Vast natural beauty, friendly people, eclectic neighborhoods and unending activities make the Atlanta area a brilliant place to spend the season. Residents and visitors alike are making the best of long days, warm breezes and summer jams while having fun all around the metropolis and its wide-reaching suburbs.
There are more attractions than we could ever list, but we’ve compiled some solid ideas to get you started.
Festivals galore
Summer around Atlanta wouldn’t be the same without festivals and fairs to celebrate food, music, film and all the good things in life!
- The Atlanta Creole Food Festival (July 9–10) at Best End Brewing Company celebrates the best chefs of this melting-pot cuisine from all around the world.
- The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival (July 23) has all the flavors you’ve heard of and plenty you haven’t.
- The City of Cumming Music Fest (July 23) has live rock music and tribute acts, food trucks, kids’ activities, axe throwing, a bike show and more.
- The Atlanta Black Restaurant Week (August 5–14) celebrates African-American owned restaurants and food-based businesses all around Atlanta.
- The Atlanta Underground Film Festival (August 19–21) is an eclectic showcase of independent film, spanning multiple events around Atlanta.
- The Bronzelens Film Festival (August 23–27) offers even more for film culture fans.
- The Grant Park Summer Shade Festival (August 27–28) celebrates and supports Atlanta’s oldest park with 2 days of music, arts, food and running.
For your amusement
Atlanta is a destination for fun-seekers of all ages. Here’s a small sample of amusement park attractions:
- Six Flags Over Georgia is a roller coaster lover’s dream and the home of rides, shows and attractions for all ages.
- Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta is the area’s ultimate LEGO experience! From exclusive rides to a 1.5 million brick replica of Atlanta, this indoor experience is colorful and constructive.
- Skyline Park on THE ROOF at Ponce City Market has an iconic Ferris Wheel perched high above the city, along with refreshments, games, vintage amusement machines and more.
Make a big splash
With so many waterways and water parks around Atlanta, staying cool should never be an issue.
- For a relaxing trip downstream, residents love to paddle or float down the Chattahoochee River — and picnic, play and explore among its extensive series of national recreation areas throughout the northern Atlanta metro.
- Handy rental outposts like the popular Shoot the Hooch are a great way to float in peace without having to buy any of your own flotation gear.
- Another great, noncommittal way to get out on the river is a guided canoe trip at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.
- Six Flags Over Georgia’s Hurricane Harbor and the thrilling Six Flags White Water have playful, refreshing splash pads in addition to other attractive features. Plus there are also splash pads and watery play areas at Zoo Atlanta and Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Many of the area’s state and local parks also offer places to swim and splash with beaches, swimming areas, pools and falls — plus a myriad of other activities that vary by location.
Cool down at these indoor attractions
When the thermometer really starts to rise, it’s time to seek shade with some indoor summer fun. Thankfully, Atlanta and its surrounding areas offer plenty of rain-or-shine options:
- The nearby Georgia Aquarium has a deep collection of sea life, animals and exhibits (including a brand-new shark gallery) and offers a full schedule of events for adults and children alike.
- For the artistically inclined, there’s no beating Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience — a 20,000+ square foot sound-and-light spectacular with two-story high projections of Van Gogh’s most compelling masterpieces.
- The World of Coca-Cola Museum gives you a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the bottling process, shows off hundreds of pop culture artifacts from the company’s long history, offers an impressive 4-D theater and has an astounding gift shop.
Hopefully, this brief overview gives you an idea of all the variety in town and spurs you to explore further. Each Lennar neighborhood has something to offer, so get out there and have some fun!
