Places of Interest

I've been doing a bit of research to plan for my lengthy cross country trip, so I've been in tourist mode lately. I've been checking out what each city has to offer along our planned route. My work is your gain. I've decided to write about local tourist attractions for kids.

I'm going to start with Atlanta, since that's in my own back yard. Here are a few of the best places to visit if you happen to be in the Atlanta area.

I'll start with the Georgia Aquarium. The aquarium in down town Atlanta is well worth your time. It will take more than one day to fully enjoy the exhibits of the Aquarium, but if you're only able to go once, I recommend the Cold Water Quest exhibit and the Ocean Voyager exhibit. The Tropical Diver exhibit is good, too, but if you are limited in your time then the first two are the most important.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is another wonderful place to visit here in the Atlanta area. They have several permanent exhibits, such as A Walk Through Time in Georgia and the Children's Discovery Room. They also have special exhibits that change frequently and focus on a large variety of topics. This place will take a few hours of your time, but it's fun and educational for the entire family.

Stone Mountain Park is one of the better outdoor locations for family fun. There are hiking trails that you can use to walk up to the top of the mountain and explore the face of the rock. When you get to the top, you can walk all over the rock and look out over the city. It's a beautiful view. For those who aren't really into hiking up a huge rock, there's a lift that you can ride to the top. Stone Mountain also has a laser show that begins at dark. The show is cast on the face of the mountain using laser technology. I couldn't even begin to accurately describe the laser show. It's something you just have to see to fully understand. It's an amazing experience. Though I do have to recommend that you avoid the park on July 4th. It's just too insane there on that particular day.

Next week I will hit Nashville, TN. That will be my first stop along my journey across the country.