I'm looking for suggestions of cool activities to do with my son's scout troop this winter. They are getting a little tired of hiking all the time, but we still want to go and do stuff about once a month.

We are looking for any activities that are within about a 5 hour drive from the Atlanta area. One day trips are ok, but we're prefer to camp out if possible.

Any ideas would be helpful.

You can take them on a tour of a lumber yard, or schedule an EMT to give them a days worth of valuable first responder information/training, maybe hire an instructor to give the troop a days lesson in longer range shooting?

Find a ropes course, I think they have one at Berry College you may be able to do. That will teach them teamwork and trusting each other.

Have you considered a trip to the museum at Ft. Benning?

Currahee Mountain

Some of my winter favorites are overnight stay in the Raccoon Mountain Caverns and canoeing the Okefenokee Swamp at Stephen C. Foster State Park.

There will be a bunch of us on the mountain tomorrow!

What's at the top of Currahee other than a bunch of radio towers?

The Infantry Museum at Benning is a great idea, and the kids can go to Ranger Joe's afterward to get stuff.  Or, if you want to travel some, look into the Airborne and Special Forces Museum at Ft. Bragg.

Depending on how hearty and rough and tumble your group is, a winter survival camp out might be a lot of fun.  It's take a good deal of logistical support from the Scoutmasters, but it's doable.

For something different, look at local theater groups and see what sort of holiday productions they have during the winter.  About 10 years ago, the council I worked for had a fundraiser for Camp at a local theaters production of A Christmas Carol.  I was surprised at how many older scouts attended, and they really had a great time.  You might be able to convince the production company into giving the kids a guided tour of the theater, and/or hosting a Question and Answer period with the cast and crew after the show.

If hiking is getting old and stale with the guys, but you still want to keep it as a part of the program, change the way you hike.

* Let Them Do It.  Let the older scouts, under the leadership of the Senior Patrol Leader, plan the next hike.  Have them choose a location, a destination, plan a route, make all the arrangements.  It's usually interesting to see what they come up with.

* The Big City.  Urban hiking in Atlanta can be really exciting and fun if you're Troop is from outside the perimeter.  You can make use of MARTA, and teach the kids how to read a train and bus schedule, and get across the city safely (Yes, this will require some oversight to stay ut of some of the unsavory area's of the city).  Choose a few spots n the city, the Aquarium, World of Coke, Turner Field, and have the kids navigate to those points.  Close the day off with some sort of big time activity, like a concert or a show, or something.

You can even combine those two ideas, and let the older scouts plan the city adventure.

Look into a day of shotgun shooting or muzzleloading at a local range (Tom Lowe Trap and Skeet here in Atlanta is open year round).  

On shooting sports and firearms activities, make sure you check the current Guide to Safe Scouting for the most recent policy on firearms use.  I know that when I was a Range Officer for my old local council, the regs were that Boy Scouts were limited to using only .22 single shot, bolt action rifles (bolt action rifles with a higher capacity were allowed, but only if used as single shot rifles), 12 gauge shotguns (or smaller), black powder rifles and shotguns of .50 cal or less, and air rifles and BB guns.  The Venture program had no limits beyond what was legal in your area.  

Now, you could take your chances, and it's most likely nothing will go wrong.  If that's the case, great.  But, if something does go wrong, following the GSS will make sure you are protected by the BSA's liability coverage.

Lastly, thank you for being involved in Scouting.  I'm an Eagle Scout, a former volunteer, former professional, and former summer camp staff member.  I appreciate every volunteer who gives their time, energy, and resources into making a kids life better.  Keep up the great work, and if you need any advice, drop me a line anytime.

PT. Its good for them and goof for you.

Get in touch with the ranger camp in N GA and if they are off cycle, they may be able to help you out and possibly even arrange for some good safe training opportunities, rappelling, basic mountaineering, land nav, basic survival etc.

I've not been, but I hear the Aviation Museum at Warner Robbins is great.

I'm a Cowboy shooter, so I may be a bit biased, but the Booth Art Museum in Cartersville is great. In addition to a large collection of Western and Native American Art, they have a Civil War room, and a President's display. The Presidents display contains a portrait and handwritten item from every president.  In late October, they will have a special weekend with a chuckwagon, re-enactors, and more.

Take them up to Cloudland Canyon. I had a fun time camping and hiking up there.

Yall need to go to seabase in the Keys.

USS Yorktown is a BLAST!

I stayed the weekend on her as a scout.

Definitely.
There is a ton of history in Charleston and the Yorktown is a great way to spend a day and if very scout friendly for activities.

You could get in touch with the rangers up at Chickamauga (spelling?)  battlefield and see if you can do an overnight camp on or near the park. They have a great tour and museum. It's cool because its one of the few civil war battlefields that is still pretty much like it was during the battle. Avery island in southern Louisiana is also very cool. It's where Tabasco is made.

Some things i did in scouts:



Ellicot Rock

Racoons mountain and lost sea caves

Tree climbing in little five points (be prepared to meet some anti gun liberals)

Woodruff Summer camp or just camping.

Silver Comet or Chief Ladiga bike trip

Rock climbing at rock town if you have the experience or can find people who do.

White Water rafting

Spend a night on a aircraft carrier or destroyer

Visit the Aviation museum in pensecola-Farther than 5 hours

Rock climbing at Stone Summit or Atlanta Rocks

Geocaching

Renting Kayaks on the hooch

Snow Skiing trip to NC



Sorry if these arent all winter activities.  Trying to give some ideas for any time.  Ill try to think of more stuff that we did.

A bunch of Graffiti and an awesome view.  Also lots of spots to climb and rappel if your into that.








 

Another vote for the Booth Museum in Cartersville.

If you decide to do something firearms-related, or Survival/Combat Mindset, or what have you, if we can work out the schedule I'll volunteer to help in any way I can.

Thank you all for your great suggestions. We'll be discussing them all.