Season guide · Atlanta · United States
Atlanta in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Mild with occasional cold snaps; holiday lights and big games, and lower hotel prices in January and February. Expect highs up to 15°C (59°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 31 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 2°C (36°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 31
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12°C (54°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 11 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
| February | 15°C (59°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 10 | 10.9 h | 2/5 |
| December | 13°C (55°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 10 | 9.9 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 13°C (55°F) against a yearly 23°C (73°F), and 31 of the year's roughly 114 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorations at Ebenezer Baptist Church and the King Center (third Monday)
- February: Black History Month programmes at the King sites and museums
- December: SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (usually early December)
- December: Peach Bowl college football game (around New Year)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Poncey-Highland
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Walk the garden paths after the museum for one of the quieter skyline views in the city.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Downtown
College Football Hall of Fame
A hands-on museum of American college football, with a wall of helmets from hundreds of schools, interactive exhibits on the sport's traditions and an indoor field where visitors can try kicking field goals and running drills.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Museum · Buckhead
Atlanta History Center
See the Cyclorama presentation first; it gives context for the rest of the campus.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Midtown
Center for Puppetry Arts
A museum and theatre dedicated to puppetry, with a large Jim Henson collection including original Muppets and characters from Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock, plus puppets from many world traditions.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
Aquarium · Downtown
Georgia Aquarium
Go straight to Ocean Voyager at opening, then circle back through the smaller galleries as school groups arrive.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Chattanooga (About 2 hours by car) — A river city in Tennessee with the Tennessee Aquarium, the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge and Lookout Mountain, home to Rock City and the underground Ruby Falls waterfall.
- Tallulah Gorge State Park (About 2 hours by car) — A gorge almost 3 km long and up to about 300 metres deep in the North Georgia mountains, with rim trails, waterfall overlooks and a suspension bridge across the gorge.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Atlanta?
It is a trade-off: Mild with occasional cold snaps; holiday lights and big games, and lower hotel prices in January and February. The best months overall are April–May and October–November.
+What is the weather like in Atlanta in winter?
Highs of up to 15°C (59°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 31 rainy days over the season.