Indoor Activities to Beat an Atlanta Heat Wave

1. Atlanta Museums

Atlanta boasts numerous museums to keep your kids entertained and learning new things.

2. Sloomoo Institute Atlanta

Get your degree in slime by visiting the Sloomoo Institute. Besides touching all sorts of sticky/goopy/stretchy slime, kids can enjoy the full-body experience with a head-to-toe slime shower and take home a personalized container.

Enjoy the wonder and magic of the Georgia Aquarium. Photo courtesy of the aquarium

3. Georgia Aquarium

See the Georgia Aquarium's exhibit, Sharks! Predators of the Deep, with hammerheads, sand tigers, and whale sharks. For an extra fee, older kids can don a wetsuit to interact with zebra sharks and stingrays or embark on the Shark Cage Dive for up-close encounters.

4. Illuminarium Atlanta 

Immerse yourself in the beyond at Illuminarium's SPACE: An Experience Beyond Earth. Purchase the family package for additional savings.

5. Movie Deals

Take your kids to the movies for only $2 per ticket. Through September 6, 2023, Regal Cinema’s Summer Movie Express offers kid-friendly movie selections every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Little ones stay enthralled with CAMP Atlanta's engaging merfolk entertainers. Photo by Melanie Preis

6. Disney's The Little Mermaid x CAMP Atlanta

Enjoy the best of both worlds -- magical mermaids and playful CAMP -- at the new Atlanta CAMP outpost in Dunwoody. CAMP is a hybrid destination — combining retail, entertainment, and wonder!

7. Outdoor Movies

After the sun sets, the high temperatures lower to more enjoyable levels and families can watch a movie under the stars.

8. Escape Rooms

If your family loves the classic game “Clue,” head to Breakout Games Atlanta where you’ll have 60 minutes to figure out whodunit with what weapon and in what room. Other escape adventures include Mystery Mansion, Runaway Train, and Submarine Survival.

9. Virtual Reality Games

Fly an F-18 like Tom Cruise when you play “Top Gun: Maverick” virtual reality game at Dave & Buster’s. In addition to other VR and arcade games, you can watch up to six sports games on the 40-foot Wow Wall, complete with stadium sound.

10. Local Libraries

Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, and Henry County library systems kicked off the summer reading challenges earlier this summer. Activities include in-person storytime, arts and crafts, and other programs. Check your local library branch for upcoming events.

11. Free Indoor Playgrounds

Although it may be too hot to visit your child's favorite outdoor park, don't despair! Atlanta features many free indoor playgrounds to let your kids run wild.

12. Indoor Mini Golf

Cool off with a hole in one at awesome indoor mini golf courses in Atlanta —some feature neon colors, crazy themes, animation, and more!

13. Topgolf

With climate-controlled bays, enjoy a variety of golf games with microchipped golf balls at Topgolf. 

14. Free Bowling

This summer, kids can enjoy two free bowling games per day through Kids Bowl Free. Look online to find participating bowling alleys near you.

15. Laser Tag

Tag, you’re it! Under black lights in a two-story arena, tag your friends in a competitive game of laser tag.

16. Roller Skate

Similar to the aforementioned bowling program, Kids Skate Free allows registered children to roller skate twice per week for free during the Atlanta summer.

17. Ice Skate

Survive an Atlanta heat wave with ice skating, which allows kids to stay active and cool while indoors.

There's tons of space to roam, romp, and jump at Urban Air Adventure Park. Photo courtesy the park

18. Trampoline Parks

Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Parks allow kids to jump out all their extra energy with trampolines mounted to the walls. Depending on the location, guests can also tackle a ropes course, play dodgeball, race go-karts, and drive bumper cars.

19. Duckpin Bowling

Duckpin bowling uses a smaller-size ball and is easier for kids to handle as it weighs under four pounds. Each player gets three rolls per frame. To try it out, visit the Painted Duck.

20. Indoor Rock Climbing

Purchase a day pass at Stone Summit Climbing where kids can climb indoor rock walls and participate in yoga, Pilates, or fitness classes. Experienced climbers ages 12 and up can take complimentary bouldering classes to perfect their skills.

21. LEGO Discovery Center Atlanta

Kids can build creations from Lego bricks, watch a 4D show, stroll through the Atlanta MiniLand (featuring a mini Centennial Olympic Park), and more. Atlanta's LEGO Discovery Center just underwent a massive renovation!

22. Ninja Warrior Gyms and Parkour Courses

Ninja warriors and parkour enthusiasts will have a great time flying through indoor obstacle courses and challenging tracks.

The Museum of Illusions is fun for the whole family and full of holograms, optical illusions, and mind-bending exhibits. Photo by Melanie Preis

23. Museum of Illusions

Enjoy mind-bending reality, with the comfort of air conditioning, at the Museum of Illusions at Atlantic Station.

24. Center for Puppetry Arts

Head to one of Atlanta's most beloved, quirkiest attractions for kids, the Center for Puppetry Arts. There are always wonderful summer shows, as well as the museum itself and puppet workshops.

25. Foam Party

Embrace the Atlanta heat wave by releasing thousands and thousands of bubbles at your own foam party!

These frosty milkshakes will bring all the boys and girls to The Yard.

Food-related Activities to Beat the Heat in Atlanta

26. Ice Cream

We all scream for ice cream! Atlanta has some amazingly delicious ice cream shops so cool off with your favorite flavor. 

27. Mayfield Dairy

Cool off and head to Mayfield Dairy’s location in Athens, Tennessee. After the tour, receive a free scoop of ice cream and visit Maggie the Cow. 

World of Coca-Cola will cool you off and fill you with carbonated goodness.

28. World of Coca-Cola

Tour the 92,000-square-foot World of Coca-Cola with exhibits, a 3D movie, and the Coca-Cola polar bear. Near the end, stop by the Taste It! exhibit to sample icy Coca-Cola beverages produced around the globe.

29. Food Halls

Expand children’s culinary palettes by trying one of these Atlanta food halls. Located indoors, these air-conditioned halls offering everything from lunch and dinner to snacks and desserts.

30. Popsicle Project

Solve summer boredom AND enjoy a frosty treat by creating one of these delicious popsicle recipes.

Chastain Park Athletic Club offers summer pool memberships and the Tidal Waves swim team. 

Water Activities to Survive an Atlanta Summer

31. Free Swimming Pools

Escape the heat at these free swimming pools located across Atlanta!

32. Atlanta Water Parks

Spend a day plunging down slides and splashing in the wave pool at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands Water Park or Six Flags White Water.

33. Swim Lessons

With a big focus on water activities, summer is a great time to enroll your children in Swimming Lessons for Kids and Babies. Rest easier knowing your kids are trained in water safety...and they can cool off.

34. Atlanta Swimming Lakes and Beaches

There’s nothing more fun than having a picnic, jumping into a lake, and building sandcastles.

35. Free Spraygrounds and Splash Pads

If you don’t want to spend an entire day at the pool or lake, try a sprayground and splash pad to cool down.

Have an adventure while whitewater rafting in Columbus.

36. Rafting

Get wet while whitewater rafting! Try a two-hour guided rafting trip down Chattooga River for adventurous families.

37. North Georgia Mountains

In the alpine town of Helen, Georgia tube right through the middle of town!

38. Chattahoochee River

Rent tubes or kayaks from either Shoot the Hooch or Nantahala Outdoor Center to float down the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta.

Head to Gulf Shores this summer and escape brutal Atlanta temperatures.

39. Beaches

Nothing beats a cool ocean breeze and swimming in the surf. Get out of town and head to one of these family-friendly beaches perfect for Georgia families. 

40. Indoor Pools and Water Park

If your children are prone to sunburns, visit indoor pools and water parks. Many offer an outdoor component as well.

Unless noted, photos by the author