Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
Everyone should know about Callanwolde Fine Arts Center—it's one of the best indoor winter escapes in DeKalb County! The center is in a stunning 1920s Tudor Revival mansion, once the home of Coca-Cola executive Charles Howard Candler. The 27-acre estate now serves as a multidisciplinary arts center featuring galleries, classrooms, gardens, and performance spaces.
Head here during the holidays for Winter House, featuring rotating art exhibitions, seasonal concerts, Santa, and glittering holiday decorations.
See MoreStone Mountain Park
Stone Mountain Park is a year-round destination, but winter is an especially nice time to experience its 3,200 acres of natural beauty. Cooler temperatures make hiking the 1-mile Walk-Up Trail to the summit more comfortable—check out the panoramic views of metro Atlanta on clear days!
Stone Mountain Christmas, which runs most of December and into the beginning of January, is a fun way to immerse you and the whole family in seasonal magic. The park is decorated with over two million dazzling lights, has light shows, festive music, and more, like the Magical Flight to the North Pole to see Santa's Workshop.
See MoreSummit Skyride
How about taking a Magical Flight to the North Pole?! As part of the Stone Mountain Christmas, you can ride the Summit Skyride, a Swiss cable car, up more than 825 feet to the top of Stone Mountain to see Santa's Workshop. For the holiday, the cable car has special themeing and immersive storytelling that makes the season magical for the whole family.
See MoreFernbank Museum | 3D Theater | Forest
The Fernbank Museum is another winter favorite thanks to its combination of immersive indoor exhibits and accessible outdoor nature experiences.
Inside, explore towering dinosaur skeletons, hands-on science exhibits, and rotating traveling exhibitions that appeal to both kids and adults. The museum is also home to Georgia’s largest indoor IMAX screen—an easy all-day winter destination! Outside, Fernbank Forest offers 75 acres of old-growth woodland, with paved and natural trails that remain open year-round.
And, on select nights through February 28, 2026, Fernbank comes alive with nighttime museum hours indoors and WildWoods: AGLOW outdoors. These multi-sensory after-hours experiences immerse you in nature with special lighting and projections that highlight the living flora and fauna within WildWoods!
See MoreDavidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve
Stretching out over 2,200 acres, the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve is one of metro Atlanta’s most unique landscapes. It's known for its large exposed granite outcrops that feel a little bit like walking on another planet.
Boardwalks and multi-use paths allow you to explore sensitive ecosystems while protecting native plant life. In winter, it's a peaceful way to get into nature—plus fewer bugs!
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