Trips

Day Trip: Buford Dam Park Beach near Atlanta

Last weekend I took Miss J and Mr. Z to a little beach escape in our neck of the wood.

It’s not the Caribbean or exotic beaches by any mean but we can’t beat the distance and the cost.

This is a little beach on Lake Lanier. It’s part of Buford Dam Park which is merely 5 minutes ride from our house. FIVE minutes!! And I haven’t been here for the past 3 years that we have lived here! Well, if it wasn’t for my new goal to get out and do more outdoor adventures with my kids, I probably wouldn’t get there yet.

We packed our beach bag and headed out. I had no idea where this park is but I knew it’s somewhere in the Buford Dam area. We found the entrance and the kids couldn’t be happier.

Why We Love it:

- The beach area is pretty good size with plenty of sand for kids to get lost in their own imagination building sand castle

- The beach is very calm since it’s in the lake and boats or jet skis are not allowed in the area

- There are plenty of shade areas for families to have their own cookout. You can bring your own grill to the park and have a great BBQ by the beach

- There is a restroom nearby so it’s easy for parents to take care of their kids need

- The fee is merely $4 per car. What a great deal for a fun day at the beach for the whole family

Park Info:

Address: 1200 Buford Dam Rd, Cumming, GA 30041
Fee: $4 per vehicle or $1 per pedestrian
Operating Hour: 8 am – 10 pm

Weekend Escape from Atlanta: Chattanooga, TN

Chattanooga TN with Kids

Welcome to our new series – the Weekend Escape series. It will feature family friendly destination within driving distance from Atlanta or other cities. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to email or leave a comment.

For our first destination, I will take us to Chattanooga, TN. Our family favorite day trip destination.

City: Chattanooga, TN

Distance: 119 miles

Est. Driving Time: 2 hours

To-Do:

There is no shortage for things to do in Chattanooga with kids. Here are short lists of most popular things to do there.

- Visit the Tennessee Aquarium
- Have fun at the Creative Discovery Museum
- Play at the running creek in front of the Aquarium
- Ride the Inclined Railway up the Lookout mountain
- Enjoy the vintage carousel at Coolidge park
- Shop at the Bluff view art district

Choo Choo Hotel

To-Stay:

For a unique experience there is nothing better than to sleep in the real train. We stayed at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel and it was one of the most memorable experience for the kids. The Chattanooga Choo Choo is not just a hotel but a complex with diner, old train station and model railroad museum. Kids will enjoy roaming around the property in the nicely manicure garden or climb up the old train.

To-Eat:

For a quick and fun food, stop by the Cheeburger Cheeburger. The food is good and the service is fast. And if you feel like you can take the challenge, try their one pound burger! If you finish, your picture will be featured on their wall.

For Asian-inspired food, next to Cheeburger is Genghis Grill. It’s a fun place to eat with kids. You will be able to make your own bowl and watch them cook to your liking. Kids will be busy watching and you might be able to finish your meal in peace for once!

For a BBQ fan, the highly recommended Sticky Fingers is the place to eat. Make sure to head there early to avoid the crowd.

So what is your favorite weekend escape from Atlanta?

Check out other ‘Weekend Escape‘ for: