THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS IN ATHENS
From Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
ACTIVE CLIMBING
665 Barber St.
Athens GA 30601
Phone: 706-354-0038
Come explore and have fun on spectacular boulders up to 20 feet high, with textures and forms that will blow you away,
and terrain you'll find at pro comps. Novice and beginners are always welcome, so come and get inspired by the
"regulars!" The facilities also feature 20-feet tall roped walls (lead and top rope), a 40 foot long roof traverse, padding
with lots of crush pads, more than enough to cure you from being afraid of falling! Try it out for an hour, or buy a day
pass. Hooked on climbing? Monthly, annual, and family memberships are available! Active Climbing also offers birthday
parties, beginners classes, a youth climbing team, field trips, and more.
HOURS:
Monday/Wednesday: 4-10 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday: 4 p.m.-midnight climbers nights, crazy music and good times !!!
Friday: 4-8 p.m.
Saturday: noon - 6 p.m.
Sunday: 1 - 6 p.m.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART
90 Carlton St.
Performing and Visual Arts Complex
University of Georgia
Athens GA 30602
Phone: 706-542-4662
The GMOA's modern and elegant facility houses a permanent collection of more than 9,000 works of art as well as a
variety of traveling exhibitions. In January, 2011, the museum reopened with a new sculpture garden and triple the
gallery space, after a two-year expansion project.
GALLERY HOURS: Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat, 10-5 pm; Thurs, 10-9 pm; Sun, 1-5 pm. Closed on Mon.
IKE & JANE CAFE HOURS: Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Natural History Building
corner of East Campus Rd. and Cedar St.
UGA Campus
Athens GA 30601
Phone: 706-542-1663
The Discovery Room displays samples from the over six million objects in the Museum's collection, including 1.5 million
insects and more than 100 whale skeletons. The Discovery Room, can offer behind-the-scenes tours for groups of up to
20 at no charge. Explore the bird, fish, insect, mammal, and zooarchaeology collections and get a glimpse of all the
exciting work that goes on at the museum.
Updated 3/12/2016 6:37 AM
1
ADMISSION: free
HOURS: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday noon-3 p.m.
PARKING: Several museum visitor parking spaces are available and marked in green in UGA parking lot S06 (entrances
off of East Campus Road and Cedar Street) for visitors staying less than 45 minutes. If your museum visit will last longer
than 45 minutes, please see the front desk for a $2.00 parking pass good for the day.
MEMORIAL PARK AND BEAR HOLLOW ZOO
293 Gran Ellen Dr.
Athens GA 30605
Phone: 706-613-3616
Bear Hollow Zoo is a popular place for families to come and see Georgia’s native wildlife. This small wildlife trail is home
to black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, owls, and many other species of wild, free-living animals. Every Saturday from
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the exhibit hall is open to the public, featuring projects for younger visitors and live animals to
see and touch. Birchmore Trail, a mile-long nature trail, is also on the grounds.
PARK HOURS: 8:00 a.m. to sunset on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to sunset on weekends and holidays.
ZOO HOURS: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
ADMISSION: free
SANDY CREEK NATURE CENTER
205 Old Commerce Rd.
Athens GA
Phone: 706.613.3615
Featuring 225 acres of woodlands and wetlands, the Sandy Creek Nature Center is a gateway to outdoor exploration.
More than 4 miles of trails and an ADA interpretive trail are available with connections to the North Oconee River
Greenway and Cook's Trail.
The SPLOST-funded Education and Visitor Center includes live reptiles, amphibians, marine and freshwater aquariums,
interactive natural history exhibits, and an incredible resource library all housed in an eco-friendly building. There is also
a circa 1815 Log House and several wildlife observation areas on site.
Come and explore their small planetarium and newly expanded exhibit hall with interactive learning centers that feature
the wetlands, coastal, woodlands, agricultural and urban environments of Northeast Georgia. The Frog Pond Shop with
its variety of nature-based gifts is popular with all ages. The shop is open during nature center hours.
NATURE CENTER HOURS: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
TRAIL HOURS: dawn to dusk
ADMISSION: free
Updated 3/12/2016 6:37 AM
2
SANDY CREEK PARK
400 Bob Holman Rd.
Athens GA
Phone: 706-613-3631
This park surrounds Lake Chapman and features a variety of activies and facilities. Picnic sites, wooded trails, swimming,
playgrounds, fishing, dog runs, disc golf course, sports area, and rental pavillion facilities are highlights of this large local
park.
ADMISSION:
$2 per person for ages 4-64
FREE for ages 3 and younger/65 and older
HOURS:
Tuesday - Sunday. Closed Mondays.
Winter hours: 9a.m. to 6 p.m.
Summer hours: 7a.m. to 9 p.m.
Spring/Fall: varies
STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA
2450 S. Milledge Ave.
Athens GA 30605
Phone: 706-542-1244
This 313-acre botanical garden on the Middle Oconee River serves as a cultural, educational and recreational facility and
is one of Athens' most-visited attractions. Numerous themed display gardens include the Flower Garden, International
Garden, Heritage Garden, Shade Garden and more. The garden is an All-American Selections Garden, Southeastern
Conifer Society Reference Garden, American Daffodil Society Display Garden and Audubon Society Important Bird Area.
Five miles of nature trails extend into the natural areas typical of the habitats and plant communities found in the
Georgia Piedmont.
The Alice Hand Callaway Visitor Center & Conservatory contains a collection of tropical and semi-tropical plants
providing a backdrop for concerts, lectures and art exhibitions.
Garden Gift Shop offers plants, books, local gifts and art, jewelry, and educational toys.
PLAN YOUR VISIT:
Allow 30 minutes minimum to view the conservatory and have a quick view of the gardens; longer to read interpretive
panels, take a lengthier look at the gradens, or walk through the five miles of nature trails.
HOURS:
Visitor Center open 9 a.m. – 8:30 Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat. and 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sun.
Visitor Center closed on Mondays.
Closed major holidays and UGA holidays.
ADMISSION: No admission charge; donations accepted.
No pets.
Updated 3/12/2016 6:37 AM
3
WORLD OF WONDER COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND
4440 Lexington Rd.
Southeast Clarke Park
Athens GA 30601
Phone: 706-613-3871
Georgia's largest community-built playground is almost two acres of playscapes, mazes, slides, swings, bridges, tunnels,
and climbing walls. Plus an enclosed toddler area, gardens and outdoor children's art.
ADMISSION: Free.
HOURS: daylight hours seven days a week.
EAST ATHENS COMMUNITY PARK AND SPLASH PAD
200 Trail Creek Street
Athens, GA
The colorful East Athens Community Park splash pad, located at 200 Trail Creek Street, has multiple elements that shoot
water from the flooring as well as drop water from buckets from above.
ADMISSION: Playground is free; $1 admission for splash pad
Playground is open year-round all week. Splash pad hours are:
Pre-Season 2014: Saturday, May 3-Sunday, May 25 (weekends, only) from 10:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Regular Season 2014: Tuesday, May 27 - Sunday, August 3 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (All splash pads are closed
Mondays for maintenance)
Post-Season 2014: Saturday, August 9 - Sunday, September 28 (weekends, only) from 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
RUSH FITNESS TRAMPOLINE PARK
10 Huntington Rd. Suite B Athens, GA 30606
info@rushathens.com
(706) 548-4470
A large indoor trampoline park and fitness center. Can pay to jump by the hour. Times are available for toddler open
jumps 10am-noon.
ADMISSION: $13 per hour
Updated 3/12/2016 6:37 AM
4