Many metro area schools get back to the books at the beginning of August.
The shock of quick-flipping calendar pages may hit parents nearly as hard as it does students. You finally find the kid a solid swimsuit, and before you know it, you’re picking out new school sneakers.
Yes, the summer vacation clock keeps ticking, and the family has limited time to fit in activities best suited for the season. What will you pack into the next two or three weeks to keep the kiddos smiling? Mull over these recommendations and the offspring might just thank you later.
Attention, all Clark Griswolds: Yet to squeeze in that summertime family visit to Atlanta's 49-year-old theme park? Its fleet of high-speed roller coasters continues inducing hoots, hollers and yelps from adventure seekers. A chunk of less pulse-pounding attractions debut this year. The DC Super Friends section delivers five new superhero-themed rides for young guests and their families. The park's original kiddie section gets updated and expanded as Bugs Bunny Boomtown with its seven attractions. Adrenaline junkies, fear not. The Blue Hawk — a newly revamped version of the Ninja coaster — soars at more than 50 mph. This year, the Dare Devil Dive coaster allows riders to slip on virtual-reality headsets for high-resolution animation that syncs with the ride's twists, turns and dips. And those time-honored faves, including Batman: The Ride, Goliath and Superman: Ultimate Flight, keep visitors screaming beneath the summer sun. Can't get enough shrills? The park's Friday Night Frights series, a preview of its annual Halloween Fright Fest, continues bringing the boo a few months early. It wraps July 22. Remember to stay hydrated and pack swimsuits. Keep the brood cool by ducking into Hurricane Harbor, Six Flags' in-house water park.
Open daily through Aug. 7, and open weekends and special dates thereafter. Call or check website for hours. $45.99-$52.99 online; free ages 2 and younger. At the park: $45.99-$65.99. $20 parking per vehicle. Six Flags Over Georgia, 275 Riverside Parkway, Austell. 770-739-3400, sixflags.com/overgeorgia.
Scoops of frozen goodness speak to all ages. Yep, nearly everyone keeps screaming for ice cream. Now in its sixth year, this daylong outdoor ode to the timeless confection corrals an assortment of flavorful vendors peddling frozen pops, Italian ice, handcrafted ice cream and other shivery sweets in Piedmont Park. If you ain’t scared of no brain freeze, brave an ice cream-eating contest by shoving your mug in a cup. An array of food trucks shill festival fare for proper meals. Find the caloric intake intimidating? The festival balances all of that indulgence with its health and wellness arm. Group yoga sessions, exercise routines and Chinese-style fitness keep heart rates rocking. Toss a flying disc, swivel your hips in a Hula Hoop competition and marvel at some double Dutch jump-rope action. On-the-house health screenings make sure you’re up for another round of cones. Kid-centric activities such as crafts and face painting engage the younger set. The fest also plays host to a special Fight Cancer Walk taking place at 10 a.m. just before the event officially opens.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. July 23. Free. Piedmont Park, 10th Street N.E. and Charles Allen Drive, Atlanta. atlantaicecreamfestival.com.
With twinkling stars as the ceiling, outdoor summer movies provide a choice chance to gather the family on a blanket with a picnic nosh to experience a film with broad appeal. The Movies Under the Stars series at Mall of Georgia in Buford keeps rolling with a few events remaining for the season. It all happens at the mall’s Village Amphitheatre. Each evening begins with a musical act cranking their amps while kids dive into bounce houses, and everyone can open wide for drink and food vendors. The movie for July 16 is “The 5th Wave,” which filmed locally. Dean Taylor & the Better Days performs July 23 just before “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip,” which also filmed in the area. On July 30, Beau + Luci provides the live entertainment, and “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens” goes intergalactic. Across town at Atlantic Station, Movies in Central Park offers a few more flick nights on its schedule. Although the movies drop at dusk, organizers suggest arriving early, blankets and/or chairs in tow, to stake a claim on the park lawn. Atlantic Station allows guests to bring their own food, or you can snag an early meal or a to-go order from one of the nearby eateries. It’s a throwback to the ’60s with “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” on July 14. Christmas in July arrives merrily on July 21 with a screening of “Elf.” Make sure to prime the vocal cords for “Grease” on July 28.
Movies Under the Stars. 6:30 p.m. July 16, 23 and 30. Free. Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive, Buford. 770-271-9458, simon.com/mall/mall-of-georgia.
Movies in Central Park. Dusk. July 14, 21 and 28. Free. Central Park at Atlantic Station, 1380 Atlantic Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-410-4010, atlanticstation.com.
Load up the bikes for a trek along the Silver Comet Trail, a seriously sizable stretch running west through Cobb, Paulding and Polk counties. It has a total of 18 entry points, and the beginning of the trail on the Cobb County side lives in Smyrna. You won't find motorized vehicles on the snaking, two-lane paved path that spans more than 60 miles, ending near Cedartown at the Alabama state line. However, expect to find fellow bicyclists and rollerbladers, dog walkers, and those embarking on lengthy hikes and leisurely walks. Don't be surprised to see horseback riders, their animals' hoofs clacking on the pavement. Cross bridges and bask in the natural beauty along the way. Those in need of a bike can rent from Silver Comet Cycles (4342 Floyd Road, Mableton. 678-945-6084, silvercometcycles.com), located along the trail in an old depot.
Mavell Road Trailhead, 4573 Mavell Road, Smyrna. pathfoundation.org/trails/silver-comet/.
Tubing the Chattahoochee River
You’ve driven over it, zipped past it, and seen its waters flow from one day into the next. But you’ve never dipped your toes into its drink. Shoot the Hooch, located at Roswell’s Azalea Park, can help you get into the Chattahoochee River. They rent rafts, canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and tubes to those looking to explore the famed body of water. This outfitter can put children ages 5 and older on the Hooch, and some families may prefer the tubing experience. Shoot the Hooch staff will even link the tubes for family togetherness and safety. Tubers arrive between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Azalea Park and catch a shuttle to the put-in spot at Don White Park. After participants slip on life vests and grab tubes, the scenic 1 1/2-mile journey begins. It can last anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the wind and the river’s flow rate. The water remains between 55 and 65 degrees even in warmer months, so Shoot the Hooch recommends tubing only on days when the weather’s temp is at least 80 degrees. On weekends, tubers should go straight to Don White Memorial Park (702 Riverside Road, Roswell).
10 a.m. daily through Labor Day, and then open on long weekends. $26 per person. Shoot the Hooch, 203 Azalea Drive, Roswell. 770-650-1008, shootthehooch.com.
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