Family-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Atlanta
Published January 5, 2026
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Valentine’s Day in Atlanta isn’t just for couples. With creative outings, hands-on activities and sweet seasonal treats, the city offers plenty of ways for families to celebrate together. Plan a full day of adventure or a simple afternoon outing. Atlanta sets the perfect backdrop for making memories with the people you love. Here are fun and family-friendly Valentine’s Day ideas that parents and kids can enjoy together.
Explore dazzling exhibits and interactive attractions
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Celebrate the season surrounded by color. February is a beautiful time to visit Atlanta Botanical Garden, where the Orchid Center is in full bloom. Kids will love spotting bright patterns and unusual shapes while you explore warm indoor conservatories.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Spend Valentine’s Day on a journey through science and nature at Fernbank Museum. Walk through the dinosaur-filled Great Hall, see a movie in the Giant Screen Theater or stroll the outdoor WildWoods trails where forest boardwalks invite families to wander and explore.
Georgia Aquarium
Share a heart-filled moment in front of the Ocean Voyager tunnel at Georgia Aquarium. Watch manta rays glide overhead, see the African penguins up close and enjoy daily shows that spark curiosity.
Make Valentine’s Day extra sweet with delicious treats
Celebrate the day with something sweet from Atlanta’s favorite bakeries and dessert shops. Local spots like Sweet Hut Bakery & Café (Midtown), Five Daughters Bakery and Sublime Doughnuts roll out festive treats every February, from heart-shaped pastries to strawberry-glazed doughnuts and chocolate-dipped creations. Families can turn the stop into its own mini-adventure by browsing the display case together and picking out one special treat each. Here are more coffee shops and bakeries in Atlanta.
Learn chocolate-making at Chamberlains Chocolate Factory through hands-on chocolate experiences where families can see how confections are made and also decorate their own sweets. It’s a fitting Valentine’s outing that ends with boxed chocolates to take home.
Cook up something more savory at Young Chefs Academy where hands-on cooking classes are designed just for kids and parents. Families work together to prepare themed recipes like pizza, pasta or decorated desserts and everyone leaves having made their own dish from start to finish.
Take a family baking class at The Cooking Schools in Virginia Highland. This long-running Atlanta cooking school hosts family and kid-friendly classes throughout the year. Valentine’s season often features baking-focused sessions where kids can mix, decorate and sample sweet treats alongside parents.
Create your own Valentine’s Day adventure outdoors
Atlanta Beltline
Enjoy a refreshing walk or bike ride along the Beltline, where public art, skyline views and wide open spaces make it easy for families to explore together. Pose for murals, stop for hot cocoa or check out nearby playgrounds.
Chattahoochee Nature Center
Take a quiet afternoon trip to the Chattahoochee Nature Center for wildlife programs, river views and short wooded trails. Families can enjoy hands-on exhibits that help young explorers learn about Georgia’s natural world.
Take a winter hike
If Feb. 14 is a mild winter day, consider bundling up for a shorter, kid-friendly hike.
Starlight Drive-In
Though not exactly outdoors, Starlight Drive-In can still be considered an adventure. Starlight Drive-In turns movie night into a laid-back family experience with back-to-back films, cozy car seating and the freedom to snack, stretch out or head home when kids are ready. It’s a nostalgic Atlanta staple that makes Valentine’s night easy and memorable.
Go ice skating together
Atlanta’s seasonal rinks offer a fun way for families to spend time together. Head to spots like Skate the Sky at Ponce City Market or The Rink at Park Tavern where twinkling lights, upbeat music and city views create a festive setting. After skating, warm up with hot chocolate or a sweet treat. Here’s your guide to ice skating in Atlanta.
Enjoy arts, crafts and hands-on fun
Center for Puppetry Arts
Celebrate the day with a cheerful outing to the Center for Puppetry Arts, where families can enjoy a special Valentine’s performance of Pete the Cat. Kids will love seeing the colorful characters come to life on stage in a story filled with music and playful moments. After the show, head to the Create-A-Puppet Workshop where each child can make his or her own themed puppet to take home as a keepsake. It’s a fun and imaginative way to spend Valentine’s Day together.
More places to make
- Chastain Arts Center offers family-friendly art classes and workshops throughout the year in Buckhead. Kids can work with clay, paint or mixed media in a relaxed studio environment led by professional instructors.
- Choose from mugs, plates or heart-themed ceramics and paint side by side at All Fired Up. Pieces are glazed and fired on-site, giving families a keepsake they can pick up later and use at home. There are several Atlanta locations.
- Spruill Center for the Arts offers family-focused art workshops where parents and kids create side by side. Seasonal classes often include clay projects, painting or mixed-media crafts that allow each child to make a finished piece to take home. It’s a relaxed, instructor-led environment that encourages creativity without pressure.
Add a playful twist to Valentine’s Day
Sloomoo Institute
Atlanta’s immersive slime and sensory experience takes place at Sloomoo Institute where kids can stretch, swirl and design their own custom slime with themed mix-ins that make the day feel extra festive. Interactive stations invite families to get hands-on with gooey textures, glittery creations and photo-worthy moments that capture all the fun. It’s a lively and creative way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with kids who love to explore and make a little mess.
Beat The Bomb Atlanta delivers a high-energy group experience where families work together to solve tech-driven puzzles and complete physical challenges inside immersive game rooms. Teams race against the clock to disarm the “bomb,” ending the adventure with a colorful paint or foam finale that kids will be talking about long after Valentine’s Day.
Play board games at Joystick Gamebar during family-friendly hours. Earlier hours welcome families to enjoy classic arcade games and console play. It’s a fun, low-pressure way to spend time together indoors with games everyone recognizes.
Midtown Bowl keeps things easy and family-friendly with classic lanes, bumpers for kids and casual food everyone recognizes. It’s a low-pressure outing where all ages can play, cheer each other on and enjoy a shared activity that doesn’t need planning or prep. Here are more Atlanta game bars and bowling alleys.
Plan your family Valentine’s Day getaway
Valentine’s Day in Atlanta is full of ways to spend quality time together. Plan a cozy staycation at one of these Atlanta hotels then set off on an adventure that makes everyone feel included and loved. Need more ideas? Check out these 50 fun things to do in Atlanta.
Joleen Pete is a storyteller and dream-weaver, inspired by the magic in everyday moments and the untold stories waiting to be shared.
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