18 Georgia Spring Break Destinations for Families
Beaches or mountains, small towns or parks, Georgia is bursting with spring break adventures for the entire family!
Whether you are traveling far or near, saving or splurging, excitement awaits you in every region of Georgia. Here are 18 spring break destinations for your family that hold the promise of memories that last a lifetime.
Chehaw Park in Albany, Georgia
Albany
In this southwest Georgia city, you can spend an entire day at Chehaw Park, designed and supervised by Jim Fowler (think "Wild Kingdom"). Take an open-air ride through the African veldt, or feed Bogart, the two-hump camel.
Or, tour Flint RiverQuarium for a lesson in blue holes and aquatic creatures, and a unique opportunity to see an albino alligator.
A stop at Thronateeska Heritage Center offers science fun, a planetarium show, and a special train adventure.
Merry Acres Inn & Event Center is the best spring break slumber location, with spacious rooms, a mineral spring pool and easy dining options.
Find more Albany trip ideas in this Guide to Albany.
State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens
Athens
Visit Athens, home of the 2021 College Football National Champion Georgia Bulldogs, to experience a college town atmosphere like no other. Explore the shops and restaurants downtown before strolling through campus, making sure to stop by Sanford Stadium and the UGA bookstore across the street to pick up some UGA souvenirs.
Talk to the animals at Bear Hollow Zoo and then follow up with a trip to Sandy Creek Nature Center, where kids can hike more than 4 miles of trails, see wildlife and even check out a 19th-century log cabin.
Try skateboarding/BMX riding at the Skate Park of Athens and check out the World of Wonder playground next door. Or, you can stroll through the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, which features a 2.5-acre children's garden with interactive learning elements.
Find more Athens trip ideas in this Guide to Athens.
Serene 18 paddle trail in Augusta, Georgia. Photo by @benjamingalland
Augusta
Visit this city on the Georgia/South Carolina border, and explore the waterways on the Serene 18 paddle trail.
Ride bikes along the Augusta Riverwalk, stopping for a picnic or a concert in a shady park.
See what life was like in 1845 at the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area museum and take one of the Augusta Canal Petersburg Boat Tours.
Hike through Phinizy Swamp Nature Park or kayak at the Augusta Canal National Historic Area Headgates.
Visit the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson or Meadow Garden, Historic Farm House of George Walton, one of Georgia's three signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Learn about Native American history to today's Masters of golf before shouting "I Feel Good!" with James Brown’s music and memorabilia at the Augusta Museum of History.
Find more Augusta trip ideas in this Guide to Augusta.
Vogel State Park in Blairsville, Georgia
Blairsville
Brasstown Bald and Vogel State Park are great adventurous escapes. For more outdoor adventures, visit DeSoto Falls Recreational Area and the TrackRock Archaeological Area.
For something a little different, see the Lasso the Moon Alpaca Farm & Lardworks Glass, Fiber & Jewelry Studio.
Ride horses, see the multitude of waterfalls in the area, or hike a strip of the Appalachian Trail.
Find more Blairsville trip ideas in this Guide to Blairsville.
Blue Ridge, Georgia
Blue Ridge
Ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway to the border town of McCaysville.
Pick fruit at Mercier Orchards, or go gem mining or fishing at Lilly Pad Village.
Hike Fall Branch Falls or the 265-foot Swinging Bridge Trail over the Toccoa River, part of the Benton MacKaye Trail.
Roast marshmallows over a fire at your cabin.
Find more Blue Ridge trip ideas in this Guide to Blue Ridge.
Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. Photo by @benjamingalland
Cartersville
Explore Tellus Science Museum, The Booth Museum and the Savoy Automobile Museum, three Smithsonian affiliate institutions all in the same city.
Hike the Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site and do not skip the west rim loop of the Pine Mountain Recreation Area.
Visit the Bartow History Museum and Red Top Mountain State Park.
Plan your overnight in nearby Adairsville at the lovely Barnsley Resort.
Find more Cartersville trip ideas in this Guide to Cartersville.
Whitewater rafting on the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia. Photo by @whitewaterexpress
Columbus
Explore the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, and ride the rapids with Whitewater Express.
Visit the The National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus, The Columbus Museum (the second largest art museum in Georgia) or the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Fort Benning.
See the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, the quirky Lunchbox Museum in River Market Antiques, and drive by Kadie, the cow of Columbus.
Find more Columbus trip ideas in this Guide to Columbus.
Dahlonega, Georgia. Photo by @adventures_of_louellajames
Dahlonega
Pan for gold at Consolidated Gold Mines or Crisson Gold Mine, and stop at the Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic Site for more information about Georgia's gold mining history.
Ride horses at Gold City Corral & Carriage Company, or see the animals at Chestatee Wildlife Preserve, A North Georgia Zoo.
Visit the downtown area’s restaurants, wine tasting rooms and shops, and take a spooky ghost tour!
Find more Dahlonega trip ideas in this Guide to Dahlonega.
Summer Waves Water Park on Jekyll Island, Georgia
Golden Isles & Jekyll Island
Head to Jekyll Island for a history tour aboard the tram, a day at Summer Waves Water Park, and see the turtles at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Don't skip Driftwood Beach!
Climb the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, frolic the beaches and take a trolley tour.
Go shrimpin’ on the Lady Jane Shrimpin' Excursions, or take a dolphin tour. There are bikes, geocaches, mini golf, tree spirits and seriously yummy eats.
Find more trip ideas in this Guide to Georgia's Coast.
Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia. Photo by @jessicadauler
Greensboro
Relax poolside at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, a AAA Five Diamond Resort named one of the best hotels in the country. Or, take part in the resort's many activities from horseback riding to golfing and canoeing.
Over in Eatonton, the Young Harris Water Sports at Lake Oconee rents jet skis, pontoon boats and wake boats, as well as skis, wakeboards, knee boards and tubes to pull behind the boat.
Find more Greensboro trip ideas in this Guide to Greensboro.
Helen
Two state parks grace the town of Helen – Unicoi State Park & Lodge and Smithgall Woods State Park – each with hiking, fishing and plenty of fun.
In Helen, you can go tubing on the Chattahoochee River, ride the Georgia Mountain Coaster, play Alpine Mini Golf or grab ice cream while you watch others play.
Hike Anna Ruby Falls, and then grab peanuts at Fred’s Famous Peanuts.
Adjacent to Helen, visit Sautee Nacoochee’s Old Sautee Store & Museum (awesome lunch!) or visit the art scene at Sautee Nacoochee Center.
Find more Helen trip ideas in this Guide to Helen.
Historic Banning Mills
Fly through the air on the world's longest and largest zipline, Banning Mills Screaming Eagle Eco Zip Line Canopy Tours. The Crazy Squirrel Village provides aerial elements for even the younger crowd. Enjoy a live birds of prey show, kayaking, horseback riding and hiking. Stay in the lodge or cabins, or high in the sky in one of the treehouses.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon, Georgia
Macon
Listen for ancient drumbeats inside the Earth Lodge, North America's oldest public building, at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, or dig for fossils like Ziggy, the 40 million-year-old whale skeleton, at the Museum of Arts and Sciences.
Swoosh down a 60-foot in-ground slide, and climb on the Shel Silverstein-inspired Circle Sculptures at Coleman Hill, or make new friends at the renovated historic Tattnall Square Park playground in the College Hill Corridor.
Hike through the maze of rescued animals taking sanctuary at Dauset Trails Nature Center in nearby Jackson, or imagine taking to the skies in one of the retired jet fighters at the Warner Robins Museum of Aviation.
Find more Macon trip ideas in this Guide to Macon.
Tallulah Gorge State Park in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. Photo by @mrclark3
Mountain City
Stay at Black Rock Mountain State Park, hike Tallulah Gorge State Park, soak up the history at Foxfire Museum & Heritage Center, and visit the Goats On The Roof for a snack and some fun!
In nearby Dillard, visit Andy's Trout Farm, or take out the horses at Dillard House Stables.
Hike Dick's Creek Falls or Becky Branch Falls.
Don’t miss a stop at The Dillard House for lunch.
Kayaking in the Okefenokee Swamp. Photo by @wandernorthga
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Spanning the Georgia-Florida border, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge protects the Okefenokee Swamp, one of the seven wonders of Georgia. Families can see the sites along Swamp Island Drive, including The Pond, Discovery Trail, Chesser Island and others. The adventure of a lifetime awaits daring families with older kids: a paddle trip through the swamp. Make it an overnight experience, roughing it at one of nine designated shelters in the swamp's interior.
Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia
Pine Mountain
Callaway Resort & Gardens explodes with color in spring. Tour the gardens and the butterfly house. Ride bikes, play tennis and golf, and hike through the blooming gardens.
Explore the trails and go fishing at F.D. Roosevelt State Park, or talk to the animals on the Wild Animal Safari.
Find lodging at Callaway or in the state park.
Rome, Georgia
Rome
Visit the Rome Area History Museum and the Clock Tower Museum.
Wander the Chieftains Museum / Major Ridge Home and Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum.
Get out on the water with your pup. River Dog Paddle Co. offers dog-friendly paddleboard rentals and tours, and your pup is welcome to join you on a river adventure. They even keep doggie treats behind the register counter at the paddleboard shop!
Find more Rome trip ideas in this Guide to Rome.
Swamp Thing roller coaster at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta
Valdosta is home to Wild Adventures Theme Park, which has thrilling roller coasters, water slides, and exotic animal encounters. Interact with more animals at Fifth Day Farm, a petting zoo and family farm with everything from photo ops to goat yoga. Look for wildlife as you navigate the pine forests and cypress wetlands at Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area by kayak, boardwalk, or 54-foot viewing platform.
Find more Valdosta trip ideas in this Guide to Valdosta.
