My husband and I were looking for a weekend getaway that would allow us the opportunity to spend quality time together. We were sure of two things – it had to be a place where we could connect as a family and have enough activities to keep us all entertained! We have done the commercialized vacations before, I won’t name names, but it involved long lines, expensive tickets and even more expensive food. Although those vacations are wonderful too, we were looking for something more adventurous, outdoorsy and something we hadn’t done before. And, with a little research we found the perfect place – Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, Georgia.
Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort is in Stone Mountain Park and graciously hosted my family for a long weekend of true Southern hospitality. The accommodations at the resort were exemplary. It is by far the cleanest resort at which I have stayed. The grounds are breathtaking and the staff was helpful, kind and seemed to love their job (unheard of, I know!)
The kids loved the pool at the resort. They have both indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs and a baby pool. Each evening during our stay, we relaxed by the pool while enjoying the serenity of the beautiful landscaping and crackling firepits nearby.
While the kids' favorite part was the pool, my husband and I loved the breakfast buffet each morning at the restaurant that overlooked the pool. It was complete with an omelet chef and the ripest, freshest fruit.
After breakfast, we would use the shuttle the resort offers to explore Stone Mountain Park. The park is nestled on 3,200 acres of natural beauty and boasts an 825 foot tall granite mountain that you can either climb or ride a Swiss cable car to the top. Upon reaching the top there are magnificent views of the state of Georgia.
The park offers many additional activities for families including: Sky Hike, 4-D Movie Theatre, Geyser Towers, Miniature Golf, Golf, Ride The Ducks, Scenic Railroad and much more. You can find more on these activities here.
One of our favorite activities at the Park was The Great Barn. It is a place for all ages to run around, slide down four-story tall slides, climb net walls and play several games that involve foam balls and pneumatic machines that shoot the balls, suck them up and spray them all over. Okay, it’s hard to explain – you will have to check it out for yourselves!
We ended the night with the Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision. The experience is indescribable, but, here is an honest attempt: You set up a blanket or chairs on a huge lawn in front of the Mountain at dusk and when it’s dark they use neon lights on the side of the Mountain to tell a story with characters, popular music, fireworks and much more. My entire family was in awe of the whole experience. They offer the Lasershow each night and it’s free!
We set out on our trip to be able to reconnect and relax. We accomplished our goal. We made lifelong memories and can’t wait to get back to Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort and Stone Mountain Park. If you are interested in finding out more about the resort, visit http://www.evergreenmarriott.com/.Disclaimer: Stone Mountain Park and Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort hosted the Madera family for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
