Atlanta Family Fun

My Top Recommendations For A Family Fun Getaway in ATLANTA GA with @CityPASS @Ctr4CHR @FernbankMuseum @GeorgiaAquarium @WorldofCocaCola @CNNstudiotours @TheKingCenter and more

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A 3 day weekend + a teacher’s workday was the perfect reason to plan a family fun getaway in Atlanta, GA. From Raleigh, NC it’s a straight shot on 85 South, which takes us approximately 6 hours by car. Although it was not our first time going to Atlanta, we were ready to make new memories spending time with family & friends, seeing some
historical sights and having some #HeighPartyof3 family fun!

On our way to have family fun in the A!

👀WATCH Vlog Trip Recap here:

SAVE $$, SEE MORE

CityPASS Atlanta helps you save $$ and see more top attractions!

My top recommendation for anyone who is planning to travel to Atlanta and want to go visit some attractions is to make buy a CityPASS! Here’s why:

  • 1 simple purchase
  • Valid 9 days
  • Skip most ticket lines
  • Save 40% on admission to 5 must-see attractions

There are two easy ways to make a purchase. You can buy at citypass.com, where you’ll get instant delivery with convenient mobile ticketing , opt to have the booklet mailed to you before the trip OR ask for CityPASS at any attraction.

CityPASS Atlanta Admission includes:

• Georgia Aquarium

Experience the underwater wonders at Georgia Aquarium

• World of Coca-Cola

Learn the story behind Coca-Cola and get to taste more than 100 beverages from around the globe at World of Coca-Cola

• CNN STUDIO TOURS

Wall thru the halls of CNN Center to experience a behind the scenes CNN STUDIO TOURS

• National Center For Civil And Human Rights

(or Zoo Atlanta)

Uplifting, Powerful, Inspiring, Educational, Amazing-all words to describe the National Center For Civil and Human Rights, a must-see experience

• Fernbank Museum of Natural History ( or Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame)

Spend an adventure filled day with immersive exhibits at the Museum, see a movie at the 3D Theater, explore the Forest at Fernbank Museum

For more information on the attractions we visited, check out these websites at:

GEORGIA AQUARIUM | georgiaaquarium.com

WORLD OF COCA-COLA | worldofcocacola.com

CNN STUDIO TOURS | tours.cnn.com

FERNBANK MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | FernbankMuseum.org

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS | civilandhumanrights.org

CityPASS | citypass.com

EXPLORE BLACK HISTORY FOR FREE

Visit the places where Dr. King was born, lived, worked, worshipped, and is buried at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park

While Atlanta has all sorts of world class attractions, visitors usually must pay an admission fee to enjoy. However, there is one square block here in the Sweet Auburn Historic District that requires no entrance fees and allows you to walk in the footsteps of the great Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Here are the places we visited:

Ebenezer Baptist Church

We started at 407 Auburn Ave where the historic and iconic Ebenezer Baptist Church sits. Dr. King was co-pastor with his father Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. at this location off and on from 1947 until 1968. Original pews, stained glass windows and organs are all inside. Sit and listen as the guides gives details about the church. To literally see the podium and actual microphone that Dr. King preached from was a wonderful experience to have with my family.

• National Park Service Visitor Center

Across the street is the MLK Jr. National Park Service Visitor Center. This facility houses some wonderful exhibits relating to not only Dr King, but to the struggle to equality in America. Some of our favorite areas was the “Freedom Road” marchers that my little one and myself joined.

• The King Center

Adjacent to Ebenezer Baptist Church is the resting place of both Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Dr. King was never shy in telling folks that he would not have been able to achieve anything without Coretta by his side. Visitors can see an eternal flame and the two marble tombs in the center/bottom of a cascading waterfall with a uniting message of peace and purpose in their words. Although there were people present, it was still peaceful, serene and reflective. His body was there but his spirit and legacy lives forever.

WHERE TO STAY

📍Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park

Top Reasons To Stay at this location:

✔ Comfortable Beds & Bedding

✔ Accessibility to walk to many of the CityPASS Atlanta attractions

✔ Free Happy Hour (& breakfast)

✔Amazing Views

Atlanta is a fun, fascinating place full of rich history and cool things to do. If you are planning a trip here soon, I hope these recommendations are helpful. Have you been to Atlanta before? Do you have any recommendations for our next family visit? Please leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading!

CONNECT WITH ME @SobeSavvy
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Plan a #MommyandMe Lunch Date at @American_Girl Bistro + Enjoy Interactive Shopping Fun with American Girl App! #charactercounts

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I recently traveled to Atlanta to visit family and friends during my daughter’s Spring Break. It coincided with Easter as well, so there was a whole lot to celebrate! We enjoyed a fabulous Easter Brunch at the Mandarin Oriental, a fun dinner/show at Medieval Times, and a family-friendly dining experience at The Cowfish during our stay.

While all of these were amazing foodie fun experiences, I knew that planning a visit to the American Girl store would be just the place to make #outandaboutAva’s Spring Break extra special. I was happy to find out there was one in Alpharetta,GA that included a bistro and even happier that I could turn this into a double date with mom/blogger [Ashley of @MommyWeek], her daughter and of course the Girl of the Year doll, Luciana Vega!

Mommy and Me Lunch Date with Ashley of MommyWeek, Leslie of SobeSavvy, their daughters + American Girl dolls!

The Bistro

As soon as you walk into the bistro, you know you are in for a girly good time with all the pretty pink decor. From the pink table, pink menu, pink daisy centerpiece and pink napkin holder (which your child gets to take home as a pony tail holder keepsake), the American Girl Bistro is… “soooo cute” per my little girl. All are welcomed to have a seat at the table, including your doll! They will bring a pink dining chair (with a doll if you don’t have one) right to you for your little one to enjoy. Here is a fun pic from my Instagram instastories showing what the American Girl Dolls look like sitting at the table too!

The Menu

Memories are always on the menu at the American Girl Bistro. Expect to have a delicious dining experience that you can create all on your own! Lunch included an appetizer, entreé and choice of dessert. We ordered speciality Luciana Vega drinks and said a toast to new friends and new memories!

For starters, I had the mozzarella cheese sticks while both girls ordered the fruit fondue, which came with muffins, a fruit skewer and yogurt. We all thought the presentation of the yogurt served like a flower pot was so fun! Our main entreés came quickly and were cooked perfectly. I highly recommend the salmon dish if you are looking for a healthy seafood option. My daughter loved customizing her bowtie pasta by sprinkling as much parmesan cheese on it as her heart desires! Everyone became a member of the clean plate society since we finished every bite. It was that good.

Be sure to save room for the scrumptious sweets to enjoy at the end of your meal. The delicious desserts range from cookies, cupcakes, brownies, ice cream or if you really wanna go all in, get a brownie ice cream sundae!

SobeSavvy Tip: Wanna make your dining experience more fun? Play the the conversation starter game, which you can find at the center of the table. It’s a great way to learn about yourself and everyone else!

The Boutique

After our delicious lunch, we headed into the American Girl boutique store to explore what’s new. Did you know you can search for exciting augmented reality experiences throughout the store simply using your smartphone? That’s right, you can bring magic to life and unlock interactive experiences, stop-motion videos, behind-the-scenes content, and more!

SobeSavvy Tip: Download the American Girl app for FREE, scan the pages of the catalogue and look for special icons in the stores. Get ready to go beyond the stars with Luciana and discover all of the interactive ways to play at americangirl.com/luciana. Overall our Mommy and Me lunch date was more than just a girls day out, it was a day to remember and a trip we’ll never forget! Just watch this video and wait for the happy dance moves from my little one after all the fun:

Make plans to head to your nearest American Girl store and check out all the fun, new happy spring experiences to share. Check out MommyWeek’s blog post giving her perspective of this fun day! Be sure to stop in American Girl store soon and leave with your smiles in full bloom! Thanks again to our friends at American Girl for hosting us and giving all of us a Spring Break date we will cherish.

All smiles for #outandboutAva and her mom, Leslie, Founder of SobeSavvy.com during their visit to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro in Alpharetta,GA

American Girl Atlanta Bistro

1202 North Point Circle

Alpharetta, GA 30022

Recap of the #Easter Festivites at Mandarin Oriental Atlanta @MO_Atlanta #EventsbyMo #EasterBrunch #Atlanta

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Yesterday my family and I attended the Easter Festivites event at the fab Mandarin Oriental in Atlanta. Last week I wrote about what to expect there on Easter Sunday and as always, they delivered on their promises. It was a warm and beautiful spring day in Atlanta for Easter. Picture perfect for my family to spend the afternoon with Floppy the Bunny, who was a special guest at the Mandarin Oriental.

This luxury haven had so many special Easter events wrapped in a few hours. But first we ate. Ate very well actually. We were seated in their bright dining room looking out at their English Garden courtyard. They had every imaginable food choices at station after station. Omelette station, Assorted Pastries,Salads,Charcuterie & Cheeses, a Carving station and chilled Seafood Station featuring an Easter Egg Ice Sculpture in the center of jumbo shrimp, raw oysters, crab legs and claws.

An enormous ice Easter Egg along with a roaming Easter Bunny are just some of the whimsical touches that could be found everywhere. My 6 year old stated she wanted to eat fast so she could start on their incredible dessert station! When is the last time you’ve seen a macaron Ferris Wheel?

We also loved the Champagne Cart making the rounds serving premium brunch cocktails tableside. The servers were on their “A” game. That is standard for the Mandarin Oriental but it allowed us to relax and simply be taken care of.

The English Garden was where the Easter Egg Hunt and Petting Zoo took place. All the kids seemed to have fun looking for the eggs as well as petting the adorabe sheep. It was a toss up deciding who had more fun, the kids or us parents watching!

There were so many awesome Easter memory made at this beautiful luxury hotel. Watch this video for more highlights of the Easter Festivities at Mandarin Hotel Atlanta and see why we are #MOFoodies + #FansofMo!

Thanks to our friends at Mandarin Oriental Atlanta for hosting my #HeighPartyof3 for Easter. It was truly an experience we will never forget!

MANDARIN ORIENTAL ATLANTA

3376 PEACHTREE RD. NE

ATLANTA, GA 30326

Where to Play: #Atlanta Must Do Family Fun Attractions #puppetryATL @CTRPuppetryArts & @LDCatlanta  

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Disclaimer: We received complimentary passes to visit these 2 attractions in order to facilitate review, however the opinions are 100% my own.

This past Friday may have been ‘Good Friday’ but we turned it into a Great Friday by visiting two of Atlanta’s family fun attractions: Center for Puppetry Arts and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta! Both of these attractions are kid friendly, educational, full of family fun and a must do when visiting Atlanta, GA.

Center for Puppetry Arts

The Center for Puppetry Arts has alot to explore and a whole lot to admire. I learned so much about the craftmanship and the passion behind making a puppet. Everyone’s childhood history involves being entertained by a puppet. Whether its Sesame Street….

…the Muppets,with our favorite couple Miss Piggy & Kermit…

..or any of the projects Jim Henson was involved in, we all learned at an early age that puppetry like love is universal. 

Edit
Now thru May 28, Pete the Cat will be playing at the Center. Be sure to request all-inclusive tickets which will provide admission to the show, access to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum and ability to attend the Create-A-Puppet Workshop to craft your own Pete the Cat hand puppet! It was nice to be able to see the interactive show based on the books my daughter loves as well as create a keepsake afterwards to take home. 

Our favorite thing that we did was create our own puppet show. My family and I pretended to go live on tv with the hand puppet of our choice and let our imagination wonder! Hmm, I wonder if PBS is hiring?

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Located in Midtown, the Center for Puppetry Arts should be a part of your family vacation memories your next visit to Atlanta.

Center for Puppetry Arts

  • 1404 Spring St. NW at 18th
  • Atlanta, GA 30309-2820 USA


LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta

A family visit to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center was recommended as a family fun attraction during our stay at the Mandarin Oriental because it is conveniently located nearby in the fashionable Phipps Plaza shopping mall.

Legos are those little plastic, colorful, play things that are beloved all over the world. We knew a visit to this attraction would definitely appeal to our 5 year old!

While legos and building opportunities are everywhere here, they have different areas dedicated to specific themes. Their “miniland” area had lego mock ups of construction projects and the space program. They also have 2 rides; Merlin’s Apprentice and Kingdom Quest laser ride. We also took turns getting on a specially calibrated scale that converts your weight to how many lego bricks it would take to weigh that much! However Daddy and daughter mostly enjoyed connecting and discovering what they could build together.

When it was time for a break we took in a show at their incredible Lego 4D Cinema where you are immersed {literally} into the story of the screen. You may get snowed or rained on in the theatre! 

My daughter also had great fun using the karaoke machine. If you get hungry they have a neat little Cafe where you can get snacks and Icee’s. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta is truly fun for the whole family! It brought out the little Big Kid in us all. 

LEGOLAND Discovery Center 

Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Rd.

Atlanta, GA 30326