Accessible Christmas Around Atlanta - Lake Lanier and Stone Mountain

During the past week we've explored two of greater Atlanta's major Christmas events - with two very different reactions.

Lake Lanier Islands Magical Night of Lights

First, let's talk about Lake Lanier Islands Magical Nights of Lights. The only magic here is that so many people are willing to shell out $60 a carload to enter the worst traffic jam of their lives. I'd been wanting to see these lights for years and we decided to go last night - motivated by a double $10 off coupon. Sad when $40 a car sounds like a deal.

The experience reminded me of when we first moved to Atlanta. People kept telling me how wonderful hot boiled peanuts were. How they looked forward to finding them at roadside stands in the fall. What a delicious treat they were when finally located. When I saw a stand on the way to Florida I talked Kevin into pulling over. A grizzled  old dressed man in camouflage clothes sat by an open fire, with a boiling pot hanging over it. I was so excited - I was finally about to have my first hot boiled peanuts! We paid him $4 and he dumped a scoop of something from the pot into a brown paper bag. I looked inside. Hot, wet peanuts - still in the soggy shells. They smelled bad, they looked bad - they tasted awful.

Lake Lanier Islands Magical Night of Lights was equally disappointing. It was hot boiled peanuts all over again. Maybe if you've been exposed to it your whole life you develop a taste for it. Otherwise, it ranks as one of the area's largest disappointments.

The lights are nice. Many of them are animated. I imagine if this had been developed in the 1950s people would have gazed in wonder at the sight. As it is even my 6 year old was "bored, bored, bored," in her own words.

On the plus side, as you drive your own car the lights are completely handicap accessible. You can control the level of stimulus by opening or closing your windows as well as adjusting the volume on the radio if you chose to tune it to the suggested station.

We paid our money and drove through the gate. We proceeded - slowly- for almost a hour through 6 miles of lights. What they don't tell you is that it is more like 3 miles, because you drive to the end and turn around, and drive slowly back through the same lights. The speed barely registers on the speedometer.

Many of the light displays are just ads from local companies - Coca Cola, Georgia Power, etc. After you crawl through the lights you are forced into the "concession area". There is limited parking - which is ironic since they make every car enter the parking lot. However, we found a parking spot (thanks to flashing the handicap permit at an attendant) and explored the carnival.

It was on par with any other local carnival. The rides were a bit "vintage" (translation: old). There was a thrill factor to the Ferris wheel simply because it felt as if you could easily fall out of your open swinging seat. I love carnivals so even in 34 degree weather I had a good time. Rides averaged $3 per person. A pony ride was $6.

Like any carnival, it was hard to push a wheelchair around due to all of the electrical cords. A big problem was also a lack of curb cuts on the sidewalks around Santa's Village gift shop. We had to bump the wheelchair down the curb backwards to get onto the fair grounds. It was impossible to bump it back up and we just gave up and took Amanda back to the car.

We avoided the gift shop and the paid photos with Santa. The ice skating rink is a novelty and reasonably priced at $10 per person including skate rental.

We spent a total of $63 on the drive, rides and a box of popcorn. Boy, was I happy I had that double coupon! I could easily see a family of 4 spending $150+ on an evening here. Even at my "bargain" price I felt slightly ripped off. Like boiled peanuts, this is something I only needed to try once to discover that I did not like it.

In the video you can see the cars who have turned and are coming back through the lights in the opposite direction.

Stone Mountain Christmas

Stone Mountain Christmas, on the other hand was lots of fun. First, if you are Mountain Members its included in your membership. So, for us, entrance was free. If you aren't members the cost is $28 per adult and $22 per child. Truthfully I might be more critical if I had paid $106 for this experience. It wasn't worth $100+. If you want to go, consider purchasing the Mountain Membership.  For twice the price of the Christmas admission ($56 per adult, $44 per child) you get unlimited admission to the park and free parking for an entire year. Regular membership includes a $10 discount off Snow Mountain - the deluxe membership includes free admission to Snow Mountain as well as free admission to the Summit Sky Ride and the  Ducks.

So keeping the cost factor in mind our experience at Stone Mountain Christmas was  a happy surprise. No one had ever told me about Stone Mountain Christmas so I had no expectations to be dashed. I discovered it because we are members and I was looking for something inexpensive to do. Like Lake Lanier, there are millions (no exaggeration) of lights at Stone Mountain for the holidays. Instead of driving through them the central area, Crossroads, is decked out so you can stroll through the displays.

Even the miniature golf course is decorated with thousands of little white lights, making night time golf a special treat. Part of the miniature golf course is accessible with a wheelchair - part is not. There is a sign which redirects you to the accessible holes partway through the course.

If you like, you can take the 30 minute train ride around the mountain. Holiday lights have been set up along the route so its a pretty ride. The rear car of the train has a wheelchair lift and staff are very helpful. There are ties to anchor the chair safely during the ride. The only downside it that it is an open air car and can be chilly. During this time of year they play Christmas carols which Amanda really enjoyed.

There is a small parade every evening at 6 PM. I think we counted six floats. The parade features the characters from the shows held in the park during Christmas so don't be surprised to see an alien robot dancing down the street. It was cute, but not something I would rush to see. The girls both liked it. Staff were very helpful and made sure that Amanda had a good view of the parade.

 

We were lucky to see the Georgia Bubbleman when we were there. He was wonderful! He created bubbles of all sizes and let the kids chase them. He made a special effort to include Amanda in the fun - coming over and blowing bubbles all around her wheelchair. He even gave an impromptu science lesson by blowing bubbles using the heated air from one of the fire pits. 

 

 

There are several shows throughout the area: Toyrific, Forever Christmas, Holly Jolly Cabaret, A Crossroads Christmas Carol, Visit with Santa Claus. There is also a "4-D" holiday movie, The Polar Express. On select nights (at 9:45 PM) there are fireworks. From the outside, I could tell that the shows are loud and may be a problem for people with sensory issues. We didn't make it to any of the shows or the fireworks so I think we'll go back. When we do I'll expand this entry!

However, just the fact that I would go back (again the same year) demonstrates how much more enjoyable we found Stone Mountain Christmas. If you are going to drive almost an hour outside of the city for one holiday event (and spend $100) I would chose Stone Mountain hands down over Lake Lanier Islands.


Note: This is my opinion, based on my family's experiences. I wasn't compensated in any way by either location.

 

Spring Break Atlanta Stay-cation

Spring Break Atlanta Stay-cation

We're staying home during Spring Break this year. Mainly because the one time we went away for the week of Spring Break the return traffic (from Florida to Atlanta) was insane - the trip home took 3 hours longer than the trip down. I know it's not a novel idea. As a child we never went anywhere for school breaks. I think sometimes as parents we feel that we "have" to make vacations special. The beauty of this plan is that it is special. It allows late mornings, lazy afternoons laying the grass looking at the clouds, ball games in the yard and al fresco dinners on our back deck. So relaxing!

I researched all sorts of things to do within an hour of our home, a suburb north of Atlanta. I debated some farther trips - like Chattanooga, TN but discarded the idea. I found plenty of free or low cost activities within an hour of home. Some of the things we did were every day things. We went to the local mall and had soft pretzels and ice cream cones. We window shopped, watched videos in the Disney Store and rode the carousel. Total cost about $20. One afternoon we went swimming at our local YMCA.

We have are lucky enough to have two nice nature centers close to home- Autrey Mill Preserve and Chattachoochee Nature Center. Located on 46 acres of ravine forest Autrey Mill is FREE to explore the historic homes and nature paths.  The Visitor Center is accessible and houses several tanks of snakes, lizards and frogs. Outside there are ducks. For a small donation you can get a cup of duck feed and the ducks will adore you. None of the historic homes or trails are wheelchair accessible but its a fun place to spend an hour - longer if you aren't mobility impaired. Some of the trails lead to a replicas of a Native American lodge and tee pee as well as a beautiful stream. They offer a number of historical and nature programs for about $5.00/person.

Chattahoochee Nature Center offers several walking trails including a boardwalk path, animal encounters and a nice play area.They a licensed rehabilitation center for native raptors, mammals and reptiles so you can see more than 50 different species that were rehabilitated, but unable to be safely returned to the wild. Chattahoochee charges $8.00 per adult and $5.00 per child to visit. We were able to bring a wheelchair to the Nature Center and along the boardwalk. The remainder of the Center wasn't accessible. Still, a great afternoon for under $30.
 
Another great FREE Atlanta destination is the Fernbank Science Center which houses a small museum, a planetarium (cost $4/adults, $3 kids ) and on Thursday & Friday nights an observatory open to the public. It is all wheelchair accessible. Nearby is the FREE Fernbank Forest which has 1½ miles of paved trails through 65 acres relatively undisturbed forest in the middle of Atlanta. Fernbank Rose Garden is also FREE and a lovely place for a quiet walk.

Because we live outside of a major metropolitan area there are a number of large tourist attractions. Our big splurge was to get annual family memberships to three local attractions. All are withing about an hour of home and will pay for themselves in 2 visits. We joined Fernbank Museum (see my previous blog)-family Membership cost $95- and Zoo Atlanta - family membership cost $99 (you can get a $10 discount online).
 
Zoo Atlanta is fully paved with (for the most part) gradual slopes. The path between the Backyard Habitat and the Children's Zoo is extremely steep and I wouldn't recommend taking it if you are pushing a wheelchair or stroller. The rest of the park is easily accessible by wheelchair. However, disabled parking is very limited - causing many visitors to become pretty aggressive about getting a space. We tried to go this week but were beat out of a parking spot despite waiting and having our turn signal on. So much for Southern hospitality!

I love Zoo Atlanta, despite the difficult parking. It is a modern Zoo with roomy naturalistic habitats for the animals to enjoy. One of the best things about being a member is free admission to the 2 member nights offered each year. Its wonderful to explore the Zoo in the evenings. The animals are often more active as the temperatures are cooler. Members Only Nights also feature live entertainment and special animal encounters- which my girls love!

For the first time we also bought season passes to Stone Mountain Park. Stone Mountain is a truly weird place - its a gigantic monument dedicated to the fallen leaders of the Confederacy. The carving depicts Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee and Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. It is literally carved into the side of a mountain - the South's own answer to Mount Rushmore. Really - it's not my goal to glamorize the secession and all it stood for. The annual pass lets us explore the various park exhibits and rides like the SkyRide and Gesyer Towers anytime we want throughout the year.  Stone Mountain houses a petting zoo, has a petting zoo attached to the Antebellum Plantation and Farmyard attraction. The farmyard offers a live show with trained goats and sheep.

My goal in going to Stone Mountain is to desensitize Danielle to fireworks before we head to one of those overpriced theme parks later in the year. Stone Mountain has a lasershow most nights during school vacations and on weekends. Despite living in the area for 15 years, we've never been to the show. You don't have to join to see the show - its FREE, sort of. You still need to pay the $10 park admission (parking fee). You can bring your own chairs and blankets. I didn't know that when I joined...  

I would encourage everyone to follow our model if you can. Most areas have unique, fun local spots to explore. Consider searching for a nature center, a playhouse, a puppet theater or a local history or children's museum. For less than the cost of two days at a theme park we had a week of great experiences as well as opportunities for a year of family fun through our new memberships.

Tellus – as in, Tell Us More about Science!

On my list of accessible family fun within an hour of Alpharetta, Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville ranks high.  I know, if you live in the Atlanta area Cartersville may as well be Tennessee. Trust me, this is worth the trip. We discovered Tellus over the Winter Break from school.

The first time we walked into the main gallery Danielle yelled, “An Apatosaurus!” I had to check the sign. Sure enough, she was right. Now we’ve been there so often that Danielle walks in and calls out “Hi, Patty!” (She’s named the skeleton.)

The draw for Danielle was obvious. It is the biggest display of dinosaur fossil replicas that I have ever seen.  I’ve never counted, but I’m certain that there are at least 20. In addition to Patty, there is a T Rex, a mammoth, a megalodon jaw, a giant armadillo, and a host of plesiosaurs and pterosaurs. There are fossilized tracks including a T Rex track - and even fossilized feces! (Dino poop that you CAN touch.)

Tellus takes its mission of teaching children very seriously. While most of the exhibits are clearly marked “Please Do Not Touch,” in every gallery there are items marked ”Please DO touch”. What a nice change for both children and adults! There are buttons to push, fossils to touch and things to explore everywhere, not just in the large children’s playroom, My Big Back Yard . Every weekend during the summer they host “Science Saturdays” with hands on learning stations throughout the museum.

The girls, of course, love the exploration area. I love that it’s a place where they can play together – not always easy for two such different children.  

In addition to the My Big Back Yard Gallery there are two more wonderful hands on areas. Children (and adults!) can pan for semi-precious gems or uncover fossils. Both areas are designed to be wheelchair accessible. Even better – both of these activities offer free souvenirs! Each child is allowed to take home a small (1”) Ziploc bag of the gem chips they find and one real fossil. 

What kid doesn't love to splash in the water? The Gem Panning area contains an authentic water wheel and a running sluice. It also has low, wheelchair accessible sections and an elevated area where young children can reach in to the running water to pan for gems.

In the Fossil Dig site you can uncover pretend skeletons as well as real fossils. The array of small fossils includes sharks' teeth, fossilized clams and sea urchins, crinoid stems and others. Danielle has been known to spend half an hour pretending to be "Paleontologist Danielle," discovering a new species. There is also a nice desk-like space where a wheelchair fits so the person can “dig” dinosaur bones.  

There are two other galleries to explore. The Weinman Mineral Gallery houses the collection from the old Weinman Mineral Museum.  We have touched petrified wood, banged on a drum head to create seismograph waves and stood near the "core" of the Earth. There is a very cool "glowing rocks" (fluorescent mineral ) display which both girls like.

The final area, The Science in Motion Gallery, includes antique cars and motorcycles as well as replicas of biplanes and space capsules. Kevin, Danielle & I have all had our pictures taken "wearing" a space suit (not accessible for those in wheelchairs.) While Kevin & I are both interested in space exploration this is probably the girls' least favorite area of the museum. Amanda did enjoy playing with the ship controls in the temporary At The Controls Exhibit.  

My kids really love sliding pennies down either of the two Coin Vortex machines. The smaller one, located just outside of the Gem Panning area, has shoots that are easy for Amanda to manipulate coins into. The girls get so excited "racing" their coins. I know that we are literally throwing money down a hole, but as long as I load up on pennies before we  go I don't mind if the girls have 50 races since it only costs me $1.00.

 

There is a great planetarium– one of only two digital planetariums in Georgia.  They offer three or four different shows every day, including one suitable for young children (3 and up) and a "Live Tour of Tonight's Sky." The show for younger children currently features Sesame Street characters.

The theater shows free documentaries on Saturdays during the summer. Both the theater and the planetarium are accessible with ramps and include areas for wheelchairs with companion seating.  

The Solar House is powered completely by alternative energy sources. The Observatory houses a 20" telescope and a seismograph used to detect earthquakes all over the world. The earthquake data can be viewed on an interactive monitor in the Weinman Mineral gallery. Both the Solar House and the Observatory are open only during limited times.

The Museum is on lovely grounds which are marked “No Picnicking on Grass.” That may be my only disappointment with the entire museum. There is a large covered picnic pavilion with accessible restrooms which would be great for a family gathering or field trips, but that lush green lawn just cries out to be played on!

The museum is all on one level with automatic doors, level walkways and clean, spacious restrooms both inside and out. There is plenty of permit parking and a call button near the parking lot for mobility impaired visitors who need to borrow a manual wheelchair to tour the museum.

For $95 we got a Family Membership good for admission for an entire year. The membership also included 4 planetarium passes and discounted admission to special events like Astronomy Workshops at the observatory.

So, no excuses, go to Tellus and tell me how it was!

http://www.tellusmuseum.org/index.htm

https://www.facebook.com/tellusmuseum?sk=wall#!/tellusmuseum



Fernbank Museum of Natural History

If you are in the Atlanta area Fernbank Museum is a great place to take the kids. Both of our girls love it -which given their varying ages and abilities is rare. It's a surprisingly good place to take kids with disabilities. While we were there today we noticed three other families with children with special needs so this isn't a big secret - or if it is, it shouldn't be.

The Museum is very accessible. There is excellent disabled parking as well as curb cuts and ramps around the exterior. The only failing I've found is the lack of an automatic door so maneuvering a wheelchair actually into the building is tricky.

The museum is three stories tall, focused around a soaring central atrium which is filled with dinosaur skeletons. There are stairs between the floors and a (very slow) elevator for visitors with strollers or mobility impairments.

The permanent exhibits are interesting and include plenty of hands on exploration for kids in the super-cool new NatureQuest and the older Sensing Nature gallery, both on the third floor.

I'm particularly impressed with how accessible they made NatureQuest. The former children's exploration rooms had very little for a child with physical limitations to do. The new center, while it does have inaccessible areas like a crawling tunnel and a tree house, is well thought out including a ramp up to the "archaeological dig site" and pathways wide enough for a wheelchair. The exhibits are intended for young children so they are also at an ideal height for wheelchair viewing.

As funny as it sounds, the nicest bathrooms are also on the third floor. While I can't vouch for the Men's Rooms, the third floor Women's Room near NatureQuest has a nice private area for nursing, including a comfortable glider chair and a curtain for privacy. There are also good single bathrooms at the other end of the floor - perfect for families or companion use.

NatureQuest

The girls playing together in the Sensing Nature gallery

Danielle can spend hours looking at the exhibits, playing at NatureQuest or on the outside patio, running on the front lawn...Fernbank has an IMAX movie theater which, while it makes me nauseous, Amanda loves. Fortunately if she gets restless exploring the museum Kevin is usually willing to sit through the movie with her.  

Admission isn't cheap - a family of four will pay $66 to get in. However, annual membership is under $100 and, from our perspective well worth it. One of the nicest features of being members is not only can we go as often as we like for free, the membership is good for 2 adults and 4 children. If I go alone with the girls I can invite a friend and her children to come along as our guests for free. This gives me one more adult to watch the kids as well as a companion for one or both of them. And I look really generous in the process!

 

Seriously, who wouldn't want to stand under a T-Rex?