Kennesaw State University Parent Guide
Welcome to Kennesaw
Past and present blend harmoniously in Kennesaw, a warm and friendly city 27,000 strong. Named one of Family Circle Magazine’s Top 10 Towns for Families in 2007, the city offers a small town ambience right on the doorstep of metropolitan Atlanta.
The city’s infamous past can best be experienced at the Smithsonian affiliated Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History located in the historic downtown district. The downtown area also features many specialty and antique shops and restaurants. There’s more history at the Smith-Gilbert Gardens which includes not only seven acres of exquisite gardens with over 3,000 plant species, but also a fully-restored 1840’s era plantation home. Kennesaw is also the home of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park run by the National Park Service.
Nowhere is its present more evident than in its impressive inventory of parks & recreation facilities and amenities. Showcased by the 26,000 square foot Ben Robertson Community Center, the city also offers Adams Park, with its ball fields, playgrounds and picnic shelters, and the 42 acre Swift-Cantrell Park, a passive park with open areas, a multiuse trail and a new off-leash dog park
The city also hosts some fun annual events, highlighted by April’s two-day Big Shanty Festival in downtown Kennesaw and the August Pigs and Peaches BBQ Contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. And in 2007, the city went wireless and put infrastructure in place to offer WiFi in all the park areas as well as downtown.
Located just a few miles from campus is the Town Center Mall, populated by all the major national retail chains. Nearby is an extensive array of strip shopping centers, restaurants, hotels and entertainment complexes.
And of course, the cultural and sports mecca that is Atlanta is a mere 20 miles away. From major league sports games to world class concerts, art exhibits, and shows, there is always something fun and exciting going on.
Rich in history, natural beauty, and activities, Kennesaw is a community that truly offers something for everyone.
