The Alpharetta area offers many fun places to visit with the whole family. Whether you want to enjoy nature outside, play at the park, catch a show, or get some thrill, you’re sure to find at least one cool local attraction that’s great for parents and kiddos alike. Here are five of the best major family attractions in and around Alpharetta, Georgia.

Wills Park

Right in the heart of Alpharetta, Wills Park offers a little bit of every outdoor activity plus a recreation center with lots of classes and events. Sign your children up for karate, basketball, or art workshops, and attend a weekly aerobics class or join a running club on your own. Take the family to learn how to ride horses at the equestrian center, play tennis or pickleball, or have some friendly competition in a round of disc golf. You can also just let the kids play on one of three playgrounds and then enjoy a picnic at one of the on-site pavilions.

You can also spend some time in the community garden where people all around town use the space to grow beautiful flowers and fresh fruits and veggies, like peppers, tomatoes, and radishes. Head to the Mansell House & Gardens, a wonderfully landscaped area with lots of history to explore. Or, bring your pooch to the dog park for some free-roaming fun. All of these great features make Wills Park an amazing destination for parents and kids to exercise, learn, and relax.

Webb Bridge Park & Arboretum

“Making Friends” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by DenaliNPS

Visit this 109-acre park on the eastern edge of the city to play a variety of sports on manicured fields, get a workout on the outdoor fitness equipment, or have a picnic at one of the pavilions or near the lake. Webb Bridge Park features three soccer fields, a turf field, four baseball fields, and four tennis courts, so it’s great for the sports enthusiasts and aspiring Olympians in your family. You can also take the whole family out on the 1.5-mile trail that loops around the park for an easy, relaxing stroll with amazing scenic views of the trees.

But what makes this park even more of a special experience is the on-site arboretum, which is home to dozens of native trees, including pines and conifers, oaks, birch, beech, magnolia, and maple trees. It’s this part of the property that provides the most stunning views during your hike around the park. Before you head out to the arboretum, be sure to pull up a copy of the property’s tree list so you can spot the different species and learn a bit about how big they get, the flowers they grow, and more.

Matilda’s at the Porch

Enjoy some great music while sitting out under the stars when you catch a show at Matilda’s in nearby Milton. This open-air concert venue is like none other in the Alpharetta area. It’s a small shack-like building with a porch for a stage in the middle of the woods with picnic tables and plenty of room for people to set up camping chairs or blankets. And it’s a silent rule that when the band starts playing, everyone gets quiet and really listens and feels the music, making it a truly unique concert experience.

It’s a great kid-friendly venue because kids can run around in the open space before the show and stand up and dance while the music’s playing. Parents will love Matilda’s because of how flexible the experience is — no need to buy concessions if you don’t want to because the venue encourages people to bring coolers with drinks, set up their own picnics, or have a potluck with friends. 

Chattahoochee Nature Center

Drive about 9 miles southwest to nearby Roswell to visit the Chattahoochee Nature Center. On this 127-acre property, you’ll find hiking and biking trails, water activities, educational programs, and special exhibits galore. The whole family can enjoy special events like up-close encounters with wildlife, outdoor concerts, nature exploration workshops, family-friendly community gatherings, and festivals. 

Come walk around the lush gardens and hike one of the six trails, including beginner-level paths that are under half a mile, perfect for little hikers, and intermediate trails with steep inclines and challenging obstacles on your path. If you’d rather fly around, get on the zipline and soar through the trees on an hour-long tour. And if you want to get out on the water, Chattahoochee Nature Center hosts guided canoeing experiences for children ages 6 and up.

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo

Plan a day trip out of Alpharetta to nearby Dahlonega, Georgia, to visit the amazing animals of Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and Zoo. After about a 43-mile drive northeast of Alpharetta, you and the kids can explore this open, natural area that houses many animals that the zoo takes care of. 

Do you have a future veterinarian or zookeeper in the family? They’ll love being able to feed the animals. You can purchase a feed bag with your tickets and give food to the bison, deer, horses, and other animals that come up to the fence as you stroll around. Just be careful while you feed them as they can bite when trying to get their food. Other animals you might spot include a variety of birds, alligators, white tigers and Bengal tigers, sloths, moose, turtles, lizards, and baby animals of many species.

Or, you can take part in an animal encounter to meet and feed the tigers, zebra, bears, camels, and other wild animals with the guidance of the preserve’s lead keeper. You get to learn about what the zoo is doing to care for the animals and see it in person. This is an extra special experience that any animal lover would enjoy, especially as a birthday present.There you have it, the top five family attractions around the Alpharetta, Georgia, area. Have we missed any of your favorite local attractions? Contact Crème de la Crème of Alpharetta on Haynes Bridge Road to let us know. We’ll be sure to add it to our growing list of fun activities!