Our Weekend in Atlanta

So as it turns out, walking around in 90 degree weather and carrying a toddler while 6 months pregnant is not the best for your aching muscles. I'm totally feeling the effects this week but our trip went better than we even hoped! Especially considering we had to co-sleep with a ninja toddler in a hotel room for two nights...

With this pregnancy going as fast as it is and a Fall calendar that is already starting to book up, I really wanted to get away for one last trip before we become a family of four!  So we made the impromptu decision to head to Atlanta for the weekend to let our aquarium-loving child see all of his Finding Dory friends in person.

Our first stop after checking into our hotel in Buckhead was dinner at Taverna. Admittedly it was not the most toddler-friendly restaurant but the food was delicious! I loved the decor inside and really missed having a glass of wine on their patio!

The next morning we headed to the Georgia Aquarium early- I highly recommend if you're going to book your tickets online in advance. If you go before 11 AM you can get a discount and its SO much less crowded. By 11 it was getting packed in there and was tough to get into the more popular exhibits, so our 9 AM entry was perfect. I'd even suggest going a little earlier if you can get moving!

We were all enjoying the aquarium so much that I didn't take a ton of photos but it was such a great experience with Rowan. We have an aquarium here in Charleston and though its really nice and has a new sea turtle exhibit, it just really can't compare with a whale shark and beluga whales.

The more popular exhibits, Ocean Voyager and Cold Water Quest, will get super packed as the day goes on so make sure to see those first! We didn't hang around for the first dolphin show of the day, but the Dolphin Celebration tank was also a big hit with our toddler.

After spoiling Rowan with a giant beluga whale stuffed animal (which he has been taking everywhere regardless of its size or available space) we headed through Centennial Park to the splash pad. This was R's first splash pad experience and it was a total joy to watch as he played.

Side note: we just can't get rid of that goofy non-waterproof bucket hat. It cracks me up how much he loves it even though its completely impractical.

Since hotel naps were nonexistent we decided to head to an early dinner at JCT Kitchen, which is by far one of my favorite restaurants EVER. Yes, its that good. It's in a really cute area called Westside Provisions District with other bars, shops, and another fave: Jeni's Ice Cream.

If you're traveling to Atlanta, do yourself a favor and put JCT Kitchen on your to do list! Between the burrata and tomatoes appetizer, massive kids meal consisting of fried chicken, fries, and popcorn (yes they served the chicken in a bed of popcorn), and our main courses (I had the chicken and dumplings... so freaking good!), we were all about to burst.

But Rowan repeatedly requested ice cream during dinner and you better believe I wasn't saying no, so off we went to Jeni's.

The next day we woke up with plans to see the zoo or hit up the hotel pool, but I think we were all spent and just headed home to get back to our Ruby.

But not before one last stop at Bon Glaze for some road trip donuts. They did not disappoint and I regretted none of them knowing my glucose test was the next day. Thankfully, my OB rescheduled it to my next appointment so I guess I get to sweat that out a few more weeks!

Overall, such a good, quick trip!! I feel like we really hit the lottery with the food choices as well, so definitely check out those spots if you're planning a trip to Atlanta!! So much to catch up on this week now... stay tuned for our living room reveal! I'm so excited to share our finished gallery wall with you all!!