Atlanta City Guide featuring @LayBabyLay

With the help of Joni from the inspirational blog Lay Baby Lay and Haily from Lucy Darling, we are very excited to bring you this fun guide to Atlanta with kids.

Enjoy!

(1) The Atlanta Zoo: We have family passes for the second year in a row.  It's so worth it, and Vivi and Brigette both love the outing!  There are lots of baby animals right now, like the twin pandas (so cute!), and we also love the playground areas and splash pad, too, on super hot days.  This area of town is also close to some yummy places to eat, and we like to stop at Ria's Bluebird cafe for a super tasty breakfast before we see the animals.   If we need a quicker stop, we'll go to the Octane Coffee on Memorial.

(2) The Georgia Aquarium: We also have family passes here for the third year in a row, and we use these the most.  It's especially fun to stop in on a hot day, because it's so cool and calming walking around all the amazing underwater creatures.  Vivi has learned so much from our visits here, and I can never get enough of the otters!  The dolphin show is also pretty impressive, but it's a little intense for Vivi (some kids her age find it to be fine, but she is kind of sensitive to loud noises / intense action), so just keep that in mind if you have little ones with similar feelings.  It can get crowded on the weekends, but if you get there right when it opens, it isn't so bad, and it's usually super low key during the week.  

(3) Figo Pasta: There are several of these around Atlanta, and this place is hands down my favorite spot to eat with kids.  (We usually go to the one in Vinings).  The handmade pasta is just unbelievably tasty, and they have a really great lunch special.  The girls always eat super well here (the sea bass and broccoli is Vivi's favorite dish, and Brigette loves the gemelli with pecorino and lemon, which I usually share with her!).  I always make sure to try out the monthly specials, like the watermelon and arugula salad which they are featuring this month.  The wait staff is always excellent and super patient with the kids, and they also give out bread with olive oil for dipping when you sit down, which is an extra bonus with kids.  We usually go once a week!

(4) Lewis & Sheron: This is a bit of an odd one, but it's my favorite fabric store.  I love going here with Brigette when Vivi is in school and walking up and down the long aisles of beautiful, colorful fabrics.  Brigie loves talking about the colors and shapes, and touching the different textures.  It's a great place for me to get inspired, too.  It's also right next to my favorite part of town, the West Side, where we will often stop for lunch at Taqueria or Star Provisions.  (Also my favorite neighborhood for a date night - so many great places to eat!).

(5) The Botanical Garden:  This is another great place for a family outing.  Our favorite time to go is at Christmas, when they have the light displays.  It's simply magical, and one of our favorite family traditions.

(6) Goldberg's: This is our favorite spot to brunch before church.  It's simple, easy, and good.  The girls love the bagels and oatmeal!

(7) Marietta Square: This is not Atlanta proper, but Chip co-works off the square, so we spend a lot of time up there meeting him for lunches or swinging by to say hey.  There are several yummy places to eat, like Taqueria Tsunami and Sugar Cakes, and the girls always love walking around the park in the middle to see the fountain or play on the little train.

(8) I have to mention a couple of favorite shopping spots for kids!!  You can't miss the blabla flagship store in adorable Virginia Highlands, or Seed Factory, which has the best collection of children's clothing, accessories, and nursery items!