Stone Mountain is a wonderful place that I have visited way too many times to count. The reason for that is I love the family atmosphere. I can bring my entire family, and everyone can have a blast. I have six children ranging from the ages of 11 to 1 years old. I have 2 girls and 4 boys.
We recently went to check out the new Mega Bugs attraction. Let me tell you, we were excited as soon as we pulled up. There is a HUGE katydid outside to greet you. My kids were Ooooing and Aweing at the sight of it, making this a great photo op.
Since this was a special occasion, to get a sneak peek of the new attraction, Stone Mountain had a fun idea to host some bug games. I am including this in my review because I have a child with mild needs. She has anxiety which can over take her and change the dynamics in a room quickly. She was chosen to play the game, but in the last moment she couldn’t. I want to tell you the staff made her feel like a rock star. After the games were done, I had a few employees come and see how she was. They made her feel included. One employee Mark went out of his way and talked with her for about 15-20 minutes. He was about to leave because his shift was over, but instead he chatted with her. He made her smile and was so kind. He even laughed at her silliness. She left with the biggest smile on her face. I know there are parents who have even more struggles, but this encounter made this Mama so happy and grateful.
When the games were done the doors were open to the Mega Bug Attraction. Soon as you walk into the door you get thrown in to world where bugs are your size! This was super fascinating to my five-year-old son. We just had a discussion on bugs and their body parts. He was scared to see the bee, but also intrigued. My two girls wanted to take pictures with almost every bug. They especially loved the white preying mantis and the dragonfly. They walked the trail and imitated the bugs. It was a nice surprise to see some of the bugs move!!! One bug was even dabbing (according to the kids). You will have to go and see which bug it was.
The Mega Bug attraction is outdoors on a very nice trail. It has a small up and down hill. This can easily allow a wheelchair or a stroller to go. It is in the trees and you can hear birds and maybe even see real bugs (we didn’t actually look because the life size ones were so cool). At the end and the beginning of the trail is a nice spot for a photo op. You can take pictures through out the trail as well. The trail took us about 15 to walk through because we had to read the signs and admire some bugs longer than others.
The Mega Bugs Attraction is a nice addition to what Stone Mountain already offers families. There is the Geyser Tower which is a fun place to cool off by climbing through a jungle gym while water splashes you from a geyser. Note, closed toed shoes are required to climb the structure. There is also a small water spout for toddler size kids. Big and small kids can play at Camp Highland Outpost. This is where you can do some rope obstacle course, try rock climbing, or hang out in the sand near the little water creek. Note, closed toed shoes are a requirement again. There is also the 4D movie which is Ice Age: No Time for Nuts. Take a train ride around Stone Mountain. Try your hand at the Great Locomotive Chase Adventure Golf. This is a HUGE family favorite. There are two museums one near Summit Skyride (this is a gondola that takes you to the top of Stone Mountain) and one near the base of the hiking trail that you use to hike up Stone Mountain. My kids even my 2-year-old loves to hike up the mountain. There is an indoor play area called Dinotorium. It has three floors of fun for the kids. The last gem of the park is the Historic Square which is found across the street from the actual village. There you will find some homes built in 1793 and 1875. Once you are done exploring the homes you can visit the farm. There are live animals on the farm. If you use your walking feet you may even get to pet a goat or two.
No matter how many times I have been to Stone Mountain I still want to go again. Over the years Stone Mountain has become a second home for my family. We are Mountain Members and probably will be for years to come. Spring Break is an excellent time to go. Take your family for some fun and adventure. I know I will be and look forward for many more years of memories.
