Frugal Family: Budget Friendly Spring Break Staycation Ideas

My children recently reminded me that Spring Break for elementary, middle, and high school students in metro Atlanta is just around the corner.  I’ve always been jealous of the families who could manage a full week down in Florida for Spring Break; for my family, work commitments have always made that an impossible dream.

If your family is stuck in the city for your Spring Break too, don’t despair.  We’re fortunate to live in a town that has lots of interesting and family friendly activities available.  Today we’ll cover some fun activities and inexpensive activities you can try that are within an hour drive of Roswell.

Noah’s Ark

Noah’s Ark is a nonprofit animal rehabilitation located in Locust Grove, Georgia.  Technically, this will probably be slightly more than an hour from Roswell, but it’s definitely worth the drive if your family loves animals.  Jama Hedgecoth founded the 250 acre facility to rehabilitate neglected, abandoned and abused animals. The center is currently home to over 1,000 animals.  The animal habit is opened noon to 3pm, Tuesday through Saturday and admission is free (although donations are encouraged).  On a typical visit to the center, you can expect to see lions, tigers, a bear, tortoise, monkeys, goats, as well as a wide range of other domestic and exotic animals.  Noah’s Ark is generally open year-round, but it’s a good idea to call the morning of your visit before heading down to make sure nothing unexpected has happened.

Gold’n Gem Grubbin

Gold’n Gem Grubbin is a gemstone and gold mining facility located in Cleveland, Georgia (not far from the famed Cabbage Patch Hospital).  Gemstone hunting here has to be one of my family’s favorite activities of all time.  You have several different options available including actually panning for gold in the creek on their property or sifting for gold or gemstones up at their shop. We normally buy two or three of their large gemstone ore buckets and sift them at the sluices near their offices.  Bring a picnic lunch and you easily have a wonderful day activity for around $30 (plus gas).  We’ve never left empty handed; in fact, last visit, our youngest walked away with a raw amethyst that was approximately 5 carats!  I guarantee the whole family will enjoy treasure hunting this way.

Mountasia

My kids love amusement parks and Mountasia in Marietta is one of the most economical ways I’ve found to let them enjoy the amusement park experience.  This amusement park has Go Karts, bumper cars, miniature golf, and a big arcade.  The best thing about it is that an all day, unlimited pass is only $20 (not including tokens for arcade games).  Even better—on Tuesdays and Thursdays they have $12 days, so if you plan correctly, you can entertain the average family of four for around $50. Last year around this time, Groupon offered a special ½ price deal too, so keep your eyes open for the possibility of even more savings.