When the mindless fun of sun-drenched days at the beach and waiting in line for amusement park rides becomes too ... mindless, there is an alternative. Below are some attractions, all within three hours of Augusta, that will not only entertain, but might educate a little as well.
Atlanta
Fernbank Museum of Natural History -- This longtime Southern staple is quickly becoming recognized as one of the nation's outstanding natural history museums.
The recent addition of a Giganotosauras, the largest of the carnivorous dinosaurs, cements the museum's reputation as Dinosaur Central for the region.
Beyond the Jurassic attractions, Fernbank offers explorations of Georgia's geographic and geological history as well as the cinematic spectacle of an IMAX theater.
The museum is at 156 Heaton Park Drive N.E., in the Druid Hills neighborhood east of downtown.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for students and seniors, $10 for children age 3-12 and no charge for age 2 and younger. (Prices include admission to special exhibits.)
IMAX tickets are $10 $9 and $8, respectively, and combination tickets are $13 to $17. Call (404) 378-0127.
SciTrek -- The technology side of the science museum coin. This interactive museum allows its patron to learn through doing, throwing the old "look but don't touch" adage out the high-tech window.
With more than 150 hands-on displays, SciTrek explains subjects as varied as physics, electronics and chemistry through hands-on exhibits.
The museum is at 395 Piedmont Ave. It's open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets are $7.50 for adults, $6 for students, seniors and military personnel and free for children younger than 3. Call (404) 522-5500.
Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum -- More than just a giant painting, Atlanta's Cyclorama is the world's largest painting.
Depicting the Civil War Battle of Atlanta, the painting comes alive as sound effects, music and a rotating theater are added to the mix. It's what you could call an authentic slice of Southern culture.
The cyclorama is in Grant Park next to Zoo Atlanta at Georgia and Cherokee avenues Southeast. It's open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children. Children under 6 are admitted free. Call (404) 624-1071.
Columbia, S.C.
The Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens -- A depository for the world's plant and animal life, Riverbanks is home to more than 2,000 animals and countless varieties of indigenous and exotic plants.
Revamped so that animal species may be observed in their natural habitats, the zoo is a South Carolina slice of Africa ... and the Arctic ... and South America ... .
The zoo and gardens are at 500 Wildlife Parkway, 1 1/2 miles south of downtown off I-126 at Greystone Boulevard. It's open daily from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $7.25 for adults, $4.75 for children and free for children 2 and under. Call (803) 779-8717.
Charlotte, N.C.
Discovery Place -- Following the trend of interactive museums, Discovery Place's eclectic blend of hard science and fun has earned it the recognition as one of the finest children's museums in North America. Don't let the children's museum tag throw you, however. You could easily find yourself following a corporate banker through the world's largest eyeball.
Discovery Place is at 301 N. Tryon St. uptown, between Sixth and Seventh streets. It's open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays during the summer (June-August). September through May, the museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Admission is $6.50 general, $5 for seniors and children 6-12, $2.75 children ages 3-5 and free for children younger than 3. Call (704) 372-6261.
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