Atlanta is Georgia’s capital and largest city, with more than 498,000 people within city limits and 6 million in the metro area. It has free world-class Civil Rights history, one of the best aquariums on Earth, a 22-mile urban trail network, a 1929 movie palace still running touring Broadway shows, and a food scene anchored by institutions going back to 1945. These 20 attractions cover the full range — from the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement to a trail of doll-head sculptures in an East Atlanta nature park.
Jump to: Civil Rights Atlanta · Flagship Attractions · Museums & Art · Parks & Gardens · Food & Nightlife · Film Locations & Oddities
Civil Rights Atlanta
Atlanta is the birthplace of the American Civil Rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on Auburn Avenue in 1929, baptized at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and returned to co-pastor there through the 1960s. The Sweet Auburn neighborhood — once one of the most prosperous Black business districts in the country — holds the core historic sites, all within walking distance of each other.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
A National Park Service site at 501 Auburn Avenue covering King’s birth home (1929 Victorian house), the King Center and his tomb, and the Freedom Hall complex. The birthplace offers guided ranger tours on a timed-entry basis. King’s crypt is in a reflecting pool flanked by an eternal flame — open to the public year-round. The visitor center has exhibits on the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Birmingham Campaign, and the March on Washington. Free admission; timed entry required for the birth home.
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
The historic 1922 building at 407 Auburn Avenue NE where King was baptized and where he co-pastored with his father, Martin Luther King Sr. King’s grandfather A.D. Williams founded the congregation in 1886. This is the original church building, preserved as a National Historic Landmark and part of the National Historical Park; the active congregation now meets in a newer building directly across the street. Free to enter, open to visitors daily.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid admission
A museum on Centennial Olympic Park Drive dedicated to the American Civil Rights movement and its connections to global human rights struggles. Opened 2014. The most striking exhibit is the lunch counter sit-in simulation — visitors place their hands on a vibrating counter while recording of taunts and threats plays around them. The building houses the archives of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Paid admission; located next to the Georgia Aquarium.
Flagship Attractions
Georgia Aquarium
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid admission
Home to whale sharks and manta rays — the only aquarium in the Western Hemisphere to house whale sharks. Opened 2005, with 10 million gallons of water and more than 100,000 animals across several distinct biomes. The Ocean Voyager exhibit is the centerpiece: a 6.3-million-gallon tank with an underwater tunnel. Located at 225 Baker Street NW next to Centennial Olympic Park. Book tickets in advance; lines move slowly without reservations.
World of Coca-Cola
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid admission
A 20-story museum adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium covering the history of Coca-Cola from its 1886 Atlanta origins through its global expansion. The Taste It pavilion offers samples from 100+ Coca-Cola beverages sold in different countries — including flavors never available in the US. A vault containing the original formula is on display (though the recipe remains a closely guarded secret). Paid admission; combo tickets with the Georgia Aquarium are available.
The Atlanta BeltLine
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
A 22-mile loop of multi-use trails converting former railroad corridors into urban greenway, connecting 45 neighborhoods. The Eastside Trail — running from Ponce City Market through Old Fourth Ward to Inman Park — is the most developed section and the best introduction to the project. The trail passes murals, outdoor installations, and access to dozens of restaurants and bars. Free, open daily. The full loop is still under construction but expanding annually.
Museums & Art
High Museum of Art
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid admission
The leading art museum in the Southeast, on Peachtree Street in Midtown. The Richard Meier–designed building opened 1983 and expanded in 2005 to 177,000 square feet. Permanent collection spans 18,000+ works with particular strength in American art, African art, and folk and self-taught art. The museum has partnered with the Louvre and other European institutions for major traveling exhibitions. Paid admission; free second Sunday of each month.
Atlanta History Center & Swan House
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid admission
A 33-acre history complex in Buckhead. The main museum covers Atlanta’s Civil War history, the 1996 Olympics, Black history, and folk art. Swan House — a 1928 Italian Renaissance Revival mansion on the grounds — is the most photogenic stop; it served as President Snow’s mansion in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013). Separate gardens and walking trails connect the buildings on the property. Paid admission covers the museum, Swan House tours, and grounds.
Ponce City Market & Skyline Park
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free (rooftop paid)
A 1926 Sears, Roebuck & Co. warehouse on the BeltLine Eastside Trail, converted into a food hall, retail complex, and office space. The Central Food Hall has 25+ food vendors. Skyline Park on the roof has a retro carnival with rides, mini golf, batting cages, and bars with panoramic views over Midtown and the BeltLine corridor. The building entrance and food hall are free; Skyline Park charges admission. Located at 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE.
Parks & Gardens
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid admission
A 30-acre garden in Midtown adjacent to Piedmont Park. The Fuqua Orchid Center holds one of the largest orchid collections in the world — over 700 varieties. The Canopy Walk is an elevated walkway threading through the forest canopy 40 feet above the ground. A Japanese garden, a children’s garden, and seasonal installations round out the property. Paid admission; connects directly to Piedmont Park via a shared gate on the north side.
Piedmont Park
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
A 185-acre urban park in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. Lake Clara Meer provides a calm midpoint; the park has dog parks, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and open lawns used for large festivals including Music Midtown and Atlanta Pride. The north end connects directly to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Free, open daily from 6am to 11pm.
Centennial Olympic Park
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
A 21-acre park built for the 1996 Summer Olympics at the center of the downtown sports and entertainment district. The Fountain of Rings — five interlocking rings of water jets — is the park’s signature feature and the only fountain based on the official Olympic symbol. The park hosts free outdoor concerts in summer and an outdoor ice rink in winter. Located adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola. Free, open daily.
Food & Nightlife
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
Fulton County · Atlanta · Casual dining
Texas-style barbecue from brothers Jonathan and James Fox, opened 2007. The beef brisket is the anchor — smoked low and slow with a pepper-forward bark. The Frito pie (chili, Fritos, smoked meat, cheese) has become an Atlanta signature dish. Located in DeKalb County’s Little Five Points corridor on McLendon Ave. No reservations; first-come, first-served. Long lines on weekends — arrive early or mid-afternoon.
Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Fulton County · Atlanta · Casual dining
Founded 1945 by Mary MacKenzie on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown — an 80-year Atlanta institution. The format is Southern “meat-and-three”: choose an entree and three sides from a daily rotating menu. Specialties include fried chicken, pot likker (the broth from boiled turnip greens, served with cornbread), and sweet tea that arrives before you ask for it. Cash and card accepted; no reservations. Lunch is the busiest service.
The Fox Theatre
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid (performances)
A 1929 Moorish-Egyptian movie palace at 660 Peachtree Street NE — one of the most ornate surviving theaters in the United States. The auditorium seats 4,678 under a ceiling designed to simulate an open-air night sky, complete with twinkling fiber-optic stars and moving clouds. Named a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Now hosts touring Broadway productions, concerts, and special events year-round. Backstage tours are available on select Saturdays.
The Tabernacle
Fulton County · Atlanta · Paid (performances)
A former 1911 Baptist church at 152 Luckie Street NW in Downtown Atlanta, converted to a concert venue in 1996. Capacity is 2,600 — a general admission standing floor with a balcony. The high ceilings and original arched windows create unusually good acoustics for a venue this size. Regularly hosts mid-tier touring acts and is considered one of the better small venues in the South. Check programming before visiting; no fixed schedule.
Film Locations & Oddities
Jackson Street Bridge
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
The pedestrian walkway on the Jackson Street Bridge over the I-75/85 connector is where Rick Grimes rides into Atlanta on horseback in Season 1 of The Walking Dead — one of the most reproduced shots in the show’s history. The angle looks northwest down the Midtown skyline. Free and always accessible; the bridge is a functioning road crossing. The shot requires standing on the eastbound sidewalk looking toward Downtown.
Porsche Experience Center
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free (exterior)
A 1.6-mile driver development track at 1 Porsche Drive in College Park, adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The exterior of the building served as the New Avengers Facility in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). The facility is accessible as a guest without driving — the main building has a Porsche brand experience and a restaurant open to the public. Driving experiences require advance booking and carry significant fees.
Oakland Cemetery
Fulton County · Atlanta · Free
Atlanta’s oldest municipal cemetery, founded 1850 in the Grant Park neighborhood. Margaret Mitchell (Gone With the Wind) is buried here, as is Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first Black mayor. The grounds include six acres of Victorian ornamental garden, Confederate and African American burial sections, and a Jewish burial section. Self-guided walking tour maps are available at the entrance. Free to enter; guided walking tours available on weekends for a fee.
Doll’s Head Trail
DeKalb County · Atlanta · Free
A 1.5-mile trail in Constitution Lakes Park where local artist Joel Slaton has, over 20+ years, assembled hundreds of discarded doll heads, toy parts, and found objects into sculptures along the path. The installations shift as Slaton adds pieces and the forest grows around them. Constitution Lakes itself is a 120-acre urban nature preserve with lake views and regular bird sightings. Free, open daily — an easy add-on to a visit to East Atlanta.
Planning Notes
Getting around: Atlanta’s top attractions cluster in three zones — Sweet Auburn (Civil Rights sites), Midtown (museums, parks, the BeltLine), and Downtown (Georgia Aquarium, Centennial Olympic Park). MARTA rail connects the airport to Downtown and Midtown directly. Within Midtown, the BeltLine and sidewalks handle most moves. A car helps for Fox Bros. and the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead.
Reservations: Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola benefit from advance tickets — lines at the door are long in peak season. Book the Fox Theatre when you know your dates; touring shows sell out. Everything else is walk-in.
Free days: MLK National Historical Park, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Centennial Olympic Park, Oakland Cemetery, the BeltLine, and Piedmont Park are all free. The High Museum of Art waives admission on the second Sunday of each month.