Atlanta Fun for Families: Stone Mountain Park

In the city, kids need room to run, to play, to explore, and to be outdoors. They also crave activities, adventure, and theme park thrills. At Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia, a kid can go wild. And adults will have a great time, too!

Admission to the park is only $8 for a whole car full of people. That price includes access to all the hiking trails in and up the mountain and plenty of room for running, walking, hopping, skipping, biking, and picnicing. It also includes the chance to end the day by reclining on a blanket on the lawn and being immersed in a spectacular explosion of sound and color, first with an amazing 45-minute choreographed laser show and then with a heart-stopping explosion of fireworks in the grand finale.

But for even more fun, pay a little more to try some of the more than a dozen fun attractions available at Stone Mountain in Atlanta, Georgia.

Start with a "Ride the Ducks" tour for an absolutely unique way to see the park and get your fun day started. The Ducks are former Army land-water vehicles (DUKWs) which have been modified into open-air vehicles. Kids will squeal with delight when the cars splash into the lake at the end of the tour!

Then it's on to other adventures. Take the Scenic Skyride to get up close and personal 825 feet up in the air with the giant sculpture of Stone Wall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis that made Stone Mountain famous. Hop on the train (pulled by a full-size locomotive) for a trip around the mountain. Take a riverboat voyage on the lake. Explore a four-story barn or a 3-story treehouse.

Tired from all that? Duck into the 4D Theatre for a thrilling interactive look at "Tall Tales of the South." Just be aware that if your kids are very small or scare easily this one may not be for you. The 3D effects and the special effects from within the audience make a pretty intense experience. Also, expect to get wet. There are water effects included!

Add a little education to the fun with the Antebellum Plantation and Farmhouse. Kids will especially love petting the animals in the farmyard, some of which perform. Other educational opportunities include the Antique Car and Treasure Museum, which has displays of historic toys and jukeboxes as well as cars, and the Discovering Stone Mountain museum.

Not all of these attractions are available year round, so check the schedule at the Stone Mountain website to see what's available, especially in the fall and winter. The park itself is open in all seasons.

If you're planning a trip soon, don't miss the Yellow Daisy Festival September 7-10th, with over 500 arts and crafts displays and live entertainment, free with the $8 park admission. Or come for JapanFest September 24-25 to get a sampling of Japanese culture for only $5 a person (plus the park admission.)

Other upcoming festivals include the 4th Annual Pumpkin Fest and the 34th Annual Highland Games in October.

All attractions are available individually, most for $7 a person, but you can sample them all with a Day Pass, which costs $22 for adults and $18 for children over 3.