Free Activities in Atlanta for Tweens and Teens

Summer vacation is the perfect time to explore Atlanta with your family; but heading out each day can get expensive, especially when you are entertaining tweens and teens.  Thankfully there are lots of free things to do in Atlanta, if you know where to look for them. Here are a few free ideas from the book 100+ Free Things to do in Atlanta. (www.fieldtripswithsue.com/100free) The book offers more than enough suggestions to keep tweens and teens busy all summer.

See a Movie – Free outdoor movies are very popular in Atlanta and every year it seems like there is a new location offering popular flicks from G – R rated. Bring a blanket and a picnic or just some cool treats and enjoy an evening with friends.

Get Back to Nature –Geocaching is a perfect free activity for groups of tweens and teens. This high-tech treasure hunt is available at several Georgia State Parks. For a little history lesson amidst the fun, enjoy caches’ throughout Clayton County. Each Clayton County cache has a trading card with historical or factual information about the site.

Play Sports –Bring a bike to one of several BMX bike tracks around Atlanta including Noon Day Park and Wild Horse Park both in Marietta. Novices enjoy the hills along the track, while experienced riders try for “big air.”

Cool Off – Several Atlanta City pools offer free hours and children 12 and older are able to stay and swim without an adult. Garden Hills and Chastain have diving boards. Piedmont Park pool has a lazy river and lap lanes. After free swim, take a bike ride along the paths within Piedmont Park, play some Frisbee on the lawn or watch the dogs romp in the dog park.

Sue Rodman publishes Field Trips with Sue, a travel blog about things to do in Atlanta and the Southeast with kids. Her first book 100+ Free Things to do in Atlanta is in its second printing and available at www.fieldtripswithsue.com/100free in e-book format for the iPad, iPhone, Kindle and Nook for $4.99 and $9.99 for the printed version.