North Atlanta, GA Outdoor Activities

At the summit of Mount Yonah, hikers bask in the dying sunlight and soak up views of verdant foothills that span the horizon. Before the sun dips below the peaks, they meander back down the craggy trail toward Habersham Vineyard, where they can toast to a wholesome day of hiking. This scenic hike is one of dozens of possible routes led by Skywater Georgia Wine Hiking’s knowledgeable guides. They draw upon their knowledge of the region to showcase the best trails and wineries during daylong tours. Based on each group’s fitness level, interest, and ability to tolerate photo-bombing sasquatches, guides can plan easy-going three-hour hikes around Victoria Bryant State Park, or embark instead on a 10-hour journey up the steep foothills of Standing Indian. Regardless of the tour route, guides take time to point out local flora and fauna, and energize groups’ with a light lunch.

An elephant towers over a rushing waterfall. The torrent of water patters down the rock face to form a burbling current that cuts through lush vegetation. The sound of children laughing breaks the exotic illusion as you line up your putt. You won’t find windmills or clowns lining the holes at Rainforest Golf—just stones, thick foliage, bubbling creeks, and realistic animal models that sound just like real models. Across 36 challenging holes, players navigate bridges and ascend more than 50 feet to where a real waterfall drops into a stream. The mini golf haven also entertains birthday parties for up to 15 kids with cotton candy and Edy's ice cream served in a private party room.

In 1975, four friends with hearts full of the great outdoors decided they needed a place to get gear indoors. This quest for adventuring equipment lead Bubba Sloan, Gerald Marshall, Denny Mays, and Ned Buxton to found High Country Outfitters as a gear shop for all manner of activities performed under the sun. These days, Bubba runs the retail side of things in Buckhead, while Gerald continues to captain daring cruises down the Ocoee River's relentless rapids. The store kits out customers for safe communing with nature with tools and togs from manufacturers including The North Face, Patagonia, and Big Green Egg, whose verdantly painted smoker grill creates hot meals in the midst of a long trip or particularly boring wait in the airport. Meanwhile, guides lead expeditionary parties along on waterborne trips down the Middle and Upper Ocoee’s burbling banks, recapturing the sun-dappled fun that inspired the store's creation in the first place.

Though most kids dream of one day being a pilot, very few ever get a chance behind the cockpit. The team at American Flyers seeks to change that by training students to obtain a pilot’s license or merely try out their skills in an introductory lesson. The flight schools’ numerous locations feature flight-training software, online courses, and pigeon mentors to grant students numerous ways to learn how to fly.

In Tennis founder Chris Peck conducts private, group, and team coaching geared toward the sport he played for four years during college at his four-court facility. Peck's credentials include USPTA certification as a tennis professional and the position of tennis director for the city of Smyrna. He initiates young people into the world of racquet sports by helming afterschool programs for children as young as 4. Once they have mastered backhands, forehands, and strategy through years of practice, high-school and college competitors can sign up for the In Tennis tournament academy, where students compete to earn state, regional, and national rankings.

Atlanta Rocks' expansive vertical playground is home to hundreds of climbs, 50 top-rope stations, and more than 12,000 square feet of professionally set routes atop a safe climbing surface. All passionate climbers themselves, the staff has created interesting and intricate problems to solve for climbers of all skill levels. Climbers looking to enhance their know how can participate in one of the gym’s many programs, and the staff also drops knowledge on beginners with introductory climbing courses that include all required gear and cover subjects ranging from advanced lead climbing to the fundamentals of massaging knots out of tense rope.