Nobody budgets enough for a family trip. Most travel sites give vague advice like 'prices vary' or skip costs entirely. These are the actual numbers for Atlanta family activities — admission, food, parking — so you can plan without surprises.
Free Activities in Atlanta
Atlanta's free options are genuinely good, not just backup plans.
- Ethridge Inclusive Playground — $0. One of the few fully inclusive playgrounds in metro Atlanta, designed for children of all abilities.
- Lake Claire Playground — $0. Walkable intown neighborhood. Combine with nearby Candler Park or Little Five Points.
- Chastain Park Playground — $0. Free parking in the lot. Pack a picnic.
- Cobb Park and Kidscape Village I & II — $0. Smyrna city park with themed play equipment.
- Mayor's Grove Playground — $0 (parking $3–$10 in Piedmont Park lots; street parking on 10th or 14th St is often free on weekdays).
- Abernathy Greenway Park North — $0. Sandy Springs park with a trail system for bikes and strollers.
- Pea Ridge Park — $0. Decatur neighborhood gem.
- Morgan Falls Overlook Park — $0. 3,700+ reviews and a Chattahoochee River overlook. Arrive early on weekends — parking fills.
- Candler Park Playground — $0. Combine with disc golf or a walk through the neighborhood.
- Hammond Park Playground — $0. Sandy Springs near Perimeter Mall. Open until 9PM on Sundays.
- Grant Park — $0. Historic city park with playground, trails, and picnic areas. Zoo Atlanta inside costs extra.
- Noguchi Playscape — $0. Iconic Piedmont Park playground. Parking $3–$10 in park lots.
Budget Picks (Under $50 for a Family of 4)
Catch Air Tucker — $50–$80 for a family of 4 (child admission ~$12–$17; parents typically reduced). A thoughtfully run indoor playground with inflatables and climbing structures. Bring socks. Weekday mornings before 11AM are the quietest.
Ready Set FUN! — $50–$75 for a family of 4 (child admission ~$12–$16; adults typically reduced or free). Sandy Springs indoor playground. Closes at 6PM every day — plan to arrive by 3PM to get full value.
TKT Playtime Inflata Park — $50–$80 for a family of 4 (admission ~$12–$18/child; adults often reduced or free). Decatur inflatable park. Monday is closed. Tuesday opens at noon.
Kids Avenue Buckhead — ~$30–$45 for a family of 4 (children ~$12–$18; adults often free). Upscale soft-play in Buckhead. Saturday early opening at 8AM is less crowded.
Boomerang Play Center — ~$30–$45 for a family of 4 (children ~$12–$18; adults often free). Morningside neighborhood soft-play for ages 0–8.
Jump Time — $50–$90 for a family of 4 (admission plus arcade tokens). Villa Rica. Sunday opens at noon.
Mid-Range Activities ($50–$100 for a Family of 4)
Funville Factory Indoor Playground — $60–$80 (admission ~$15–$18/child; adults often free). Johns Creek indoor playground.
Kids Empire Plaza Fiesta — $60–$90 (child admission ~$15–$18; parents typically reduced). Inside Plaza Fiesta on Buford Highway — cheap food options in the surrounding mall.
Kids Empire Marietta — $60–$90 (child admission ~$15–$18; parents often half price or free). Always buy tickets through the app or website — walk-in pricing is higher.
Bubble Planet — $80–$120 (tickets ~$20–$28/person). Buy online in advance. Kids under 2 are typically free.
Altitude Trampoline Park — $80–$120 (timed sessions ~$20–$25/person per hour). Bring your own socks. The 2-hour session has better per-hour value.
Pokiddo Indoor Playground — $50–$80 (child admission ~$12–$18; parents typically reduced or free). Duluth. Note: opens at 3:30PM Monday–Thursday.
HippoHopp — $80–$110 (admission plus kids' meal options; adults typically reduced). Brookhaven. Monday is closed.
Get Air Trampoline Park — $70–$100 (timed sessions ~$18–$23/person per hour). Fayetteville. Unusual 8AM Sunday opening.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park — $80–$120 (timed sessions ~$20–$25/person per hour). Bring your own socks — $3/pair at the door.
Children's Museum of Atlanta — $80–$100 (admission ~$17–$20/person; parking $10–$15 nearby). ASTC and ACM members get free or discounted admission.
Museum of Illusions — ~$80–$100 (tickets ~$20–$25/person). Atlantic Station location with dining options around it.
Spin Art Splatter Paint, Rage Room & Game Show — $60–$100 (1–2 activities for a family of 4). Book rage room sessions in advance.
Skyline Park — $60–$100 for 2–3 hours. Rooftop above Ponce City Market. Open until 10PM on weekends.
Splurge-Worthy Experiences (Over $100)
Sandbox VR — $160–$200 for a family of 4 (tickets ~$40–$50/person). Full-body haptic suits, shared VR with friends, personalized highlight reel. Worth it for kids 8+. Book a week ahead on weekends.
XtremeHopp — $100–$160 (admission plus café). Trampolines plus rock climbing plus food in one venue. Saturday 9AM is the best window.
Treetop Quest Dunwoody — $120–$160 (courses $30–$45/person). Zipline adventure through the trees. Book online for a small discount.
Zoo Atlanta — $120–$160 (admission ~$25–$30/adult, ~$20–$22/child, plus $10 parking and $25–$40 food). Animals most active in the morning. Membership pays for itself in 2 visits.
Puttshack Atlanta Midtown — $120–$180 (golf ~$18–$25/person plus food). Tech-tracked mini golf. Book a tee time online.
Big Play Entertainment Center ATL — $100–$160 (bowling ~$30/lane/hour, laser tag ~$10/person, plus arcade). Arrive at 11AM on weekdays.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games Marietta — $150–$250 (karts ~$10–$15/race plus bowling, arcade, food). Fun Card gives bonus credits. Arrive Saturday at 10AM to beat kart lines.
Fun Spot America Theme Parks Atlanta — $120–$200 (wristbands ~$30–$45/person, go-karts often extra). Closed Wednesdays.
Stranger Things: The Experience Atlanta — $140–$200 for a family with teens (tickets ~$35–$50/person). Actor-led narrative at Pullman Yards. Worth it for fans.
Activate Games — $80–$120 for a family of 4 (~$20–$30/person for 60–75 min). Physical challenge rooms. Book at playactivate.com.
Money-Saving Tips in Atlanta
- Free parks are actually great. Morgan Falls, Chastain Park, Candler Park, and the Noguchi Playscape are all genuinely good — don't treat them as consolation prizes.
- Buy trampoline socks before you go. Every park charges $2–$3/pair at the door. One purchase, reuse on every visit.
- Kids Empire always has online discounts. Never pay walk-in prices.
- Zoo Atlanta membership pays for itself in 2 visits for a family of 4.
- Children's Museum ASTC/ACM members get free entry. Check your home museum's reciprocal network.
- Puttshack and Andretti: eat the combo deals. A la carte adds up fast at both venues.
- Piedmont Park street parking is often free on weekday mornings. Park on 10th or 14th Street and skip the $3–$10 lot charge.
- Pokiddo opens at 3:30PM on weekdays. Save it for an after-school visit, not a morning activity.
What a Typical Family Spends
1-day estimate (mixed paid + free): - Morning: Free park (Morgan Falls or Candler Park) — $0 - Afternoon: Mid-range paid activity (Kids Empire, Altitude, or Children's Museum) — $60–$100 - Food: Pack lunch + one snack stop — $20–$30 - Total: $80–$130
2-day estimate (one splurge, one budget day): - Day 1: Zoo Atlanta (admission + parking + food) — $140–$170 - Day 2: Free park morning + Catch Air Tucker or TKT Playtime afternoon — $50–$80 - Total: $190–$250
Bottom line: A family of 4 can have genuinely excellent days in Atlanta for under $100 by mixing one paid activity with free parks. If you're going for a full-day splurge, budget $150–$200. Buy trampoline socks at Target on the way to the first park.