Brookhaven, Georgia is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Greenville, SC, which makes it an easy weekend trip with kids. This guide covers where our family of five stayed, the hands-on things the kids still talk about (fluid art and a pirate escape room), where we ate, and what we would do again.
Ask our kids about Brookhaven and they wonât start with the food. Theyâll start with the paint. Then the slime. đ¨
Brookhaven sits just northeast of Atlanta, about two and a half hours down I-85 from Greenville. Itâs close enough to leave after school on Friday and far enough to feel like a real getaway. Explore Brookhaven hosted our family of five, and we spent most of the weekend in one walkable spot: Town Brookhaven.
Hereâs what we did, what we ate, and what weâd tell any Upstate family planning their own weekend there.
Quick Facts: A Family Weekend in Brookhaven, GA
- Where: Brookhaven, Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta. Most of our stops were in Town Brookhaven, 4330 Peachtree Road, Brookhaven, GA 30319.
- Drive from Greenville: about two and a half hours down I-85 (Google Maps estimates 2 hours 27 minutes).
- Where we stayed: Residence Inn by Marriott Atlanta Buckhead, 2220 Lake Boulevard Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30319.
- Parking: free at Town Brookhaven.
- Kid favorites: ATL Fluid Art and the Blackbeardâs Booty escape room (best for older kids and adults).
- Coming up: the Brookhaven Farmers Market Holiday Bazaar, December 5 and 6, 2026, at Brookhaven City Centre.
Thank you to Explore Brookhaven (@ExploreBrookhaven) for hosting our family. Start planning your own visit at explorebrookhaven.com. Disclosure: This was a media-sponsored trip. Our family was hosted by Explore Brookhaven.
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Friday: a suite, sweet tea and a little Connect Four trash talk
We checked into the Residence Inn by Marriott Atlanta Buckhead on Lake Boulevard, and the kids found the welcome snacks before the bags hit the floor. Our room was a true suite: two bedrooms plus a pull-out couch, which is exactly what a family of five needs. Add a full kitchen, a pool, a gym, and hot breakfast every morning, and we had everything we needed.
From there, we hopped in the car for the short drive to Town Brookhaven, where we ended up spending most of our weekend. Itâs a shopping and dining district with wide sidewalks, a lawn with Adirondack chairs and photo-ready corners everywhere. We stopped for photos all along the way.
Dinner was at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. HOBNOB keeps board games at the entrance, so Connect Four and Battleship came out while we waited on our food. The garage-style doors were rolled up, letting the cool evening air drift in, and the whole space felt cozy. Our server, Blessing, was amazing. She kept the sweet tea coming for our teenagers, who were talking a big game over Connect Four. đ˛
We finished at Kilwins with their homemade takes on peanut butter cups, M&M crispy rice treats and chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks. đŤ
Saturday: market, books, paint, slime and pirates
Saturday started at the Brookhaven Farmers Market on Fernwood Circle, with local produce, baked goods, live music and a hay-bale photo backdrop. The regular market season ended October 31, but the market returns December 5 and 6 for its Holiday Bazaar at Brookhaven City Centre. A few vendors we loved and hope to see there:
- The Bronx Bagel Buggy (We bought Apple Cider Donuts, a Smoked Sausage Roll & 3 Cinnamon Cruffins.)
- A Peach of A Party
- Divine Meal Prep (Grabbed Cold Pressed Juices!)
- Gina Gallois, childrenâs book author
- Happy Face Cookies
- The Little Flower Garden
Next was Atlanta Vintage Books on Clairmont Road, a maze of floor-to-ceiling shelves. Beyond rare and collectible books, we found comic books, gaming guides, vintage childrenâs books and a wall of old Vogue magazines. Even our least bookish kid wandered the aisles. đ
Then came the kidsâ favorite part of the whole trip: ATL Fluid Art in Town Brookhaven, which is also known as Hawaii Fluid Art. We took the Canvas Classic class, made slime, and learned the studio can also help you create custom hats and jean jackets.
Everyone got an apron and a blank 11Ă14 canvas. The girls and I went with a style we called âcontrolled chaos.â The boys had more of a plan, recreating pieces from the inspiration on the walls. Our instructor was hands-on and balanced all five of us at once wonderfully. Thank you! We also got to chat with the other families in the class and hype each other up over our creations. That was my favorite part.
Lunch was at Verde Taqueria on Dresden Drive. The boys ordered fried chicken tacos with bacon and a side of tater tots. The girls went with traditional beef tacos. I trusted our server and tried the Nashville hot chicken taco, and Iâm glad I did. The balance of heat and freshness was wonderful, and the pickles on top added a sweet heat.
We grabbed dinner to go from Jerks Caribbean Grill in Town Brookhaven. My husband got the fried swai fish, and I built my own bowl with Jamaican ground lamb, rice, lettuce, corn and veggies. The town square was buzzing with a dance party full of toddlers and their parent âsecurity team.â We ate, watched and giggled at the toddler mosh pit.
Then came the nightâs big adventure: the Blackbeardâs Booty escape room at Time to Escape. We barely made it out, but the guides were awesome and stepped in with hints whenever we got stuck. The 75-minute experience was a lot for our younger girls, who chose to color instead. For older kids and adults, itâs a really cool experience, and the âWe seas-ed the day!â photo proves we escaped. đ´ââ ď¸ We stayed for a round of pinball in the arcade before heading back to the hotel.
Sunday: our favorite meal, then a walk to work it off
Our favorite dining experience of the whole trip? Breakfast at The Flying Biscuit Cafe. French toast, eggs however you like them, chicken and waffles, and pancakes stacked beautifully. And donât skip the biscuits. đ§
We walked off our weekend of, as the kids say, âbig back energyâ at Blackburn Park. It has a big playground, a rope climbing structure, tennis courts, and wooded trails with a boardwalk. Leaves were falling, and it was the slow, quiet stop we needed before the drive home. đ
Our last stop was Swig, a drive-thru known for mixed sodas, pretzel bites, and frosted cookies. We grabbed treats for the road and pointed the car back toward Greenville.
Plan your own Brookhaven weekend
Tip: Town Brookhaven puts dinner, dessert, fluid art and breakfast within a short walk of each other. Park once and let the kids burn energy between stops.
Our stops at a glance
- Residence Inn by Marriott Atlanta Buckhead (stay): 2220 Lake Boulevard Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30319. Suites with full kitchens, a pool, a fitness center and free hot breakfast.
- Town Brookhaven (shop and stroll): 4330 Peachtree Road, Brookhaven, GA 30319. A walkable shopping and dining district with free parking.
- HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern (eat): 804 Town Boulevard, Brookhaven, GA 30319. Board games at the entrance.
- Kilwins (dessert): 705 Town Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30319. Ice cream, fudge and chocolates.
- Brookhaven Farmers Market (do): the regular Saturday market is at 1375 Fernwood Circle Northeast, Brookhaven, GA 30319 (2026 season ran March 28 through October 31). The Holiday Bazaar on December 5 and 6 is at Brookhaven City Centre, 4001 Peachtree Road Northeast, Brookhaven, GA 30319.
- Atlanta Vintage Books (do): 3660 Clairmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. Rare, collectible, new and used books.
- ATL Fluid Art (do): 705 Town Boulevard, Suite R440, Brookhaven, GA 30319. Booking ahead is recommended, walk-ins are welcome when there is room. Call 404.716.4197.
- Verde Taqueria (eat): 1426 Dresden Drive Northeast, Suite 119, Brookhaven, GA 30319. Inventive tacos and margaritas.
- Jerks Caribbean Grill (eat): 705 Town Boulevard, Brookhaven, GA 30319. Fast-casual Jamaican food. The restaurant is cashless.
- Time to Escape (do): 1441 Dresden Drive, Suite 230, Atlanta, GA 30319. Blackbeardâs Booty runs 75 minutes for 2 to 8 players, and the on-site arcade bar has pinball. Call 678.705.4320. Best for older kids and adults.
- The Flying Biscuit Cafe (eat): 705 Town Boulevard, Suite R-480, Atlanta, GA 30319. Breakfast served all day.
- Blackburn Park (do): 3493 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Brookhaven, GA 30319. Playground, trails and tennis courts. Open dawn to dusk.
- Swig (treat): 3510 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30319. Drive-thru sodas, cookies and pretzel bites.
Taking teens farther into the city? Check out our guide to On-location | Visiting Spots Seen On The Netflix Show Stranger Things in Atlanta, GA.
Looking for more getaway ideas? We rounded up 10 Perfect Fall Family Day or Weekend Trips from Greenville, SC.
Our verdict: Is Brookhaven worth the drive?
Short answer: yes. Brookhaven gave us a little of everything: a walkable town center, hands-on activities the kids still talk about, and food that kept everyone happy. Itâs an easy drive from the Upstate, and it fits a three-day weekend without a packed, exhausting schedule.
More photos: our Brookhaven weekend
Brookhaven, GA with kids: frequently asked questions
How far is Brookhaven, GA from Greenville, SC?
Brookhaven is about 136 miles from Greenville, roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive down I-85 without stops. Google Maps estimates 2 hours 27 minutes to Town Brookhaven, so leaving after school on Friday works.
Is parking free at Town Brookhaven?
Yes. Town Brookhaven says its parking is free. ATL Fluid Art, HOBNOB, Kilwins, The Flying Biscuit Cafe and Jerks Caribbean Grill are all in the same walkable district, so we parked once and walked between stops.
Do you need a reservation at ATL Fluid Art?
Booking ahead is the safest bet. ATL Fluid Art welcomes walk-ins, but they are not guaranteed, and the studio says it fills up quickly on evenings and weekends. Walk-ins are welcome Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday are by appointment, and the studio is closed Monday. Children under 13 need a parent or guardian with them. Call 404.716.4197 or book at atlfluidart.com.
Is the Blackbeardâs Booty escape room good for young kids?
Time to Escape lists Blackbeardâs Booty as a 75-minute, medium-difficulty room for 2 to 8 players. In our experience it was best for older kids and adults. Our younger girls colored instead, while the rest of us worked through the puzzles.
Is the Brookhaven Farmers Market open in the winter?
The regular Saturday market at Fernwood Circle ran March 28 through October 31 in 2026. The market returns December 5 and 6 for its Holiday Bazaar at Brookhaven City Centre, 4001 Peachtree Road Northeast, with more than 20 vendors. Check the marketâs Holiday Bazaar page for hours.
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