Page 24 Me 3”), July 9 (“The Emoji Movie”) and July 23 (“Wonder”) with movies starting at sundown but the fun beginning two hours prior to that. Other summer events include Touch-a-Truck, May 17, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Food Truck Frenzy, July 4, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Golf Cart Show, Aug. 25, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; and a Labor Day 5K, Sept. 3, starting at 8 a.m. At the Escalade Rock Climbing Gym in Peachtree City, 20 ropes are available to scale each unique wall, offering ample challenge for beginning as well as expert climbers. Geared toward families, the gym features a beginner’s wall, fullystocked pro shop and instructors on staff. Two caves, a range of courses and a variety of activities round out the fun. For more indoor, air-conditioned escape from the summer heat, visit Mastermind Escape Games where an escape room exercise pits you against the clock as you and your group use items at hand to find your way out of a locked room. Not only does your body get exercise, but your brain will, too. Guides are on hand to offer instruction and pointers, and a game master will keep you on your toes and safe. Make reservations, but arrive early to practice with locks, props and clues while you wait your turn for the escape room. To fuel up in-between these fastpaced adventures, try a gyro at The BeiRut, serving traditional Lebanese and Mediterranean dishes since 2010. Along with a heaping gyro platter, the red snapper is a fan favorite, and be sure to try the Turkish coffee. For an All-American menu, visit Mimi’s Good Food where comfort fare like biscuits and sandwiches is served up fresh for breakfast and lunch. Popular dishes include waffles, the Philly-style wrap and omelets. The Avenue Peachtree City: 239 City Circle, Suite 1050, Peachtree City, 770.486.6587, TheAvenuePeachtreeCity.com. Escalade Rock Climbing Gym: 125 Depot Court, Peachtree City,
50 things to do 678.870.1400, ascensiongym.com. Mastermind Escape Games: 297 Dividend Drive, Peachtree City, 404.793.1541, mastermindescapegames. com. The BeiRut: 1025 N. Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree City, 678.364.0707, beirutptc.com. Mimi’s Good Food: 303-1 Kelly Drive, Peachtree City, 770.487.2421, mimisgoodfood.com.
HAMPTON ON THE FAST TRACK Hampton is home to about 5,000 people most of the year, except when the Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) roars in on NASCAR weekend; then Hampton becomes the 8th largest city in Georgia. The 1.54-mile track, one of the premier motorsports facilities in the U.S., is home to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series held in March and one of Georgia’s largest sporting events each year.
For summer fun at the Speedway, Thursday Thunder rolls with affordable and exciting entertainment every Thursday night from early June into late July and on Saturdays in early August. Games, contests, giveaways and grassroots racing on the quartermile Thunder Ring, located on the front stretch of AMS, fill the air with adrenaline when drivers as young as 8 years old battle for the right to be called champions at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Friday Night Drags Series adds to the summer racing energy with streetstyle drag racing. The Richard Petty Driving Experience offers an exciting opportunity to drive like the pros do in a variety of experiences ranging from the NASCAR Ride Along
Summer 2018 for $149.99 to the World Champions experience for $3,099.99 and all price points in-between. This summer’s Richard Petty Driving Experience dates are June 1-2 and Sept. 14-15. Throughout the year, official track tours include a brief track history, visit to Petty Garden, tour of an AMS suite, sneak peek at the garages and Victory Lane, and three laps in the Speedway van around the same 1.54-mile track the stars race on.
Also in Hampton, the Melvin L. Newman Wetlands Center (NWC) is a 32-acre site featuring a wetlands trail that’s an easy half-mile hike with views of various wildlife species that stop over during migration or make NWC their permanent residence. Along with more than 130 bird species, you may spot beaver, river otter, fox, muskrat, opossum, mink and various reptiles, insects and amphibians. The Atlanta Audubon Society holds Saturday morning birdwatching walks throughout the year. Operated by the Clayton County Water Authority, the NWC was created to demonstrate the importance of preserving wetlands environments and to teach about wetlands ecology, conservation and watershed protection. For lunch or dinner in Hampton, try Bay Breeze Seafood Restaurant, known for some of the freshest seafood away from the beach. Along with snow crab legs and an abundance of seafood items, they also serve ribeye and New York Strip. Atlanta Motor Speedway: 1500 Tara Place, Hampton, 770.946.4211, atlantamotorspeedway.com or legendsofga.com. Newman Wetlands Center: 2755 Freeman Road, Hampton, 770.603.5606,