Indoor Activities Atlanta: 52+ Amazing Rainy Day Activities Your Kids Will Love

Sometimes it rains in Georgia. For days. Ugh. You play in the rain, build forts, read 100 books, and bake enough cookies for the entire neighborhood.  What next?

We lived in Atlanta for years with our young kiddos, and we definitely know some of the best things to do in and around the city on cold or rainy days, and we’re ready to share them with you.

Looking for the best indoor activities Atlanta offers? We’ve got 52+ ideas of things to do in and around this Georgia capital city that will get you and your kids out of the rain or cold and into something fun. Not enough? Be sure to see our complete list of things to do in Atlanta with kids.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES ATLANTA: THE BEST INDOOR OPTIONS FOR KIDS

• Andretti Indoor Karting (Marietta, Buford) – Get that adrenaline pumping with some indoor go-karting! They offer a Mini Mario Kart Race for kids who are at least 36″.

• The ART Barn (Canton) – Try a Mommy and Me class or Open Paint, with fun animals, story time, and painting of course!

• Avalon Mall (Alpharetta) – We love ice skating in the winter here, but they also have a small soft playground at Avalon Mall, perfect for a rainy day. Read More: Avalon Ice Skating Rink: Festive Holiday Skating in Alpharetta

• Aviation Museum (Warner Robins) – This one is a trek, but the kids are sure to love it. Tons and tons of planes; a great way to escape for the day, and FREE. Read More: Aviation Museum Georgia: Free Family Adventure South of Atlanta

• Babyland General Hospital (Cleveland) – Kids will love watching a new Cabbage Patch being born.

• BAPS (Lilburn) – Escape to India, by way of Lilburn. Read More: Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta

• Barnes and Noble (Multiple locations) – We love hanging at the bookstore and exploring the kid’s section, plus the puzzles and notebooks!

• Booth Western Art Museum (Cartersville) – Cowboys, Indians, and so much more creative play options in the kids’ play center. Read More: Booth Museum: A Legendary Western Museum in the South

• Bowling (Multiple locations) – Even my 2-year old loves to bowl (with gutter guards)!

• Build A Bear (Multiple locations) – Create a new rainy-day friend.

• Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta) – Take in a show (I’ve never seen a bad one here!) or visit the museum.  Show tickets also include a puppet-making workshop afterwards.

• Champion Kids (Marietta) – Indoor play for getting out the wiggles.  The rope swing and trampolines are a favorite for my boys. Read More: Indoor Playground: Atlanta Options You’ll Love

• Chattahoochee Nature Center (Roswell) – With rain or cold, the outdoor exploring will not work, but there is plenty of family fun inside.  See the live animals, check out the Nature Exchange, read books in the nook, or if it’s a Wednesday you can sometimes catch a story time. Read More: Chattahoochee Nature Center: 19+ Reasons Why You’re Going To Love It

• Children’s Museum of Atlanta (Atlanta) – There is much to explore here, with a play space for all ages.

• Circus Arts (Atlanta) – Registration required for learning to trapeze, tightrope walk, and more.

• Cumberland Caverns (McMinnville, TN) – Tennessee has more caverns than any place in the US. Cumberland Caverns are just north of Chattanooga…not too far if you make a full day of it. When you’re underground, the temp stays the same year-round and the rains don’t matter!

• Delta Flight Museum (Atlanta) – Strap into a flight simulator, and check out a restored DC-3 and biplane. There is a scavenger hunt and more, just for kiddos.

• Dollar Movies (Multiple locations) – Dollar movies are generally second run shows, but kids don’t mind, and the price is right.

• Escape Rooms (Multiple locations) – For the teens in your house who are looking for something fun to do – try one of the great escape rooms in Atlanta!

• Fernbank Museum (Atlanta) – See the dinosaurs, and spend time exploring Nature Quest. Need more time? Try the IMAX movie, too. Read More: Why Fernbank Museum Is the Best Museum in Atlanta for Kids

• Gary Pirkle Park (Sugar Hill) – Imagine a great outdoor play place that you can enjoy in the rain! This giant playground covered by a 90’ solar-powered pavilion.

• Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta) – Explore the aquarium, take in the 4D movie or special exhibit, try the new Toddler Time, or enjoy a Behind the Scenes Tour. Read More: Georgia Aquarium: Atlanta’s Beloved Attraction Lives Up to the Hype

• Great Wolf Lodge (LaGrange) – A day pass (or overnight) will have you feeling great, especially because this place really works out all those wiggles! Read More: Great Wolf Lodge, GA: We Answer Your Top 30 Most-Asked Questions [Video]

• High Museum of Art (Atlanta) – Try Toddler Thursdays, Weekend family programs, Discovery backpacks, building in the Greene Family room, or exploring with an Art Trek Scavenger Hunt. This art center is full of fun for kiddos (and adults)! Read More: Hidden Secrets of High Museum Free Sunday Visits

• Hobbytown (Kennesaw) – This is a toy store for kids and adults, with plenty of “test” areas to keep them busy.

• Hodgepodge Coffeehouse (Atlanta) – Coffee for you; a play area for the kids.  It’s my new favorite place to chill.

• INK! (Gainesville) – Imaginative play…in miniature. This is a really great interactive museum that kids love! Read More: INK Gainesville GA: 27+ Reasons You’ll Fall in Love With This Interactive Museum

• Indoor Playgrounds (Multiple locations) – Get a bit of energy out, while staying dry.

• Indoor Water Parks (Multiple locations) – This list includes a few indoor options, some of which have play structures, and large slides.

• LEGO Discovery Center Atlanta (Atlanta) – Rides, a movie, and building options galore. This fun place underwent a $5 million renovation, and now it’s ready to welcome back visitors! Read More: 12+ Ways Legoland Atlanta Is Awesome for Kids

• Library (Multiple locations) – Find some new books or movies, or see something new at storytime.

• Little Shop of Stories (Decatur) – Our favorite place to purchase new books.  Look for a great story time here, too.

• Mall play area/Carousel (Multiple locations) – We love heading to the mall for an Annie’s pretzel and lemonade. The boys play in the children’s play area, ride the train or the carousel, and we have fun window shopping. We especially love the Mall of Georgia in Buford.

• Marietta Fire Museum (Marietta) – Fun and free! See multiple fire engines, artifacts, and more.  Bring quarters for the ride.

• Mayfield Dairy (Athens, TN) – Tour the ice cream factory and taste the treats afterward.

• Michael C Carlos Museum (Atlanta) – Learn about ancient art from Greek and Rome, including an ancient Egyptian mummies exhibit.

• Mommy and Me Class (Multiple locations) – Try a Mommy and Me class and have fun learning and playing with your little one.

• Monster Mini Golf (Marietta) – Looking to do some mini golf in the rain or cold? Try Monster Mini Golf, with glow-in-the-dark obstacles.

• Ormsbys (Atlanta) – This tavern is fine for kids before 8pm. They will love a burger along with shuffleboard, bocce ball, and other fun games.

• Painted Pin (Atlanta) – This is a bowling alley with some old school games.

• Planetarium at Fernbank Science Center (Atlanta) – The planetarium at Fernbank Science Center is one of the largest in the United States!

• Ponce City Market – Head to Ponce City Market and check out some of the great shops and restaurants.

• Red Top Mountain (Acworth) – The visitor center at a Georgia State Park is always fun. There are maps, taxidermic animals, live animals, books, and all sorts of fun things to see. Read More: Red Top Mountain State Park: 13+ Best Ideas for an Awesome Lakeside Getaway

• REI (Multiple locations) – We can spend hours at REI (or Bass Pro Shops) roaming the aisles, and picking out “wish list” items for our next camping adventure. Some locations also have rock climbing walls, kid’s sections, and more.

• Rock Climbing (Multiple locations) – Speaking of rock climbing, why not try out a rock climbing gym? There are special harnesses for kids, classes, even party areas.

• Roller Skating (Multiple locations) – In addition to skating fun, several roller rinks also have arcades and a few do toddler time where they let kids use ride-ons on the rink.

• SkyZone (Roswell, McDonough) – Jump, jump, jump to get the wiggles out!

• Southeastern Railway Museum (Duluth) – While many pieces of equipment are outside, there are a great number of pieces inside that the kids can explore.  The gift shop is also fun for kids, with a small table with puzzles, and a train video playing most of the time. This museum is one of my kids’ favorites.

• Tellus Science Center (Cartersville) – Space exhibits, planet a gemstone exhibits, and a dinosaur room. Plus gem mining and dino excavation for kids. Whew – a whole day of fun.

• Theatre for the Very Young (Atlanta) – Professional performances for ages 18 months – 5  years old and their grown-ups.

• Thrift Shop (Multiple locations) – This is a go-to rainy day activity for our family. We head straight to the book section and load up on new finds.

• Tiny Towne (Norcross) – You little explorers can ride the tracks without a license!

• TopGolf (Multiple locations) – Perfect your golf swing rain or shine!

• Trampoline Parks (Multiple locations) – These are great places to get some exercise.

• Westin Elevator (Atlanta) – Parking is the trick here, but once you get through that hassle, a ride up the glass elevator a few dozen times is loads of fun!

• Wild Birds Unlimited (Multiple locations) – Prepare for a sunny day by checking out the bird feeders, bird whistles, and more.

• World of Coca Cola (Atlanta) – Have a Coke and a smile….

MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR TRIP TO GEORGIA WITH KIDS

• YOUR GEORGIA VACATION
• SUMMER: 65+ Kid-Friendly Things To Do This Summer in Atlanta
• PAINTBALL: 7+ Best Georgia Paintball Spots Your Crew Will Love
• WINTER: Atlanta Winter: 51+ Epic Things To Do in Winter With Kids They’ll Love
• FREE ATL: 50+ Free Things To Do in Atlanta (That Don’t Suck)

• About
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Lesli Peterson, Owner

Lesli Peterson, the driving force behind 365 Atlanta Traveler, is an authority on the best things to do in Atlanta, across the South, and around the world. She's been the Family Travel Ambassador for the Georgia Tourism Department, a regular travel expert on Fox 5 Atlanta, 11 Alive Atlanta, and The Weather Channel, and authored countless digital and print articles about her travel from Atlanta.

With a lifetime of journeys that span multiple countries and over 30 states in the US, her passion for travel was sparked by a nomadic lifestyle.

Lesli thrives on unearthing lesser-known, eccentric, and unique destinations, and engaging with locals to reveal hidden gems. Whether she's adventuring across the country in her RV, trekking through the forest, or delving into the local whiskey scene, Lesli's exploratory spirit remains unquenchable.

She travels with her two young explorers - Cooper and Elliot - and her husband, soulmate, and business partner, Dan. Currently, they're enjoying an extended stay in the rugged west, but Atlanta is still close to her heart. Her extensive travel experience and profound love for Atlanta give Lesli an unparalleled advantage when it comes to serving the South (and the world's busiest airport) with travel content from around the globe.

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