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How many of you have heard you will no longer be a How many of you have heard you will no longer be able to travel once you have kids? I find most people who say these things don’t even have kids or if they do they have never traveled with their kids!

I’m not really into counting countries and we enjoy visiting places more than once, seeing the beauty all over the US and right in our state too. You don’t have to travel far to give your kids amazing experiences but you can also take them wherever you want. Y’all know my motto, if kids live there kids can visit!! 

Where have you been that people said you were crazy for taking your kids (or your parents for taking you) but you were so glad you didn’t listen to them and went anyway.

#travellingwithkids #familytravel
Everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Itza, one of the 7 Wonders of the World (SAVE + SHARE this post).

Chichen Itza is 2.5 hours from Cancun, 2 hours from Playa del Carmen, and 90 minutes from both Tulum and Merida.

You can get here by renting a car, booking a private tour on Airbnb Experiences like we did, coming on a tour bus or for budget travelers taking the ADO bus. 

Most tours from Cancun are all day long, leaving as early as 7/8 am and as late as 9 pm drop off. This is because you’ll visit cenotes outside of Chichen Itza and the town of Valladolid. Since we only had 4 days in Cancun we didn’t want to spend a full day on the road but also really wanted to visit so booking private transportation allowed us to skip all the other stops and just go there and back. We were picked up at 9 and back at the hotel by 4 so we could have a relaxing evening.

Current admission is $533 Mexican pesos for adults, $80 for kids 3-12 and free for kids under 3. That’s about $30 US for adults and $5 for kids.

Once inside there is the main attraction that everyone comes to see but there are also other Mayan dwellings and a cenote. I recommend coming with a guide or hiring an official guide once on site so they can give you information on the history.

Have you been to any of the 7 Wonders? If so, which one(s)?

Hubby and I climbed the Great Wall of China together in 2007, Jordyn, James and I have been to the Colosseum in Rome, the girls and I have been to Petra and we all visited Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, Chichen Itza and the Great Pyramids of Giza together!

#chichenitza #7wondersoftheworld
Today is the last day of school and I could not be Today is the last day of school and I could not be more proud of Jordyn! Look at all those awards she racked up at her end of the year ceremony. She’s reading 3 grade levels above hers, was only 9 points away from a perfect score on her state reading test and made the Honor Roll every quarter of the year. It’s time to celebrate, let summer begin!!!
We’ve been to 34 states and while we haven’t v We’ve been to 34 states and while we haven’t visited them all yet these are 4 states you should consider visiting this summer. (SAVE + SHARE this list for inspo)

📍Idaho- Last year we explored Southern Idaho and it blew us away. City of Rocks National Reserve, Kayak to Shoshone Falls, white water rafting, and walking behind Perrine Coulee Waterfall are musts!

📍Alaska- We visited the South East part of Alaska, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan and WOW talk about stunning. You’ll love exploring ice caves, walking on glaciers, canoeing through ice bergs, seeing the volcano and hopefully spotting some bears!

📍Utah- From the famous national parks like Zion and Bryce to the lesser known areas like Kanab, Utah is stunning. You can’t miss sand boarding through Coral Pink Sand Dunes and ATVing through the gorgeous landscape.

📍California- Where else can you surf and ski/snowboard in the same day? California has the most national parks in any state so you know the beauty is beyond amazing. Having lived there for 3 years I’ve explored so many cities and there is something for everyone!!

Would you like me to share my website link for our itineraries for each of these trips in stories? Have you been to any of these? Which state intrigues you the most from this list? What city/state would you like to see us cover?

#visittheusa #bucketlisttrip #travellingwithkids
We have been traveling with our girls since they w We have been traveling with our girls since they were 6 weeks old. Is traveling with kids always easy? Nope! Are there added costs to traveling with kids? Yes! But having status with World of Hyatt has helped elevate our travels, making things a little easier and saving us money, here’s how (SAVE + SHARE this post).

1. Being a family of 4 standard hotel rooms can be kind of cramped. Having status with World of Hyatt means we’re eligible for free upgrades when available including suites as a Globalist.

2. Eating out for breakfast everyday on a vacation starts to add up really quickly. As a Globalist we get free breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children.

3. At hotels with club access Globalists also get free access which includes drinks and snacks, the perfect way to hold kids over until dinner without spending money.

4. I don’t know who decided 9 or 10am was a good time for check-out, hello we’re on vacation, we want to sleep in! Having status with World of Hyatt means you qualify for late check out at 2pm or 4pm depending on your level of status. So whether you sleep in, hit the pool or use the other amenities at the hotel you can enjoy a little longer. It especially helps us when we have flights later in the day.

5. After paying for our hotel room we hate having added fees. Thankfully when you have Globalist status with World of Hyatt resort fees are waived on free night awards and/or eligible rates.

6. Free hotel nights! There is nothing like booking a hotel and not paying a penny! Having joined World of Hyatt we rack up points (on more than just stays) and the higher your status, the more points you earn to get free stays faster.

7. As World of Hyatt members we even earn American Airlines miles on our Hyatt stays, getting us free flights faster to save even more money!

From being more comfortable to finding more ways to earn, you’re missing out if you haven’t joined World of Hyatt!

@hyatt #HyattPartner
4 Ways to Redeem Points at Hyatt Hotels & 7 Ways t 4 Ways to Redeem Points at Hyatt Hotels & 7 Ways to Earn World of Hyatt Points & (SAVE + SHARE):

Ways to Redeem
1. Redeem points for rooms at Hyatt hotels. There’s nothing like experiencing luxury without the cost, so glad I could redeem Hyatt points for this stay with one of the best views of Tokyo.

2. Redeem points to cover your meal at participating restaurants at Hyatt hotels.

3. Redeem Hyatt points to cover your spa treatment at participating spas at Hyatt hotels. 

4. Redeem points through World of Hyatt FIND experiences. With over 200 experiences like cooking classes, tastings, & walking tours there are so many activities to choose from!

Ways to Earn
1. Are you an elite member with American Airlines? If so, you can earn 1 Hyatt point for every $1 spent on AA flights. These are in addition to the normal miles you’ll earn on American, just sign into your AA account & link your World of Hyatt account.

2. Rent a car through Avis & can earn 500 Hyatt points per rental. Just provide your Hyatt membership number when making the reservation & use AWD code K817700.

3. Book a FIND experience by World of Hyatt and earn 10 points per $1 spent. Hyatt offers over 200 experiences such as culinary classes with celebrity chefs, hot air balloon ride in Arizona, guided bike tour over the Golden Gate bridge and more.

4. Even if you aren’t staying at a Hyatt property, if you eat at the hotel restaurant or book a spa treatment you can earn 5 points per $1 spent. We actually ate at a Hyatt restaurant in Kyoto & even though we weren’t staying there I gave my World of Hyatt number & received points!

5. Earn points on everyday spending with a World of Hyatt credit card: 2 points per $1 spent on restaurants, airline tickets, local transit, rideshares, & gym memberships plus earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

6. Transfer points earned on other credit cards who partner with Hyatt such like Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom Unlimited & Freedom Flex. 

7. Book a cruise with Lindblad Expeditions & earn 5 points per $1 spent.

Are you doing any of these?

📍Andaz Tokyo

@hyatt #HyattPartner
If you visit Lisbon or any mainland city in Portug If you visit Lisbon or any mainland city in Portugal I highly recommend adding a trip to Madeira! It’s an island off the coast of Portugal, actually closer to Africa than Portugal. Here’s how I spent 6 days in Madeira (Save + Share this post):

🇵🇹Day 1: Pool day at my hotel (NEXT Hotel) for most of the day and then I went running up the crazy hills of Madeira to see Funchal by foot.

🇵🇹Day 2: I explored the NW part of the island visiting Seixal Beach, Ponto Moniz, Fanal Forest and Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela.

🇵🇹Day 3: I went on a sidecar adventure where I explored Valley of the Nuns, the Cabo Girão Skywalk, and the fishing town of São Pedro with @madeirasidecartours.

🇵🇹Day 4: Whale and dolphin watching tour but we only saw dolphins. In the evening I did an Airbnb Experience at a locals farm house where he cooked a great dinner where 90% of the items were picked directly from his gardens that day. He also taught us how to make poncha, a favorite local drink. The tour should already be linked in my Maderia story highlights.

🇵🇹Day 5: I toured the SE part of the island visiting Ponta do Garajau, Monte Palace, and ended the day at the most beautiful views from Pico do Arieiro (the shots of me on the clouds).

🇵🇹Day 6: I watched the sunrise from Miradouro Ponto do Rosto and then did an 8 mile hike of Levado do Caldeirão Verde. After the hike I relaxed at the pool!

If you want photos taken in Madeira I recommend @robframing.

Honestly Madeira was everything and I don’t see it dropping out of my top 5 international destinations anytime soon.

The Traveling Child

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Things to do in Atlanta with Kids

April 28, 2021      Destinations, Georgia, North America

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

After living in Miami for the past five years we finally visited our neighbor state, Georgia, Atlanta to be exact. We passed through the city on a four week road trip from Miami to Orlando, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Gatlinburg, Franklin, Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans. Here were our favorite things to do in Atlanta with kids.

Visiting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home in Atlanta, GA

Things to Do in Atlanta with Kids on the City Pass

When visiting Atlanta with Kids if you want to save money you should consider purchasing the CityPASS. We’ve used these before on our trip to Chicago and New York and it saved us a lot of money. You can buy the pass here online and it includes admission to the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola plus admissions to any 3 of these attractions: Zoo Atlanta, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, College of Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Civil and Human Rights or CNN Studio Tours. 

If you’re short on time or want to make the best use of it know that the Coca Cola Factory, Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, CNN Studio and College of Football Hall of Fame are all right next to each other. The Atlanta Zoo is a ten minute drive from these and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History is about twenty minutes from both the Zoo or the other attractions. You have 30 days to visit attractions once you use the CityPASS for the first time.

Coca Cola Factory/World of Coca Cola 

Even if you don’t drink soda, we don’t, the Coca Cola Factory is worth a visit. It was fun learning the history of the company and seeing the original bottles and machines. You’ll be able to learn about the process of how it is made, taste Coca Cola from around the world (there are so many flavors), meet the Coca Cola Polar Bear and more. Hours vary by season so be sure to check here before going. You can skip the line by clicking here.

College Football Hall of Fame

Being a graduate of the University of Florida, I am a huge College football fan. However, even if you really aren’t into football in the least bit you’ll find it fascinating and enjoyable. There is an indoor playing field perfect for adults and kids alike. With over 775 schools represented you’ll be sure to find something you’re interested in. Click here for an all-access pass to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Georgia Aquarium

My kids loved when we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium during our road trip through California so I knew they would enjoy the Georgia Aquarium. You can get skip-the-line tickets here. We all loved it! I was really glad we had the Atlanta CityPASS because the aquarium is not cheap! You can see Beluga Whales, Dolphins, and so many more sea animals here. We especially enjoyed the part of the aquarium where you stand on the moving walkway and go through a tank with the animals on the sides and above you!

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

While the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis gets a lot of love I was very impressed with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The first exhibits when you enter are somber so be prepared but I visited with my 4 and 6 year old and they learned a lot so don’t feel like you can’t visit with younger kids. The museum doesn’t just talk about the past, with an entire exhibit dedicated to current Civil and Human Rights issues. Be sure to stop at the gift shop for some great books!

Zoo Atlanta 

Zoo Atlanta is one of the oldest zoos in the country. It’s a very nice zoo sectioned into continents, like African Savannah and Asia. My daughters favorite part of the day was feeding the giraffes (just like she got to on our trip to Kenya). Feedings only happen certain times of the day so check the schedule to make sure you arrive with plenty of time to stand in line before the feedings stop. The giraffes are free to roam wherever and don’t always come to be fed so at times there can be pauses of 15-30 minutes before the giraffes come over for lettuce. You can get general admission tickets here.

In other sections of the park you’ll find various species of monkeys from gorillas to orangutan. There’s an amphibian section with boa constrictors, blue, yellow and red eye’d frogs and more. Personally my favorite was seeing the twin pandas, I’ve never seen a Panda before.

On the way to the exit is the children’s section which you should save time for if you have kids 8-10 and under. Here you can get up close to goats and alpacas at the petting zoo, ride the train through a rainbow tunnel, go on the carousel, play at the playground or cool off at the splash pad. There is even a ropes course with zip line for those tall enough.

Historical Things to Do in Atlanta with Kids

Visit Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birth Home

If you didn’t know that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, well now you do. His birth home is protected by the National Park Service and they offer free ranger-led tours every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. The tour lasts about 30 minutes. This is a walking tour of Martin Luther King Historic District that we also considered.

Explore the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church

Ebenezer Baptist Church, just down the street from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home is where he delivered his first sermon in 1947. He went on to deliver many speeches here. You can take a self-guided tour of the church from 10:00AM-5:00PM.

3 generations, grandma, dad and two kids standing in front of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta

Walk Around Freedom Hall

Freedom Hall is where memorabilia of Dr. King and the civil rights movement are displayed. You can see his Bible, clerical robe, handwritten sermons, and the key to his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN where he was assassinated. Adjacent to Freedom Hall is the Reflecting Pool where both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King are buried.

International Civil Right Walk of Fame

Added to the National Historic Site in 2004 this honors some of the amazing people who made contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

Other Things to Do in Atlanta with Kids

Visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens

We visited our first botanical gardens on our trip to Rio de Janeiro then again in Naples and now Atlanta. It’s safe to say we’ve fallen in love with them. Each one is unique and at the Atlanta Botanical Garden the two things that set it apart from others are the Earth Goddess display and the Garden Lights which happens in the winter.

The Children’s Garden here is also great. We spent at least an hour here while my daughter built her own house, made music, watched bees make honey and more. If you’re there in the summer kids can also enjoy the splash pad. I equally enjoyed the children’s garden as well as the orchids area.

Spend the Afternoon in Piedmont Park

Since our Airbnb was just two blocks from Piedmont Park we went a few times. You can combine a visit here with the Atlanta Botanical Gardens as it’s technically inside of Piedmont Park. There are two play areas, Noguchi Playscape and Mayor’s Grove Playground.

The spring weather was great during our visit so having a picnic dinner with all the space in the world to run around was fun. We ended up grabbing food from Willy’s Mexicana Grill, at the Piedmont Ave entrance to the park. I also got a $1 bottle of bubbles from Target and UNO and we had a great evening, simple can be lots of fun!

Centennial Olympic Park

Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics and the park which housed many events is still there, along with the Olympic Rings. There is a huge ferris wheel and the park often has live music. It’s right by the the Coca Cola Factory.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta

Living in Miami we frequent Orlando a lot (check out our post on things to do in Orlando besides theme parks) so we’ve been to the LEGOLAND theme park there. The Discovery Center is much different but very fun in its own way. It’s indoors and has 12 attractions including two rides, a 4D theater, virtual reality experience and playground. Click here for general admission tickets.

You walk through the various sections where you can build your own structures, test out if they’ll survive the shakes of an earthquake, see if you qualify as a ninja and walk through Atlanta Miniland, a recreation of the city completely made of LEGO’s.

Stone Mountain Park

A visit to Stone Mountain Park requires a one mile hike but if my four year old can hike Pedra do Telegrafo in Brazil yours can hike here. If you have younger kids, leave the stroller and use a carrier. We’ve always loved our Ergobaby, which we used with both kids but you could also consider a hiking carrier. 

At the top there is a Summit Skyride, high-speed Swiss cable car, and other rides. Kids will also enjoy the train rides, mini golf, and you can watch the Lasershow Spectacular.

Skyline Park at Ponce City Rooftop

If you and your kids like carnival games you’ll enjoy Skyline Park at Ponce City Rooftop, it was actually one of my favorite things to do in Atlanta with kids. The downside is you have to pay an entry fee that doesn’t get you games, that is an extra flat fee but the games and rides are unlimited. There are four games, a story slide, mini-golf and of course carnival food like funnel cakes and elephant ears.

Center for Puppetry Arts

If your kids like Sesame Street you’ll want to add the Center for Puppetry Arts to your itinerary. Check out their calendar to see what live shows they’ll have during your time in Atlanta. This tour includes the Center for Puppetry Arts, Worlds of Puppetry Museum.

Escape Room at The Escape Game

We absolutely love doing escape rooms as a family. We did our first one in Fort Myers and have since done one in Orlando and even on our Navigator of the Seas Royal Caribbean cruise. Escape rooms are such a great way to work together as a family to solve a puzzle. After doing the Playground escape room by The Escape Game on our Orlando trip and seeing they had a location in Atlanta we had to try out a new room here. We love them!

Where to Stay in Atlanta with Kids

While there is quite a bit to do in Downtown Atlanta I don’t recommend staying here with kids. Restaurants close early so it’s not the best for after hours when you want a convenient place to quickly grab food. I really recommend getting a vacation rental while here. We’ve frequently rented from both Airbnb and VRBO. If you’re nervous about home rentals check out my article for 8 tips to guarantee a great Airbnb experience. 

On my most recent stay that was just with my youngest daughter we stayed at the Airbnb pictured here in Midtown. I absolutely loved the location as it was walking distance to make restaurants, Piedmont Park and the grocery store. We were able to park within 2 blocks of the building every night for free. If by chance you don’t find street parking there’s a nearby garage that’s $12 a night.

Where to Eat in Atlanta with Kids

When visiting Atlanta with Kids we discovered a few places we think are great to eat with them.  For breakfast we all loved Buttermilk Kitchen, which is closed on Monday’s so plan accordingly. It’s about 10-15 minutes from Downtown Atlanta but worth the drive.

For lunch or dinner check out the food hall at Ponce City Market. With so many options even the picky eaters can find something they love, I know, I’m one of them.

When you’re craving something sweet you have to go to I Scream Ice Cream Rolls. It is the most unique ice cream shop I’ve ever been to with amazing flavors and the most beautiful presentation.

How to Get to Atlanta with Kids Affordably

Since we were on a road trip we drove to Atlanta. However, we’re known for finding cheap flights through flight deals. The last time we flew we got tickets for $85 round trip! Budget airlines like Spirit fly to the city and since they offer penny fares, yes one penny they can be a great option.

We had a great time enjoying the various things to do in Atlanta with kids. When we left we headed to the next stop on our road trip Chattanooga, TN, just two hours from Atlanta. I highly recommend visiting if you can add more days to your trip, you can check out that itinerary here. Did you find this article helpful? If so please share it! 

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Comments

  1. Natasha Dillinger says

    January 19, 2021 at 3:55 am

    My husband is from Georgia and went to school in Atlanta (GA Tech) and I didn’t know about half these spots! We’ve been to the Aquarium, but never spent enough time doing activities with the kids because we’re usually just visiting family. Can’t wait till we can visit again and use these tips!

  2. Lexi says

    January 31, 2021 at 2:18 pm

    Thank you. This blog is awesome. Went with my daughter and definitely paid separately for everything. You’ll save me a lot. Thanks again.

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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