With summer over and the school year in full swing, it's easy to get bogged down by your busy weekday schedules. This year, keep your family connected and build meaningful memories by filling your weekends with fun fall-themed activities.
You'll find a little something for everyone on this list, including thrilling adventures, hands-on activities and plenty of photo opportunities for your upcoming greeting cards. So, take a deep breath of crisp autumn air and get ready to celebrate the season with a few of these fall family-friendly experiences.
Take a colorful hike.
Sope Creek Trail. 3760 Paper Mill Road SE, Marietta. www.atlantatrails.com.
Take your little ones on a leaf hunt this fall along one of the most densely canopied hiking trails around the metro area. Located in the heart of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Sope Creek Trail offers 1.5 miles of colorful hickory, maple, oak, poplar and elm trees. You'll also take in a little history as you hike by historic Civil War-era ruins on this unforgettable excursion.
Pick a peck of apples.
Credit: Courtesy of Arbor Day Foundation
Credit: Courtesy of Arbor Day Foundation
B.J. Reece Orchards. Prices starting at $5 per person, free for children ages 2 and under. 9131 Highway 52 E, Ellijay. 706-276-3048. www.reeceorchards.com.
Family-owned and operated, you'll feel right at home on a visit to B.J. Reece Orchards up in Ellijay. At this dynamic U-pick orchard, adults and children of all ages can explore the fruit trees and pick a peck of apples, take an old-fashioned wagon ride, visit animals at the petting farm onsite, learn how to milk a cow, ride ponies and much more.
Zipline across the treetops.
Zipline Canopy Tours of Blue Ridge. Prices range from $49 to $89 per person. 891 Old Cashes Valley Road, Blue Ridge. 423-496-3388. www.zipblueridge.com.
For the more daring families out there, experience a colorful treetop vista as you soar across valleys and pastures on a Zipline Canopy Tour of Blue Ridge. You'll have two zipline options available, including a 1-hour tour for people who just want to try it out and a 2-hour tour that takes you across 13 lines and three sky bridges. Guests can also enjoy the Aerial Adventure Park, which features a challenging obstacle course with tight ropes, suspended bridges, ziplines and climbing walls.
Pan for gold.
Dahlonega Consolidated Gold Mine. Prices vary. 185 Consolidated Gold Mine Road, Dahlonega. 706-864-8473. www.consolidatedgoldmine.com.
For an adventure like no other, travel up to the mountains for a Consolidated Gold Mine experience, which includes an Underground Adventure with educational mine tour, gold and gemstone panning. Located in Dahlonega at the site of an authentic 19th-century gold mine, you'll step back in time as you descend 200 feet underground on this not-to-miss tour. Make sure to wear closed-toe shoes.
Take the Fall Colors Canoe Trip.
CNC Fall Colors River Canoe Trip. 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. $30 for members, $35 for non-members. Chattahoochee Nature Center. 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. 770-992-2055. www.chattnaturecenter.org.
Show your children how magical fall colors can really be with a guided canoe ride along the Chattahoochee River. Expert river guides will lead you and your crew on a two-and-a-half-hour journey while enjoying the sights and sounds of the surrounding trees and wildlife.
Get lost in a maze.
Uncle Shucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch. 125 Bannister Road, Dawsonville. 770-772-6223. www.uncleshucks.com.
Opening this year's fall season at a brand-new location, Uncle Shucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch offers families a full day of unforgettable fall fun. Along with highly renowned corn mazes, you'll also enjoy a corn cannon, the goat walk, a jumping pad, hayride and a pumpkin patch to pick out your family's future jack-o-lantern.
Discover even more great adventures for your family this fall with these picturesque hikes less than an hour from Atlanta.
