The Atlanta Botanical Garden. Nicholas Widener for Insider Atlanta is an outdoorsy city thanks to its warm climate and generous green spaces. From museums to historical parks, here are 11 places in the area you should visit.
Visit Insider’s hub for travel guides, tips, and recommendations. Because of the warp-speed development in the city in recent years, a lot of Atlanta is shiny and new. But other parts have much historical context.
During the Civil War, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman ruthlessly set the city on fire as he began his March to the Sea. I remember reading about it in “Gone with the Wind,” by Atlanta’s own Margaret Mitchell, who tells of the event that left almost 40% of the city devastated.
Our historic sites are precious to us in Atlanta, which today features the ever-important Civil Rights Trail forged by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Because this city was reborn and is now flourishing, there’s also a long list of exciting attractions that continues to expand along with the metro area.
Even living here, I have a hard time keeping up with the steady stream of festivals in gorgeous city parks; the maze of trails to hike or bike; events at top-of-the-line sporting, convention, and concert venues; and well-loved museums and exhibits. Take it from a local: You’ll be planning to revisit Atlanta before you’re halfway through. Civil Rights TrailEbenezer Baptist Church on the Civil Rights Trail in Atlanta, GeorgiaNicholas Widener for InsiderA native son of Atlanta, King gave us a lot to be proud of, which is why no visit here is complete without a walk in his shoes.
The Civil Rights Trail includes eight critical stops. Start at his birthplace in Sweet Auburn, where you’re welcome to join a free ranger-led tour of his childhood home. Just a block away is Stop No.
2, Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he served as a co-pastor. Both are part of the national historical park that carries his name. Before ending at the King Center, where he and Coretta Scott King are buried, stop by the Elbert P.
Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building, with its ties to Brown v. Board of Education; the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum; and the Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown’s most touristic square. Centennial Olympic ParkCentennial Olympic Park.
Nicholas Widener for InsiderCentennial Olympic Park offers the greatest concentration of tourist attractions downtown. It’s free to enter this 22-acre wide-open space, built to commemorate the 1996 Summer Games. Take your picture at the Olympic rings sculpture, and let your kids jump in the water when the song-and-spray Fountain of Rings program plays every three hours from 12:30 to 9 p.
m. There are music festivals and holiday celebrations throughout the year and an ice-skating rink in the winter. But while the park has plenty to highlight, it’s what’s around it that makes the area extra exciting.
SkyView Atlanta, the oversized Ferris wheel; the CNN studio; the National Center for Civil and Human Rights; the World of Coca-Cola; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame; and the Georgia Aquarium are clustered around this plaza, letting you take your day in any direction, so long as you start here. The Battery Atlanta and Truist ParkNicholas Widener for InsiderMinutes outside the perimeter, in Smyrna, is the home of the Braves, the World Series-winning Major League Baseball team with legions of local fans who enthusiastically count down to the start of every season. The Braves play in Truist Park, a gorgeous stadium that was built only five years ago for a team with a 100-year history.
You can even watch the game and experience the roar of the crowd from Live at the Battery Atlanta, where it plays on the big screen in the bar Sports & Social Atlanta. Or splurge and book a balcony room overlooking the stadium at the Omni Hotel at Battery Atlanta. Baseball season isn’t the only time you’ll catch Atlantans hanging at the park.
Next door is The Battery, a mixed-use development with public, dog-friendly outdoor gathering spaces, restaurants, bars, shopping, and live music at the Coca-Cola Roxy. Georgia AquariumThe Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta GeorgiaNicholas Widener for InsiderAtlanta is a great place to see animals, offering two fantastic options starting with the Georgia Aquarium. The largest aquarium in the US is centrally located near other tourist sights downtown.
Over 100,000 types of marine life are found here, including the only whale sharks in captivity outside Asia. A cavernous main hall leads to eight galleries, whose headliners include the Ocean Voyager, featuring a 100-foot tunnel of goliath groupers, giant manta rays, and more. I usually end up in the Cold Water Quest wing, transfixed by puffins and playful sea otters, or watching the beluga whales ripple against their acrylic tank.
The education programs and presentations of dolphins and sea lions and the 4D Theater showings are also worth your time. Make sure you reserve your time slot ahead of your visit. For even closer encounters, the Georgia Aquarium has a behind-the-scenes tour and cage drop into the shark tank, which made for a neat gift for my boyfriend.
You can also snorkel in the aquarium’s biggest exhibit, join sleepover nights for kids and families, or sip cocktails at adult-only events. Zoo AtlantaThe African elephants exhibit at Zoo Atlanta. Zoo AtlantaThe other special place to see animals is Zoo Atlanta, which has over 1,500 animals representing 220 species, including giant pandas (which you can observe before your visit via the zoo’s website’s Panda Cam); African elephants and lions; gorillas, orangutans, and monkeys; and tigers and other endangered and at-risk big cats.
Before you go, check the events schedule. Holidays bring traditions like Boo at the Zoo and Cookies with Santa, plus adult fun like Sippin’ Safari and Art Gone Wild painting classes. The zoo even host guests for special events — for instance, this summer Mark and Steven Erickson from Fox’s “Lego Masters” are popping by.
That’s all in addition to daily highlights like giraffe, goat, and orangutan feedings; keeper talks; and private encounters with elephants and pandas. Best of all, your admission goes toward conservation and research efforts worldwide; Zoo Atlanta is the headquarters of the Great Ape Heart Project and a partner of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Fernbank Museum of Natural HistoryThere are walking paths and outdoor exhibits throughout the grounds at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
Nicholas Widener for InsiderThis not-for-profit museum in an old-growth forest keeps dinosaurs on permanent display, including the 47-foot aptly named Giganotosaurus, plus seasonal exhibits. But don’t forget to look down — the floor tiles are limestone with real Jurassic fossils. For families, a kids’ wing called NatureQuest has live animal habitats and hands-on activities.
And I think everyone can enjoy the 900-gallon saltwater aquarium, the four-story Giant Screen Theater, a new STEM exhibit, and a comprehensive gallery. Beyond the dinosaurs, Fernbank’s outdoor attractions feature two miles of 16-story elevated paths, exhibits, galleries, and tree pods in the heart of the 65-acre forest. If you can, plan your visit to include the second Friday of the month — that’s when Fernbank After Dark takes place and the forest is opened up for evening walks, live music, full bars, snacks, and science demonstrations for grown-ups.
Atlanta Botanical GardenSculptures in the Atlanta Botanical Garden at Piedmont Park. Nicholas Widener for InsiderOur city’s 30-acre botanical garden features beautiful blooms amid the field of green that’s Piedmont Park. Since it incorporated in 1976, Atlanta Botanical Garden has become one of the most beloved attractions and resources in the city.
Many locals are yearlong members as much for the ever-changing seasonal art installations as for the expansive programs, conservation, and research funding. I’ll never forget my first time down the garden’s rabbit hole — an “Alice in Wonderland” installation had just launched, featuring 31 topiary-like sculptures that put me right in the middle of the classic tale. More recently, 150 glass plant sculptures were displayed throughout the grounds, and this summer there will be 70 origami-style metal sculptures.
Expect to spend a minimum of an hour and a half exploring the award-winning Children’s Garden, the peaceful Canopy Walk, the view from the Skyline Garden, five nationally accredited plant collections, and the Edible Garden, where the staff sometimes hold cooking demonstrations. See if you can spot all the permanent Dale Chihuly features — and do it with a glass of wine or cocktail from the snack bar in hand. Atlanta History CenterThe Atlanta History Center offers comprehensive exhibits on the history and identity of the city.
Nicholas Widener for InsiderThe Atlanta History Center in Buckhead offers nine permanent and several temporary exhibits across 33 acres of historic homes, gardens, and modern buildings. Locals make use of the library and research center and attend author talks and summer camp — but as a visitor, you should start at the award-winning museum. I found it to be a phenomenal crash course in geography, identity, and the history and dynamics of the A, and when I brought my family, it helped them understand the appeal and significance of my new hometown.
The interactive displays are the first step of immersion; you’ll dive in deeper when you enter the Swan House, a restored manor you might recognize from “The Hunger Games. ” At Atlanta’s oldest surviving farmhouse, friendly goats and sheep greet you. The gardens include one for rhododendrons, one with a formal “Gatsby”-style estate design, and a sunken quarry.
And don’t miss the hidden art collections, the antique cars, and the tiny door hidden on the premises — this series is an Atlanta curiosity and one of my favorite things to stumble upon. Atlanta BeltLineThe Beltline is a series of trails where you can bike or walk around the city. Nicholas Widener for InsiderBuilt along a historic railroad corridor, this pedestrian- and bike-friendly route began as essentially a scenic back road through some of Atlanta’s long-standing neighborhoods.
Today it’s a series of nine open trails along 10 parks, with grand plans for expansion beyond its original goal of encircling the heart of the city. Projects like the scenic Peachtree Creek Greenway — a trail set to connect the Path400 and the BeltLine — are underway to help locals and visitors commute to the business districts, food halls, and trendy bars and restaurants cropping up along the 22-mile loop. The BeltLine is already the largest outdoor temporary public art exhibition in the South, featuring works by Atlanta creatives, a lively schedule of performances, and tiny doors.
Use it for an exploratory walk and allow yourself the freedom to take a detour. Silver Comet TrailTake a relaxing back ride along the Silver Comet Trail. Nicholas Widener for InsiderAnother way to cover a lot of ground is to hit the Silver Comet Trail, a 61.
5-mile, 12-foot-wide trail built on an abandoned railroad line that starts just outside the perimeter in Smyrna and ends all the way in Chief Ladiga. Though it’s a bit out of town, it’s a mostly flat, soothing way to disconnect, preferably via bike. While it starts at the Mavell Road Trailhead, I usually start at the Floyd Road Trailhead in Mableton, where I park for free and rent a bike from Comet Trail Cycles.
It’s only $40 to rent a cruiser for the entire day, and I’ve taken this shaded trail as far as Hiram, about 15 miles away. You’ll get the chance to stop in little downtowns like Powder Springs and pass by bridges, tunnels, an outdoor exercise pavilion, huge playgrounds, maintained restrooms, and a concession stand that’s clearly decorated with love. And because it runs parallel to a main road, 278, you can jump off for fast food or branch off to other trails, roads, and neighborhoods.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield ParkKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is the site of a Civil War battle. Nicholas Widener for InsiderThis site, established under President Woodrow Wilson, is a preserved Civil War battleground that spans nearly 3,000 acres — and it’s worth a ride to the suburbs. If you’re driving, it’s only $5 to park in any of its lots.
Better yet, if you have an America the Beautiful national-parks pass, bring it to park to enter for free. While many people find it enough to walk across the enormous open battlefield, I opt to hike, starting at the visitor’s center. A path uphill starts with city views before entering woods with well-maintained trails and plenty of placards and signs that recognize points of interest.
There are also old cannons, the Illinois Monument, and lots of birds soaring above the peekaboo views. There are multiple loop options, but I suggest finishing in time for a detour in Marietta on your way back into town. This way you can continue your history tour with a walk through its charming downtown square (which you may recognize from film and TV cameos), a glimpse of protected historic homes, and a snack at the Marietta Square Market food hall.
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