World of Coca-Cola
www.woccatlanta.com

It’s hard to pick a No. 1 “Don’t Miss” attraction in the Metro Georgia area but among the short list would be the World of Coca-Cola. Recently relocated to a new home near Centiennial Olympic Park, in downtown Atlanta this new and expanded World has something for everyone! It's the only place where you can explore the complete story of the world's best-known brand! Created a century ago right here in a little soda shop in Atlanta. The World of Coca-Cola is home to the world's largest collection of Coke memorabilia, a fully functioning bottling line producing commemorative bottles of Coca­Cola, a tasting room with over 70 different Coke products to sample. I loved trying all the strange flavors served in other countries around the world. They also have a Pop Culture Gallery featuring works by Andy Warhol, Steve Penley, and other classic Coke artwork. What a step back into my childhood. All the classic commercials and artwork from the 60’s & 70’s is there and brought back some really good memories of when I was growing up.
 

The Georgia Aquarium
www.georgiaaquarium.org 

One of Atlanta’s newest attractions and the world’s largest aquarium is also downtown. The Georgia Aquarium is a thrilling attraction with over eight million gallons of fresh and marine water. They have huge windows looking out under the water that makes you feel like you arte in the middle of the ocean. My son was got quite a scare there too. As he stared out at the fish a shark swam up the side of the tank, right on the other side of the glass! He screamed and jumped like he had just been bitten. Arranged into 5 different salt and fresh water environments the Georgia Aquarium has some of the most interesting and exotic marine life on display.
 

Stone Mountain Park
www.stonemountainpark.com
One of the best family experiences we have ever had, is a summers evening picnic on the lawn, then watching the world’s largest Lasershow Spectacular at Stone Mountain Park. Stone Mountain is Georgia’s most popular attraction with over 4 million visitors annually. Stone Mountain proves that it’s not just Texas where things are big. Georgia’s Stone Mountain is the world’s largest free-standing piece of exposed granite, and the Confederate Memorial Carving is the world’s largest relief sculpture. Stone Mountain Park has over a dozen attractions covering over 3,200 acres of park, lake, and woodlands. My family has especially enjoyed the Halloween ghost stories at the Antebellum Plantation & Farmyard, springtime rides on the paddlewheel river boat and all the time riding on the Scenic Railroad. At least once you have to experience an Easter Sunrise Service on the top of Stone Mountain. This vantage point, on the top of Stone Mountain provides views of the Atlanta area that are breathtaking.
 

Centennial Olympic Park
www.centennialpark.com 

In 1996 a run down section of Downtown Atlanta was transformed into Centennial Olympic Park. The park was a central part of the Olympic Village as Atlanta was host to the 1996 Summer Olympics. These games were the 100th Anniversary of the Modern Olympic Games. Today, this unique 21-acre park serves as Georgia's lasting legacy of the Centennial Olympic Games and it sponsors community-wide free events, including the Fourth of July Celebration, Wednesday Wind Down concert series and Fourth Saturday Family Fun Days. The Park also hosts festivals, fundraisers and private events. These events, in addition to the normal day-to-day traffic, bring an estimated three million visitors to this urban oasis each year. Children love to play in the Fountain of Rings, the world's largest interactive fountain utilizing the Olympic symbol of five interconnecting Rings. Each of the five Olympic Rings is 25 feet in diameter, large enough to comfortably park two cars side-by-side within each Ring. The entire fountain is 82.5 feet in length and about 5,000 gallons of water per minute is recycled through the Fountain. During the Fountain Show, sprays can be anywhere from 15 to 30 feet tall. The computerized Fountain can be programmed with special announcements as well as a variety of water displays including low-pressure, walk-through “water curtains”, fog and misting.
 

Fernbank’s Natural History Museum
www.fernbank.edu/museum 

We have been to several private parties and public functions at Fernbank’s Natural History Museum. One of our favorite events is “Chocolate – The Exhibit”. Part of a delicious series that features special activities and tastings, the history and economics of cacao and chocolate, samples of chocolates from around the world, products that utilize chocolate, and of course more chocolate. One of the largest natural history museums in the U.S., the architecture at Fernbank is breathtaking. In the center of the building is a skeleton of the largest dinosaur ever discovered. There is a spiraling staircase that goes up and around this large central hall, huge columns, a brick atrium and windows looking out onto the forest that it borders. The exhibits are spectacular and include a life-sized kaleidoscope, and an IMAX theater.
 

Zoo Atlanta
www.zooatlanta.org 

The Pandas are here, the Pandas are here! Can you tell I’m a little excited about our beautiful Panda Bears. They are just the cutest, most adorable fluff balls you have ever seen. This extraordinary zoo started the day a circus came to town – and never left. A traveling show bound for Marietta in 1889 stalled just south of its destination when its owner declared bankruptcy. The animals began to draw crowds of curious onlookers so city leaders relocated them to Grant Park and Atlanta’s first zoo opened. Today the zoo landscaping replicates the natural habitats of the numerous animals, some of which are endangered species which are featured. In addition to the two panda bears from China, groups of gorillas do their own share of entertaining. Zoo Atlanta is a wonderful family experience, raising awareness of the natural world and enticing curiosity about a wide variety of common and exotic animals.