208 Roper Road, Canton

678-319-0286, www.theartbarn.com

Owner Susan Shaw has combined her love of art, animals and nature, offering children and their parents a chance to grow their creativity by creating art and getting to know the animals that live on the farm. Initially catering to school field trips, Mothers Morning Out groups, birthday parties and such, Shaw has expanded the hours to include Sunday Family Farm Fun Days, opening from 3 to 5 p.m. each Sunday.

Ball Ground

Off I-575 and Howell Bridge Road

A city that still retains the look and feel of small-town Georgia of the 1920s. One recent addition, and worth the trip in itself, is the Mustard Seed Cafe -- a fine dining restaurant in the heart of the downtown area. After dinner, a stroll through town will take you by many historic old homes, including the A.R. Roberts homeplace, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you're into bluegrass, gospel or country music, you won't want to miss the Circle K Music Store.

Blankets Creek Trail

I-575 to Sixes Road exit

A joint venture of the Southern Off-Road Bikers Association and the Cherokee County Recreation and Parks Authority. Many miles of challenging terrain for mountain bikers. Walkers and runners are welcome as well. Sixes Road. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. during daylight-saving time).

Canton Theatre

171 E. Main St., Canton

770-704-0755

Originally a 1917 movie house, the theater is now a 200-seat show house. It underwent a $4 million renovation by the city and downtown development authority (renovation completed in May 2000). The city of Canton and Canton's Downtown Development Authority own it. Eight to 10 shows a year are featured, with plays running from February through December. The theater is also used for seminars, dance recitals and children's plays. Productions include "Driving Miss Daisy" (Sept. 11-28); "Frankly, Sinatra" (Oct. 23-Nov. 9); and "Appalachian Christmas Homecoming" (Dec. 4-21).

Dragon Computers & Gaming

9425 Ga. 92, a quarter mile east of I-575 in Woodstock

678-445-7959

Bring your computer games or play theirs, or go head-to-head with friends over their local area network, all for $5 an hour. They do computer repairs, too. All ages.

Dixie Speedway

150 Dixie Drive off Ga. 92, about three miles west of I-575 in Woodstock

770-926-5315

"High-octane family entertainment" starts at 7 p.m. every Saturday night at Dixie Speedway's 3/8-mile banked clay oval racetrack. Now in its 35th season, the Speedway has numerous heats for different divisions of stock cars. Even spectators can get into the act with one-on-one single-lap races -- bring your own car (equipped with roll bar), helmet and seatbelt. Admission: $12 adults, $5 for teens, 11 and under free.

Fields Landing Park

At the end of Fields Landing Road off Ga. 20 west of Canton.

Take a picnic or a fishing pole or simply teach your kids to skip rocks on the water at Lake Allatoona.

Funk Heritage Center

770-720-5971, or 770-720-5970

www.reinhardt.edu/heritage_center/overview.htm

At Reinhardt College in Waleska. The center has a local history museum focusing on when the county was still the frontier between Indians and European settlers. It holds more than 6,000 regional artifacts, the Rogers Gallery of Contemporary Indian Art, the Sellars Collection of Antique Hand Tools and a pioneer village of log cabins and other early buildings. Admission fees: adults (18 and up) $6; seniors (over 65) $5.50; $4 children, younger than 4 free.

Ultimate Paintball

2788 E. Cherokee Drive, Canton

770-345-1356

Ultimate Paintball is the first paintball venue in Cherokee County. Its store sells a full line of paintball products -- markers, masks, air systems, barrels, jerseys, and, of course, paintballs -- and has several playing fields.