited the Fernbank Museum in the past, our kids still enjoyed checking out the Sensing Nature room where they could learn about how their sense work together to understand the environment.

With many interactive stations, it’s no doubt one of the favorite room for kids as they can touch and play.

And the visit wouldn’t be complete if they didn’t get their own souvenir. Our budget friendly souvenir is still the pennies pressed. Their little pennie book is almost full. I guess it’s time for me to invest in a new book for them.

Family Tips:

• Check out many deal sites in Atlanta area for discount tickets. So far I have seen deals from Groupon and HalfOffDepot.
• There is also IMAX theatre where different movies are shown. Check the schedule if you and your family are interested. The IMAX ticket is sold separately.
• The museum is not that big so this can be done in half day.

Atlanta

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Atlanta With Kids: Geckos at Fernbank Museum is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

During summer, we took Miss J and Mr. Z to Six Flags Over Georgia using their free tickets from their school reading reward program and with the current promotion of adult pays child ticket, we were able to save quite a bit in tickets admission.

Our First Time Experience was 2 Years Ago

We haven’t been to Six Flags in a couple years. Our first visit to Six Flags Over Georgia was when they were still pre-school and I found that it wasn’t much they could enjoy. It was more of a hassle to have to explain to them why they couldn’t get on the ride because they were too short or too young.

Now that they were older and hopefully more reasonable, we took a chance.

A Different Game Plan and Approach

After talking to a friend of us who recommended us to go to the park in the afternoon and stay late instead of going early in the morning to escape the heat, we decided to head there after lunch.

It might seem weird to go there late but it worked out pretty well. The park during the summer time close at 10PM so even when we arrived at 2PM we still had a full 8 hours in the park. This approach however might not work with a family with younger children who have early bed time. For our kids, they could easily stay up until midnight if we let them.

When It Rained, It Poured

Well, we thought that would give us plenty of time to explore the whole park. Unfortunately, the mother nature didn’t agree. It was raining for a good hour while we were there. So after the rain, a lot of rides were close and we spent time walking around trying to find a ride. Mr. Z was pleased to hop on the Railroad and enjoyed the preview of many rides in the park that he hoped he could conquer.

Small People Area: Spanish/Bugs Bunny World

For us, even though they are now in school, their sizes are still small comparing to their peers. So there were still many disappointment when they couldn’t get on several rides they hoped for.

We decided to head to Spanish/Bugs Bunny World – the area mainly for younger kids. This area provided us with an insurance that they would be able to enjoy every single ride and with less wait time as well.

By now, we were all hot and sweaty. It was time to head to the back of the park for some water fun.

Water Fun in the Park

When we visited Six Flags Over Georgia last time, the Skull Island was already closed. So this time, we were looking forward to it.

I think we could have just come to the Skull Island and they would be VERY happy about it.

But as a parent, it was very stressful to have to keep an eye on your kids running around in the slippery and wet area. No matter how many times you tell them not to run, they just couldn’t easily contain their excitement.

We spent the rest of our time in the Skull Island. In hindsight, I think we should have come to this area sooner. They had so much fun that I think we might have to visit Six Flags again before they close for the season.

So if you have the little dare devil in your household, I think this is a park that they will absolutely enjoy. Mr. Z is working hard to grow himself a few more inches so he can enjoy most of the roller coaster rides. Check out Six Flags Over Georgia tickets page for various deal and ticket combination.

Family Tips:

• Bring extra change of clothes and towel for Skull Island water fun.
• Check out the ride restriction so you can plan your visit accordingly.
• We purchased bottomless refill drink to enjoy cold drink throughout the day. Yes, it’s soda but it’s only for a day. :)
• Purchase ticket online to avoid the line at the entrance.

Check out other travelers stories with Photo Friday from Delicious Baby and Spotlight Thursday from Trekaroo

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Atlanta With Kids: Six Flags Over Georgia is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Two weekends ago, we had an awesome opportunity to help volunteering with local organization – Act Together Ministries for the Back-To-School event – Tools 4 School Event at Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church Alpharetta.

An Organization with Family Oriented Goals

Act Together Ministries is a christian based organization that aims to help change the plight of children living in distress in North Atlanta area. They focus their work on supporting children in distress by providing for children’s basic needs, giving children the opportunity to experience the joy of childhood and offering programs to strengthen family bond.

What I also like about Act Together Ministries is that they also inspire young generation to serve by providing service projects that are child friendly and making giving and serving fun for young children as well.

Tools 4 School Project: A Group Effort

The Tools 4 School is one of many service projects that Act Together Ministries have done in partnership with local organizations. This event was sponsored by Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church in Alpharetta.

I signed us up as a family. Mr. Rojo and the kids signed up to help food service but he actually ended up as the volunteer to help gathering school supplies and the kids were there to play with other kids. I signed up to help blog about the event.

Tools 4 School provided children in need including foster children, military children, and children living in poverty with school supplies, hair cut, medical and dental check up.

As the families arrived and registered, volunteers helped them pick out the school backpack and started working on their school supplies check list.

The volunteers worked with kid one-on-one to help them gather their school supplies from the list.

Once they were done, the medical team of doctors, nurses and dentists were there to provide them with necessary medical and dental check up for school.

With the generosity of donors and volunteers, there were also a table setup with bags of groceries to help family start off their back-to-school with a healthy meal.

Once the families gathered their school supplies and finished with their medical & dental check ups, the children could enjoy free art & crafts or played game with volunteers.

I was truly impressed by the well-run and organized event by both Act Together Ministries and Christ the Shephard Church. After talking to a few volunteers who were also the church members, I found out that this was the first year that they have done this event. But I sure hope it will not be the last.

In the end around 125-150 children from single parent homes, foster homes and local shelters received new school supplies.

It was a really great experience and one that I hope we will continue to do as a family. The smile on the kids are priceless and show us that we are the ones who are on the receiving end in this.

If you are looking for way to help, you can sign up to volunteer with the events from Act Together Ministries or donate to help fund many more projects in the future.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Volunteer with Kids: Tools 4 School Event is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Last weekend, we were invited by Georgia State Park to attend their kick off event of Geo-Challenge.

Geo-Challenge is a new program by Georgia State Park incorporating Geocaching to 42 Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites.

You can pick up Georgia State Park Geo-Challenge passport or download it online. Then go to geocaching.com to get GPS coordinates for the caches location in the parks. Head out to the parks and start the hunt.

Once you find the cache hidden in the park, there will be a stamp (unique to each location) for your passport. Complete specific numbers of caches to get a custom geo-coin. Bring your stamped Passport into the park’s Visitor Center and receive a voucher for your coin.

If you are new to Geocaching like myself, there are many sites you can find out more information about. One of my travel blogger buddy, Tripping With Kids, has many posts with great information about geocaching.

Now, on to our first experience with geocaching with kids…

I’m glad that our first geocache attempt was with the Geo-Challenge. We went to the Fort Yargo State Park in Winder and checked in. Typically, geocacher will need a few equipments to start with namely GPS handheld unit (very important) and a few other hiking items.

We were able to borrow the GPS unit from the GA State Park along with a helpful experience geocacher – Ms. Linda. She taught us what caches might look like, how to read the GPS and when to follow the compass or not to follow the compass since sometimes the compass tends to take you on the most direct route. We have to use some common sense as well to not get ourselves in trouble.

Since this is the kick off event, there were 5 additional caches hidden in the park specifically for this event. We arrived a bit later than the starting time so we planned to just attempt to find one event-specific cache.

Our first cache took us on a walk along the nature trail to the wood. It was a beautiful day and a perfect weather for geocaching. We were lucky as we arrived at the location to find another family was there looking for the cache as well. The kids couldn’t be more excited to find their first cache.

As we walked back, we ran into another group putting another cache away. Well, it could be considered as cheating since we didn’t even have the coordinate of this cache. But I considered it as an incentive for a first timer.

With 2 successfully caches, we were ready for the real cache in the park. We loaded our GPS with the coordinate and headed back out on our own for the hunt of Geo Challenge cache. I’m happy to report that it was a success. We found our cache and stamped our passport. One down, 41 more to go!

This is definitely a great way to get kids engage and involve in a destination. Thank you for introducing geocaching to our family. We are hooked!

Do you have an experience with geocaching? Would you like to share with us?

Check out other traveler Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) GeoCaching with Kids: Our First Experience in Geocaching is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Going to a baseball game at Turner Field stadium is one of the kid-friendly activity for a family in Atlanta. However, with the nature of the baseball game it’s quite a challenge to entertain children throughout the game.

The Atlanta Braves has done a great job in making a visit to the stadium fun for the whole family. I’m pretty sure most of the parents already know about the Cartoon Network’s Tooner Field and the Scouts Alley. Both family entertainment areas are on the first level ready for families as soon as you enter the stadium.

But our recent visit to the Braves game we discovered another gem hidden up above the stadium at the Coca-Cola Sky Field. The Coco-Cola Sky Field sits atop the outfield roof at Turner Field. This Coke fan attraction features picnic pavilion, giant Coke bottle and base path for kids.

Mr. Z and Miss J were pretty amazed at the size of the giant Coke cannon and asked when they can see them shoot the confetti. No such luck that day!

One of the best feature here is the base path with base pad for kids to run the base. It is a genius way to exercise those excess energy. Kids can run the base with the help of a very friendly staff who is there to cheer them on and organize the run.

I lost count on how many times they ran. All I knew was we could still enjoy the game on the roof. It was way better than watching it on TV while we watched them at the Cartoon Network’s Tooner Field or the Scouts Alley.

Afterward, we checked out the three giant coke lawn chairs. They are HUGE. I think we could probably fit at least 4-5 adults on the chair. The kids enjoyed posing for picture and just hung out.

It was a great success visit to a ball game after the 3rd tries. I believed the Coca-Cola Sky field and their ages have a major part in making this visit a fun one. Plus a night game is definitely a way to go for our family!

Thank you, Jim from Atlanta Braves who showed us this gem!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Atlanta With Kids: Secret to Entertain Kids @ Turner Field Stadium is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Over the weekend, I joined my mom group to do the volunteer work with our elementary school children at Horse Rescue, Relief and Retirement Fund, a local non-profit organization that work to the rescue and rehabilitation of horse and equine suffering from abuse and to the successful retirement of working horses and equine.

We were greeted by Ms. Deb who is a field trip coordinator who is a volunteer staff there. She gave us a quick orientation on what to expect and then we were off to tour the property.

We learned many new things about horses like what term do we use to call horses with multi-color (paint) and what we call their mark on their forehead (star). We met up with the regular residents there who were more than happy to greet us.

There are different area within the property for different types of horse. Mr. Z was so excited to meet horses that are smaller in size. It was wild to be able to walk up to them and touch these gentle souls. Remember, NEVER walk behind the horse!

A larger area is for bigger horses who need more space to exercise. We also learned a lot about how each horse came to the rescue.

After the tour, we then got to work. Since our kids were pretty young comparing to their typical volunteers. Ms. Deb gave us an easy task to help grooming two of their ponies. The kids did a great job!

Afterward, we were rewarded by a surprise treat. Mr. Z tried so hard to make him run. :) But he was a really good horse and didn’t even move a bit with many kids on his back.

It was a great experience and one that we would love to repeat again in the future.

If you would love to volunteer or plan a field trip, you can check out their website and contact them.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Volunteer with Kids: Save The Horses Organization is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Several weeks ago I was invited to visit and tour Homewood Suites by Hilton Atlanta – Lawrenceville/Duluth. I was already a big fan of Homewood Suites during our stay in San Diego so I was excited to see if this location will have the same quality and charm.

Location Location Location

The location of the hotel is very important when you travel and this home away from home hotel is no difference.

The Homewood Suites Lawrenceville/Duluth is conveniently located next to I-85 and Sugarloaf Parkway. It’s literally across the street from the Discover Mills  mall, one of our family favorite outlet mall. And right down the street, there is the Gwinnett Center which hosts various concerts, family shows and conferences through out the year.

Also with easy access to I-85, you can travel to different part of Atlanta easily (but try to avoid rush hour because we are notorious for the traffic during rush hour)

Property Details

I have stayed at Homewood Suites Liberty Station-San Diego. And I was not disappointed to see that this Homewood Suites Atlanta-Lawrenceville has the same detail in decoration and functions.

The lobby is nice and feel very welcoming. The big sofa looks inviting for a quick break in front of the fireplace and big flat screen TV. I feel that I have been transported to a peaceful living room even though I am right in the middle of the city!

Movie Room makes for family

One of the unique feature of this hotel is the Media/Movie Room. The room is created with family in mind. Kids will enjoy a movie night in this room with flat screen TV, DVD player and comfy theatre style chair.

The Famous Hot Breakfast

My kids still talk about their favorite breakfast at Homewood Suites. We used to think complimentary breakfast means store-bought muffin, banana and cereal in a box. But not here in Homewood Suites, the breakfast area in the morning is the place where you will see other guests enjoy the fresh breakfast from scramble eggs, bacon, fresh fruits, bread or cereals.

When you travel with kids, having free and healthy option for breakfast is a big plus and a real saving for both time and budget.

The Rooms

They have studio, 1-Bedroom, and 2-Bedroom available at this hotel. Even the studio, the smallest option available, I can see that the space is larger than typical hotel room. The studio room also has pull out sofa and kitchen area with full size refrigerator, microwave and small pantry equipped with utensils and dishware.

The 2-Bedroom option here has one cool feature that sets it apart from other typical suite room. There are 2 separate doors to enter the room. So you can actually stay with your family with a complete privacy because each room will have their own entrance. That’s neat!

Other Amenities I Like

There are other amenities and services from Homewood Suites that make me like this hotel even more. (and you will think that I work for them.. which I’m not)

• Free WiFi – Ok, this is a pet peeve of mine when I travel. How much does it cost for a hotel to setup WiFi? Why can’t they provide that as a free service to hotel guests? At least, the people at Homewood Suites think we should have free WiFi! I think every hotel should follow their footstep.
• Great business center – Yes, sometimes you might have to do business on your family trip and it’s nice to have an option to be able to conduct your business at the hotel. The business center here has multiple computers with its own printer/fax machine. There is also a small room that you can close the door for privacy.
• Putt-putt green – With the great weather majority of the time in Atlanta, a fun outdoor activity is welcoming for family with kids. And what can be more fun than a putt-putt.
• Welcome Home reception – From Mon-Thu, there will be manager reception dinner. This is not just chip & salsa type. It’s a real meal. The menu is available online and from what I see you won’t get the same meal if you stay for a whole  month!

*This Giveaway is closed*

The Giveaway

So you are in luck as the nice people of Homewood Suites by Hilton Atlanta-Lawrenceville/Duluth is providing us with a great package for you to try out this special place for yourself.

Prize:

• Complimentary 1 night stay (Thursday – Sunday) at Homewood Suites by Hilton Atlanta-Lawrenceville/Duluth location for a One Bedroom King Suite with a sleeper sofa, full kitchen and wire/wireless internet. (a value of $114).
• $25 Gift card to AMC theatre at Discover Mills Mall
• The prize must be redeemed by Dec 31, 2010.

How to Enter:

• Leave a comment with your email (I will not share your email address) telling me ‘What is the most important amenity when staying at a hotel with your family?‘
• The comment must be entered before 10pm EST on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010.

Additional Entries:

• Become a fan of The Q Family Adventures on Facebook and come back to leave a comment to let me know that you are a fan.
• If you are already a fan of The Q Family Adventures, you can leave a comment to let me know.
• Follow @TheQFamily on Twitter and tweet about our giveaway “I enter @TheQFamily giveaway for a night @HomewoodSuites #Atlanta Lawrenceville http://su.pr/1mCcJs #giveaway” and come back to leave a comment with a link to your twitter post.

Winner:

The giveaway will be closed on 10pm EST on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010. I will choose ONE lucky winner randomly and the result will be announce here on Wednesday, April 14th, 2010. I will contact the winner to get information for the shipping address for your winning prize.

The winner must reply to my email within 3 days otherwise I will select another winner.

Rules:

• Duplicate comments and anonymous comments will be discarded.
• Please make sure that the email address in your comment form is valid so that we can contact you (email addresses are never made public or shared).
• Winners must claim their prize within 3 business days after the date of notification of such prize.  We will disqualify any entries that we believe are generated by scripts and other automated technology.
• No substitutions including for cash are permitted.
• Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize.
• Relatives of The Q Family Adventures are not eligible to win.

So are you ready for a night out with your kids? What a better way to spend a weekend at this home away from home where you and your family can enjoy free movie, no cooking and no cleaning for a day!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) A Tour of Homewood Suites Atlanta-Lawrenceville & Giveaway is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Last week, I posted about our experience in Georgia Aquarium – The Planet Shark exhibit. So this week I will continue on our fun day in the Georgia Aquarium. After we were done with The Planet Shark exhibit, we headed down to the main area of the aquarium.

I wouldn’t want to bore every one to death of every single detail of our visit. It’s just better to experience it yourself.

But here are Our best family’s favorite moments.

Tropical Diver: Jelly Fish and Living Reef

In the Tropical Diver, we experienced the largest living reef exhibit with overhead crashing wave. This is probably one of the favorite in the Tropical Diver. I could imagine myself sitting there all day checking out thousand of colorful coral reef on display.

I was obsessing over trying to get that perfect blue of jelly fish. Well, you are the judge. How did I do?

Ocean Voyager: Underwater tunnel, Whale Sharks and Manta

When we were there, the movable walkway was disable. It maybe because it was already late in the day or it was broken. But either way, I like it. It allows us to spend more time to check out those thousand of fish swimming by overhead.

We pick up a fish guide at the beginning. It was a brilliant idea and perfect for kids to engage in the exhibit. Miss J and Mr. Z were busy looking for each fish and learned about each one of them.

Ocean Voyager: Diver Spectacular Show

Ok, it’s not really a show but we were there when there was the Diving program. It was a perfect timing. Kids enjoyed watching both fish and divers swimming around. It even made Mr. Rojo considered taking up diving… Maybe.. Maybe..

The viewing window is humongous. It’s the second largest viewing window in the world. There is space for everyone to enjoy thousand of fish, sharks, manta and other sea creatures. I think we could probably spend a whole day just sit there and watch the fish.

Georgia Explorer: Touch Pools and Big Whale Slide

Ok.. I’m kidding. I like various touch pools in the exhibit. The most prominent one is the touch pool for stingray and bonehead shark which is right in the entrance of the exhibit. Too bad Mr. Z and Miss J are a bit too small to reach the pool. Maybe the aquarium might consider a touch pool for children? Something a bit shallower that they can reach. Wonder if that’s even possible.

Then they turned around and headed inside the exhibit. A big whale slide was there to greet them and before I could say anything they were off. They ran up and down the slide a few times before we had to pull the plug and head out.

What a great day we had in Georgia Aquarium and thank you for providing us with complimentary passes.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary tickets from Georgia Aquarium and The Planet Shark. However, this post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Best Family Favorite Moments at Georgia Aquarium is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Over the weekend we ventured out downtown to revisit the Georgia Aqueium after our first visit a few years ago.

The Aquarium is conveniently located in downtown right next to the World of Coca-Cola and Imagine It! Children’s Museum of Atlanta. It’s perfect for visitors who come to visit or family who wants to have a fun day out.

Parking Garage – Little thing that counts

We parked in the covered parking garage and walked along to new (for me anyway) covered walkway along to the entrance. This is a new improvemt from our first visit. We no longer have to worry about kids running out into the incoming traffic. It’s little thing that makes parent happy.

The Planet Shark

Once we got in, we headed to the Planet Shark: Predator or Prey exhibition. I was giving the complimentary tickets to check them out. First of we stopped by the information table to rent audio tour for each kid.

I think it’s a great and very inexpensive way to keep kids engaged and interested in exhibitions.

So how did we like it? I like it. It’s very informative and interesting. Kids loved listening to their audio tour and check out different shark jaws, teeth and fossil.

It’s good to have great info to teach them that sharks are not as scary as they might thought. The fact that majority of sharks kill less humans than other accident gives me some comfort.

However, I don’t think toddlers will really enjoy this exhibit as much. Even though there are a few interactive part in the exhibit, the majority of information is on display so they might not have the patience to wait for it. Kids in school-age will love it. They will enjoy learning about Shark history and seeing some of the full-size sharks displayed in the exhibit.

Beware for little kids

A word of caution though, you might want to consider your kids fear tolerance. For us, Mr. Z is a fearless child. He was so eager to see the video of the shark stories and movies that played throughout. Miss J on the other hand was afraid and I knew that I wouldn’t want her to develop fear of water so we kept our visit to just the history and fossil part.

We pretty much zipped through the latter part of the exhibit where they shows authentic artifacts from the movie “Jaws”, stories from survivors or the feature films.

Our Verdict

It was a very positive experience especially coming from a person who was traumatized by Jaws movie. I just wish that I can spend more times there without my kids. Ok.. It sounds a bit bad coming from a family travel blogger. But I just don’t want to pay the bill for the therapist later in life so we try to steer them away from the gruesome and hard-to-watch exhibit.

Also for the additional cost for less than $6 more than the general admission fee, it’s really worth seeing this exhibit.

Disclaimer: I received complimentatry tickets from Georgia Aquarium and The Planet Shark. However, this post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Shark Encounter in Georgia Aquarium is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A few weeks ago right before the school started, we planned our outing to celebrate back-to-school. I gave Miss J and Mr. Z choices on their outing.

Miss J with her free spirit, creative imagination, and sensitive emotion chose Imagine It! Children Museum. It’s one of Atlanta family favorite children museum. We had our membership from Creative Discovery museum that allow us to get in for free. I think I might get our membership here next year.

Originally, we planned to hit 2 museums that day. One for Miss J and one for Mr. Z. But as usual, we were slow getting start. We didn’t get to the museum till after lunch. So we decided to just let them play and enjoy their time there and visit Mr. Z’s choice the next day.

Every time when we visited Imagine It!, the first stop had to be the Tool Solution section. It’s a big giant structure with balls moving along the tube, water wheel, and even crane. Kids ran around picking up balls and putting them into the tube to see them moving to the next stop. Mr. Z waited patiently for his turn to operate the crane and he couldn’t be happier to drop the ball right on target.

It took a while before they agreed to move on to other exhibits. And Miss J gravitated toward the wall art. It was such a cool idea. Color paint the wall and then wipe it out and start it all over again. The station is equipped with pint-size apron and water color ready for the little Picasso to express their idea.

Another one of her favorite has to be the sand table filled with moon sand. The sand has super soft quality that you can pretty much sculpt it into fun shape.

As for Mr. Z, his second favorite has to be the grocery and conveyor belt section. I didn’t know he loves shopping this much. Next time I go grocery shopping, he will be my little helper. There were more kids than the little shopping carts so Mr. Z waited patiently (again) for his turn. It took probably a good 40-45 minutes before one of the kids gave up on this fun cart. Mr. Z didn’t waste his time filling up his shopping cart full of healthy food (I hope!).

I couldn’t say enough good thing about Imagine It! At first glance, it doesn’t look like a great children museum. With only one story, I thought it was rather small. But each exhibit is created with such details that kids couldn’t stay away from them. Plus the size is actually what make this children museum perfect for family with kids especially small children. It’s easier to keep track of your kids when there aren’t that many places for them to hide. I admit that I love the Port Discover Children museum in Baltimore. But at time, I also was so nervous. With multi-stories playground, there were several times that I couldn’t keep an eye on them. So I have to say that Imagine It! has grown on me and slowly become one of my favorite children museum.

Stay tune for part 2 of our back-to-school weekend fun!

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Back-to-School Weekend Fun at Imagine It! Children Museum is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

I have an honor to be a guest post on one of my favorite family travel blog/site – Ciao Bambino.

Ciao Bambino is a great resource for family travel with children. Amie has done such a great job creating a site that full of resources and real experience information. Most of the hotels recommended by her site either have been vetted by herself or her friends. Ciao Bambino not only provided hotel recommendation but destination guides and tips for parents. So I’m so thrilled when she asked me to write a guest post for her site.

Please take a moment to check out my post about Top 5 Kid-Friendly Excursions in Atlanta.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The Q Family at Ciao Bambino is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

The Fabulous Fox Theatre in Midtown is one of Atlanta historic landmark and one of the most amazing building. From the front box office that set the tone for you as soon as you step in the theatre to the ceiling and door with all the intricated details, you can see that this is not a typical theatre. Converted from the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque, the Fox had been beautifully designed and restored to transport you to the Arabian courtyard.

Details are everywhere at the Fox theatre. From the front entrance with beautiful water fountain to greet you to the ornate vase. There is no place escape the details.

Walking down to the gentlemen and ladies lounge and you will feel like you have just step out to the indoor courtyard of an arabian home. The ceiling is as blue as the night sky. The lanterns are uniquely design to compliment the faux window. I could get lost for hours just to admire all the details that they have created and I haven’t even set foot inside the theatre yet!

Once you walk into the main theatre, you will think you have walked into an amphitheatre back in time. The sky with twinkle stars, the canopy above the balcony, the tent on the second floor or the beam across the room.

Even if you are not broadway type person, you should check the Fox theatre out at least once. Right now, they have the Coca-Cola Film Festival so you can watch your favorite fick instyle. Check out their schedule here. The best part, the ticket price for each movie is actually cheaper than most theatre in town.

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The Fabulous Fox Theatre Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Summer is the time for the fun in the water. When I lived in Florida, pool time was all year round so I wasn’t really appreciated it as much as when we moved here. Everyone anticipate the opening of the pool and it was such a great way to kick off our summer. But going to your little community pool everyday can be boring. I start checking out other water parks around the area to spruce things up for our summer fun day with our kids.

Here is our short list of water parks we have visited or would like to visit in the near future around the Atlanta area.

1. Lake Lanier Islands

As part of the Lake Lanier Islands resort, the Chattahoochee Rapid and Water park is a favorite for Atlantans. There are over a dozen rides and attractions for the whole family.

For family with little one, the kiddie pool will be your home based and you won’t be disappointed. The park planed with parent in mind, the Wiggle Wave and Kiddie Lagoon are situated near the entrance and the beach area so parents and kids can enjoy the relaxing day on the white sandy beach. For family with bigger kids, the fun has just begun. There are waterslides, wave pool and water fun area for them to enjoy. The price might be a bit on the high end but it’s well worth the visit.

You can also make it a weekend vacation by checking in to one of their resort rooms at Legacy Lodge and Conference Center.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $25.99 Child $15.99
Location: 7000 Holiday Road, Lake Lanier Islands, GA 30518
Contact: 1-800-840-LAKE

Tips:
- Look out for discount coupon if you can visit on the weekdays.
- Buy the season ticket if you know that you will visit at least 2 or more times and the ticket will pay for itself.

2. Six Flags White Water

Boasted one of the top 10 best Water Parks in the US by travel channel. We have yet to experience the Six Flags White Water in Atlanta. There are over 50 rides  for the whole family. Before you head out there, check their website for height restriction so you will be able to see how many rides your kids will be able to enjoy.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult (online special) $29.99 Child (under 48″) $26.99. See sites for more update price
Location: 250 Cobb Parkway N #100, Marietta, GA 30062
Contact: 770-948-9290

Tips:
- If you can get a group of friends to have 15 tickets, you can get group rate for $23.02.
- To avoid the crowd, try to visit during the weekdays in Summer.
- Start from the furthest ride in the park.

3. Bogan Aquatic Center

Gwinnett county knows their water parks. There are several county parks that have great aquatic center that include indoor lap pool and indoor/outdoor leisure pool. Bogan Aquatic Center is located in Buford near the Mall of Georgia. When we went there, we were hooked. For the price of $5 per adult and $3 per kid, you can’t beat this fun, family-friendly water park. The indoor leisure pool is perfect for the whole family. There is a big slide to the lazy river for big kids and adults. There is a water playground in the beach entry for little one. The picnic tables are availabe outdoor next to the pool so you can plan your picnic for a full fun day at this water park.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $5, Child (4-10) $4, Child (3 and under) $2
Location: 2723 North Bogan Road, Buford 30519
Contact: 770-614-2063

Tips:
- Pack a snack in a cooler so you can take a break and save money from buying at the vending machine.

4. Sun Valley Beach

One of a few beach in Atlanta area with slides and kiddie play area. I can’t give my personal view on this one since we haven’t visited this place yet. But from the website and other reviews, it seems to be a great family day out. Don’t expect the same types of rides as in Six Flags but I guess the stretch of white sand beach might compensate the lack of other cool attraction.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $17.95, Child (2-11) $14.95, Child (2 and under) FREE
Location: 5350 Holloman Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127
Contact: 770-943-5900

Tips:
- Get there early so you can get good spot for your stuff.
- Bring cheap water toys that you won’t mind loosing. With lot of people and kids, things can be misplaced.

5. Bethesda Park Aquatic Center

Another great water park from Gwinnett county and this one seems to be the biggest one of all. I have never been there but I’m sure there won’t be shortage of fun. This family-friendly water park features indoor lap pool and indoor leisure play pool. The leisure play pool includes beach entry that perfect for little baby or toddler, the river channel, hydrotherapy benches that will be perfect for mommy and daddy after a long day chasing after our kids, water play struction, vortex and ceiling spray.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $5, Child (4-10) $4, Child (3 and under) $2
Location: 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville 30044
Contact: 678-924-6334

Tips:
- Pack a snack in a cooler so you can take a break and save money from buying at the vending machine.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Family-Friendly Water Parks In or Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Pick you own or You-Pick farm has been one of our favorite activities throughout the year – one of the beauty of living in the Atlanta area. I have never done that before when I lived in FL. Maybe at that time, Miss J and Mr. Z were still too young to appreciate such activity or maybe I was so frazzled as a first time mom that the only thing I could think about was how to take care of them.

So check out some of our favorite farms for any season. Plan your weekend, go out and enjoy! You can also visit pickyourown.org to search for farm in your area.

Summer:

Strawberries Picking – The season typically starts from May – Jun. Our favorite is Washington Farm. There are 2 locations in the Atlanta area. One is in Loganville and another is in Watkinville. We have been going to Loganville for the past 2 years and we love it.

The Loganville location is closer but smaller in size. It’s a no frill farm. You go there, park, pick up the bucket or you can bring your own, learn the rule, and start picking. Then after you have eaten (shhhh.. you gotta taste the fruit somehow, right?) and filled up your bucket, you will go up to the stand and pay. I have never been to the Watkinville location so I can’t provide any first-hand experience. But my friend said that they do have small picnic area and playground for kids to enjoy.

Tips:
1. Bring wet wipe or diaper wipe for those little dirty hands.
2. Bring a cooler with ice if you have to drive for a distance to help keep the strawberries fresh
3. Do not wash the strawberries right away. Keep it in the fridge till you are ready to enjoy them.
4. Remove them from the tub and put them in shallower container so it won’t be crushed.

Blueberries Picking – The season starts right after the strawberries season. Last year we went blueberries picking at the Berry Patch Farm around July. The farm is not too far from Alpharetta. It was a really nice farm with small playset for kids to run off their energy. The blueberry picking is not as easy as strawberry. For one, it’s smaller so it will take you much longer to fill up the bucket. For another, the blueberry tree has some sharp branches that you have to be careful especially with small children.

Tips:
1. Watch out for the tape that mark poison ivy. If you see it, then move on and don’t go near it.
2. Head out early in the morning so it won’t be too hot for the kids.
3. Wear sneaker or rain boot. Since you will be there early, the  morning dew will still on the ground.

Fall:

Apple Picking – The picking season for the Apple orchard in North GA mostly starts around Sept till Oct. We went to Hillcrest Orchard up in Ellijay (the main Apple orchard city in GA) a couple years ago. It wasn’t what I envisioned for the apple picking. I dreamt about cold crisp air as we walked down the apple trees. I imagined the morning dew on the apple for the lovely morning. But what we got was 70 degree and we wore sweater. So needless to say, it wasn’t pleasant picking. But that’s no fault of the orchard.

The orchard is fairly big with more than just apple picking. They also have a nice shade picnic area for you to enjoy your break, a play area with big slide for kids, a stage with live-music during the weekend, a pig race for us to root for. So it’s not just an apple picking but a fun-filled day for the whole family. Next time, I just have to check the weather channel before we dress.

Tips:
1. Bring cooler to store your apples.
2. Fill up your cooler with snack and water so you can have lunch and enjoy a day out without spending too much money
3. Don’t forget the sunscreen and hat.

Pumpkin Picking – Who doesn’t like to carve the pumpkin, use your hand to scoop out those yucky stuff from the inside and enjoy the masterpiece after it’s done. Around the Atlanta metro area, I think everyone has heard of Burt’s Pumpkin farm. It’s one of the popular farm that sits right in front of the beautiful Amicalola Falls entrance. I think every school has a rule that they must have a field trip there. I could understand why.

Burt’s farm has a HUGE selection of pumpkins. I mean huge and a lot. You will be overwhelmed with all the selections available; big, small, tiny, funny looking, you name it. The pumpkin patch is not the only thing at the Burt’s farm. They also provide a hay ride. It was a fun ride through their farm with some funny prop. There is a creek running through the farm that you can setup and enjoy your picnic after a full day of choosing the perfect pumpkin.

Tips:
1. Try to visit there during the weekday. Weekend can be a challenge with a lot of visitors
2. Bring lunch or snack to enjoy a picnic by the creek.

Now, go out and enjoy this fun, family-friendly and affordable activity with your whole family.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Pick-Your-Own Farms Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Summer is here. Kids are out of school. The weather is begging you to go out and enjoy the outdoor activities. We are, by no mean, an outdoor type family; however I do appreciate that where we live has so many activities to offer. I will feel so bad not to try them out.

Here are the list of outdoor adventures in or around the Atlanta area (mostly the North part of Atlanta). Get out and enjoy!

1) Amicalola Fall : Less than an hour north of Atlanta, this waterfall is our family favorite. It has a hiking trail to go up to the top of the Falls. But you can also drive up and park and do a relatively short trail at West Ridge Falls trail. Best of all, this trail is paved with recycle tire that family with stroller can enjoy the same view as well.

2) Tallulah Gorge State Park : Boasted the most spectacular canyon in the Eastern US, this park has various trails with varied degree of difficulty. A novice like us probably aims for NORTH/SOUTH Rim Trail or the SHORTHLINE Trail. If hiking is your hobby and you would like more challenge then you can obtain the permit to hike down the Gorge.

3) Sawnee Mountain Preserve : Another perfect park that less than an hour from Atlanta and literally in my neck of the wood. And yet, we haven’t been there. So this year I made a mental note that I will have to visit this well-praised preserve to check out the hiking trail. If hiking is not your thing, there are other activities like Rock Climbing or simply just sightseeing the view from the mountain.

4) Unicoi State Park & Anna Ruby Falls : Our last visit to Helen during the Fall was amazing. But there are other things that we didn’t do because of the season. We have visited Unicoi State Park briefly but we didn’t hike up to the Anna Ruby Falls. We couldn’t go River Tubing. So this year, I am determined to go back and enjoy River Tubing and hiking up the waterfalls.

5) Water Adventures on Chattahoochee River : I have driven by Up The River Outfitters countless times and I have yet to stop by and do it. Up The River provides water adventures ranging from tubing, whitewater rafting and kayaking along the Chattahoochee River. Again, another fun outdoor adventure in my neck of the wood that I can’t pass on. This might have to be mommy and daddy adventure at the Q family because Mr. Z is a tad too young. But giving a couple more years we can have a fun family adventure together.

There are also other fun things on the other side of the town. But I will not be an overachiever and will try to accomplish this list in my nearby area first.

What fun adventures you have planned this Summer?

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The Terracotta Army from China is probably the second most recognized Chinese treasure after the Great Wall. Mr. Rojo and I were fortunate to visit China many moons ago but we didn’t have enough time to visit the Terracotta Army. And it’s probably almost impossible to make a trip to visit China anytime in the near future. So we were pretty excited when the High Museum in Atlanta had an exhibit of the Terracotta Army on loan from the British Museum.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The China’s Terracotta Army in Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

When you live in Atlanta metro area, you can’t help but see or hear about Coca Cola. After all, it’s the birthplace and headquarter of this mega company. The new World of Coca-Cola has been opened for quite sometimes. Until recently, we had a chance to visit on a nice sunny Saturday.

The new World of Coca Cola is conveniently located next to the Georgia Aquarium and the Imagine It! Children’s Museum. Across the street is the Centennial Olympic Park. So it’s a perfect location to have a full day of all Atlanta favorite tourist spots. When we got there, there were a few field trips but the line to get the tickets was short.

Once we got in, we waited at the lobby area and checked out the amazing Coke bottle artwork around the world. The detail and representation for each of this bottle is amazing. A short wait and then we were directed to see the short film ‘Inside the Happiness Factory’. It was pretty nice and fun short film to give you the glimpse of what Coca Cola wants us to know about their factory..

Then we walked to the Hub which we waited in line to meet the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. I think it was well planned that they timed the guests in group so there wasn’t a long wait and if you aren’t interested in the picture, you can head directly to the next gallery.

One of the things I always do when I go to the World of Coca-Cola is to hunt for the Coke sign in Thai. Coca-Cola is pretty popular in Thailand so I’m sure we are a pretty good customer. And they didn’t disappoint me when I found a sign in Thai language. It was amazing to see how globalize Coke is.. It’s everywhere!

My next favorite part was the Bottle Works. This is where we got to see a real bottling line and see Coke being made right in front of us. Having an industrial engineer background, I love to see all these machines come to life. We probably spent a good 20 minutes watching the Packaging Robot doing his job. And do you know he has a name.. ‘Fizzybot’ is his name..

We then headed to the 4-D theatre to watch ‘The Secret Formula’ show. It was pretty interactive and I don’t think small children will enjoy it much. The chair can shake pretty violently and I heard a few small kids cried. But Mr. Z and Miss J did enjoy them. The 4-D effects was really thought out.. the water, the air, the movement.. It felt like we were at one of the Disney ride.

After the theatre, we headed to the most anticipate room.. the Tasting room.. This was the room that the kids got to drink Coca-Cola products from all around the world. They group the drinks into regions.. Some were pretty good.. some were not so good (ok.. it was really bad). But you have gotta try them all, right?

Each guest can pick up a bottle as they headed out to the gift shop. It was one of those place that you have to visit once..

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A fun stop during our visit to downtown Atlanta at the Centennial Olympic Park new playground. This playground has a few unique structures that you won’t find them in typical playground. The kids love to slide and climb up on the pseudo rock climbing wall built for little one. They also enjoyed the rocking bench! The shade is a huge plus for a hot day in Atlanta.. The location is ideal for family who visit the Georgia Aquarium or the World of Coca Cola for a quick break.

Mr. Z had a blast climbing up and sliding down the slide. The cool feature is the standing slide that roll down make you feel like you are on the roller skate.. Fun time!

This post is part of Photo Friday hosted at Delicious Baby. Check out other participants here.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Afternoon Fun at Centennial Olympic Park is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

After a whole day of doing nothing yesterday, I felt horribly guilty so I decided to take the kids out on the cold day. We headed North to I.N.K. – it’s the kid’s hand-on museum that kids get a chance to pretend to live like us adults. There are multiple rooms to recreate the real world ranging from grocery store, bank, doctor office, restaurant, salon and many more. It’s not too far from our house and we have our reciprocal membership that we got from Chattanooga so we got in for free.

It is a small museum but is packed full of things for kids to do and run around. It was actually my first time but Miss J has been there a couple times with her school field trip and Mr. Z had been there once as well. So they actually showed me where things are.

Mr. Z didn’t waste anytime and ran straight to the train section. If I didn’t force him to come with us to other rooms or station, he would probably spend his whole afternoon there.

Then we backtracked to the mail room. We stopped to send mail to Santa. Hopefully it’s not too late. :) After that, we headed to the back room that has the airplane. What a cool room!!! I love it as much as the kid. How often do I get to sit on the small plane like that..

Miss J couldn’t get enough of the ATM machine. That’s the girl after my own heart! She knows where the money is. :) They gave us the real ATM card that works with Suntrust machine. She got to enter the code, select language, select transaction type.. The only exception is it doesn’t give out any money.

After a while, I just let them play on their own.. They didn’t seem to want to leave so I had to round them up and promise a return trip with daddy. After all, we don’t have to pay for the fee so we can go back as often as we would like. What a fun day we had!!

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I would like to think that we are the ‘City’ people living in the suburb of Atlanta. But the reaction of my kids when we drove to midtown made me realized that we are far from city people.

Mr. Z: “Mommy, look at that tall building!!”

Miss J: “Daddy, look at that sign!!”

Mr. Z: “Mommy! Daddy! Look!!!”

This conversation went on and on almost as soon as we approached midtown. I guess we haven’t been to downtown often enough.

This past weekend we had a little adventure to midtown. I wanted to get the Nutcracker tickets. I have learned from my friend and just noticed how expensive Ticket Master charged for the “Convenient Fee” I decided to make a day trip and went down to the Fox Theatre ourselves and buy our tickets in person.

We parked our car at IKEA and took a free shuttle bus to the Marta station. Then we got on the Marta to the North Avenue station. This was probably one of the highlighted for Mr. Z. We could have driven down there and park somewhere but then where is the fun. The Marta station isn’t that far from the theatre just a short walk. It wouldn’t be so bad. After we got our tickets, we headed back to IKEA and had lunch.

Typically, we don’t have much luck in checking them in at IKEA playland. They have very limited space but that day we were lucky. So we were able to walk around with no kids and .. well, I don’t know if it’s good or bad because we were able to pick up a few stuffs for our house.

I have found one of my favorite thing this season – Non Breakable Christmas Ornaments!!! I love it. When you have kids, I think it’s a must in every household. It looks just like glass ornaments but it doesn’t break when they drop it on the floor.

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Recently, we just took a quick trip to visit Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville. It was about 45 minutes from our house. The trip was a really pleasant drive in the mountain with blue sky and colorful trees along side of the road. I was glad Mr. Rojo did the driving so I could enjoy the scenary. We went there with a couple of families friends. At first we stopped by at the pumpkin patch. After that, we headed to the Falls. We planned to picnic there and do a little hike to enjoy the leaves color in the mountain.

After a while, we packed up and decided to check out the Falls. We drove up to the West Ridge Falls access trail.. Ok.. We cheated, ok? We had 4 kids and 1 baby so we needed a little bit of an easy trail. This trail is perfect for any family as the trail is built with recycled tire. It was very easy to walk. There was pretty much no elevation at all.. We could even push the stroller on this trail. The trail was pretty manageable for small kids as well. I think it took us about 10-15 minutes to get from the parking lot to the viewing point of the Falls. Maybe next year we can try to hike from the base.. hehe..

Then we went up to the top of the Falls to check out the Lodge. It was a great place to stay in the park. It has an amazing view and a great restaurant with reasonable price buffet. We didn’t plan to eat there but it was too good to pass up. But before dinner, we found out that the park had the Hayride every 15 minutes for free.. Did I hear someone mention ‘Free’? Without hesitation, we all headed out to wait in line for the hayride. It was pretty neat ride. The ranger took us on the trail off road. The kids got a kick out of the bouncing up and down on the tractor and the fallen leaves.

Back from the hayride we headed down to check out the amazing view from the Lodge. Then off to dinner.. Food was great, friendship was even better.. We truly enjoyed our day out with our friends. It was one of the fun weekend trip we have had this year.

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A beautiful Amicalola Falls in North Georgia mountain. This fall is practically in my neck of the wood. Well, maybe about an hour away from my house but it’s close enough. The first time we went there was last year in Summer. It was a really nice small enough falls to enjoy with young kids. You can hike up the falls from the base or you can drive up to the different parking spot for easier trail. At the top of the Falls there is a lodge with beautiful view of the Sunset. There is also a great resturant just in case you want to fill up your energy before the hike or after the hike.

If you are not the hiking type, there are several picnic area that you can enjoy with your friends and let the kids have fun at the playground. Or just sit by the creek and let go of all your worries.

We really enjoyed a day there and we are thinking about getting a cabin with a few friends to stay there over night. There are many hiking trails to check out. The fall weather is so perfect for a day out. Just look at that beautiful colors of the leaves. In the next couple weeks the leaves will probably change color even more so.. Here is the little gem in my home state – Georgia.

This post is part of Photo Friday hosting at Delicious Baby. Be sure to check out other great photo from around the world.

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A couple weekend ago we took Miss J and Mr. Z to Six Flags Over Georgia. It was our and their first time there. Fortunately, Mr. Rojo’s friend has a season pass so he was able to get us the discount tickets. We met them up at McD nearby to grap lunch and carpooled to the park. It helped to save the parking fee which costs $15.

Once we got there, the kids quickly took out the map to check out where they wanted to go. But we already knew where we would end up. Our main purpose to go there was to check out the new Thomas Town. So we started head toward the back of the park for Thomas Town. It was during the Halloween weeks so it was nice and spooky to see all the decoration with bones and skeletons. A quick detour to the kiddie free-fall ride was in order. I think Mr. Z wasn’t sure at first. I was worried that he would cry. But.. Nope.. He was a dare devil and giggled about it the whole time.

Once we got to Thomas Town, I had to say I was quite disappointed. I was glad we didn’t have to pay for the full price to get in. I would be really upset. It was just a big playground with Thomas Theme and a small train ride. I mean that’s it!!! So here is my warning to all parents with Thomas obsession kids, don’t waste your money there. Six Flags is for bigger kids or even adult. Thomas Town isn’t worth it if you want to bring your little kids there. However, we managed to spend a good hour there just for them to run around and ride on the train. I guess for them it was enough with a train ride with Thomas. I still couldn’t get the Thomas theme song out of my head.

Surprisingly, Mr. Z loved the go-karts race which was right next to Thomas. He was too young to drive by himself of course. But he could ride with Mr. Rojo. Man.. He hung on to his dear life during the race. :) After Thomas and go-karts, we started to walk around the park with no particular plan. Mr. Rojo did get on the Ninja ride with his friend. I was too chicken to go on any ride. hehe.. Then we went to the Dodge City Bumper cars. It was a downer for Mr. Z as he was only a couple inches too short to ride. I felt so bad for him.. He was crying and very upset.

So we looked for some other kid friendly rides for him. We headed to the Riverview Carousel. There we found the perfect ride for them, the Hanson Cars. It was so neat for them as they could ride the car by themselves. I think it was one of their favorite ride. Mr. Z and Miss J still talked about it from time to time. Then we went to the Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster. The ride would be a fun ride if we didn’t have to wait in line for almost an hour for a 45 seconds ride. I had to admit.. I could barely handle this ride. I think I scream as loud or louder than Miss J. hehe.. We noticed that there seemed to be busier than this morning. You would think that as the day passed, it would be less people. But I guess since it was the Halloween weeks and some people just came for the night time it made it busier.

Now it was dinner break. We dined at DeeJay’s Diner. Nothing food couldn’t cure. After a full tummy, we headed to the Railroad station for a nice, relaxing train ride. This was a great way to get to see the park without using your energy. It was getting dark and I knew that we would probably need to wrap up soon. We headed to the USA Games Area and played some games. Mr. Rojo won a basket ball! Before we headed out, we stopped by for the Dipping Dots for the kids and I was so looking forward to the Funnel Cake. But I wasn’t going to wait in line for another hour for a funnel cake. I guess I will just have to find it somewhere else.

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Thanks to Sarah @ Fiddledeedee about this upcoming free admission to nationwide museum.

The Smithsonian Free Museum day is coming up on Saturday – September 27, 2008. So mark your calendar and download your free admission card here. There are hundred of museums participated nationwide. Check out your local museums and plan your fun free family day with your kids.

I know I will.. I plan to take them to the Center for Puppetry Arts this year. We went to the High Museum last year. It will be fun! I can’t wait.

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What a fun day we had this year! It might be something about living in a small town that make me want to participate and check out all these activities that they have to offer. We have never been to any parade when we lived in Florida. Don’t know why.. Maybe now that we have kids we want them to experience different things growing up. Or maybe the small town has its own charm that attracts us more..

We got there right in time to catch the beginning of the parade. I have had several tips regarding the noise and yup.. It’s L-O-U-D.. We didn’t get there in time to get the ear plugs. But we brought with us one of Mr. Rojo headset. It did help Miss J. Ironically, Mr. Z didn’t seem to mind the noise at all.

The parade was really long. I was amazed at how many steam engines participated. Each one has its own style. Some look so new. You will think they just roll it out of the dealership. Some look so old and you will think that they just come straight from the field. I think I enjoyed seeing it as much as the kids.

There were other types of engine in the parade as well. There were Golf cart, horse carriage, tractors and Firetrucks. One of the firetruck was an antique firetruck from 1937! How neat is that!

My favorite one has to be this pink engine. It’s not the steam engine but who can resist the pink tractor! We need more of these cute color tractors on the field. Imagine how the cows would react if they see pink tractor. :)

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What a busy long weekend for us. And we didn’t even go out of town this year. I admitted I’m such a newbie in watching firework in person. Actually, I have never been to the 4th of July firework in my life!! This is our first year ever as a family and a first year for me as well.

In our town, the firework actually was held on the 3rd. So yesterday we all packed up and headed to downtown Cumming for the annual Firework for the 4th of July celebration. I liked it!!! We live in a small town so it wasn’t too big and too crowd.

We headed there around 7pm and walked to the fairground. Along the way, we stopped to check out all the steam engines that will be part of the parade tomorrow. It was so neat to get to see these engines up close and personal. I could feel the heat from the steam engine. I couldn’t imagine how hot for the farmer back then to operate and run it!

Once we got to the fairground, Mr. Rojo met up with his co-worker. She showed us the best seat in town. And sure enough it was the best seat. I packed a little snacks for the kids to hold them down till the firework started. It was AMAZING!!! I mean it might not be as big and as extravagent as Disney World but it sure had its own style. The weather was perfect. No cloud. The kids really enjoyed the firework. Before we knew it, it was done!

This will be our new family ritual. It was such a fun activity to do as a family!

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Take Me Out to the Crowd…

We did just that last weekend. It was the Braves VS the Phillies game. And it was the HOT-HOT day. We bought the ticket over a month ago so I couldn’t ask my crystal ball on the weather forecast. Who would have thought it will be this hot in June? Did I already mention that it was HOT?

We went to the Sunday game. The game started at 1pm. I don’t even know what was the temperature at that time. I don’t think it’s really matter. Buying the ticket online with parking ticket has it benefit. The parking fee is cheaper than paying at the gate. Also we got to park in the Green zone which is pretty close to the main entrance.

One thing that I like about Turner Field is the Cartoon Network area. They know that ball game is a family event and kids need place to release their energy. I think if your kids can sit through the whole game, you should contact a doctor for a check-up. Seriously! This game was the third game in a serie and the Phillies already won the first two games. So Mr. Rojo was in a much relaxing mood. He even told us to check out the Cartoon Network first before we got to our seats. Sweet!! Well, after a few minutes Miss J complained about her shoes. She happened to pick a pair of shoe that she hardly wears and it hurted her feet. So we went out and checked the store for some socks. Braves sock – checked. Not sure if Mr. Rojo will want us to keep it after today. He is a die-hard Philly fan, you see.

We bought the cheapest tickets available and we paid for it. It was up at the nose-bleed section. Don’t lean or sneeze near the rail or you might fall over to the ground. The view was really nice though. Got the whole Atlanta downtown city skyline there. For a minute, I thought we could do this.. It wasn’t bad. There was breeze.. We could do it. I sent Mr. Rojo to get some frozen lemonade and soda. No healthy food here at the ball game. It’s illegal! I did pack a couple of the water bottle fan. It was sure a big hit for the kids. Only .. they sprayed to the front row (no one there).. Kids.. you won’t feel cool if you spray the water to the air!

After the third inning, I started to look around for more shade area. And the kids started to fall apart. Mr. Rojo didn’t admit it at that time but he didn’t feel good either. See! We are not an outdoor type family!

Time to pack it up.. We headed down to the Cartoon Network area again. The kids got to run around. The slide was a big hit. I couldn’t keep track how many times they went up and down. But I was a bit stressed out with the amount of kids running around and there was no security check at the entrance. So anyone could come and grap your kids anytime.. Not so comfortable about that. I was glad we had only 2 kids. I couldn’t imagine how I would do with more.

Right before we headed out, Miss J asked for cotton candy. Oh.. sure.. why not. One more load of sugar won’t do any harm. So we headed to the other side of the stadium with a mission – Cotton Candy. It was nice to walk around. We found the Braves Museum.. Guess what.. It has AC.. We were debating whether we wanted to spend 1 token to get in.. But we could just stay in the front area for free. Well, after a few minutes we felt that we should head out.

Finally, we found cotton candy and blue snowcones. Nothing save the day like sugar on ice!

Here is the picture to show where we sat. It was by the smaller yellow pole second row from the front. See how high we were!

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Georgia Aquarium is one of the world largest aquarium and now it will get even bigger! I have been to the Aquarium a few times since we moved here. But one thing that I feel missing from this aquarium is the dolphin show. I guess they must have heard about this via the grapevine because in 2010 the GA Aquarium will be welcoming a new addition to their already large family.

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There are a lot of things to do around Atlanta that doesn’t cost much. But when they give out free admission on the special day it’s even better of the deal! I have found several free admission days for several popular attractions around Atlanta. So clear your calendar and plan your Summer or weekend accordingly.

Imagine It! Children Museum - Target Free Second Tuesday : This is a year long promotion sponsored by Target. Every 2nd Tuesday the Children Museum will give out free admission from 1-4pm. I went there this past Tuesday. It was a long wait but it was fun! Check out my experience there here.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden – Earth Day in the Garden (April 22) : Celebrate Earth Day in the Garden with free admission to the Botanical Garden all day long. There will be series of fun and informative activities throughout the day. What would be better than start your Spring outing in the Garden?

High Museum of Art – BOGO ticket on Mother’s day (May 11) : Take your mom out for a day in the High and save the admission fee by buying one adult ticket and get one free.

High Museum of Art – Target Free Family Fun day (June 15) : Celebrate Father’s day with your dad in the High and free admission for the whole gang.

So that will get you busy for a few days. :)

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Oh! What a day we had today! I’m exhausted just to think about it. Today we went to the Imagine It! Children Museum Atlanta. As I have posted previously here about Target Free Second Tuesday admission. I knew that it will be quite a challenge since when it’s free there will be a lot of people. Plus spring break doesn’t really help when everyone is out at the same time. But I didn’t think it will be this long. We got there around 12:15 and by that time the line was already a block. So we were literally at the corner.’

Fortunately, I have packed several snacks and drinks for the kids so they weren’t so hungry. We had gold fish, mini carrots, brownies, cookies and sandwiches. But one thing I forgot was packing for the mommies. My friend and I were starving but I knew that there were Chick-Filet inside so that was our goal. Got in and ate.

First, they headed for the folk lift machine that they can control the ball. Yet again.. waiting in line. Growing up in Thailand, I’m used to that. Plus we are regular patron in Disney World. So I think my kids are well trained in waiting. This is nothing.

As for Mr. Z, I don’t have to guess.. He loved the train table. Funny that he could have played that at home as well. I guess the tracks here are longer and it was more fun to play with other kids.

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This week is a spring break week here for us in Atlanta area. I will take Tuesday off to stay home for Miss J. So we are looking for something fun and budget-friendly to do around here.

My neighbor is thinking about going to Imagine It! Children’s Museum. So I was checking out their website to see how much the ticket is and other info. I then found a link for Target Free Second Tuesdays. It’s a promotion sponsor by my beloved Target for a free admission on Tuesday from 1-7pm. What a deal!!! I will be saving $33 in admisstion fee alone. I couldn’t possibly pass that up.

I just hope that I can get in since with the deal like this and at the time of spring break it might be hard to fight for free tickets. Well, we will see!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Target Free Tuesday at Imagine It! Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Miss J got I.N.K. is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Aloha Friday!!! This weekend seems to be a nice weekend with a bit chilling weather ahead. But with Sunny sky on Sunday, it will be nice to plan your weekend for some free things to do in Atlanta.

1) Tour historic district on various cities around Atlanta : City of Decatur, Marietta Square, or Roswell Historic District. Don’t forget to check various events throughout the year.

2) Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site : Tour the Birth Home of Dr. King with park ranger guide. Also check out the exhibit at the Visitor Center and pay respect to Dr. King at the Peace plaza.

3) Biking along the PATH various trails : Check out a network of off-road trails in and around Atlanta. These series of scenic greenways offer a great opportunities for your family to enjoy nature together free of charge!

4) Georgia Capitol Museum : Check out the State Capitol Museum with historic artifacts and exhibits. Attend the State Capitol tour to learn more about Georgia history.

5) Ride The Buc : The Buckhead free shuttle bus that allows you to explore exquisite homes, shopping and dining plaza. You can also check out the Governor’s Mansion and the Atlanta History Center.

‘What’s your favorite weekend activity in your family?’

For us, we love to just hang out in our PJs as long as we could and then head out to a park or a bike ride in the neighborhood.

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This week Thursday Thirteen I got the idea from the blog posted by the Atlanta Traveler. Since I live here, I think it’s more appropriate to talk about things we can do in or around Atlanta area that are kid-friendly .

1) Georgia Aquarium – You can’t come to Atlanta and not visit the GA Aquarium – The World’s Largest and Most Engaing Aquarium. With its unique design you can explore the aquarium at your leisure.

2) World of Coca-Cola – This brand new museum dedicated entirely to Coke is one thing that we have yet to visit. It sits next to the GA Aquarium in the downtown area. If you are a coke memorabilia collector then I guess you can’t go wrong here. Plus who can resist tasting nearly 70 different products from around the world.

3) Centennial Olympic Park – Spring is right around the corner so it’s time to check out what is on the calendar at the park. With the new All Children’s Playground and variety of events like Music @ Noon or Wednesday WindDown, it’s no surprise that this is one of the best thing to do when you are in Atlanta. Plus it won’t hurt that all these events are Free.

4) Atlantic Station – This modern mixed-use district with the concept of Live, Work and Play in Midtown is a good stop for any visitors or local. The area surrounds by various restaurants, shops, movie theatre. There are also various events throughout the year.

5) Imagine It! Children’s Museum – A great place for children of all ages. Perfect to take a break during a hot day in Hotanta if you come to visit during Summer or cold day in winter. With calendar fulls of events, no wonder parents keep coming back here.

6) Zoo Atlanta – A good size zoo perfect for family with small children. It’s not too big to overwhelm little kids but enough to keep them interested. Don’t forget to visit the Panda exhibit! And if you feel too tired, you can always hop on the Train express for a short break.

7) Atlanta Botanical Garden – A great place to visit especially during Spring and Summer. They have variety of flowers and plants and special exhibits throughout the year. Also with little kids in mind they will get to explore in the Children garden perfect for the pint-size visitors.

8) Stone Mountain – This Atlanta Theme Park is one of the top destination for visitors. However, Stone Mountain is not just about the theme park, you can also have a good fun weekend with your friends and family in their picnic area. You don’t need to pay for the park ticket but you will have to pay for the parking per vehicle. There are also lodging inside the park and golf course. This is what we call all-in-one.

9) Chattahoochee River National Park – A great park along the Chattahoochee river on the Northern part of Atlanta. This park stretch over 48 miles along the river. Visit the headquarter to check out any special activities or go on a picnic in the park. For more active families, you won’t be disappointed in many outdoor activities like hiking, walking, rafting or river tubing.

10) Piedmont Park – The favorite in-town park next to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This park has everything for everyone in the family even your fur friends. The dog park, playground, picnic area and swimming pool just to name a few.

11) Fernbank Museum of Natural History – The Fernbank Museum of Natural History is a great place to visit especially with your children. They will get to explore, learn and connect with the cultures and the history around the world. Plus, it won’t hurt to have the Dinosaurs in the middle of the lobby for them to check out in awe.

12) Underground Atlanta – A unique market in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It’s a fun place to shop and eat. We love the chicken wings at the food court. By far, it’s the best we have had and who would have thought that it’s in the food court.

13) CNN Inside Studio Tour – Another tourist attraction in downtown area. It’s fun to check out what is really going on behind the scene. One of the longest escalator ride I have ever tried. If you are afraid of height, brace yourself!

What are on your list to do around town?

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