Atlanta Day Trips: Unicoi State Park

One of Georgia's most popular parks, 1,050-acre Unicoi State Park lies just north of Helen and about 90 miles from Atlanta. During the state's 1830s Gold Rush, the area played a significant role in mining and shipping the metal to market. These days, however, visitors strike gold by way of 12 miles of hiking trails, eight miles of singletrack, and a 53-acre lake.

Photo credit: Unicoi State Park, Georgia (courtesy, Georgia Division of Tourism)

Cheap Family-Friendly Cities

Check out these four great destinations to get the best bang for your family travel buck.

Salt Lake City
Nestled at the base of a stunning mountain range, near miles and miles of shimmering salt flats and the Great Salt Lake, not to mention some of the country's best skiing. Cultural attractions include the Family History Center and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Stay in one of the city’s many hotels, or venture out to a nearby resort or campground.

Atlanta Highlights: Georgia Aquarium

Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest, with eight million gallons of fresh and marine water and over 100,000 animals, including four whale sharks and five beluga whales. A walk through the aquarium's highlight, a 100-foot-long underwater tunnel, will leave you in awe as hammerheads, giant stingrays, and other fish swim above and around you.

Photo credit: Whale shark in Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta (courtesy, Georgia Aquarium)