Editor’s note: We’re making every effort to provide you with the most up-to-date information. However, sometimes closures occur at the last minute due to circumstances beyond our control, such as the spread of COVID-19. We highly recommend that you call ahead before you pack your kids pack your kids (and all those snacks, and diapers…) and haul them across town. Stay safe!
This month is full of free and cheap things to do with your family in Atlanta, including off the beaten track parks, drive-in movies, and a cool art installation where you can literally perch all day. Scroll through and pick some of your favorites for your November calendar!
Drive-In Movies in Lawrenceville
Enjoy the fall in Downtown Lawrenceville with some comedy, romance and thrillers on the big screen! The Drive-in Movie Series will take you back in time with your favorite movies shown on the big screen at Lawrenceville's Depot District. Bring your family and favorite snacks and enjoy a movie the way your grandparents did - from your car! Food trucks will be onsite with convenient treats for sale: The Red Popcorn Wagon. Event details.
Give Mountain Biking a Try
Paved paths are great, but if you have a thrill-seeker at home, taking the pedals off the pavement may be your best bet. From meandering trails near streams to paths that putter through meadows, there are plenty of places for beginner mountain bikers near Atlanta. Event details.
Murmurations at The High
Murmuration is an art installation on Sifly Plaza (right outside the front doors of The High) that was inspired by Atlanta’s reputation as the “city in a forest” and by the High’s proximity to the city’s abundant greenspace—Piedmont Park. This 2,350-square-foot mesh canopy evokes the environment of neighboring trees, and is a sculptural pavilion—complete with feeding stations and perches—that invites visitors to “perch and nest” alongside the birds in this outdoor mesh canopy. Event details.
Explore Hawk Hollow
Hawk Hollow, near Decatur, is a natural setting with a woodland Tolkien feel. It is a place to explore habitats and ecosystems on woodland paths, a butterfly garden, a creek, and two Hobbit Houses that you can even stay overnight in! Event details.
Visit Arabia Mountain
The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area lies just east of Atlanta along I-20 and is dominated by two granite outcrops to explore. The Arabia Mountain NHA offers opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing and geocaching throughout 40,000 acres, while the Panola Mountain State Park offers beginner courses and expert ranges for archery. Event details.
Visit Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
Uncle Shuck's 15-acre corn maze and pumpkin patch in Dawsonville, Georgia is home to tons of farm fun, delicious farm food, and unforgettable family memories! Enjoy a day on the farm, with pick-your-own pumpkins, a jumping pillow, a tire mountain, kids maze, and gem mining. Event details.
Picnic in the Perfect Spot
Who needs a table and service to enjoy a meal, anyways? While we love our Atlanta restaurants, sometimes a little picnic is just what the doctor (or perhaps, mayor) ordered. Whether you’re avoiding dining rooms in restaurants or at home, we’ve got Atlanta’s best picnic spots picked-out for you. Event details.
Visit Dekalb's Farmers Market
This huge market is full of culinary wonders—including an International Products Department that includes things like dried fruits from Thailand and Turkish roasted nuts—and you can spend hours checking out the seafood, exotic fruits, and other wares. Event details.
Explore the Kirkwood Urban Forest
The Kirkwood Urban Forest Community Garden is a unique space, in that it is both a public conservation park and a community garden managed by members of the Kirkwood neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia. This 7.5 acre site features walking trails through hardwood trees, a spring-fed creek, a frog pond, and a surprisingly lush ecosystem only a few miles from Downtown Atlanta. Event details.
Stroll the BeltLine
This 22-mile loop gets better every year, with art installations to find and Atlanta’s tree canopy to enjoy. The Beltline’s group bike tours are a great way for participant to finish a 3-hour course, pedalling through neighborhoods and nature they may never have visited before. Event details.
Tour Atlanta Street Art
You don’t need a docent to guide you through the Atlanta street art scene, which now boasts over 1000 murals (though you could learn a lot on one of these walking tours). Just hop on a bike, a skateboard, or lace up your sneaks to check out artwork that is as inspiring as it is Insta-worthy. Event details.
Hit a Skate Park
Atlanta’s skateparks are spread out, which means accessing one is relatively easy, no matter where you live. The Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark is often the site of free beginner skateboarding classes on the weekends (check the BeltLine’s website to find out when to go), and the Brook Run Skate Park in Dunwoody is the largest skatepark in Atlanta, and is surrounded by trees (and near trails for biking, walking, and running).
Visit Noah's Arc Animal Sanctuary
Visit the Noah’s Arc Animal Sanctuary. Noah’s Ark is a 250-acre sanctuary for abused, unwanted, and neglected animals in a park-like setting with paved pathways. Noah’s Ark is open Tuesday through Saturday. The Welcome Center, picnic area, and playground are open at 9 a.m. for visitors, and the animal habitat is open from 12-3 p.m.
Spend a day in Piedmont Park
Spend a day in Piedmont Park. With paved paths perfect for biking, triking, and boarding, a lake, fields, and playgrounds, this Atlanta institution is a great place to spend a day. For a parent insider’s guide to the park, click here.
Visit The High for Free
On the second Sunday of each month, The High Museum of Art offers free admission for all visitors, who must adhere to strict social distancing and gathering guidelines. Access is limited to online, timed-ticket reservations.
Check Out Oakland Cemetery
ExploreHistoric Oakland Cemetery. Atlanta’s oldest public park and the final resting place of many of the city’s most noted citizens, Oakland is less than a mile from downtown on 48-acres. Explore history and gardens, sculpture and architecture, and play under the ancient oaks and magnolias. Parent’s heads-up: while the gates are open, the Visitor’s Center and restrooms are closed until further notice.
—Shelley Massey
Featured photo: Tatiana Syrikova from Pexels
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