From A-Z, AlpharettaMoms.Org keeps you updated weekly on fun family things to do! Bunches of information in one place to make our lives a little easier! This article looks much different than in the past with many places not open yet or re-opening with social distancing measures in place. I have updated the venues with the information I have and will continue to make changes to the article as more detail is publicized. Thanks!
**This article will be updated once they re-open to the public. Please visit our COVID-19 resources article in the meantime: https://alpharettamoms.org/covid-19-resources-around-and-about-alpharetta/
Alpharetta Events
Alpharetta Open For You is a compilation of restaurants and stores that are open by Awesome Alpharetta.
For those planning a sporting event, family reunion, wedding or other special events, the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau can be a great help with its free event planning resources that include securing group hotel rates, complimentary welcome bags for guests and insider tips on facilities and vendors. For more information about these services, visit www.awesomealpharetta.com.
The Alpharetta Welcome Center is located at 178 South Main Street, Suite 200 and is the best source for information on Alpharetta and all that it offers in the way of shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation, for visitors and residents alike. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
The Atlanta Botanical Garden will reopen to the general public on Saturday, May 23. The Gainesville location will remain closed until further notice. Timed tickets and member reservations are available now.
ALL guests and members must have a timed ticket or make a timed reservation for admission. The Atlanta Botanical Garden will reopen its Midtown location to Garden members only on Monday, May 18 – Friday, May 22 and to the general public on Saturday, May 23. The Gainesville location will remain closed until further notice. Timed tickets and member reservations are available now. ALL guests and members must have a timed ticket or make a timed reservation for admission.
Safety Guidelines
- Masks or face coverings are strongly recommended for everyone over age 2 and are REQUIRED inside restrooms.
- Guests are expected to follow health guidelines on social distancing, maintaining at least 6 feet apart at all times. Many pathways will be designated one-way traffic.
- All Garden staff and volunteers will be wearing masks, and hand sanitation stations are located throughout the Garden.
- The Garden will not offer wheelchairs or motorized scooters to guests at this time.
Atlanta History Center
The Atlanta History Center is currently closed. (Still in effect as of May 22, 2020)
EXHIBITIONS
The Atlanta History Center’s cornerstone exhibition Gatheround: Stories of Atlanta remains open. Through artifacts, ephemera, interactive media, recording booths, immersive experiences, and Meet the Past museum theatre performances, this 7,700-square-foot exhibition shares the stories of individuals of many different backgrounds and perspectives who helped create the Atlanta we know today.
Conveniently located off of I-75, the Atlanta History Center is a unique 33-acre oasis nestled among one of Atlanta’s most historic neighborhoods. Award-winning exhibitions, historic houses, enchanting gardens, interactive experiences, and a variety of 
year-round adult and family programs truly offer something for everyone looking to explore our region’s past. Admission tickets are all-inclusive of all History Center attractions, and guests enjoy free parking.
Veterans Park at the Atlanta History Center is dedicated to all of the men and women who have served – and continue to serve – the United States of America. The Park was designed not as a traditional veterans’ memorial, but as a unique gathering place encouraging reflection, personal connections to veterans, and a celebration of the lives of those who have sacrificed to secure our freedom.
Autrey Mill Nature Preserve & Heritage Center
The public has cost-free access to Autrey Mill’s grounds for hiking, nature study, strolling the pathways of the Heritage Village, and visiting with our animals. Entrance to the grounds is free and is open 8:00am to dusk 365 days of the year! The preserve has grown under the 30-year leadership and vision of our nonprofit. Today we welcome 14,000 annual visitors to over 3 miles of nature trails, animal exhibits, gardens, and a Heritage Village of restored historic buildings.
Center for Puppetry Arts
Open virtually. The Center for Puppetry Arts @Home program offerings continue to expand, as well as the platforms on which they will be presented. All
On Demand Viewing: Each rental includes a behind-the-scenes bonus feature. Rent for only $5.00!
Adapted and directed by Jon Ludwig
Loyalty and kindness reign when a young girl befriends a hideous monster without knowing that he is really a handsome prince who had a spell cast upon him.
This enchanting adaptation of the classic French fairy tale is told using puppets made from found objects. Beauty’s the loveliest mop-top law student you’ve ever seen, the Beast’s stringy strands hang from deer antlers, and other puppets are made from brooms, umbrellas, rakes and even shopping bags. See trash turn into treasure and inspire your imagination!
After you watch Beauty & the Beast, create your very own Burly Beast Rod Puppet with their Create-A-Puppet Workshop™ puppet kits. These kits are custom-designed to accompany our on-demand puppet shows and are available in our Etsy shop. Click here to see our entire digital library!
FREE content will continue to be on Facebook, paid content will be on Zoom, and on-demand content is available on Vimeo.
For paid content, you will be linked to Zoom where you will pay for your ticket. You will receive a link to the event within 24 hours of your payment.
Chattahoochee Nature Center
Until further notice, please note the following changes to help offer the best experience possible for both visitors and staff.
MEMBERS: RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO SECURE A DATE AND TIMED ENTRANCE FOR YOUR GROUP.
VISITORS: ADMISSION TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE, WHICH INCLUDE A DATE AND TIME TO VISIT.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE WALK UPS.
Our limited, timed admission system will not only provide for an intimate experience on the property, but also allow us to reduce person to person contact and better maintain social distancing throughout the admissions process.
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Closed to the public. Virtual offerings such as Stem Tuesdays and Art Wednesdays are a fun way to do creative things from home.
Consolidated Gold Mine Dahlonega
Open Wednesday – Sunday. Re-opened to the public. Welcome back to Underground Gold Mine Tours, Gold Panning and Gemstone Mining!
Safety measures for guests and Miners are in place. The Miners will have masks, face shields and clear dividers, where applicable.
We will limit our tour sizes and spread out to the best of our ability.
Guests will be spread out in our gold panning and gem mining areas with ample room between visitors.
Our shop and ticket lines have one way aisles and we have floor markings to encourage distance while in the ticket lines.
Feel free to wear a mask while visiting with us! Limited supply of masks are available for sale in our shop, however, we encourage you to bring your own if you want. We encourage you to stay away if you are sick or have been around someone that is sick.
For a full list of our safety measures, please email us using the “Contact Us” section of our website.
Largest gold mine east of the Mississippi. Travel 200 feet underground and hear tales of miner’s struggles to uncover gold deep within large quartz veins. Your tour guide welcomes interaction from the group as you experience life as a miner at the turn-of-the-century. They also offer gemstone mining – find colorful gems in every bucket!
Dave & Busters Alpharetta
Temporarily closed.
Come and play at Dave & Buster’s newest location in Alpharetta ~ the one and only place you can enjoy great food and play hundreds of awesome arcade games! The restaurant’s mouth-watering, chef-crafted menu and beverage items, combined with the latest games and attractions provide the perfect setting for kids parties, corporate and group events. Guests can play more than 150 of the latest games including the Walking Dead, Tailgate Toss and Justice League!
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
While many summer camps have been limited due to COVID-19, the need to explore is alive and thriving. In response, Fernbank announces its virtual 2020 Summer Camps, allowing for physical distancing while still encouraging discovery with opportunities to engage, learn and explore through Fernbank’s popular summer camp programming from home. Virtual camp means Fernbank can accommodate more campers from wherever they live—whether locally, across the United States and even globally. New registrations are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Camps are available daily from 9:30am until 4:30pm EDT with camp educators taking campers through live streaming sessions, guided crafts and activities, and structured, self-led explorations. Virtual camps have been designed to require minimal parental or adult interaction and don’t require campers to participate sequentially or in full sessions if they aren’t able to.
Once registered, Fernbank campers will be able to access all camp sessions through the free Moodle app, which is compatible with a computer, tablet or mobile device, so you can take the Fernbank fun wherever you may need to go. Screen-time throughout each day of camp will remain limited, with a maximum of three hours per day, broken up throughout the day.
Guests will find camp options vary based upon their child’s ages from ages 5-13.
Day Camps are customized for ages 5-7 and ages 8-10. This exciting and interactive program has themed days, that will be repeated each week, with special activities, games and crafts centered around the day’s theme, including Amazing Animals, Fantastic Physics and Paleontology.
Amazing Animals Day invites campers to discover the strange world of animal adaptations. Activities include exploring their backyard for animal traces and meeting several of Fernbank’s animal ambassadors through video sessions. Fantastic Physics Day takes campers into the worlds of matter, energy, and how they interact. Activities include making oobleck and a DIY pendulum. Paleontology Day turns campers into excavators, taking on the role of paleontologists studying ancient life, including dinosaurs. Activities include acting out the geologic time scale and making clay fossils.
Ranger Camps are tailored to campers ages 11-13 to explore forest environments, the biodiversity within these ecosystems, and the native plants and animals that call them home. This ecologically driven program allows campers to step into the outdoors and explore ecosystems they might find in their very own backyard. Activities in this program include tree identification, observing biodiversity plots and much more.
Cost for Fernbank’s week-long camps are $200 for members and $250 for non-members, a $100 discount from traditional camp prices.
For dates, further information or questions visit the Summer Camp page on Fernbank’s website at https://fernbankmuseum.org/learn/summer-camp/, or contact our Education Department by email at SummerCamps@FernbankMuseum.org and by phone at 404.929.6327/6341.
Fox Theatre
Temporarily closed.
Georgia Aquarium
What better way to continue your education and keep kids’ curiosity piqued than to adventure with Georgia Aquarium from afar? Deep Sea learning videos, web cams and more!
- Join us daily and weekly for live streaming events
- Get regular updates on our animals
- Download lesson plans and resources
- Learn about all the animals in our facility
- And much, much more
High Museum of Art
The High Museum of Art remains closed. Check out their streaming videos and creative art projects to do from home.
Home Depot Free Kid Clinics
Currently on hold.
First Saturday of Each Month between 9 a.m. – 12:00 pm. FREE hands-on workshops designed for children ages 5 – 12 at all Home Depot stores. Workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills, tool safety and instill a sense of pride and accomplishment. All kids get to keep their craft and receive a FREE Kids Workshop Apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement.
Legoland Discovery Center
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta invites little LEGO® lovers ages 5 and under to experience educational activities during Little Playtimes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Starting at 11 a.m., parents and their toddlers can join Playmakers in DUPLO Village for story time followed by a discussion and themed build. At 2 p.m., toddlers can identify colors and use motor skills to create shapes during a 45-minute Rainbow Build activity.
The family friendly attraction offers discounted entry for both parents and children. Following Little Playtimes, mini builders can explore play areas, rides and more during normal operation hours after each session. Tickets for Little Playtimes are $14.95 per person – a savings of $10 off regular admission. The attraction treats parents to a FREE regular tall Starbucks coffee with admission ticket.
WHAT:
Little Playtimes
WHEN:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
HOW:
Children ages 2 and under are free. Pre-booking tickets online is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting atlanta.legolanddiscoverycenter.com.
Library Events
Click HERE for AMO’s article on local library events that are FREE. Events range from infant to teenagers and adult!
Forsyth Public Libraries: Contact-Free Curbside Pickup of books available. Outdoor book drops at all four Forsyth County Public Library locations have reopened.
Members of Forsyth Youth Services staff posted a video at https://youtu.be/oqY_a_fZ_WM? to unveil this Summer’s Reading theme, Imagine Your Story, and to explain how kids, teens, and adults can register online to track their reading and earn points to redeem for prizes. Staff will share more videos like this in the coming weeks to inspire local readers to imagine their own stories and keep reading all summer long.
Summer programs are some of the most popular and well-attended events the library hosts, but this summer all programs will be presented online. Blog post with additional information.
Lowes Build & Grow
Currently on hold.
Free Kids Clinics offered 1-2x per month on Saturdays year round from 10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m
Margaritaville Lanier Islands
REOPENING NOTICE: The beaches, restaurants, shopping, courtesy docks, marinas, margarita and brunch cruises, and boat rentals are now open. In compliance with the extension of our state mandates, we must postpone the opening of the Water Park (wave pool, fun zone, and water slides) until at least the first week of June.
Medieval Times
Currently closed to the public.
Medieval Times is a thrilling, family-friendly dinner attraction inspired by an 11th-century feast and tournament. Guests are served a four-course banquet and cheer for one of six Knights competing in the joust and other tests of skill. See AMO’s post here with more detail on this fun entertainment for the family.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
| Temporarily closed. |
Six Flags Over Georgia
Temporarily closed.
Southeastern Railway Museum
SRM has about 90 different cars, including Pullman cars, classic steam locomotives, and antique diesel-electric trains. Ride in restored cabooses and learn about the famous trains that made history! Special admission price of $7 and free train rides for home-schooled kids and their families! Learn about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad through arts and crafts, special exhibits, and scavenger hunts. 3595 Buford Hwy Duluth
Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History
Temporarily closed.
Southern Museum offers a Mommy & ME preschool program every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 am. Designed for preschool age children ages three to five-years-old and their caregivers, the Museum’s history, themes and exhibits provide a fun and exciting starting point for educational activities. Free with museum admission. No reservations required.
The Southern Museum, in association with the Smithsonian Institution, is a premier metro Atlanta museum, featuring exhibits on Civil War and locomotive history. The Southern Museum is home to the General locomotive, stolen during the Civil War’s Great Locomotive Chase; a reproduction of the locomotive assembly line from the Glover Machine Works; weapons, uniforms and every day items of Civil War soldiers; and the Jolley Education Center that features train history, hands-on activities for children and Georgia’s French Gratitude Train. Kennesaw
Stone Mountain Park
Temporarily closed.
Treetop Quest
Temporarily closed.
Are you looking for something adventurous AND nature-oriented? Treetop Quest is an aerial adventure park which means ziplines and obstacles in the trees! 2 locations in Gwinnett and Dunwoody. Great family fun for ages 4 and up! Come swing in our 
trees with us!
Treetop Quest is a self-guided activity comprised of treetop obstacles and zip-lines. Our courses range in difficulty from easy to very challenging, so the entire family will have a blast! Once you are equipped, we will teach you how to operate your equipment and you will be good to swing through each course as many times as you want, for 2.5 hours (according to age limit as indicated below).
Waterfalls/Hiking
Georgia and the Atlanta area are full of hiking trails for all skill levels. See our article with suggestions for hikes and visiting waterfalls in the Atlanta area and beyond!
Yellow River Game Ranch
To reduce personal contact due to COVID-19, reservations and pre-paid tickets are required through May 31st.
Yellow River Game Ranch is a popular destination to encounter, feed and pet animals. Located 2 1/2 miles east of Stone Mtn on Hwy 78, it offers a chance to meet wildlife on a close and personal basis. Stroll along a mile-long trail on 24 wooded acres and encounter white-tailed deer, bunnies, buffalo, sheep, kid goats, black bears and more!
Woodruff Arts Center
Temporarily closed.
Every Sunday from 1:00–4:00 p.m., visit the Woodruff Arts Center for FREE family activities, including art-making workshops, ASO backstage tours and more! The Woodruff Arts Center Atlanta, Georgia is one of the only arts venues in the United States to offer both visual and performing arts on a single campus. The Woodruff produces outstanding theatre, music and exhibitions for over 800,000 patrons each year.
The Woodruff Arts Center serves over 200,000 students annually and is proud to be recognized as Georgia’s largest arts educator. Whether it’s summer camps for middle school students or theatre made for the youngest audiences, families with children of all ages will be able to explore, play, learn and create art in an interactive environment.
World of Coca-Cola
Temporarily closed.
An integral part of downtown Atlanta’s fabric for more than 25 years, World of Coca‑Cola has welcomed guests from six continents, more than 100 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Join over 25 million people who have visited the Atlanta attraction and experience the history of the world’s most famous beverage brand at the dynamic, multimedia home of the 132-year-old secret formula for Coca‑Cola. Get closer than ever before to the vault containing the secret recipe, view more than 1,200 historic artifacts and get a behind-the-scenes look at the bottling process. Take a trip around the world in a thrilling 4-D movie experience, take a photo with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear and tempt your taste buds with more than 100 beverages from around the globe.
World of Coca-Cola offers more than 100 drinks from around the world in its one-of-a-kind Taste It! Beverage Lounge. From delicious classics to your new favorite that you probably didn’t even know existed, you can sample and savor them all. Plus, sip on some of the latest and greatest Coke products at the lounge’s Sampling Bar.
Article updated weekly. Information provided by the specific venue. Enjoy!
Just wanted to mention, designing a miniature dream bedroom is a great activity to do when the kids are home from school. Check out our website http://www.myroomrocks.com for details or see our fb site for some amazing pictures!