When you live in the Atlanta area, there’s no need to wait for the official first day of spring to roll around on March 20. Get a jump on the season with these grandkid-and-grandparent-friendly activities that say, “welcome, spring!”
Discover daffodils at the American Daffodil Society Convention
2-8 p.m. Friday, March 10, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, March 11, free admission, hotel parking charges apply, Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia, 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta.
Metro Atlanta is hosting the American Daffodil Society 2023 National Daffodil Convention! That means the public is welcome to browse thousands of in-bloom daffodils in exhibit halls, view displays, and try art activities in the Daffodil Discovery Zone.
Be sure to check out the youth division exhibits to inspire the kids to get growing!
See blooming Diamorpha on Panola Mountain
9 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 11, $10 admission, $5 parking, Panola Mountain State Park, 2620 Highway 155 SW, Stockbridge.
The rare native succulent Diamorpha smallii blooms in March and you and outdoorsy kids 10 and older can take the “Diamorpha Days” guided hike for a personal view.
The plants first color up in bright red, looking a bit like a cranberry bog, and then show in showy white.
Prepare by preregistering, bringing a water bottle, and digging up sturdy hiking shoes that fit the grandkids’ growing feet. The hike is about 3 miles over moderately strenuous terrain. Remember to take lots of selfies, so you can compare from year to year if this turns into a March tradition.
Take an urban slug walk
3-5 p.m., Saturday, March 11, free, Sykes Park, 3324 Dodson Drive, East Point.
Whether you’re a gastropod fan or one of the tots or teens like creepy crawlies, this is a fine excuse to walk in the fresh air and poke around in the mud on a search for slugs and snails that reside in metropolitan Atlanta.
Guides from Georgia State University’s Geosciences department are hosting the walk as part of the 10th Atlanta Science Festival that runs March 10-25. Be sure to download the iNaturalist app before you arrive so you can contribute data from your observations to a tracking project.
Run, jog, or walk a 5K
8 a.m.-11:55 p.m. Saturday, March 11, 2023, $30 for early Aquarium member registrants, $40 for nonmembers, $45 for late registration.
Start the season with a 3.1-mile run through spring air in downtown Atlanta. And if you’re not quite in running shape, walk or jog the course instead.
The swag is a motivator, including a T-shirt and a collectible finisher medal. Since the proceeds go to funding the aquarium’s research and conservation efforts, it’s a win-win for all.
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