Nicknamed the Big Peach, Atlanta is a city where the past meets the future. With a rich history and diverse culture, the sprawling urban landscape marries a modern skyline with refreshing green spaces and mingles historic landmarks with contemporary attractions. It’s no wonder Atlanta has been dubbed Hollywood of the South – it certainly has a lot to offer for filming purposes. It also has a lot to offer tourists. With so much to explore in the region, here are our picks for the Top 10 Things to do in Atlanta, in no particular order.
Georgia Aquarium
When the Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005, it was the largest aquarium in the world. It is now the third largest in the world and the largest in the United States.
The facility boasts 11 million US gallons of water with hundreds of species exhibited throughout seven galleries. Noteworthy displays include tiger sharks, California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales, and manta rays. Among the most remarkable presentations is a 6.3 million US gallon exhibit of whale sharks. The aquarium also offers educational programs, seasonal events, and animal encounters with dolphins, penguins, and sea lions. Plus, there are ray and shark interactions. To plan your visit, click on the aquarium website HERE.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Spread across 30 acres adjacent to Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Botanical Garden attracts more than 500,000 thousand visitors annually. The property is a mix of gardens and woodlands, with a 600-foot Canopy Walk suspended in the trees.
Exhibits include roses and native plants, an array of tropical plants and an orchid house, edible plants, and shaped shrubbery. Endangered plants are housed in the Conservation Greenhouse, and The Children’s Garden allows for a hands-on experience for educational purposes. Seasonal displays and a series of instructional classes are also offered on the premises, along with a program to protect rare frogs.
Visitors will also find three dining options including an upscale restaurant, meeting rooms, and a gift shop. To view up-to-date hours, ticket prices, and events, visit the website HERE
Ponce City Market
Located along the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, the Ponce City Market is a favorite among locals and tourists. Covering 2.1 million square feet, the market is home to Mardi Gras and Halloween celebrations, as well as workshops and networking events. But more importantly for visitors, there is also a wide variety of retail shops and so many dining options and award-winning chefs that it is classed as a culinary destination.
The roof is a playground that transforms seasonally. During the summer months, visitors will find a carnival atmosphere with an 18-hole mini golf course and boardwalk-style games. In the winter, the roof becomes an ice skating rink and features rentable Sky Igloos that accommodate six people and allow for food and beverage options in a private setting.
Zoo Atlanta
Known as both Zoo Atlanta and Atlanta Zoo, this wildlife park is acclaimed for its conservation initiatives, with programs in place to help protect wildlife around the globe.
The zoo is home to 1000 animals representing more than 200 species from around the world. It is also one of only three zoos in the US that houses Giant Pandas. Other notable exhibits include The Asian Forest, home to one of the largest zoological populations of orangutans; and The Ford African Rain Forest which features the nation’s largest population of gorillas. Additionally, visitors will find Keeper Talks, giraffe feedings, and wildlife presentations. Plus, there are children’s activities and attractions including a petting zoo, a carousel, a rideable train, a splash fountain, and a ropes course called the Treetop Tykes Trail for kids under 48 inches tall.
For an additional cost, guests can expand their experience with a Behind-the-Scenes Wild Encounter. For a complete list, along with ticket prices and zoo hours, visit the website HERE.
World of Coca Cola
This an immersive and refreshing experience for all ages! Embark on a journey through the history and global impact of the world’s most beloved beverage, Coca-Cola.
Discover the secret formula, explore a wide array of memorabilia, and get a glimpse of the bottling process. Indulge your taste buds with a variety of Coca-Cola beverages from around the world at the Taste It exhibit.
Capture picture-perfect moments with the famous Coca-Cola Polar Bear and enjoy interactive exhibits that will leave you inspired and nostalgic. Visit the website HERE.
Stone Mountain Park
Located on 3,200 beautiful acres of diverse landscape, Stone Mountain Park provides an array of attractions and activities for all ages. Lakes and hiking trails as just the beginning.
Take a Skyride to the top of Stone Mountain; ride a scenic train around the mountain; or explore the Historic Square for a collection of buildings built between 1793 and 1875. Examine the faces of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis carved into the mountain. Explore a 4-story barn, have a picnic or undertake a treetop adventure with Sky Hike. In the Crossroads area, you can spend time watching live shows, shopping, and dining. Visitors will also find seasonal events. Stone Mountain is open year-round, but attraction hours vary by season. Before your visit, check the website HERE
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Formerly known as Atlanta International Raceway, this is a 1.54-mile auto racing track located approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. In addition to presenting events such as AMA Supercross and Monster Jam, Atlanta Motor Speedway is better known for NASCAR races, which are hosted at the track twice a year.
In 1997, the track was rebuilt and swapped the front stretch and backstretch. Additional changes narrowed the track from 55 to 40 feet wide and increased the banking from 24 to 28 degrees. This caused NASCAR races to become more intense with the kind of door-to-door, pack racing seen at tracks like Daytona and Talladega during restrictor plate races. Although considerably shorter than both of those tracks, the reconfiguration turned Atlanta Motor Speedway into one of the fastest tracks on the NASCAR circuit and caused an uptick in attendance. To see the events schedule and purchase tickets, visit the website HERE.
Little Five Points
For tourists that enjoy unique, unconventional, and quirky, a visit to Little Five Points is in order. This is Atlanta’s hippest neighborhood. Located on the east side of the city, around the intersecting avenues of Moreland, Euclid, and McLendon, the area contains a bevy of indie shops for vintage records, unusual clothing, folk art, and unique gifts. There are also bars and cafes, and an eclectic mix of eateries that includes vegan and Ethiopian cuisine. The most recognizable restaurant is The Vortex Bar and Grill, with a crazy-eyed skull at the entrance.
The Variety Playhouse, which was a 1940s cinema transformed into a live music venue, presents a wide variety of avant-garde acts.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Visitors will be greeted by awe-inspiring exhibits that showcase the planet’s rich biodiversity, ancient history, and cultural heritage. Marvel at life-size dinosaur replicas and explore the mysteries of prehistoric life in the Mesozoic Experience. Wander through lush indoor and outdoor gardens to encounter diverse flora and fauna.
The immersive IMAX theater will take you on breathtaking journeys to remote corners of the Earth and beyond. Additionally, engaging interactive displays invite visitors to dig deeper into fascinating topics like geology, climate, and ecosystems at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
High Museum of Art
The High Museum of Art is one of the nation’s leading art museums, featuring a distinguished collection of art that ranges from contemporary to classic. This includes 17,000 pieces of American, European, and African art, plus photography, decorative and folk art, and architecture by Richard Meier and Renzo Piano.
The Gift Shop is just as interesting with hundreds of unique items including Van Gogh prints.
Plus, on every third Friday of each month, the museum hosts Jazz Night with music and drinks.
Photo Credits:
Lead – HD Wallpaper
Georgia Aquarium – Pengxiao Xu on Unsplash
Atlanta Botanical Garden – Christopher Alvarenga on Unsplash
Ponce City Market – Ronny Sison on Unsplash
Zoo Atlanta – Jonathan Meyer on Unsplash
World of Coca Cola – de David por on Pixabay
Stone Mountain Park – Richard Sagredo on Unsplash
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Courtesy of NASCAR
Little Five Points – Courtesy of Discover Atlanta
Fernbank Museum of Natural History – Wikimedia – by Jonathan Chen Licence Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
High Museum of Art – Ranjith Alingal on Unsplash
