Atlanta

Capital of the American South, with Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home and civil rights museums, the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium and the BeltLine.

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, the largest metro area in the Southeastern US, the hometown of Martin Luther King Jr. and host of the 1996 Olympics. The city breaks down roughly into three areas. Downtown is home to Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the College Football Hall of Fame, all within walking distance of each other. To the east, Sweet Auburn is the heart of civil rights history, with Dr. King's birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church. Midtown has the High Museum of Art, the Fox Theatre, Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The BeltLine, built on a disused railway, links Ponce City Market, Krog Street Market, Little Five Points and the Old Fourth Ward along its Eastside Trail—great for biking or strolling, eating and browsing. Outside the city are Stone Mountain Park (about 25 km away), Kennesaw Mountain battlefield, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Six Flags theme park, all requiring a car or taxi. The climate is humid subtropical: Mar–May, when dogwoods and azaleas bloom, and the crisp, clear days of Sep–Nov are the best times to go; Jun–Aug is hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms, and winter brings the occasional freeze. Hartsfield-Jackson International is one of the world's busiest airports, and MARTA trains run straight from the airport to Downtown and Midtown, but sights are spread out and suburban attractions basically require driving. Allow 3–4 days: one for the Downtown attractions, one for civil rights history plus the BeltLine, one for Midtown's museums and parks, and one for Stone Mountain Park. Some Downtown blocks are quiet at night, so try to go out in a group and take a taxi after dark.

Top sights

• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park – A civil rights landmark with Dr. King's birthplace, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and his gravesite. Admission is free.
• National Center for Civil and Human Rights – A museum that uses immersive exhibits to tell the story of the American civil rights movement and global human rights issues. It sits next…
• World of Coca-Cola – A brand museum in the hometown of Coca-Cola's headquarters, where you can taste more than a hundred Coca-Cola beverages from around the wor…
• Georgia Aquarium – One of the largest aquariums in the Western Hemisphere, where you can watch whale sharks and manta rays from a giant ocean tunnel. There ar…
• Atlanta BeltLine – A city greenway converted from an abandoned railway loop. Its eastern section links Ponce City Market, murals, and many restaurants and bar…
• Ponce City Market – A food hall and shopping center converted from a former Sears warehouse, with a retro amusement park and city views on the roof.
• Stone Mountain Park – A giant granite monadnock and state park. Visitors can hike or ride a cable car to the summit for views over the Atlanta skyline.
• High Museum of Art – The most important art museum in the southeastern United States. The white building designed by Richard Meier is itself a highlight.
• Centennial Olympic Park – A legacy park from the 1996 Olympic Games, with the Olympic Rings fountain at its center and major downtown venues nearby.
• Atlanta Botanical Garden – A city botanical garden next to Piedmont Park, with a treetop canopy walkway, orchid conservatory, and giant plant sculptures.
• Piedmont Park – Atlanta's 'Central Park', where you can photograph the Midtown skyline from the shores of Lake Clara Meer. Farmers' markets are held on wee…
• Fernbank Museum of Natural History – A natural history museum famous for giant dinosaur skeletons, with an outdoor forest trail. It is a top choice for families with children.
• Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum – The library and museum of Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president. Visitors can see a full-scale replica of the Oval Office and his Nobel Peace…
• Zoo Atlanta – Historic zoo in Grant Park, famed for its western lowland gorilla troop and a wide range of African animals.
• Atlanta History Center – Large history complex in the Buckhead district, with Civil War exhibits, the Swan House mansion and a Gone with the Wind exhibition.
• Fox Theatre – Lavish Moorish Revival theater completed in 1929, still hosting Broadway tours and concerts.
• College Football Hall of Fame – Interactive museum devoted to American college football, with a helmet wall and an indoor simulated field where you can throw and kick.
• SkyView Atlanta – Roughly 60-meter Ferris wheel beside Centennial Olympic Park, with air-conditioned cabins offering views of downtown and the Olympic park.
• Krog Street Market – Food hall in a converted warehouse, with the Krog Street Tunnel next door covered in constantly changing graffiti.
• Sweet Auburn – One of America's most prosperous Black business districts in the 20th century, where Dr. King grew up, with a historic market and jazz cult…
• Georgia State Capitol – Neoclassical state capitol completed in 1889, with a dome covered in locally mined gold; free to visit.
• Margaret Mitchell House – The apartment where Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell lived while writing the novel, now a house museum.
• Center for Puppetry Arts – America's largest puppetry arts institution, with a permanent Jim Henson exhibit featuring Muppets and children's puppet shows.
• Oakland Cemetery – Victorian garden cemetery founded in 1850, where Margaret Mitchell and other notable figures rest, with views of the downtown skyline.
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Futuristic stadium with a petal-shaped retractable roof, home to the Atlanta Falcons and a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• Little Five Points – Atlanta's most alternative bohemian district, full of vintage shops, record stores, graffiti and small bars.
• Six Flags Over Georgia – Large roller coaster theme park on Atlanta's western outskirts, with more than ten coasters and a summer water park.
• Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – National recreation area along the Chattahoochee River on Atlanta's northern edge, offering tubing and kayaking in summer and forest hiking…
• Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park – Civil War battlefield of the Atlanta Campaign; a hike to the summit offers views of downtown Atlanta about 30 km away.
• Delta Flight Museum – Aviation museum beside Delta Air Lines' headquarters, where you can board a Boeing 747 and try a professional flight simulator.

Where to eat

• Busy Bee Cafe – A historic soul food joint opened in 1947, featured as a Michelin Bib Gourmand, famous for its fried chicken and cobble…
• Mary Mac's Tea Room – A Midtown Southern classic opened in 1945, and the only survivor of the city's original 16 tea rooms.
• The Varsity – An iconic Atlanta fast-food landmark opened in the 1920s, claiming to be the world's largest drive-in restaurant, famou…
• Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q – A family-run Texas-style BBQ joint on DeKalb Avenue, famous for its Black Angus beef brisket and the Big Tex sandwich.
• Bacchanalia – A one-Michelin-starred restaurant in Westside that has been open for over thirty years, offering a four-course seasonal…
• Canton House – A long-standing Cantonese dim sum spot on Buford Highway operating since 1994, preserving the tradition of push-cart di…

Itineraries

• US Southern Civil Rights Trail Tour – Trace the historic sites of the Civil Rights Movement from Atlanta through Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham to Memphis.