Stone Mountain

Family fun on the mountain!

If you live anywhere close to Atlanta, you must make at least one pilgrimage to Stone Mountain!

This place has so many things to do! There are several hiking trails, laser shows, ropes and climbing courses, camping, boating, golf, train rides, and playgrounds. There are several festivals and holiday events at Stone Mountain, most notably the 4th of July laser show.

There is a $20 per vehicle parking charge but that covers a lot for your family. The playgrounds, hiking trails, and access to the summit of the mountain. On days that there are laser shows, there are no additional fees for the event.

It was a very cool day in April that we visited. At ground level we explored the playground, the Washington King Covered bridge, and the Nature Garden Trail. Eventually, we worked our way over to the aerial tram.

Since we had a little one we kept the hiking short and rode the Summit Skyride to the top of Stone Mountain, mostly for the experience. Children 3 and under are free so we didn’t have to pay for our youngest! This was the only excursion we splurged on but thought it was a great ride for the kids and saved us a long hike.

At the summit it was windy and cool, but we had great views of the Atlanta skyline and the surrounding landscape. A sight to behold for sure! The summit is available to explore at your leisure. You can hike up from below on a mile long trail or you can hike down to the bottom after riding the Skyride up. We rode it both ways.

Things to know

• Bring at least a light jacket. Even when the weather is fine at the base of the mountain, with elevation gain you might be chilly at the top.
• A small store at the pinnacle has all sorts of treats but you can also bring snacks to enjoy on the summit.
• Bring sunglasses. As you see in the picture above, the kids wish we would have.
• Extra excursions and attractions do have a charge at Stone Mountain but you can buy package deals if you have a good idea of what you want to do.
• Stone Mountain is great for jogging or trail running.
• Educational opportunities are everywhere here. Dig into the Dinotopia attraction or the Quarry Exhibit.
• Plan for a whole day here, or even several. A long vacation can be enjoyed without ever leaving the property!
• In the winter the place becomes Snow Mountain, with several winter attractions like snow tubing!