Atlanta with Kids: Geyser Towers at Stone Mountain (and more)

CultureMom — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:14:58 +0000

Source: Examiner.com/

On our current visit to Atlanta, I am trying to take my kids to places we have yet to explore, so when I received an invitation to check out the new Geyser Towers at Stone Mountain, I was thrilled. Born and raised in Atlanta, I am always eager to revisit places and attractions that I loved as a child, and Stone Mountain was one of them. I have vivid memories of climbing the mountain to the summit, watching the dazzling lazer show at night, picnics with my family on park benches, heading to the park’s beach and water slides. I was eager to visit this new attraction.

My kids really didn’t know what to expect as we entered Stone Mountain, and we were eager to hit a few of the other spots first. It was a hot day and we wanted to wait a bit to get wet, which is what happens to any child who enters the Geysers.

With our Adventure Pass (a great deal for a family – $125 for a family of four), we first ventured to Sky Hike (pictured above), one of the nation’s largest adventure courses, where my children put on a harness and hiked across ropes, poles and climbed higher and higher, sending me into shock mode that my kids are so brave. This was a highlight of our day, and their view of Atlanta will never be the same again.

Then we took the Summit Skyride to the top of the mountain where I showed them a view of the city I grew up in (pictured above). We also went to a 4-D showing of Yogi Bear 4-D Adventure, a film my kids loved, laughed and cooled down to.

There is so much more to do, but we were ready for the Geyser Towers. My kids threw off their clothes, we had planned for their bathing suits underneath, kept their shoes on, and entered the gate to experience the Towers which are literally multiple levels of suspended rope bridges and net tunnels connecting visitors to towering platforms that overlook a gushing geyser. While climbing through the structure, sporadic eruptions and multiple offshoots of water will splash guests to keep cool, or climbers can challenge themselves to stay high and dry.

What’s also cool about the Geyser Towers, other than the fact that it’s the only installation of its kind in the world and the only one in North America to integrate water features. The other similar structure, located at Sea World Australia, does not include water, is also that it was built with water conservation in mind. Geyser Towers uses a closed loop system that borrows water from the Stone Mountain Lake and does not use county water, similar to the park’s popular Snow Mountain attraction. The water goes through a treatment process making it potable to meet standards suitable for people, similar to swimming pool water.

Here’s the skinny on the Geyser Towers:

- Location: Crossroads

- Cost: Included in One-Day Adventure Pass and the Mountain Membership.

- Minimum Height Requirement: 32 inches

- Companion Information: Guests between 32 inches and 40 inches tall must be accompanied by a chaperone age 16 or older.

- Wheelchair Accessible.

To say that my kids enjoyed this is an understatement. They ran up and down, stood over the geysers and soaked themselves and went back for more. Of course, I should have brought a change of clothes for my son after we went on the Geyser. As it started to rain, I realized his shirt wouldn’t be drying up anytime soon and we headed to home. Nonetheless, my kids were satisfied from their day at Stone Mountain, and so was I.

Disclosure: I was engaged by a publicist at Edelman and provided with comp tickets to experience the Geyser Towers with my children, but all opinions are my own.

The Culture Mom» Geyser Towers

Atlanta with Kids: Geyser Towers at Stone Mountain (and more)