Fernbank's NatureQuest is a nature lovers indoor playground

During the cold winter months, everyone heads indoors. For families looking for things to do in Atlanta with kids indoors, there are lots of options for every age. Here’s a list of twelve great indoor activities for everyone in your family from toddlers to teens. Even the adults will have fun. What are your favorites?

Waiting to get on the main court for the SkyMania session

1. SkyZone Indoor Trampoline Park: This is the latest attraction for families in the Atlanta area and a great place for tweens and teens.

2. Indoor Water Parks in Atlanta: Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t go swimming. These indoor water parks offer water slides, lazy rivers and play structures. NOTE: This link is to a post I did last year. Check current times and prices with the location before visiting.

3. Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Nature Quest: I love this nature themed indoor playground for the under 8 set. There are so many things to explore, it will take your little one several visits.

4. Indoor Rock Climbing Gyms in Atlanta: We’ve visited Stone Summit Climbing Gym, which was great for kids. I know other folks who like Atlanta Rocks.

5. Silver Scream Spookshow: This quirky variety show followed by vintage horror flick is free for kids under 12. In 2012 the Silver Scream Spookshow will run every other month at the Plaza Theatre on Ponce de Leon in Midtown starting in February.

Sagebrush Ranch is the indoor playground at the Booth Western Museum

6. Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta: This indoor museum is a great place for kids to play and parents can feel good about knowing their children are learning at the same time. Check out their When I Am cards to find out exactly what they are learning. The video on this link gives you a great overview of the museum’s permanent exhibits.

7. High Museum of Art: I love the High Museum for Kids. Be sure to check out a Discovery Backpack and the Green Family Gallery. Toddler Thursdays are a great way to introduce your little ones to art.

8. Home Depot Workshop and Lowe’s Workshop: No matter what time of year, my boys love donning an apron and hammering some nails.

9. LEGO Mini-Builds: This free activity can get crowded, but for the LEGO fan, it’s worth it.

10. Booth Western Museum: This Cartersville museum has become one of my favorites for kids. They have lots of hands-on activities.

11. Tellus: Another Cartersville museum, this one will keep them busy for hours.

12. National Infantry Museum: This fantastic museum is in Columbus Georgia, but it’s worth the drive, especially if you have tween and teens. You can even shoot on the rifle range.

Atlanta

What: Skiing Near Atlanta at Beech Mountain, NC
Where: Beech Mountain North Carolina
When: Ski Season is officially
Cost: Ski and Stay Packages begin at $99 per person for weekday skiing

Last year, my family took a vacation to Beech Mountain Resort. It was the first time my boys had ever been skiing and they loved it. Beech is a great place for kids and adults to try out skiing or get themselves ready for a vacation out west. Here is a guide to a fun filled family ski vacation at Beech Mountain, NC, including plenty of time away from the slopes.

The FREE sledding hill in Beech Mtn.

Ski Beech Mountain: Beech Mountain Ski Resort has 16 trails and 95 skiable acres.  There are seven lifts including a high-speed quad lift to the top of the mountain. When snow is scare, the resort has 23 ultra high tech snow guns to keep the slopes white. Beech Mtn. is the highest ski area in the Eastern US with a peak elevation of 5,506 ft. It’s also a great place to enjoy some real wintertime fun without having to hop a plane out West. Click here for more information on skiing Beech Mountain, NC.

What to do at Beech Mountain Other than Ski

Community Sledding Hill at Beech Mountain: Next to the Beech Mtn. visitor’s center, tucked behind a split rail fence is the Beech Mtn. community sledding hill for kids 12 and under. Sledding on the hill is free and open Nov. through mid-March, but BYOS – Bring your own sled. If you don’t have a sled, rent one from Beech Meadows Ski Rental (two doors down from the visitors center) rental sleds are $5 a day. If you’d prefer, you can purchase a sled for $10-$20. In addition, Fred’s General Mercantile (short walk) also sells sleds for $10-$20 There are two sides to the hill, one seemed to have more bumps, while the second was a bit smoother. There is a referee who monitors the hill to make sure visitors are adhering to the 12 and under rule and manage crowds if needed. Parents are allowed to go down with their pre-schooler, but otherwise, this is a kid’s domain. There are even clean, warm bathrooms located in the visitor’s center next door.

The Magic Carpet - No walking!

Hawks Nest Snow Tubing Near Beach Mountain: The Beech Mountain Visitors Center is a great warm up to snow tubing at Hawksnest, the largest snow tubing park on the East Coast and only about 30 minutes from Beech Mtn. This former ski resort offers 20 lanes of snow tubing plus a zip line course. Click here for more on Hawk’s Nest Snow Tubing.

Shopping at Fred’s General Mercantile at Beech Mountain: No visit to Beech Mountain is complete without a stop at Fred’s General Mercantile. Fred Pfohl is an interesting fellow and you’ll find him a short walk from the community sledding hill at Fred’s General Mercantile. His motto is “If you don’t see it, ask for it… If we don’t have it, you don’t need it,” and he’s right. This store has everything from ski equipment (including rental clothes)to groceries and even items literally displayed in a kitchen sink. There are three floors of shopping, so make sure to check it all out. The bottom floor also includes a deli where you can get sandwiches or an awesome bacon, egg and cheese breakfast biscuit – with bacon cooked to perfection. Don’t leave without meeting Fred and his wife Margie. If you have any questions about Beech Mountain, they can help. In addition to his stint as Mayor, Fred was instrumental in bringing a FREE community sledding hill to Beech Mountain. He is also a major player in making Beech a year round vacation destination, having built several hiking trails in the area.

Archers Mountain Inn has hotel rooms and homes for rent

Where to Stay at Beech Mountain: Beech Mountain has a special $99 Stay and Ski package. That price is only good on the weekday’s, but would be perfect if your school has a winter break (or maybe spring break). We stayed at Archer’s Moutainside Inn, which offers the Stay and Ski package. Archer’s Mountainside Inn is located about half-way up Beech Mtn. It’s the perfect central location, close to both Beech and Sugar ski resorts. The Inn offers rooms and 3, 4 and 5 bedroom vacation home rentals. During the ski season, rooms start at $80 weekday and $110 weekends and homes start at $300 for weekday and $450 for weekends. We stayed in one of the vacation homes. The boys enjoyed the novelty of swimming in the hot tub with snow all around and loved having a nighttime snowball fight. The cabin itself was very nice and had three floors with the master on the main, two bedrooms downstairs and a loft on the third floor. A great set up to get away from the kids for a bit if you wanted. The bottom and middle floors have gas fireplaces that were a welcome sight coming in from a day in the snow. I was amazed at how even the heat was in the house too. Even with the freezing temperatures outside, it was toasty inside on all levels. The only improvement I’d suggest is an upgrade to the linens and towels and a few extra blankets, although the house was warm enough that we didn’t really need the extra blankets. The next time we visit, I might consider getting two of the larger Inn rooms, especially if we’re only there for a night or two. The price is about the same (maybe even a bit cheaper) and you could just walk to Jackalope’s for breakfast – which is included with the Inn rooms – but then we’d lose the hot tub and the space to spread out.

Words of praise on a pizza plate beech

Where to Eat at Beech Mountain: If you’re hungry after sledding on the community sledding hill at Beech Mtn., head across the street from the hill to the Brick Oven Pizzera. We’re a pizza loving family and this was pretty darn good pie. Don’t take my word for it though; see all the notes and messages left by former patrons hanging from the walls. For an upscale dinner with a gorgeous view, head back down the mountain less than a mile to Jackalope’s View. This mountainside restaurant is part of Archer’s Mountainside Inn, a group of lodge rooms and vacation homes. The restaurant has won the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator since 1999. The menu offers a tasty selection of fish, chicken, beef or pasta dishes with beautiful views of the mountains. Our waitress recommended the bleu cheese encrusted pork chop, which was exceptional. There is not a kids’ menu at Jackalope’s, however, the chef created a special kids pasta for my youngest who proclaimed it “the best pasta ever.” The restaurant also serves a full breakfast which is included in lodge rooms.

For more fun ski resorts near Atlanta, check out this post from Atlanta with Kid.

Beech Mountain

Photo Credit: http://ow.ly/8AVoN

What: Atlanta Braves Community Caravan
When: Jan. 27 – Feb. 9, 2012 (times vary by location and date)
Where: Across the Southeast Including Ga., SC, NC, AL and TN locations
Cost: FREE

The 2012 Braves Country Caravan, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors is hitting the road January 27th thru February 9th. With more than 25 stops in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, the Braves will travel more than 3,000 miles and meet thousands of fans before the team heads to Orlando for Spring Training. To get a detailed list of who will be where, visit the Atlanta Braves website.

Atlanta Braves players, coaches, alumni, broadcasters, and team executives will make community appearances at children’s hospitals, schools, and military bases, and will host autograph signings at Academy Sports + Outdoors stores and Taco Mac locations throughout the Southeast. Check the schedule to see when we’ll be in your town, and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates!

Here’s some great photos of a stop last year in Macon from a blog called The World this Week.

Indoor activities for kids is a hot topic as the weather gets cooler and the rain continues to fall. Of course, giveaways for some of Atlanta’s hottest shows are big news too. We talked about both yesterday morning on the Field Trips with Sue segment on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta.

Here is a link to the giveaways to Atlanta area shows.(It takes a few minutes to load, so be patient) Be sure to register to win – we’ll be choosing the winners over the next two days. We talked about…

• Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• Laughing Pizza Red Carpet Movie Premiere
• Space! at the Center for Puppetry Arts
• MEMPHIS, at the Fox Theatre

Next we talked about indoor activities for kids in Atlanta. Including…

• 2012 Braves Country Caravan – see Field Trips with Sue later today for more information and a link to the schedule
• Stone Summit Climbing Gym
• Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta (note the link here goes to a post with Curious George. That was a previous exhibit, starting Feb. 4, it will be Clifford!) - Clifford Exhibit opens on Feb. 4 with a BOGO offer for Fulton County residents on opening day. Don’t forget, the second Tuesday of every month is Target Free Tuesday at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta from 1 – 7 pm.

Photo: Paul Kolnikstudio@paulkolnik.comnyc 212-362-7778

What: MEMPHIS
Where: Fox Theatre
When: Jan. 31 – Feb. 5, 2012
Cost: Prices start at $25 plus fees from Ticketmaster
Click the link to read more about Memphis and enter for a chance to win tickets to see Memphis

I’m looking forward to seeing Memphis, a 2010 Tony Award winning musical coming to the Fox Theatre next week. The show takes place in the smoky halls and underground clubs of the segregated 50’s, where a young white DJ named Huey Calhoun fell in love with everything he shouldn’t: rock and roll and an electrifying black singer. Memphis is an original story about the cultural revolution that erupted when his vision met her voice, and the music changed forever. It looks like a lot of singing and awesome dancing.

You can purchase individual tickets for this or purchase it as part of a mini-season package that includes Memphis, Billy Elliot – The Musical (March 13-18), Les Miserables (April 24-29) and my absolute favorite Jersey Boys (May 22 – June 10). To purchase the package go to www.BroadwayInAtlanta.com or call 800-278-4447

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What: Laughing Pizza Red Carpet Event
Where: Georgia Aquarium Ocean’s Ballroom
When: Feb. 4, 2012 11 am
Cost: There are two ticket options for families to purchase: VIP Red Carpet Premiere tickets include admission to the film, live performance by Laughing Pizza, meet and greet with the band, and red carpet festivities. VIP Red Carpet Premiere tickets are $15 (Children under 1 years old are free). For an even more spectacular experience, guests can upgrade their tickets to the VIP Red Carpet Premiere Plus ticket, which includes admission to the premiere and its events, as well as admission to the Aquarium and the 3:30 p.m. showing of AT&T Dolphin Tales. VIP Red Carpet Premiere Plus tickets are $34.95 for adults and $28.95 for children. Children ages 1-3 years old need only a film pass, as they are admitted to the Aquarium for free.

For more information on the program and how you can enter to win a four pack of tickets to the VIP Red Carpet Premiere click the link below. (Giveaway Tickets are for VIP Red Carpet Event Only, and do not include general admission to Georgia Aquarium.)

Atlanta’s family-favorite musical group, Laughing Pizza, invites families to the grand Oceans Ballroom at Georgia Aquarium for a one-time, VIP family film premiere Saturday, Feb. 4 at 11:00 a.m. The award-winning band and world’s largest aquarium are teaming up for the world premiere of Laughing Pizza: The Concert Movie as well as a live performance by Laughing Pizza after the screening.

Beginning at 11:00 a.m., guests will get the “red carpet treatment” with photographs, spectacular views into the world’s largest aquatic habitat, Ocean Voyager, as well as views into the charismatic beluga whale habitat from within the grand Oceans Ballroom. There will also be entertainment by Atlanta’s own Circus Camp and more. The VIP screening of Laughing Pizza: The Concert Movie, will begin at 12:00 p.m. (The film has already won 5 out of 5 Doves from the Dove Foundation, and was endorsed by the Parents Television Council.) After the screening, Laughing Pizza will perform a few of their hits, and guests will have the opportunity to meet Billy, Lisa and Emily, up close and in person!

Laughing Pizza is a real family band that writes and performs all original pop-music for families. Their music videos can be seen every day in more than 18 million homes on PBS stations and TV On-Demand channels around the country. This mom, dad and daughter trio travel across the nation performing at theatres, museums, music festivals, nightclubs, schools, and other venues – including the White House (with Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers). Their live performances are energetic, interactive, dance-filled shows that get kids and parents up and moving, and they have a loyal following all across the country.

The event is sponsored by Shumate and B-98.5FM. A portion of all proceeds will go to The Georgia Aquarium’s SEA Program.

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What: Space! at the Center for Puppetry Arts

Where: Center for Puppetry Arts
When: Jan. 26 – March 11, 2012
Cost: $9.25 members $16.50 non members
Click the link below to learn more and enter to win a family four pack of tickets to see Space! on Sat. Jan. 28 at 12 pm

Your child can make these extraterrestrials at the Create a Puppet Workshop included with your show tickets.

My son loves the Center for Puppetry Arts puppet shows and doing the Make-a-Puppet Workshop that is included in the admission price. The latest show by the Center for Puppetry Arts is Space! an out-of-this-world adventure where an extraterrestrial guides families on an educational journey through the solar system. Afterwards, make your own extraterrestrial hand puppet.

The show blasts off with a rocking band of extraterrestrial musicians. Astronomy fans can learn out-of-this-world facts about planets, stars, meteors and more. They can feel the gravitational pull with Sir Isaac Newton, gaze at Saturn’s rings with Galileo and rock out on the asteroid belt. Ever wonder what fuels the sun or where the planets got their names? Find out in this galactic trip filled with cosmic special effects and an eclectic musical score fit for a universe as vast and diverse as our own.

Space! is written and directed by Jon Ludwig with music composed by John Cerreta. Blending rod, shadow and blacklight puppetry with projections, this show offers a unique take on science. Kids can bop along to 15 original songs, gaze with awe at hundreds of NASA images and get silly with a host of unusual characters.

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Brian Miser is the Human Fuse

What: Circus in Atlanta Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is Fully Charged
Where: Philips Arena Feb. 15 – 20 and Gwinnett Arena Feb. 23 – 26, 2012
Cost: Tickets start at $14 (plus service charges) and can be purchased through ticketmaster.com
Click the link to learn more about Fully Charged and enter to win vouchers for four tickets to see the show.

Come one hour before showtime for the Free All Access Power Up Preshow

I love the circus and this year’s show is electrifying! Fully Charged, the all-new surge of circus entertainment from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey where megawatts of thrills explode off of the arena floor with breathtaking dare-devilry, superhuman stunts and never-before-seen performances that energize Children Of All Ages.

Feld Entertainment, the producers of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus are clients of mine, so I had the pleasure of seeing the show a few months back. My favorite are still the elephants, but I loved the guys on the regular stilts and the neon glowing bounce stilts. I know my children will love the human fuse who shoots out of a cannon on fire and the Turbines of Terror.

One of my favorite parts of going to the circus is the All Access Power Up Pre-show. One hour before show time, guests are allowed on the floor to try on costumes, get up close with animals and performers. If you’re lucky, you might become part of the pre-show. We always grab a few clown noses and pose for a photo with one of the clowns before taking our seats.

Atlanta on the Cheap has some great discount codes and updates these often, so check out how to get discount tickets.

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Photo Credit: http://ow.ly/8uK0G

What: Three Kings Day Celebration
Where: Atlanta History Center
When: Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, 1 – 5 pm
Cost: The program is FREE (does not include admission to the museum)

I’ve always wanted to go to this program and never seem to make it. Here in the states we take down the Christmas tree the day after Christmas. Our celebration is the month prior. However, the true Christmas season isn’t over until the Epiphany on Jan. 6 (the actual 12 Day of Christmas). In Hispanic cultures, this is the celebration of the Three Kings, or Three Kings Day. As I understand it, the three kings – Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar saw the star on the day Jesus was born and traveled (over field and fountain, moor and mountain) to see the baby, arriving around this time.

The Three Kings Day Celebration at the Atlanta History Center is a festival of storytelling, music, and live performances. The Center is partnering with the Instituto de Mexico for this free celebration. Space is limited and does not include museum admission. For more information call 404-814-4000. Here is a schedule of events:

1 – 1:30 pm – Welcome
1:30 – 1:50 pm – Youth Pastorela performance by St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (children’s nativity play)
1:50 – 2:15 pm – Raffle
2:15  - 2:45 pm – Mexico Lindo, youth performance of traditional folkloric ballet
2:45 – 3:10 pm – Raffle
3:10 – 3:30 pm – Youth Pastorela performance by St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
3:30 – 4:00 pm – Traditional Music
4:15 – 5:00 pm – Raffle and Closure

Traditional Three Kings Day Mexican food items are available for sale. Every child under 12 receives a ticket for a free drink, tamale and a slice of rosca. There is also a free picture with the Three Kings.

Waiting to get on the main court for the SkyMania session. SkyMania is specifically for kids 11 - 15.

What: SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park
Where: 590 Old Peachtree Rd., Suwanee, Ga.
When:
Tuesday – Thursday 3 – 9 pm
Friday 12 – 9 pm, SkyMania (10 – 15 years old) 9 – 11 pm
Saturday 10 – 9 pm, SkyJam (ages 16+) 9 – 11 pm
Sunday 11 – 7 pm
Monday – Closed
Cost:  Prices start at $9 for 30 min. Most people will jump for 90 min ($17)
Photos: For additional photos, visit SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park on Field Trips with Sue on Facebook

SkyZone Indoor Trampoline Park is not your backyard variety trampoline. That is unless your backyard trampoline has side walls to jump on, a dodgeball court, basketball net and a foam pit to jump into.

Last weekend I took a group of tween boys to SkyMania night at SkyZone Indoor Trampoline Park to check the place out. SkyMania is a Friday night event especially for teens and tweens ages 10 – 15. SkyJam is a similar event held on Saturday nights for teens 16 and older. The program runs from 9 – 11 pm and includes 90 minutes of jumping, 2 slices of pizza and a drink for $16. A bargain given a normal 90 minute jump session is $17. And drop off is totally acceptable. If you have toddlers, a special toddler time is scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 – 11 am. Parents are asked to stay with the toddlers.

Shooting hoops at Skyzone. Court Monitors allow one person at a time to shoot.

SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park Facility
SkyZone  is located in a warehouse complex. There are four main jumping areas, a game section with air hockey, pool and video games for those that need a break from jumping, plus a parents lounge and various decks for viewing or snacking. Jumpers can either wear shoes provided by the facility or go barefoot, but just socks are not allowed.

• Main Court: The main court is 9,000 square feet and divided into 8 x 8 ft. squares, plus a few longer strips, so jumpers are not double jumping or crashing into each other.  There is also a small kid court off to the side that was perfect for my youngest to get his bearings before heading out into the masses of people.
• SkySlam: Two basketball nets are set up along trampolines. Try your hand at dunking on either the 10 ft. net or the 7.5 ft net.
• 

  The foam pit is 5 ft. deep. Climbing out is exercise too!

  Foam Zone: There are four lanes of trampolines that lead into a 5 ft deep foam pit. Just getting out of the foam pit is a workout in itself!

• Dodgeball Courts: There are two dodgeball courts and monitors do their best to ensure that kids of the same size are playing together. This was the highlight for all the boys, but also an area for improvement by the facility. Kudos to management for separating the bigger kids from the smaller ones. However, there was a larger crowd of younger kids and the system for switching people in and out was a bit random, resulting in some of our group complaining they had a hard time getting on the court. The court monitors were all very nice, so educate your children before they go to speak up if they can’t get on the court and let the monitors know they’ve been bypassed.

Court Monitors keep everyone safe.

Safety at SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park
Safety is a big concern for parents. SkyZone has court monitors at each station. Four in the main jump area, two for each dodgeball court, one at the foam pit and another at the basketball court. At the foam pit and basketball areas only one child goes at a time. The Dodgeball courts do their best to keep same size kids playing against each other and only allow 13 people on each side. The way the main court is separated into squares of individual trampolines discourages double bouncing. In addition, the facility only holds 147 jumpers at any one time, so although it can get crowded at the dodgeball court, it doesn’t feel too crowded on the main court and the lines are not overly long for the basketball or foam pit. In fact, it’s a welcome relief to stop bouncing for a minute. Walking after all that jumping makes your feet feel like lead boots!

Cleanliness at SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park
As soon as the kids were off the trampolines, staff was beginning to wash down the courts. Each night they spray the trampolines and pads with sanitizer and scrub them down. The foam pit is sprayed nightly and weekly the 5 ft pit is emptied and throughly cleaned. It’s a five hour job!

Trampolines and pads are sanitized and scrubbed every night.

SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park Tickets
As we’ve mentioned, SkyZone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park has a limited capacity of 147 people. Although they do accept walk-up ticket sales, often on weekends and holidays they are sold out prior to the session time through advanced sales. Especially while the facility is so new, I recommend securing your tickets before you go. The Friday we went, they had sold out by 11 am that morning.

Although we were provided a complimentary admission for the purpose of reviewing this establishment (as is common in the travel industry), we only recommend places we would stay and products we would use.