North Atlanta Family Outing Price Check: Four Tickets Range From Free to $68
Admission prices for family outings in North Atlanta vary from free at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve to $68 at Chattahoochee Nature Center. Families can consider memberships and discounts to save on repeat visits while exploring nature, technology, and historic transportation.
Get major local stories and development updates.
A family looking for a local educational outing can spend nothing at a Johns Creek nature preserve—or nearly $70 at a Roswell museum or nature center.
For a household with two adults and two children ages 8 and 12, regular admission at four North Atlanta attractions ranges from $0 at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve to $68 at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.
The three ticketed attractions fall within only $4 of one another. The larger difference is what each price includes and whether an annual membership makes more sense than paying for repeated visits.
What a family of four pays
Attraction Adult price Child price Family-of-four total Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, Johns Creek Free Free $0 Southeastern Railway Museum, Duluth $19 $13 $64 Mimms Museum of Technology and Art, Roswell $22 $16 $66 family package Chattahoochee Nature Center, Roswell $20 $14 $68
The comparison uses general admission for two adults and two children ages 8 and 12. It excludes food, merchandise, special programs and optional activities. Families with teenagers, toddlers, seniors or military members may pay different rates.
Autrey Mill offers the free option
Autrey Mill Nature Preserve provides the clearest choice for families trying to plan a no-cost outing.
Admission to the 46-acre Johns Creek preserve is free, although donations are encouraged. The property includes approximately 1.25 miles of trails, historic farm buildings, gardens and outdoor animal exhibits.
The trails and outdoor areas are open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Visitor Center and Farm Museum generally operate Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., according to Autrey Mill’s current visitor information.
A family membership costs $50, but it is not needed for ordinary admission. The membership functions more as support for the nonprofit and includes program discounts, members-only activities and other benefits.
Autrey Mill is therefore the strongest value for a casual walk, short nature outing or introduction to local history. Families should remember that it is a preserve rather than a large indoor museum, making weather and operating hours important.
The railway museum includes one ride
The Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth charges $19 for adults and $13 for children ages 2 through 12. Two adults and two school-age children therefore pay $64.
Regular admission includes access to 35 acres of historic trains, buses and other transportation exhibits, plus one ride on either the historic train or park train when equipment, weather and volunteer staffing allow.
Additional rides cost $4 each. That would raise the sample family’s total to $80 if all four visitors purchased a second ride.
The museum is generally open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Its visitor guide advises families to dress for outdoor conditions and uneven walking surfaces.
The $64 admission total offers more than static exhibits, but the included train ride is not guaranteed under every condition. Families visiting primarily for the ride should check the day’s schedule before leaving home.
Active-duty military families and first responders can receive free admission with appropriate identification under the museum’s extended Blue Star program, potentially making this the least expensive ticketed attraction for qualifying households.
Mimms builds in a family discount
The Mimms Museum of Technology and Art charges $22 for adults and $16 for visitors ages 4 through 17.
Buying four individual tickets for the sample household would cost $76. The museum’s family-of-four package reduces the total to $66, a savings of $10.
The Roswell museum contains more than 2,000 artifacts, including supercomputers, space-program technology and the iNSPIRE exhibition devoted to 50 years of Apple innovation. That makes it the most indoor-focused option in the comparison and a useful choice during very hot or rainy weather.
Mimms is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., with the final admission sold 45 minutes before closing. Children younger than 4 enter free, while seniors, military members and college students pay $19. Current rates are available through the museum’s admission page.
A family membership for two adults and two children costs $140. On admission alone, two family visits would cost $132, so the membership becomes less expensive during a third visit. It also includes guest passes and discounts that could move the practical break-even point earlier.
Chattahoochee Nature Center has the highest day price
General admission at the Chattahoochee Nature Center costs $20 for adults and $14 for children ages 3 through 12. A student rate of $16 applies from ages 13 through 18.
The sample family pays $68, the highest total in the comparison—but only $2 more than the Mimms family package and $4 more than the railway museum.
Admission covers the Discovery Center, wildlife exhibits, trails and the River Boardwalk across the 127-acre Roswell property. Children 2 and younger enter free.
The center operates Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Its current admission schedule notes that tickets are not sold during the final 30 minutes before closing.
Families who expect to return should examine the membership price carefully. A family membership costs $130 and covers two named adults and as many as four children, along with four one-time guest passes.
Two regular visits for the sample family would cost $136, meaning the membership can pay for itself on the second visit even before the guest passes and program benefits are considered. Special fundraising events such as the Butterfly Festival and Halloween Hikes are excluded from ordinary membership admission.
The free outing and the repeat-visit choices
These attractions are not interchangeable. Autrey Mill provides free trails, animals and local history; the railway museum centers on transportation equipment and a possible train ride; Mimms offers a climate-controlled technology collection; and the Chattahoochee Nature Center provides the largest combined nature-and-exhibit experience.
For a one-time paid outing, price alone offers little separation. The totals cluster between $64 and $68.
The meaningful savings come from choosing the free preserve, using military or age-based discounts, buying Mimms’ family package instead of four separate tickets or purchasing a membership when repeat visits are likely.
Families should verify holiday hours and special-event pricing before visiting. General admission may not apply to festivals, workshops and other separately ticketed programs.
If you’ve been following growth and change around here, these stories are worth a look too.
About the Author
Good Friend Mortgage
Good Friend Mortgage has spent 21 years turning hopes into homes. With unmatched service, expert guidance, and a dedication to your future, we make...
Notice an update, correction, or detail we should include? Tell the editor. Seen something new around you? Send us a local tip.
Most Popular
A $5.8 Billion Steel Mill Is Coming to Louisiana. The Average Job Is Expected to Pay $95,000Business & Development
Siemens’ Alpharetta Rail Operation Is Hiring From $20 an Hour to $95,000 a YearBusiness & Development
