One thing I’m always looking to do when planning a trip with my family is to utilize local attractions that cost little to no money. On this trip, I can say that Atlanta certainly has tons that any family can enjoy completely for FREE!
Listed below you will find a small group of Atlanta hot spots that cost you nothing!
Centennial Olympic Park: Perfectly nestled in downtown Atlanta, Centennial Olympic Park was built park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games for Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics. Now in it’s 20th year, visitors can enjoy special events, outdoor concerts and is the perfect location for a brown bag lunch with the family.
Some highlights includes the Fountain of Rings which is an interactive fountain with computer controlled lights and can be accompanied to music. The fountain area is surrounded by flags which represent the host countries in preceding years.
Another feature is the eight 65 ft light towers which are reminiscent of classical Greek marker columns. Atlanta tourist and locals can also find several sculptures throughout the park including a statue of Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic movement. Don’t forget about the small amphitheater is located at the southern end of the park where concerts are held regularly.
Visitors can find the park within walking distance of several downtown museums including the CNN Insider Tour, Georgia Aquarium, Civil & Human Right Museum, World of Coca-Cola Museum and more.
If you are visiting several museums and looking to save some lunch money, you can find public parking on the southern end of the park and pack an ice cooler to store your lunch while you enjoy several downtown & Atlanta area museums and attractions.
The Goat Farm: Just a few minutes from Atlanta’s Food Truck Park is The Goat Farm. The Goat Farm is located in Atlanta’s West Midtown area and is part urban farm, part dilapidated warehouse but 100% urban fun! The Goat Farm hosts local events for a number of non-profits in the Atlanta area and visitors can take a self-guided tour as my family & I did.
On a perfect spring day I had the privilege of touring the Goat Farm in Atlanta’s West Midtown area. This curious space is one part dilapidated warehouse, one part urban farm and one part beautifully awesome. The Goat Farm has two large event spaces, an on-organic farm with chickens, goats, donkeys and a pot bellied pig and white-walled art spaces which is suitable for gallery showings or music rehearsals. You can also find a coffee shop and has a amazing bluff overlooking the city.
If the warehouse ruins looks familiar, it is! Aside from photography sessions, the Goat Farm has also been seen in movies. From Hollywood blockbusters like Divergent to Hunger Games, the Goat Farm has now achieve international fame. You can see it in person for FREE!
Anne Frank Museum: A few minutes away from downtown Atlanta you can find the charming city of Sandy Springs. Visitors can enjoy the Anne Frank Exhibit directly above the Sandy Springs Visitor Center free of charge.
The Anne Frank Exhibit is comprised of over 600 photographs and over 8K words which explain the Holocaust and features the story of young Anne Frank and her days of freedom in the 1930s to her hiding with her family in Amsterdam until to her 1945 death in the Bergen-Belson concentration camp.
Visitors can watch a 28-minute video, “The Short Life of Anne Frank” which is tastefully done and engaging to visitors of all ages. The moving exhibit provides visitors a chance to learn, explore, share and remember the history and lessons of the Holocaust and its continued relevance today.
While you are in Sandy Springs, stop by the visitor center downstairs for a Turtle Trek map. The city is known for their colorful, artistic turtles which can be found throughout the city of Sandy Springs. To make the community art installation more engaging, visitors can use a turtle trek map located in the Sandy Springs Visitor Center.
#BayouTravel Tip: When I travel with my children, when we get to the car I ask them to list 10 things they learned about the museum we just visited. The number of question depends on their age, my 10 year old will be asked to recite 10 things, my 14 year old will share 14 things she learned. It keeps them engaged and able to explained what they just learned in an important museum such as this.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I never knew there were so many different things to do in Atlantic City.
I want to go to the Anne Frank Museum! Atlanta is a drive away, but possible. Very neat!
A lot of great attractions. When I travel I like to find the best free things to do in that area. I hope I can travel to Atlanta sometime soon.
I would love to visit the Anne Frank Museum. I think that would be powerfully moving and something I would want to share with my children.
I’ve never been to Atlanta. Olympic Centennial Park sounds like a neat place!