Georgia Field Trips for Homeschoolers

Homeschool families, is Georgia on your mind? If you live in the Peach state (or plan to visit soon), it should be because there are so many things to do with children in Georgia from the Blue Ridge mountains to the coastal plain. In addition to being a natural playground, the state is packed with historical sites, museums, animal encounters, and cultural experiences that are bound to enhance your homeschool experience. Please make sure to contact each site before you plan your visit, as COVID-19 may have impacted their hours of operations.

I’m sure you’ve already realized that field trips are one of the key perks of home education. Being able to take your learning on the road prevents your homeschooling experience from getting stale or tiresome. Also, you can find ways to supplement almost any subject you are studying with hands-on adventures that will ensure that your child(ren) retain the information even longer.

Browse the list below to find educational field trips in Georgia that are perfect for homeschool families. Print this map of Georgia and have your child markup the places you’ll be visiting, or document what he/she learned on the trip. To help support you even further, we’ve included a free download of Time4Learning lesson tie-ins that might be the perfect supplement for each trip!

Homeschool Field Trips in North Georgia

• Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Blue Ridge – For the homeschooler who has seen every episode of Thomas the Tank Engine or can rattle off engine types faster than a locomotive, a ticket on this four-hour round trip ride around the Toccoa River in a vintage rail car will create memories that last a lifetime.

• Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and Zoo, Dahlonega – Can your homeschooler list of every species of wild cat? Does he/she dream in zebra black and white? Then your animal lover will be giddy at the idea of visiting native and exotic wildlife from all over the world. Don’t forget to ask about volunteer opportunities if you live close by, too.

• Consolidated Gold Mining Company, Dahlonega – Think you can’t go field tripping on a rainy day? Think again, thanks to this indoor gemstone mine that is open seven days a week. Head 200 feet underground and over 100 years back in time to experience life as a turn of the century gold miner.

• Heritage Village at Hurricane Shoals Park, Maysville – This just might be the perfect complement to your next American history study. Visit and view historic buildings such as a blacksmith shed, a wagon shelter, a corn crib, and a working grist mill.

• InterActive Neighborhood for Kids, Gainesville – Imagine, create, and explore at this museum aimed at children ages 2 to 12. The hands-on, interactive exhibits are structured in a way that lets each visitor touch and feel the “real world”.

• State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, Athens – Both indoor and outdoor learning experiences await your family at this 313-acre preserve set aside by the University of Georgia. There are more than five miles of nature trails to explore as well as a tropical conservatory.

Homeschool Field Trips in Central Georgia

• The Breman Museum, Atlanta – Are you studying Middle Eastern countries or the Holocaust? Or perhaps your homeschoolers would like to peek into the rich history of another culture? Either way, this museum will introduce you to pivotal moments in the history of the Jewish people.

• Hickory Hill, Thomson – Homeschool groups receive free admission to this site, but if you can’t get a full group together, don’t hesitate to visit the historic home and gardens as a family outing because admission fees are still incredibly affordable. Be on the lookout for info about the next Homeschool Day, as well.

• Museum of Arts and Sciences, Macon – It’s no secret that art and science are even more fun when they include hands-on learning opportunities. That’s the goal of this educational venue that offers permanent and visiting exhibits as well as programs for school groups, homeschoolers, college students, adults, and families.

For additional field trip options in Georgia, visit A2Z Homeschooling’s Georgia Field Trips with Kids page.

• The Old Governor’s Mansion, Milledgeville – This could be one of the best one day trips in Georgia for homeschoolers doing a state unit study. There is a teacher’s pre-study guide on the website to help prepare your students for the visit, as well.

• The Rock Ranch, Barnesville – Sometimes you need fun day trips in Georgia that are going to appeal to every member of the family. With attractions like zip lines, a tiny town for children, a petting zoo, and a locomotive to ride, this might be exactly the place to please everyone at once.

Homeschool Field Trips in South Georgia

• Georgia Southern Museum, Statesboro – Your resident paleontologist will feel immediately at home at this collection on the campus of Georgia Southern University. Look back on millions of years of natural and cultural history in the Coastal Plains area of the state.

• Global Village and Discovery Center, Americus – This 6-acre village created by Habitat for Humanity International can give your homeschooler a peek into what life is like in other countries by viewing life-size homes from various parts of the world.

• Museum of Aviation, Warner Robbins – If you need a field trip that will fit any budget, then you’ll definitely want to plan a visit to this museum with both free admission and free parking. This is the second largest museum in the U.S. Air Force where students can view historic U.S. Air Force aircraft, missiles, cockpits and award-winning exhibits.

• Providence Canyon Outdoor Recreation Area, Lumpkin – Who says all field trips have to occur in the daytime? The regular astronomy events at this state park will allow homeschooling stargazers to learn about the night sky and view stars and planets via telescopes. (Oh, and there is plenty to do in the daytime here, too!)

• St. Simon’s Lighthouse Museum, St. Simon’s Island – There are so many lesson tie-ins with lighthouses, aren’t there? Seafaring history, navigation, coastal tides, architecture, and, of course – – what it would be like to work as a lighthouse keeper! But, even if you aren’t studying any of those, a field trip to this site will still be a homeschool outing to remember!

Do you have additional GA field trip ideas we’ve not mentioned here? Add them in the comments or share them on our Georgia Homeschool Support forum.