Key Spots in Atlanta

The Georgia Aquarium holds thousands of sea animals from oceans around the world. Whale sharks, manta rays, beluga whales, and several shark species live here in large tanks designed to resemble the open sea. The aquarium divides into different zones, each representing a particular habitat: tropical reefs, cold waters, rivers, and coastal regions. Visitors can walk through a glass tunnel beneath the tanks and watch the animals from below. Main attractions include daily feedings and presentations where marine biologists explain behaviors and traits of the species. The building sits in the downtown area, near the Olympic Park, and draws families and school groups. The interior is air-conditioned and well-lit, allowing close views of the animals.

This museum tells the story of the Coca-Cola Company since it began in Atlanta in 1886. You can see advertising from different decades, taste drinks from many countries, and learn how the brand grew over the years. The building sits downtown next to other well-known city attractions. Exhibits walk you through different eras and show how the company became a global name. Interactive areas invite you to take part. Visitors can learn more about the ingredients, the bottling process, and the advertising campaigns. This spot ranks among the important stops for anyone wanting to understand Atlanta and its economic growth.

This park was built for the 1996 Summer Olympics and now offers green spaces and fountains in the center of the city. Centennial Olympic Park is a place where locals and travelers rest, walk, or simply enjoy the open space. The park connects Atlanta's Olympic legacy with a space for everyday relaxation.

This park honors the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a central figure in Atlanta's civil rights movement. The site includes his childhood home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached, and his memorial. Visitors can walk through the Auburn Avenue neighborhood that shaped his early years. The visitor center presents exhibits on nonviolent resistance and social justice. This park connects personal history with broader struggles for equality.

This botanical garden gathers plants from around the world. You will find collections of tropical species in glasshouses, Japanese gardens with ponds and bridges, and beds of native plants. Events change with the seasons, including sculpture displays among the trees and evening illuminations. Paths lead through open meadows and shaded woodland. Visitors can observe orchids, cacti, ferns and flowering shrubs. The garden sits in Midtown and draws families, gardeners and nature lovers.

This park sits in the center of Atlanta and offers open lawns, walking paths, and places to play sports. Families come here to picnic on the grass, while joggers use the paths in the early morning. The park borders several neighborhoods and serves as a meeting point for people looking for calm outdoor space. There is a lake where you can sit and watch the day pass by, along with areas where children play.

This theater dates back to the 1920s and continues to host musicals, concerts and touring productions. The auditorium combines Moorish motifs with Egyptian details, including painted ceilings, gilded ornaments and a twinkling starlit sky during performances. The Fox Theatre remains one of the most recognized theater buildings in Atlanta and holds protected status. Visitors can join guided tours to learn about the history and the elaborate interior design, which preserves the character of past decades.

This museum presents a large collection of artworks from different periods. The exhibitions range from European masterpieces to American art. Visitors find paintings, sculptures and modern works here. The building itself was designed by Richard Meier and opened its doors in 1983. The galleries extend over several floors and offer changing special exhibitions. For art lovers in Atlanta, this museum serves as a central destination.

This museum presents Atlanta's history and culture through several buildings and gardens. The center includes exhibitions on the American Civil War, life in the southern United States, and the development of the city across the centuries. Two historic houses on the grounds, including a 19th-century farm, offer insight into daily life of earlier times. The gardens stretch across several acres and display native plants of the region.

This zoo is among the oldest zoological institutions in the United States and houses animals from many parts of the world. Zoo Atlanta cares for several endangered species and offers visitors the chance to learn about conservation efforts. The grounds extend across a wooded area in Grant Park and include different habitats designed to resemble the natural environments of the animals. Families often visit this place to see the pandas, gorillas, and other primates.

This presidential library tells the story of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States. The collection holds documents, photographs, and personal items from his time in the White House between 1977 and 1981. Visitors walk through rooms showing his childhood in Georgia, his political career, and his work on human rights after leaving office. The building sits in a park with gardens and a Japanese pond. The library preserves millions of pages of official papers and recordings. Exhibits cover topics like energy policy, peace efforts in the Middle East, and global health programs. A replica of the Oval Office gives a sense of where the president worked each day.

This museum focuses on natural history, science, and the cultures of the world. The Fernbank Museum of Natural History displays fossils, dinosaur skeletons, and exhibits on the evolution of life forms. Collections include geological finds, ethnographic objects, and interactive stations. Visitors can learn about the natural world and its development through the exhibition halls. The museum sits on forested grounds and offers educational programs for school groups and families.

This former railway corridor transforms into a long path for cyclists and pedestrians connecting different neighborhoods across the city. The Atlanta BeltLine passes through parks, past public art installations and local businesses where people walk, jog or simply explore their surroundings. The route follows old train tracks and creates new connections between residential areas that were once divided by the railroad. Along the way you find markets, cafes and green spaces that invite you to pause and offer a glimpse into daily life in the city.

This Ferris wheel turns slowly above downtown and offers sweeping views of the skyline and surrounding neighborhoods during the ride. The climate-controlled gondolas allow visitors to observe Atlanta from an elevated perspective. The wheel is especially visible in the evening when it is lit up and the streets below are bathed in warm light. The ride lasts several rotations and gives time to watch the city from above.

This museum celebrates the history of college football through interactive displays and multimedia presentations. Visitors can view historic trophies, watch films of legendary games, and try football-related activities themselves. The exhibition rooms focus on the players, coaches, and teams that shaped the sport. A large hall showcases memorabilia and artifacts from different eras. Interactive stations allow guests to test their own skills and learn more about the rules and strategies of the game. The College Football Hall of Fame conveys the importance of this sport to American culture.

This mansion at the Atlanta History Center dates from the late 1920s and shows classical architecture with symmetrical facades and columns. Inside, visitors find original furniture, decorations and art pieces from the period. The rooms are arranged as a wealthy family would have lived in them during the 1930s. Formal gardens surround the house, with fountains, terraces and landscaped paths. The Swan House offers insight into the lifestyle of Atlanta's upper class between the two world wars.

This Tudor Revival house contains the apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote her novel 'Gone with the Wind' during the 1920s and 1930s. The building has been restored and displays personal items, photographs, and manuscripts belonging to the author. Visitors can walk through the rooms where Mitchell lived and worked, learning about her life and the literary process behind her famous work. An exhibition documents the publication of the novel, its film adaptation, and the cultural impact of the story.

This market brings together food stalls, shops, and restaurants under one roof. Krog Street Market occupies a former industrial building and connects the history of the neighborhood with a contemporary selection of local and international cuisines. Visitors find artisan products, fresh ingredients, and seating areas where they can take in the character of the space. The market serves as a popular gathering spot in Atlanta and reflects how the city has evolved in recent years.

This historic cemetery draws visitors who walk through shaded lanes between burial sites from the 1800s. Oakland Cemetery shows the city history of Atlanta through the graves of Civil War soldiers, mayors and ordinary people. The paths lead through different areas with varying styles, from simple stones to large family vaults. Trees grow between the markers, and the landscape mixes green spaces with cast iron fences. On weekends, locals come here to walk the paths in quiet or join tours to learn more about the city's past.

This former Sears building from the 1920s is now a large marketplace with shops, restaurants, and offices. The structure is one of the large brick buildings in the city and sits along the BeltLine, an old railway corridor that people use for walking and cycling. Inside, you will find stalls serving food from different countries, stores selling clothing and crafts, and outdoor seating on the roof. On weekends, many locals come here to eat or shop.

This museum focuses on artists of African descent who identify as women, presenting paintings, photographs and installations created by women from different countries and periods. The collection offers insight into artistic traditions that have often remained outside major institutions. The exhibition spaces are located on the campus of Spelman College, connecting academic research with public access. Rotating exhibitions regularly bring new works and thematic focuses. The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art documents the variety of artistic expression and contributes to the cultural history of Atlanta.

This art installation consists of tiny doors placed at different locations around Atlanta. The miniature entrances appear on building walls, sidewalks, and in alleyways. Each door is designed differently and tells its own story. Visitors can discover them while walking through the city and explore new neighborhoods along the way. The installation combines street art with a playful element and invites people to see the city in a different light.

This museum gathers works of ancient art from many cultures and eras. The collections include Egyptian mummies, Greek pottery, and objects from the Near East and the Americas. The Michael C. Carlos Museum organizes rotating exhibitions that focus on specific themes or regions, offering visitors a window into the art and life of past civilizations.

This museum displays works by African American artists in a 19th-century house. The collection includes paintings, sculptures and prints that represent different artistic movements and periods. The building itself was once home to Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds, a physician and art collector who wanted to share his passion for African American art with the public. Rotating exhibitions complement the permanent collection and offer insight into the cultural history and artistic expressions of the African American community.

This nature preserve in Atlanta protects one of the few places in the city where spring water emerges from limestone rock and flows through wooded slopes. The trails wind through forests and along small streams, where visitors can observe the local plants and wildlife while walking through quiet sections away from urban development.

This neighborhood was the economic center of Atlanta's African American community and home to many civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr. The streets are lined with brick houses, small churches and old storefronts that recall a time when Black entrepreneurs opened businesses here and fought against segregation. Today, walks pass birth homes, memorials and preserved buildings that tell stories of the struggle for equality.

The Wren's Nest was the home of Joel Chandler Harris, the writer who created the Br'er Rabbit stories. This house from the 19th century shows the rooms where Harris lived and worked. Visitors can see the study where he wrote many of his tales, along with personal belongings and first editions of his books. The house sits in a quiet neighborhood west of downtown and offers a sense of how a writer lived in Atlanta at the turn of the century.

This center sits in Atlanta and offers rides and play areas all built around LEGO bricks. Families can view models of famous city landmarks, create their own designs in dedicated building zones, and try several attractions aimed at younger children. The center shows how the colorful building blocks turn into entertainment, and it lets visitors interact with the elements many people remember from childhood in a hands-on way.

This museum explores the history and evolution of trap, a music genre that emerged from the neighborhoods of south Atlanta. Exhibits include stage costumes, photographs, and personal items from artists who shaped the sound. Visitors walk through rooms dedicated to different eras and figures, with interactive installations that recreate the recording studio and the visual style of the trap scene. The museum offers a direct look at a musical movement that gained international recognition far beyond Atlanta.

This park was developed on former industrial land and provides green space in an older neighborhood. It includes playgrounds, a lake with wide paths along the water, an amphitheater, and open lawns for resting. Visitors can walk on paved trails or sit near the water. The park serves as a public gathering spot for the community and shows how vacant land in Atlanta has been repurposed. Families and joggers come here, especially on weekends. The trees and plantings are still young, but the space feels open and welcoming. The amphitheater hosts events that bring residents together.

This museum tells the story of Delta Air Lines and commercial aviation. Exhibits include historic aircraft such as a Douglas DC-3 and a Boeing 767 that visitors can walk through. Original uniforms, in-flight service items, and cockpit instruments show how air travel has changed over the decades. Interactive stations let you try a flight simulator or learn about aircraft technology. The Delta Flight Museum sits on airport grounds and gives a sense of how an airline operates and how Atlanta became a major hub in aviation.

This museum and performance center focuses on the art of puppetry, offering exhibitions, workshops and live shows. It houses a large collection of puppets from different cultures and periods, including figures from well-known television series. Visitors can explore the history and techniques of puppetry while also trying their hands at creating their own puppets.