Family Friendly Must-Sees in Georgia (continued)

13. Center for Puppetry Arts – Since 1978 (and an opening ceremony ribbon-cutting with Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson) the Center in Atlanta has taught thousands of adults and children about the magic of all sorts of puppetry. Participate in “Create-a-Puppet” workshops for K-12 or learn something new in the “Discovering Puppetry in Other Cultures” workshops. There are family, teen and even adult puppet performances.

14. Callaway Gardens – The Pine Mountain vacation resort has many attractions that appeal to children. The free-flight Birds of Prey show features a daily live raptor show, visitors can (carefully) walk through over 1,000 butterflies that inhabit the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center and there are several pretty walking trails suitable for young children. The workshop schedule usually includes at least one kid’s gardening project.

15. Georgia Aquarium – The world’s largest aquarium has been a major attraction since it opened in Atlanta in November 2005. The Georgia Explorer exhibit highlights the rich marine life just off of the state’s coast, like loggerhead turtles and right whales. The rest of the world’s waters and creatures are well-represented in Cold Water Quest, Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager and River Scout (which does include Georgia rivers.)

16. Fernbank Museum of Natural History – Exhibits include sixteen galleries worth of “A Walk Through Time in Georgia” (complete with massive dinosaurs, regional dioramas and a mini-Okefenokee) and artifacts from the First Georgians, starting at 10,000 BC. Everything is housed in a striking modern building that is full of light and surrounded by forest with walking trails, and nature-based workshops and extensive children’s programs keep everyone busy.

17. Golden Islesfont> – Large portions of these coastal barrier islands and marshes are private and/or protected from development. Tybee Island east of Savannah has a museum, lighthouse and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. Fort Frederica National Monument is on St Simon’s Island; it was once the largest fortification in the British colonies and kept Georgia from being taken by the Spanish. Visitors have to leave the Cumberland Island National Seashore at nightfall, unless they’re staying there at the low-key Greyfield Inn. The Sea Island Festival in June celebrates Gullah/Geechee cuisine & culture.

18. Inside CNN Studio Tour – Children of all ages are welcome during a behind-the-scenes look at how the news is delivered worldwide to billions of viewers of the Cable News Network. The tour at the CNN Atlanta headquarters has interactive kiosks, a replica Control Room, video interviews with key news personalities and a bird’s eye view of the actual newsroom in action from the studio’s Overlook.

19. Cohutta-Chattahoochee Scenic Byway – A nationally-designated scenic route in northwest Georgia, this byway includes the Appalachian cultural legacy of Prater’s Mill (especially during their annual Columbus Day weekend Country Fair) and New Echota, the Cherokee Nation capitol in 1825 and the site of the first Indian language newspaper office. Cabins and camping are available in Fort Mountain State Park along the route.

20. Atlanta Botanical Garden – The two-acre Children’s Garden invites curious wandering. Its tree house teaches about woodland habitats, you can watch bug-eating plants in the Soggy Bog and see a real hive in the Beehive Meadow. There are Saturday morning programs in the Children’s Amphitheater April-October (except during steamy August) and drop-in family classes with seasonal themes. Stay until 10 pm Thursday nights during the summer and watch the Garden transform in the dark, with different sounds and critters than in daytime.