3 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 and World of Coca-Cola, then Fox Theatre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Georgia Aquarium

      One of the largest aquariums in the world, built around the Ocean Voyager tank where whale sharks and manta rays glide over an underwater tunnel.

   2. Late morning

      National Center for Civil and Human Rights

      Allow time to recover after the lunch-counter exhibit; it is intense and many visitors find it emotional.

   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

      Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta in 1886, and the company's museum covers its history, advertising and the vault said to hold the secret formula.

   5. 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 and Ponce City Market, then Midtown in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

      Start at the visitor centre for the free exhibits and current information on birth-home access, then walk the street eastward.

   2. Late morning

      BeltLine Eastside Trail

      The BeltLine turns a ring of old railway lines into trails and parks; its Eastside Trail runs about 5 km from Piedmont Park past Ponce City Market and Historic Fourth Ward Park to Krog Street Market and Inman Park.

   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

      Eat in the food hall, then buy a rooftop ticket around sunset for the skyline view.

   5. Evening

      Midtown

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

3. Day 3: Piedmont Park and Atlanta Botanical Garden

   Piedmont Park, Atlanta Botanical Garden and High Museum of Art, then Edgewood Avenue in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Piedmont Park

      Atlanta's central park covers about 80 hectares of lawns, trails, dog parks and ball fields, with the classic view of the Midtown skyline across Lake Clara Meer.

   2. Late morning

      Atlanta Botanical Garden

      Book the holiday light show well ahead; weekend evenings in December sell out.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: The Varsity chili dog

      The original Varsity on North Avenue in Midtown.

   4. Afternoon

      High Museum of Art

      The Southeast's leading art museum occupies a white Richard Meier building with Renzo Piano extensions at the Woodruff Arts Center on Peachtree Street.

   5. Evening

      Edgewood Avenue

      Dive bars, cocktail bars and DJ nights along a short stretch near Sweet Auburn.

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 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.
• Swap in College Football Hall of Fame (Downtown): Register your favourite team at the entrance so the interactive screens personalise the visit.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Downtown keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Midtown ($$$) suits first-timers, couples, nightlife and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–23 hours of visiting over 3 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.

More or fewer days

• One day in Atlanta
• 2 days in Atlanta

Questions travellers ask