exploreIDEAS FOR GETAWAYS BIG AND SMALL

I’m as big as a bus!

DIVE INTO ATLANTA This Southern city is full of fun surprises for families. Check out our

Kids can get up close kid-friendly itinerary for a weekend and personal with tens of thousands of animals (really!) jam-packed with entertainment. at the Aquarium! BY MELISSA KLURMAN BLAKEGORDON.

FAMILYFUNMAG.COM FAMILYFUN AUG/SEPT 2017 69 explore CITY GUIDE CityPASS Atlanta If you’re planning on visiting most of the attractions mentioned here, it might make sense to invest in the one-stop-shopping CityPASS 1 Atlanta. The ticket booklet offers substantial savings on admission ($75 for five attractions, as opposed to $40 just for the aquarium), as Day 1 well as front-of-the-line access at some attractions, a priceless bonus Lace up your sneaks and explore when your kids are antsy and lines the areas around Centennial are long. It’s good for nine days and Olympic Park and nearby includes admission to the Georgia Pemberton Place—no car needed! Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, a CNN Studio Tour, and your choice of either Zoo Atlanta or the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and either the College Football Hall of Fame or the Center for Civil and Human Rights. citypass.com/atlanta

GEORGIA CENTENNIAL COLLEGE WORLD OF MARY MAC’S AQUARIUM OLYMPIC PARK FOOTBALL HALL COCA-COLA TEA ROOM 225 Baker St. NW 265 Park Ave. West NW OF FAME 121 Baker St. NW 224 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE 250 Marietta St. NW Start your day at Head across the Take the five-minute After a little rest one of the country’s street to enjoy the Check out this walk to the center that (or hotel pool time!), top aquariums! park’s playgrounds, pigskin paradise on celebrates this bubbly indulge in some good Highlights of the water-fountain the far end of the beverage’s birthplace. ol’ Southern comfort nearly 100 exhibits splash zone, and park. Register your Activities include a food at this local include smiling vintage-style lunch souvenir lanyard at sampling room with institution that beluga whales spot, Googie Burger the entrance, then more than 100 unique encompasses almost that spin and twist (googieburger.com), scan it at each exhibit sodas from around the an entire city block! like wobbly tops, with outdoor seating and your name and world, the 4-D “In On the menu is a waddling penguins, near the Olympic team colors will Search of the Secret cornucopia of local and sea lion and Rings. It serves up pop up. (Go Irish!) Formula” movie, a favorites: fried green dolphin shows. Then burgers, shakes, fries, Photo ops include hands-on digital art tomatoes, mac ’n’ hop on the moving and more. Although sitting at the ESPN center where kids can cheese, fried chicken, walkway to tunnel it’s remaining open, game-day desk design a pop-art Coke shrimp and grits, and through a 24-million- the park is under and singing for your bottle, a look at a everything in between. gallon tank (the renovation until 2019. team at Fight Song bottling production Although there’s a largest in the world!), Check the website Karaoke. $22 adults, line, and the “vault” kid’s menu, the regular where you’ll spot for updates! $18 kids 3 to 12; where Coke’s secret one has great plates school-bus-size gwcca.org/park cfbhall.com formula is kept. $17 for kids to share, such whale sharks along adults, $13 kids 3 to 12; as the three fried- with their manta ray, worldofcoca-cola.com chicken drumsticks shark, and fishy with two heaping sides friends. $40 adults, for just $13. $34 kids 3 to 12; marymacs.com georgiaaquarium.org

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ZOO ATLANTA 800 Cherokee Ave. SE This sprawling 40-acre zoo, just south of downtown, has called this spot home for more than 125 years and has been a favorite of Atlanta families for generations. Today there are more than 1,000 animals representing about 200 species from around the world, including rare giant panda cubs Ya Lun and Xi Lun, who were born at the zoo Day 2 last year. $26 adults, $17 kids 3 to 11; Today, get lots of fresh air while checking zooatlanta.org out some spots away from downtown. You’ll need a car in the afternoon to hit everything.

MARTIN CENTER FOR PONCE CITY EASTSIDE LUTHER KING JR. CIVIL AND MARKET BELTLINE TRAIL NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS 675 Ponce de Leon Enter on North Ave., HISTORIC SITE 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. Ave. NE between Glen Iris 450 Auburn Ave. NE Drive and Somerset As a nonviolent This new addition to Terrace NE Walk in the steps of beacon during the the Atlanta dining Where to Stay Martin Luther King Jr. 1960s, Atlanta earned scene is a bit like a Behind Ponce City at this 35-acre the moniker “The City foodie theme park— Market is a section of These Centennial Park National Historic Site Too Busy to Hate,” downstairs are BeltLine Park–an old District hotels all offer special in the Sweet Auburn making it uniquely dozens of unique railroad track being perks for kids. neighborhood. Start suited to hosting this quick-service and converted into long at the visitors’ center museum dedicated to counter-dining spots, stretches of public EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON to get an overview tolerance. Exhibits ranging from Korean park connecting the ATLANTA CENTENNIAL of the area and grab include films, videos, buns and Indian neighborhoods of OLYMPIC PARK a Junior Ranger and interactive snacks to gourmet Atlanta. You’ll find 267 Marietta St. NW brochure, which will displays on the civil ice pops and wood- public art (like a collection of metal This is a top choice for families. help explain the rights movement of fired pizza. There’s It fronts various stops. You’ll the 1950s and 1960s, plenty of indoor and butterflies that flap their wings when you and has a rooftop pool, multiroom hear King’s voice as well as a section outdoor seating, plus suites, and free breakfast, all preach at the historic focused on global an array of shopping turn a crank), places to stroll or pedal, and in a contemporary building. Ebenezer Baptist human rights—all spots. After lunch, Rates from $179. Church, where both of which offer a head upstairs to lots of green space. he and his father were springboard to talk to Skyline Park, a retro Although little legs ministers, step inside your kids about dignity amusement area might not last too HILTON GARDEN INN DOWNTOWN long walking between King’s birth home, and respect for all with miniature golf, a 275 Baker St. neighborhoods, the and observe the King people. An important super slide, games of stretch outside Ponce Across from the , Center’s reflecting stop. $19 adults, chance, and a pulley City Market is perfect this property has a rooftop pool and eternal $14 kids 4 to 12; tower ride. for running off lunch. pool, free WiFi, microwaves and flame. Free; nps.gov/ civilandhumanrights poncecitymarket beltline.org mini fridges in the rooms, malu/index.htm .org .com plus reasonably priced suites. Rates from $159.

OMNI ATLANTA HOTEL AT CNN CENTER 100 CNN Center NW This huge hotel in the CNN Global Headquarters offers access to the center’s large food court For the morning’s itinerary, and views of CNN’s giant globe. consider using the easy-to- Rates from $169. navigate Atlanta Streetcar, which travels in a loop between the and ATLANTAPHOTOS.COM. & ACVB OF COURTESY DUCKWORTH, JAMES SITE: HISTORIC NATIONAL JR. MLK the King Historic District, 72 AUG/SEPT 2017 a five-minute ride. FAMILYFUNMAG.COM FAMILYFUN