Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia and one of the most significant cities in American history, though many visitors only connect it to the 1996 Olympics and Coca-Cola. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in the Sweet Auburn neighbourhood is the site that justifies the trip. Dr. King’s birth home, Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his father both served as pastors, and the King Center with its reflecting pool containing the tombs of King and Coretta Scott King are all within walking distance of each other on Auburn Avenue. The entire area deserves at least two to three hours of attention, more if you use the ranger-led tours at the birth home (timed-entry passes are required and go quickly; book online in advance).

Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta in 1886 by pharmacist John Pemberton. The World of Coca-Cola museum near Centennial Olympic Park is mostly for people who find the history of commercial branding interesting, though the tasting room (over 100 products from different markets worldwide, including some that are genuinely surprising) is worth the USD 25 admission on its own terms.

The Georgia Aquarium

One of the largest aquariums in the world by volume. The Ocean Voyager exhibit holds more than 10 million gallons and has whale sharks: there are perhaps 15 aquariums worldwide that hold whale sharks, and this is one. The 100-foot underwater tunnel providing a 180-degree view of the tank is the way to see them. Allow at least three hours and book online to avoid the entrance queues.

The BeltLine

The Atlanta BeltLine is a network of trails, parks, and public art built along a former railway corridor that circles the inner city. The Eastside Trail between Inman Park and Ponce City Market is the most developed and most used section; it connects neighbourhoods and restaurants in a way that the car-dependent street grid does not. Cycling or walking the Eastside Trail is probably the best single way to understand how Atlanta has been changing since the trail opened in 2012.

Ponce City Market, the former Sears distribution building on the BeltLine, has been converted into a food hall and retail space. The food options are better than average for a converted warehouse: baked goods, seafood, tacos, ramen, and various sit-down restaurants.

Eating

The Varsity, open since 1928, is the largest drive-in restaurant in the United States. The chili dogs and onion rings are the orders. This is not fine dining; it is a genuine Atlanta institution.

Mary Mac’s Tea Room has been serving Southern comfort food since 1945. Fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet tea. Mains around $15-20.

Staplehouse in the Old Fourth Ward is a James Beard Award-winning restaurant with contemporary American cooking and tasting menu options. Book well ahead.

Practical Notes

MARTA (the rail and bus network) connects Hartsfield-Jackson Airport directly to downtown and Midtown. The rail system is limited beyond those corridors; rideshares or a car are useful for Buckhead, Decatur, and other neighbourhoods.

Best months: spring (March through May) and fall (September through November). Atlanta summers are hot and humid; most attractions are air-conditioned, which helps.

The MLK National Historical Park is free. Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola benefit from advance online ticket purchases.