2 days in Atlanta

Day by day

1. Day 1: Georgia Aquarium and National Center for Civil and Human Rights

   Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, World of Coca-Cola and Centennial Olympic Park, then Fox Theatre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Georgia Aquarium

      Other galleries hold beluga whales, sea otters, African penguins and a dolphin presentation, all under one roof beside Centennial Olympic Park.

   2. Late morning

      National Center for Civil and Human Rights

      Its best-known exhibit is a lunch-counter simulation that puts you in the place of 1960 sit-in protesters, and it holds rotating displays of Dr. King's papers.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lemon pepper wings

      Neighbourhood wing joints across the city and in most sports bars; locals argue over which one is best.

   4. Afternoon

      World of Coca-Cola

      The highlight for most visitors is the tasting room, with dozens of Coca-Cola drinks sold around the world.

   5. Late afternoon

      Centennial Olympic Park

      Its Fountain of Rings, shaped like the Olympic rings, is an interactive splash fountain where children cool off in summer, and it puts on short water-and-light shows.

   6. Evening

      Fox Theatre

      Even a cheap seat for a concert gets you the full interior; arrive early to look around.

2. Day 2: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park and BeltLine Eastside Trail

   Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, BeltLine Eastside Trail, Ponce City Market and Piedmont Park, then Midtown in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

      King's restored birth home, Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached, and the King Center, where he and Coretta Scott King are buried beside a reflecting pool. The National Park Service visitor centre has exhibits on the movement and a rose garden.

   2. Late morning

      BeltLine Eastside Trail

      Murals, restaurant patios and street performers line the route, and it is where much of the city goes walking on weekends.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fried chicken and the meat-and-three

      Mary Mac's Tea Room on Ponce de Leon Avenue, open since 1945, where you write your own order on a pad, and soul-food restaurants across the West End.

   4. Afternoon

      Ponce City Market

      building on Ponce de Leon Avenue now holds a food hall, shops and offices, with direct access to the BeltLine. On the roof, Skyline Park has mini golf and carnival games beside one of the best views of the Midtown and downtown skylines.

   5. Late afternoon

      Piedmont Park

      It hosts many of the city's festivals, from the Dogwood Festival in spring to Atlanta Pride in autumn.

   6. Evening

      Midtown

      Bars and clubs around 10th Street, Crescent Avenue and Juniper Street, the heart of LGBTQ+ nightlife.

Before you go

• Georgia Aquarium: Timed tickets are cheaper and easier to secure online; weekends and school holidays sell out.

If it rains

• Swap in High Museum of Art (Midtown): Check which special exhibition is on; they often require a separate timed ticket.
• Swap in Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Druid Hills): Combine the indoor dinosaurs with the outdoor WildWoods trails for children who need to run around.
• Swap in Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum (Poncey-Highland): Walk the garden paths after the museum for one of the quieter skyline views in the city.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–19 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in December to 14.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. MARTA has four rail lines: the Red and Gold lines run north–south from the airport through downtown, Midtown and Buckhead, and the Blue and Green lines run east–west.

More or fewer days

• One day in Atlanta
• 3 days in Atlanta

Questions travellers ask