Ready to explore Cobb County, GA? Get ready to cheer on the Atlanta Braves, ride thrilling coasters, learn about history, and eat delicious food with a fun, family trip to Cobb County, Georgia, less than three hours from the Upstate, SC. We’ve got all the info on how to plan a fun family trip to Cobb County to see the Braves plus where to eat and play. 

Thank you to Cobb Travel & Tourism for inviting us to enjoy their beautiful county and providing accommodations and tickets!

Cobb County spans the Northwest part of the Atlanta Metro area and packs quite a punch when it comes to enjoying a lot of family fun. From restaurants to playgrounds to museums and state parks, we’ll tell you all the cool stuff to do to plan a trip with your family. 

Use the map below to discover great lodging options in Cobb County.
Through an affiliate relationship with Stay22, Kidding Around earns when you book through this map.

About Cobb County, Georgia

Cobb County is located in the Northwestern part of the Atlanta metro area and includes the towns of Marietta, Smyrna, Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Mableton, and Powder Springs. The founding of Cobb County goes all the way back to 1832. The county is home to several important Civil War battles, including the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in July 1864. Cobb County’s current population is 766,149, according to the 2020 Census. 

Fun fact about Cobb County is that host two of Atlanta’s professional sports league teams: the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta United. 

Cobb County is referred to as “Atlanta’s Sweet Spot” because it’s not only easy to reach from major interstates, but has a diverse mix of everything you could imagine from outdoor activities like hiking and biking to history to restaurants to sports. There is truly something for everyone. The county is about a two-and-a-half hour drive from the Upstate but be sure to leave some time for traffic because Atlanta is huge. 

Where to Play & Explore 

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park 

This national historic site is a fascinating and beautiful spot. A decisive battle at the end of the Civil War, the battle at Kennesaw Mountain was a long and drawn-out event, starting in late June 1894. The North was led by General Sherman and the South was led by General Johnston. This was essentially the last mountain between Sherman and Atlanta. 

The Visitors Center has an excellent museum you walk through to see the timeline of events, main characters, and even old Confederate and Union military uniforms. There are 22 miles of trails, including one up to the top of the mountain and others to see the old trenches used during the battle. We got about halfway up to the top and then turned to try to find the trenches but ran out of time. Be sure to watch the 35-minute video about the battle and get the free Junior Ranger books for your kids. 

Parking is $5 unless you have the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass. 

900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, GA 
Visitors Center is open daily 9 am – 5 pm
Trails are open 6:30 am – 6:30 pm (November-March) and 6:30 am – 8:30 pm (March – November)

See the Atlanta Braves play

If you’re going to Cobb County, you need to see the Braves play. The game is just electric! The entire atmosphere is electric, with everything from eating and hanging at The Battery beforehand to cheering on the Braves during the game, to even walking back to the hotel with all the other fans. It was an amazing experience and perfect for families. Read our full review for all the details.

755 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA

Glover Park 

Glover Park is the very center of Marietta, the town square where there’s an adorable little train playground, beautiful gazebo, fountain, and stage. There are plenty of benches to relax at and seasonal events. There are several local businesses all around the square to explore and it’s a great place to grab ice cream and sit while the kids play.

50 N Park Square NE, Marietta, GA
Open 6 am – 3:45 am daily

Windy Cindy Community Center Playground 

This inclusive playground is huge and has lots of slides, a ninja course, and shaded benches for caregivers to sit and relax. There is a ramp that allows kids in wheelchairs to get on a moving platform at the playground. Besides the shaded areas over the benches, there is not really much else that is shaded so it’s best to go here early in the morning or later in the evening on warm days. 

1885 Roswell Street SE, Smyrna, GA

Six Flags Over America

This massive theme park is located in Cobb County and has lots of fast, fun roller coasters, places to eat, and a day full of adventure. Get there when the park opens because the lines just get longer as the day goes by. Read our full review for all the info.

275 Riverside Parkway SW, Austell, GA
See Six Flags website for hours.

Marietta History Center

I had no idea there was so much history in this town! The Marietta History Center is amazing in how they lay out what happened here – everything from how families were told to save electricity during the Great Depression to uniforms worn by the women in the military to Civil War battles to the history and culture of African Americans to the history of Scouting.

Plus, they have items of historical and military clothing to dress up with. We were there during one of their free Saturday events, which worked out perfectly since they had some extra arts and crafts to do (plus free admission) – you can find that schedule here. 

1 Depot Street, Marietta, GA
Open 10 am – 4 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays
Admission is $10/adults, $7/students

Where to Eat 

Marietta Square Market

The Marietta Square Market is a massive food court with almost any kind of cuisine imaginable: Greek, Italian, Chinese, Korean, American, you name it. There are so many options that I promise you it will be hard to choose. My kids got burgers and I got a bulgogi chicken bowl that was delicious. We ended up going on trivia night, which means I got to show off my mad 90s trivia knowledge in front of my kids. It was awesome. 

You’ll have to pay to park but make good use of the time and walk on over to the beautiful town square of Marietta, where there’s a beautiful fountain gazebo, and super cool train playground for smaller kids. 

68 North Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA
Open Sunday – Thursday 11 am – 9 pm and Friday-Saturday from 11 am – 10 pm

Marietta Diner

This place is exactly what you would likely picture as an authentic, shiny, neon-covered diner. The Marietta Diner is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and has an extensive, delicious menu. When you walk in, I dare you not to salivate over one of the giant cheesecake slices behind the glass counter. We had pancakes, French Toast, and oatmeal for breakfast and weren’t even hungry until after 2 pm. The portions are huge. This place was made famous when it was featured on Food Network’s “Diner, Drive-ins and Dives.”

306 Cobb Pkwy SE South, Marietta, GA
Open 24/7

Piu Bella

Pizza is my favorite food so I was more than excited to try Piu Bella. It was delicious and the staff were just the sweetest. They also have an array of salads, calzones, and hoagies. The pizza is New York style and came pretty close to what I grew up eating in the Northeast. Definitely recommend. 

2014 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA

Goldberg’s Fine Foods

Goldberg’s is an authentic Jewish deli with bagels made in-house, black & white cookies, and a delicious array of breakfast and lunch items. They have a couple locations in the Cobb County area but we went to the one at The Battery since it was within walking distance to our hotel. 

Marietta Square Farmers Market

This was one of the best Farmers Markets I have been to due to its vast size and variety of options. There were jewelry makers, florists selling gorgeous flowers, bakers selling cookies and sweets, farms selling produce and meat, local honey, and elderberry, and my favorite, a German bakery! I spent a ridiculous amount of money on pretzels and a chocolate croissant but it was worth it! 

41 Mill Street, Marietta, GA
Saturdays 9 am – Noon, year-round

Where to Stay 

Cobb County hosted us at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria, just a short walk from Truist Park where the Braves play.

This hotel is in an ideal location, especially if you’re going to see the Braves play. No traffic or jostling for parking – just walk, take the hotel shuttle, or hire a pedicab. It’s easy and fun! This was one of the best reasons for staying here, especially if your trip centers around going to the Braves game. It was so easy to get back to the hotel and not deal with traffic. 

While the hotel doesn’t have free breakfast, they do have an adjacent restaurant, Rocks Restaurant & Bar, where you can get breakfast if you don’t feel like heading out to a nearby restaurant. There’s also a beautiful fitness room and outdoor pool. The staff were all so kind and helpful because, once again, one of my kids forgot their toothbrush. Our regular readers know this is a common occurrence! I was grateful the hotel could help us out. 

There is a charge for overnight parking per night but there is free WiFi. 

200 Interstate N Pkwy, Atlanta, GA

Ready to explore Cobb County?

If you’re ready to explore Cobb County, you can do most of the activities we suggested here in a few days but there are many, more fun things to do that we weren’t able to get to! Also, the Cobb Tourism & Travel website is a great resource. Be sure to check their calendar because the event scene in Cobb County is fantastic.

If you go, we’d love to hear how your trip was!

Cobb Tourism & Travel
Cobb Tourism & Travel Website | Facebook | Instagram

There’s more to love in Atlanta, GA.

Discover more than 15 things to do with kids in Atlanta, GA!

For a totally unique experience, the pop-up art exhibit at the Balloon Museum: Let’s Fly in Atlanta should be a must-see with your whole family! 

Thank you to the Balloon Museum for providing media tickets for this review. All opinions are those of the author.

The Balloon Museum: Let’s Fly is a pop-up art exhibit with lots of interactive elements that make for a really unique experience for kids – and adults – of all ages. Here’s what you need to know and why we thought this exhibit was just so surprising, fun, and whimsical!

About the Balloon Museum: Let’s Fly

There are only a couple of other Balloon Museum exhibits in the world besides the one in Atlanta so it’s a very unique experience and one you won’t find anywhere else in the country. 

The art exhibit opened in February 2024 and will close June 9, 2024. It’s located in Pullman Yards near downtown Atlanta. 

There are several installations in the museum itself that are interactive – think falling into a ginormous ball pit, trying to pop bubbles, pushing giant balls on swings, and a mirrored hallway. Other installations you cannot touch but are very neat to look at. 

The entire exhibit really seeks to push the boundaries of art as you know it and guides you as you step into the unknown. Prepare to be wowed. 

Our Favorite Exhibits

It’s hard to choose which exhibits were our favorite but definitely at the top of the list was the ginormous ball pit. This ball pit was just huge, bigger than a large swimming pool at a resort, and while you couldn’t jump in, you could get in and walk around or trust fall into it. It was so much fun! At the end of the session, there is a show that lights up the ball pit and includes background videos and balls that slide down from the ceiling. It was amazing. 

We also really loved the mirrored entranceway. I actually had no idea which way to go. It was like a cool illusion. 

There were giant swinging balls to push around and characters in a space fluorescent room that you could push over that shot right back up. There was a fun room at the end for selfies with different balloon-themed areas. We loved it. 

There is also a bubble installation where the room goes dark for a second and then lights up near the ceiling. The bubbles are then shot out and into the crowd of people. 

There is a Virtual Reality show as well, which is really fun and interesting. A neat exhibit is of a huge balloon that is bounced around a room and makes art as it goes. There is charcoal on it so you may get your hands a little dirty but it’s totally worth it.

Best Ages for the Balloon Museum

Literally, any age is going to love the Balloon Museum. When we went, there were adults and kids of all ages and we were all totally enamored by the experience.

We all loved walking around in the ball pit and being awed by the immensity of it. The bubbles were such a hit and the balls that hung from the ceiling that you had to push brought out the inner child in all the adults.  

This is probably the thing I loved about the Balloon Museum: that it was all a total, immersive, whimsical surprise around every corner. I forgot about everything else in my life for a while and just enjoyed the quirky, off-the-wall exhibits. 

There are no strollers allowed so if you do have a smaller child, you’ll have to carry them. 

Need to Know about the Balloon Museum

Here are some tips on how to best enjoy the Balloon Museum: Let’s Fly in Atlanta: 

• The exhibit closes June 9, 2024, so you’ll need to go before then. 
• No strollers or large bags are allowed. There is an area for coat check and a place to leave your stroller. 
• There is no shade when you’re in line to get into the museum so bring a hat and wear sunscreen. 
• Parking is paid. It’s $7/hour and weekends and $6/hour on weekdays. 
• You have to purchase your ticket online and they are timed tickets. 
• There are some parts of the exhibit that have warnings for those with epilepsy. You can skip those sections if needed.

Visiting the Balloon Museum 

Tickets to the Balloon Museum are $39/adults, $29/ages 4-12, and free for kids ages 3 and under. If you sign up for their email newsletter, you’ll likely get a discount code. 

Allow for a little over an hour to go through the museum. You can take as many photos and videos as you like but the employees will be moving you through the exhibits so you cannot just hang out at any specific one. 

Stay Near the Balloon Museum

Use the map below to find lodging options near the Balloon Museum.
Kidding Around earns when you book through these links through an affiliate relationship with Stay22.

Balloon Museum: Let’s Fly
225 Rogers Street, NE, Atlanta, GA
Balloon Museum Website

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Are you wondering what it’s like to go to an Atlanta Braves Game? The Atlanta Braves, in Atlanta, GA, are the closest Major League Baseball team to Greenville, SC – and boy is it worth the experience of going to a game there! We were invited to an Atlanta Braves game and are here to tell you all about how to experience the thrill of a MLB game at Truist Park with your family. 

Thank you to Cobb Tourism & Travel for inviting us to an Atlanta Braves game and arranging the trip!

I had grown up going to Philadelphia Phillies games with my family and they were always a lot of fun because of the excitement of going to a big game in a big city in a big stadium. The closest MLB team we have nearest us in Greenville, SC are the Atlanta Braves. I could not have been more excited to take my own kids to experience some of that same excitement I felt as a kid at a Major League Baseball game. 

Atlanta Braves: Truist Park 

The Braves play at Truist Park, a 41,000-seat stadium with four levels, dozens of restaurants, and a play area for kids with a zipline, climbing wall, and batting cage. 

Tickets can be purchased through the MLB website, which is linked to Ticketmaster. Getting the MLB app and the Ticketmaster app before you make your purchase can help make things go smoother. You’ll need to show your tickets on your phone to get in as paper tickets are not accepted. The venue is also cashless. 

One cool thing that I wish I knew about beforehand is the Truist Park Tour, a guided 90-minute tour of the stadium. The Atlanta Braves is the longest, continuously operative franchise in Major League Baseball so they have an extensive and fascinating history, which you’ll learn about on this tour. Plus, you get to visit places in the stadium you wouldn’t otherwise get to see, like the dugout (on game days, you have to take earlier tours to see the dugout), and without thousands of other fans with you. You have to reserve these tickets online and they happen almost every day. Tickets are $32/adult and $20/kids. 

Atlanta Braves: The Battery 

The Battery is like a tiny town in and of itself outside of Truist Park. There’s an entertainment facility, lots of restaurants, places to shop, a big green space and stage for live entertainment, parking, and a hotel. 

We went over to Goldberg’s for breakfast the morning of the game to check it out and I ended up participating in an awesome, free workout by Amy by Bodyfit. I didn’t know who she was until I looked her up later (turns out she is crazy popular) but the workout was a blast! But during the time before the game, the place is packed with people getting cocktails and beer, the kids playing in the splash pad, people eating dinner, promoters giving away free stuff, drummers playing on their five-gallon overturned buckets, mascots taking photos with fans, and just an overall fun and exciting vibe happening. 

We had no idea where to turn first when we got there. We ended up taking the hotel shuttle over to The Battery and went in search of dinner but got easily distracted by all the fun things happening around us. It was recommended to us to eat at PH’EAST, a Far East food hall on the outskirts of The Battery and a little less crowded than the restaurants nearest the stadium. That was an excellent recommendation but my kids decided they wanted something a little more American. The food looked amazing though and they had bathrooms. 

We ended up eating at a food truck right outside one of the stadium gates that served fries, burgers, and hot dogs. It was actually pretty good, much to my surprise. There really isn’t anywhere there that serves cheap eats but there are lots of excellent options like tacos, nachos, a beer garden, a pizza place, and a burger joint. After looking at several of the menus while walking around, I don’t think you can go wrong with any option. 

Just be sure to decide if you want to eat at The Battery or not before going into the stadium because once they scan your tickets, you can’t leave and reenter. 

Atlanta Braves: Watching the Game 

The game itself was so exciting and a lot of fun. The music, the energy, and the fans were engaging and lively. 

When the pitcher struck out a player of the opposing team, fireworks went off. The race of the Home Depot tools (people dressed up as a paintbrush, hammer, etc.) were hilarious. We were dying laughing along with everyone else. All the fans sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th Inning stretch and the ax chop, typical of the Braves fans, happened several times. It was quite the sight. 

On Friday nights during home games, the team shoots off fireworks after the game. There were so many families at the game; it was a delight to see. This was truly a family-friendly activity and we immensely enjoyed the experience. It was totally different than any other MLB game I’ve attended. The fans were totally into the game and the innings seemed to fly by. My daughters said it was the best part of our whole trip. 

If you get to the stadium a little early, you can buy tokens for your kids to have some fun at the Hope & Will’s Sandlot. There is a zipline, climbing wall, batting cage, arcade game and photo opportunities. This is located at Sections 152-155 and tokens are $1 each. 

Atlanta Braves: Parking

Like anywhere in Atlanta, parking is expensive and a challenge. My best piece of advice is to stay where we did at the Atlanta North Marriott, a 10-15 minute walk from the stadium, so you don’t need to worry about parking. 

But if you need a place to park, the stadium offers multiple lots that are anywhere from right next to the stadium to a 15-minute walk away. They recommend you purchase parking ahead of time. You can do that and see the map of where the official lots are located on the ballpark website.

Prices range anywhere from $17 up to $52 + Ticketmaster fees for the various lots. There are other places you can find that are unofficial Atlanta Braves parking lots, including the hotel where we stayed. Parking was $30 at the time of this writing. Of course, always be prudent wherever you park and lock valuables out of sight or just don’t take them in your car. 

Atlanta Braves: Where to Stay 

Cobb County hosted us at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria, a 10-15 minute walk from Truist Park, which absolutely came in handy when the game ended close to 10 pm and thousands of people exited the stadium at the same time and drove home. 

I would one thousand percent stay here again if we were going to a Braves game for that reason. While it is a beautiful and comfortable hotel, the convenience of staying at this Marriott was worth the hassle and stress of trying to find parking and driving with thousands of other people after the game. 

Use the map below to explore lodging options near Truist Park!
Kidding Around earns when you book through this nap through an affiliate relationship with Stay22.

Atlanta Braves: Tips 

Here are some things to know before you go: 

• The Battery is packed before game time. If you plan to eat before the game, get there a couple hours early. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from but there are also thousands of people. 
• Bags aren’t allowed in the stadium. The exceptions are medical bags no larger than what is required to transport necessary medical equipment, breast pumps for nursing mothers and other bags required for guests with ADA needs, diaper bags for guests accompanied by infant(s) and/or toddler(s), small, single compartment clutches no larger than 5 x 9 inches, small, single compartment clear bags no larger than 5 x 9 inches. 
• You can bring outside food into the stadium but it must be in a gallon-sized plastic bag. A single, sealed bottle of water can also be carried inside. This is a great way to save money on food and water because it is very costly. A bottle of water inside the stadium is $5.

Ready to see the Braves in Action? 

If you’re ready to book your tickets, you can get Braves tickets online, which I recommend. Heading to a Braves game is super popular activity and depending on the game, you may not have a lot of options of where to sit due to sections being sold out. 

Tickets range widely in price but the upper levels start around $11 depending on the game. 

I’d absolutely recommend this experience for families. You don’t even need to know much about baseball to enjoy it! It’s just really exciting to see a major league team, especially one as good as the Braves, play and enjoy all the festivities and make those memories with your family. 

Atlanta Braves
755 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 
MLB website

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