Family Entertainment

Gwinnett County families love to play, and they don’t have to go far from home to do so. A wealth of entertaining activities is within easy driving distance, all in Gwinnett County. Whether pumping up the adrenaline with racing, competing against friends at the local bowling lanes, playing a relaxing game of golf, squealing through the Midway rides at the Gwinnett County Fair or leisurely strolling the grounds and admiring the flora at Vines Botanical Gardens, families find plenty of fun, adventure and relaxation when they visit the hot spots listed below.

Just 40 minutes north of Atlanta, the Four Diamond Château Élan Winery & Resort offers 3,500 acres of French provincial and Southern hospitality. Styled after a 16th century French château, the resort boasts eight restaurants, four golf courses, a European spa with 14 guest suites, and full-production winery, the largest in Georgia. Businesses find the ample and flexible meeting facilities ideal for conferences, presentations, banquets, receptions and the like. 100 Rue Charlemagne, Braselton, GA 30517, 678-425-0900, www.chateauelanatlanta.com

Woodward Skatepark lets the daredevil in you to careen through 40,000 square feet of halfpipes, ramps, and a full street course. The Skatepark is available for skateboarding, BMX riding or in-line skating. Discover Mills, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, 678-847-0115, www.woodwardskateparks.net

Jillian’s at Discover Mills is a unique dining and entertainment complex, both relaxing and exciting. The Video Cafe serves a casual American menu surrounded by multiple large-screen TVs and Jillian’s own Video Cube Wall. Play one of 16 Brunswick pool tables, ping-pong, and other classic games, or enjoy the latest in simulation and redemption games, plus the Hi-Life Bowling Lanes! 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, 678-847-5400, www.jillians.com

The Gwinnett Center provides both a spacious Convention Center and a Performing Arts Center for cultural enrichment with ballet, theater and symphony performances, cultural displays, concerts and conventions. Toll Free: 800-224-6422, Voice: 770-813-7500

Gwinnett County Fairgrounds celebrate Gwinnett’s rural heritage, expressed each September when fair-goers wander through the exhibits, play games and ride the rides on the Midway, and enjoy cotton candy and funnel cakes. The rest of the year, trade shows, craft shows, sales, auctions, festivals, car shows, rodeos, family events, concerts and private events continue to draw crowds to the fairground. 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045, 770-963-6522, www.gwinnettcountyfair.com

Malibu Grand Prix is the place to go for fun and friendly competition. Miniature golf, Indy-style racing, go-cart Sprint car racing, bumper boats, video and redemption games, and outdoor batting cages keep visitors entertained for hours. 5400 Brook Hollow Parkway, Norcross, GA 30071, 770-416-7630, www.malibugrandprix.com

The Movie Under the Stars and Free Summer Concerts offered by Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation provide great summertime family entertainment. “Movie Under the Stars” offers a popular family film, free, on a giant outdoor movie screen at various parks throughout the county. Music lovers revel in the free concerts on the lawn of the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville on summer Fridays. Brown Bag Lunchtime Concerts are held from noon to 1:00 p.m. and the evening Moonlight and Music Concert Series offers sing-a-longs, folk, jazz, oldies, dance and other toe-tapping melodies for the entire family to enjoy. Movie Under the Stars, 770-822-8840, Brown Bag Lunchtime Concerts and Moonlight and Music Concert Series, 770-822-5450, www.gwinnettparks.com

Road Atlanta, a major motorsports facility 15 minutes north of Gwinnett, hosts spectator events including the internationally renowned Chevy presents Petit Le Mans, the Suzuki Superbike Showdown, and the Atlanta Grand Prix. Check out the Panoz Racing School, the Audi Driving Experience and the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School. View the breathtaking high-speed action, or learn to navigate the twists and turns of the 2.54-mile road course yourself. 5300 Winder Highway, Braselton, GA 30517, 800-849-RACE (7223), www.roadatlanta.com

Railroad buffs statewide know and love the Southeastern Railway Museum, Georgia’s official state transportation history museum and home to more than 90 pieces of restored rolling stock. Ride in restored cabooses behind steam or diesel locomotives, tour the business car that helped bring the Olympics to Atlanta, pose on the platform of the private car once used by President Warren G. Harding, or plan your next event at this venue. 3595 Peachtree Road, Duluth, GA 30096, 770-476-2013, www.srmduluth.org

Wild Bill’s Country Music Dance Club & Concert Hall is the largest country music dance club in America, presenting more than 20 country music acts every year on its enormous 50-foot stage. Wild Bill’s traditional American food, pool hall, and high energy dancing on America’s largest dance floor is usually limited to those age 21 and up, but on Thursdays 18 and up are admitted and the whole family can enjoy the fun on Sundays (no alcohol served on Sundays). 2075 Market Street, Duluth, GA 30096, 678-473-1000, www.wildbillsatlanta.com

Yellow River Game Ranch’s 24 wooded acres brings you face-to-face with more than 600 highly sociable birds and animals indigenous to Georgia: White-tailed deer, bunnies, buffalo, sheep, kid goats, black bears and a bevy of newborn animals. The ranch specializes in people-friendly wildlife, so most of the animals will photograph with children. Feed is available at the admission desk. 4525 Highway 78, Lilburn, GA 30047, 770-972-6643, www.yellowrivergameranch.com