St. Regis Astor Ice Rink

I had a request recently from a Twitter friend asking what there was to do in Atlanta on Christmas Day. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, or you’re dying to get away from the family after the packages are unwrapped and the dinner dishes are cleared, here are some suggestions. Do you have a favorite place you go on Christmas? If so, share it with us.

Ice Skating in Atlanta
Atlanta has three fantastic ice rinks within the city. Here is an overview of Atlanta area outdoor ice skating rinks.  The Astor Ice Rink at the St. Regis and the Centennial Olympic Park ice skating rink are both open on Christmas Day. Click the links for information on each rink. For photos of the Astor Ice Rink at the St. Regis, visit Field Trips with Sue on Facebook (note these photos are from our visit in 2010)

I'd like to see the new Muppet Movie

Movies in Atlanta
When I was a kid, my older brothers would come home from college for Christmas. After dinner, they’d take me with them to the movies. Goldstar had a great deal recently for discount tickets to AMC Theaters. In addition, here is a list of cheap movie theaters in Atlanta – call first to make sure they are open on Christmas Day.

Bowling in Atlanta
A quick call to Brunswick Zone confirmed that all Brunswick Bowling Centers are open on Christmas Day. A perfect holiday outing. I contacted AMF Bowling Centers too and it’s up to the individual lanes to determine if they are open, so call before you go.

Hike the Falls for a great workout

Georgia State Parks
Why not work off a bit of the holiday gluttony with a hike in the woods. You can visit any of Georgia’s State Parks on Christmas Day. Try Sweetwater Creek State Park just east of Downtown Atlanta or Amicalola State Park north of Atlanta. We’ve also liked biking on the Silver Comet Trail or hiking to the Sope Creek Ruins.

Holiday Lights
Many of the holiday light displays in Atlanta are visible on Christmas Day, including the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Holiday Lights, Garden Nights which is open from 5 – 10 pm. We haven’t been to the Garden yet, but it’s on my list. I’ve heard this is gorgeous!

Atlanta

What: The 7th Annual Phoenix Flies – A Citywide Celebration of Living Landmarks
When: March 6 – 22, 2010
Where: Several locations around Atlanta
Cost: All Events are FREE

The Atlanta Preservation Center  sponsors this annual program that includes more than 160 events, from guided tours to lectures to open houses, at dozens of Atlanta’s historic sites. Best of all, it’s FREE!

There are so many great events during this celebration that it’s hard to choose. For kids, don’t miss a guided tour and storytelling at the Wren’s Nest, the home of Brer Rabbit author Joel Candler Harris. For older kids and adults, any of the Oakland Cemetery tours are great. Oakland is a fabulous place rich in local history. I’ve always wanted to take a tour of the Fox Theatre, whose rescue in 1978 was the impetis for The Phoenix Flies celebration.  There are even events you can access at home via computer such as the Grant Park Virtual Dig.

Some of the tours require reservations, so check the Phoenix Flies website for activities, date and time, and whether or not you need reservations.