After a few long weeks of health-related issues (everyone is ok), unexpected changes to plans, and a variety of curveballs being thrown at us, we decided to take a few days off for a family vacation. We did it old school style…loading up the car and hitting the road.

With Atlanta, GA, as our final destination, we began the trek. On the way, our first stop was Montgomery, Alabama, where we ate more BBQ than we should’ve (especially our 5 year old). We decided to stay the night and continue the drive the next morning.

A woman and two children are standing in front of a brick building with a Dreamland BBQ sign above them.

Once we made it to Atlanta, it was time for lunch. We visited the excellent Ponce City Market to kill some time, shop, and eat. I don’t think we ended up buying anything outside of lunch, but it was a worthwhile visit. The kids got pizza while Kalena and I went with lamb entrees.

Collage of people eating lunch.

We knew we needed the visit the excellent Georgia Aquarium. We’ve been before in years past, but our daughter was too young to remember. She’s been begging to go and there’s no way we could’ve passed it by. Thanks to Kalena’s research and planning, we knew the perfect time to arrive. We had quite a few of the tanks/exhibits to ourselves before the crowds appeared.

A woman and two children are standing in front of a large aquarium, observing various fish and coral.

If you know anything about us, you know a trip to Atlanta most likely centers around the Braves. We know the Truist Park/Battery area well and chose a hotel close by. The Braves aren’t currently playing their best ball, but it was nice to take the kids once again (photos at end). We knew where to sit (good views for kids, shady, cost effective) which helps when you’re dealing with Atlanta heat and kids.

On the way home, we decided to take a different route, this time through Jackson/Pearl, MS. The AA Affiliate (Minor Leagues) of the Braves organization is currently in its final year in the state, and we wanted to catch a game there before they move. Thanks to their version of a going-out-of-business sale, we managed to snag a large amount of goodies (jerseys, hats, shirts, bats, balls, etc). They were also giving away 1,000 jerseys that night. Somehow, we managed to snag numbers 995, 996, 997, and 998 before they ran out.

As with most trips, you get to a point where you’re ready to be home. Fortunately, I’m sitting at our dining room table writing this while the kids are sleeping in their own beds. Normal life starts back up tomorrow, but it was nice to step away for a few days to change things up.

In one photo drop, here are a few of us enjoying some baseball.

Two children, both wearing baseball caps and t-shirts, stand smiling and giving thumbs up near the stands of a baseball stadium. A woman and a young girl are sitting in a stadium, both smiling at the camera with a crowd of spectators and various advertisements visible in the background. A family is enjoying a day at a baseball game, wearing team jerseys and eating snacks in the stands. Three people wearing Braves gear stand in front of a large World Series Champions baseball sculpture near a modern building. A blue mascot in a baseball uniform poses with two children in front of a stadium building. A family of four, making playful faces, is seated in a stadium with many empty seats around them.