With Christmas and the new year quickly approaching, it’s time to book your final vacation of 2022. If you’re traveling with kids and looking to plan a fun New Year’s Eve, look no further than Atlanta, Georgia. This lively southern city offers exciting family-friendly activities, which serve as reminders that New Year’s Eve is not just an adult holiday.
Spend the evening watching a holiday light show, enjoying amusement parks or watching the Peach Drop. There are dance parties, fireworks, ice skating and the traditional new year’s countdown…all before bedtime. And the best part? It isn’t freezing cold! Start planning your New Year’s Eve in Atlanta with our list of activities for the whole family.
6 Family-Friendly Atlanta New Year’s Eve Events
1. Stone Mountain Park Kids Early New Year’s Eve Celebration
For a kid-friendly countdown that complies with bedtime, take the family to Stone Mountain Park’s Kids’ Early New Year’s Eve Celebration. It features fireworks, seasonal activities and more. At 9pm, there will be a “snowfall” and a countdown to 2023. This event is a true family favorite. New Year’s Eve activities are included with a Christmas Mountain ticket. Time to start a new Atlanta New Year’s Eve tradition?
Read More: Fun and Unique Things to Do on New Year’s with Kids
2. The Atlanta New Year’s Eve Peach Drop
The Peach Drop is back on! After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19 safety concerns, the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in the southeast is a go. The festival will take place at the Underground Atlanta venue and is free to the public.
Before its hiatus, the Peach Drop attracted more than 60,000 people each year. Debuted in 1986, the event is the highlight of the holiday season for many Atlantans. In previous years, this outdoor celebration included carnival rides, vendors, live music and food during the evening with the giant peach dropping at midnight.
3. New Year’s Bubble Bash at Children’s Museum of Atlanta
The Children’s Museum of Atlanta was one of the first places to host an Atlanta Noon Year’s Eve event. It has been a hit ever since! Once again they will be hosting their New Year’s Bubble Bash on December 31, 2022. This New Year’s party for kids will include a DJ, games, firework art, a bubble-wrap-popping tradition and more.
There will be two sessions for the Bubble Bash, one starting at 9:30 a.m. and another at 12:30 p.m.. Tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Read More: 10 Atlanta Museums that are Fun for Families
4. Ice Skating at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park
This holiday season, Park Tavern in Piedmont Park in downtown Atlanta is pulling out all the stops for its popular ice skating rink. It has become a beloved annual Atlanta tradition for all ages. The Rink Powered by Pepsi is welcoming guests now through MLK Day to an 85-foot-long rink under a heated tent. Spectators are admitted for free and are invited to relax by stone fire pits and fireplaces, in private holiday cabanas or snap some fun photos in one of the many selfie stations.
In addition, the Park Tavern offers park-side dining, seasonal cocktails, desserts, igloo experiences and more. If you are in Atlanta New Year’s Eve, this could be a kid-friendly casual event during the day. The rink will be limited to ages16 and up after 8:30 p.m.
5. Skate the Sky at Ponce City Market
Back this year, The Roof at Ponce City Market invites guests to “Skate the Sky” and enjoy the Holidays on the Roof. Ten stories above Ponce de Leon Avenue, the Roof Terrace will feature a 3,500-square-foot ice skating rink. Families will be able to enter the ice rink from Skyline Park or Nine Mile Station (where there are rides and fun carnival games).
Families can cozy up in life-sized igloos alongside the rink. Admission includes 50 min of ice skating time, ice skate rentals, unlimited games and rides in 9 Mile Park and admission to the roof. This posh event space is a little expensive (Ages 13+: $30, Kids: $22; Igloos start at $250) but it will be a WOW experience to remember.
6. Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Georgia
Enjoy the over 1 million lights at Six Flags Over Georgia’s Holiday in the Park while also getting the thrill out of the season. Ride some of the theme park’s most popular rides, take in a holiday show and try some seasonal treats (like peppermint funnel cakes). This is an especially great option for a family-friendly New Year’s Eve in Atlanta if you have kids of various ages. Younger kids can enjoy story time with Mrs. Claus, a Holiday Craze Mirror Maze, or a visit to the North Pole. You can’t miss Holiday Magic: A Celebration of the Season, a show that plays every 30 minutes after 5 p.m. Six Flags Over Georgia is open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
Read More: Should You Brave the Cold to Celebrate the Holidays at a Theme Park?
Got a Sitter for New Year’s Eve?
If you’ve lined up a babysitter and still have the energy to go out after celebrating with the kids, Atlanta’s got a number of adults-only New Year’s events too. Here are some of the most popular ones:
- The annual New Year’s fundraiser at the Georgia Aquarium. Guests will enjoying music, dining options, a midnight countdown and 4 drink tickets. Plus they will get to experience the exclusive after-hours scenes at the Georgia Aquarium!
- Come to the Battery Atlanta for the New Year’s Eve Bash. Bring the kids (or not) to the Early Inning celebrations which will begin at 6 p.m. and includes a performance by GRAMMY nominee Justin Roberts. There will be a countdown to an inflatable baseball drop at 8pm. Starting at 9 p.m. the Late Innings will feature live music from The 12 South Band. It will close with a midnight countdown and an unforgettable firework and confetti display over Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta.
There are plenty of family friendly New Year’s Eve activities in Atlanta. Whether you get a jump on the day with an Atlanta Noon Year’s celebration, ice skate the day away or see a holiday show at Six Flags, everyone can have a good time.
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