CITY SPOTLIGHT:

Your guide to Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw forest

Know Before You Go: About Kennesaw

Before you go, find out what you need to know about this magical Georgia city chock full of history and adventure.

Come for the history, and stay for the adventure—Kennesaw, is just a short, 20 mile drive from Atlanta up the Interstate 75 corridor. The town offers a historic area—if you want to take a step back in time—and a thriving business community, making it a popular Georgia destination for visitors to the Atlanta metro region. For more information about this magical little city, keep reading below.

Hot Summers, Cold Winters

The odds of your family hitting sunny weather in Kennesaw are good. The sun shines an average of 220 days yearly, but when it rains, it pours—more than 50 inches each year with about an inch of snowfall in the winter. Temperatures swing radically from the hot season (June through September) to the cold season (November through February), so your trip's timing is important. Summer brings high humidity and temperatures into the 90s, while winter lows dip down into the 30s.

Parks, History and Shopping Fun

Dive headfirst into Kennesaw’s Civil War history, starting with the 3,000-acre National Battlefield Park that preserves an entire battleground. From there, adventure into the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History for a depiction of the Great Locomotive Chase—a famous Civil War event in which Confederate troops pursued a speeding train commandeered by Union raiders. If you just want to have a little fun, head to Swift-Cantrell Park for 42 acres of grass and gardens complete with a 40,000-square-foot skate park. Other activities in Kennesaw include hiking the city's integrated greenway trails, stocking up on fresh produce at the various farmer's markets, or exploring more than 175 stores at the Town Center shopping mall.

Businesses Thrive in Kennesaw

Small businesses thrive in Kennesaw—there are nearly 85,000 establishments in the county with fewer than 10 employees. Even so, corporate management rules as the biggest industry in the area, employing almost 5 percent of all Kennesaw workers. Other locals work for temporary help agencies, church organizations and doctors’ offices. Seasonal activities such as art and food festivals support the city’s tourism industry, which draws over 60,000 visitors each year.

Getting Into and Aroound Kennesaw

If you're flying into Kennesaw, odds are you'll land in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. You can take a cab or shuttle across the 38 miles to Kennesaw, or—better yet—rent a car at one of the airport agencies. Only about 1 percent of Kennesaw locals opt to commute using the public transit system, so you're probably better off renting some wheels for your stay. Take the major Interstate 75 highway that runs just east of town to hop on and off at various locations or for a day trip down to Atlanta.

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Things to do in Kennesaw

Come for the history and stay for the adventure in this Georgia gem. Don't miss these things to do.