10 Best Ways to Celebrate Earth Day in Georgia

You’ll be amazed by the unique features of the Earth’s diverse landscape in Georgia from the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast to North America's largest blackwater swamp. Hike through Georgia’s "Little Grand Canyon," admire the state’s largest natural spring, take in the view from the top of a monadnock right outside of Atlanta and more. Mark Earth Day with Adventures at Georgia’s 7 Natural Wonders and gain a new appreciation for Mother Nature’s handiwork throughout the state.

• Amicalola Falls
• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
• Providence Canyon
• Radium Springs
• Stone Mountain
• Warm Springs
• Tallulah Gorge

No matter where you go in Georgia, you’re never far from a trail where you can hike, bike, run or roll and become immersed in nature. Bring your hiking poles to check out a stretch of the Appalachian Trail through the mountains, pedal along the paved Silver Comet Trail in west Georgia, follow the half-mile trail to Anna Ruby Falls in Helen, or explore the boardwalk through the marsh on the Earth Day Nature Trail in Brunswick. Keep an eye out and ears open for unique birds, and other native plants and wildlife along the way.

Explore more parks and trails.

April 19, 2025, kicks off National Park Week, and national parks that typically charge entrance fees will waive those fees on this day. In Georgia, four national park sites typically charge entrance fees:

• Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
• Chickamauga & Chattahoochee National Military Park
• Fort Pulaski National Monument
• Cumberland Island

Explore those and several other national park sites in Georgia.

More: 6 Great American National Parks in Georgia

Get close to nature on a springtime camping trip, where you can count constellations as you relax around a campfire and wake to birds chirping as the sun rises. Choose a location in the mountains, on the coast, near a lake or even tucked away in a city. Take your pick of camping style from RV resorts to backcountry trails, treehouses and geodesic domes to luxury safari-style tents and tiny cabins.

Plan a camping trip in Georgia.

Fall and winter may be the best times to go stargazing in Georgia as temperatures drop and nights are longer, but you can still see quite well in spring. Seek out a quiet knoll, survey the planets and stars, and ponder the wonders of the universe and Earth’s place in it. Or, you can go to Georgia’s planetariums and observatories to learn more about space from astronomers.

More: 15 Best Stargazing Spots in Georgia

Georgia has many museums and nature centers where you can learn about native wildlife, geology and ecology, and attend special Earth Day events.

Join the 4-H Tidelands Nature Center on Jekyll Island to celebrate Earth Day at the beach. Take a walk and learn about the tides, sand dunes, and how sand moves along barrier islands. You can help keep the beach beautiful by picking up trash during the walk.

Celebrate spring with baby animals, themed crafts, and activities at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta. While you’re there, catch a movie at Fernbank’s Giant Screen Theater and explore WildWoods at Fernbank Forest, an immersive nature trail with hands-on exhibits and beautiful scenery.

Bring the kids to Autrey Mill Nature Preserve in Johns Creek for its Earth Day Celebration, featuring family fun activities, a wildlife baby shower, and a free screening of the award-winning documentary “Saving Sea Turtles Preventing Extinction.”

Visit the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens on Family Day to see environmental works of art, complete Art Cart activities, and create your own work of art inspired by the planet.

More: Free and Cheap Science-themed Fun in Georgia

Perfectly timed during spring’s peak blooms, Earth Day is a beautiful opportunity to explore Georgia’s gardens.

Spend a day in North Georgia at the stunning Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens for The Rhododendron Festival. Stroll the gardens in Hiawassee to see native wildflowers like trilliums, shooting stars, and trout lilies, and more than 1,500 rhododendrons and native azaleas in peak bloom. Each weekend, enjoy crafters, live music, food, drinks, a plant sale, seminars, and more.

Enjoy engaging and fun family activities celebrating nature and beautiful plants during Earth Day events at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Atlanta.

Visit Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Summerville to complete the Earth Day Scavenger Hunt. Throughout the 4-acre garden, discover ways in which Finster took everyday objects and transformed them into something new. Well-behaved, four-legged friends (on leash) are welcome.

More: 10 Best Gardens to Visit in Georgia

Where would we be without family farms and their stewardship of the land to produce healthy food generation after generation? Celebrate Earth Day at Georgia’s family farms and learn about how they work with Mother Nature to grow springtime favorites like strawberries.

Visit Southern Belle Farm in McDonough to pick your own strawberries and enjoy the family fun attractions like pedal karts, jumping pillows, a trike track and gem mining. They're closed on Mondays but otherwise open for spring activities April through June.

Super Spring Saturdays at Washington Farms in Bogart feature fun farm activities, including wagon rides, a petting zoo, a cow train, ziplines, and paintball. The farm is open on Saturdays from mid-April to late May. Try the delicious homemade strawberry ice cream, slushies, hand-squeezed lemonade, and freshly popped kettle corn while you’re there.

More: 47 Places to Pick (or Pick Up) Strawberries in Georgia

We share the planet with an incredible variety of animals and wildlife, and Georgia’s animal parks and zoos contribute to conservation through research and education. You can learn about beluga whales at Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, gopher tortoises at Chehaw Park in Albany, giant zebras at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, camels at North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park in Cleveland, and many more.

More: Top 12 Places to See Animals in Georgia

Celebrate Earth Day with other nature lovers at festivals and events throughout Georgia.

Sweetwater 420 Fest in Atlanta

If you love music, beer and Mother Earth, don’t miss Sweetwater 420 Fest April 18-20, 2025, at the Pullman Yards grounds in Atlanta. Historically held on the weekend closest to Earth Day, the festival hosts charities, non-profits, and environmental workshops alongside the live music, food trucks, artist market, and beer stations. Advance tickets and VIP options are available.

Earth Day Celebration at Black Rock Mountain State Park in Mountain City

Visit Black Rock Mountain State Park in Mountain City for the Earth Day Celebration to learn about native plants, do earth-related crafts, and make and eat a layers-of-the-earth pudding cup.

Spring Festival at Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah

Visit Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah for the annual Spring Festival. In honor of Earth Day, vendors will sell environmentally friendly products. Take a guided nature hike, and enjoy live animal programs and food trucks.

Earth Day Expo at Fort McAllister State Park in Richmond Hill

Visit Fort McAllister State Park in Richmond Hill for the Earth Day Expo, and learn how local organizations participate in conservation.

Find more events and festivals on the Explore Georgia Calendar of Events.