Must-See Atlanta Attractions

The heart of the city is downtown, the perfect starting point for first-time visitors. Centennial Olympic Park is surrounded by Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, CNN’s global headquarters, Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Center for Civil and Human Rights and the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, all within walking distance of each other. Beyond Centennial Olympic Park, discover other top attractions including the High Museum of Art, Zoo Atlanta and Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Southern Cuisine Meets the World

Atlanta boasts everything from upscale gourmet cuisine to progressive variations of Southern staples, chef-driven restaurants and international fare. What makes Atlanta’s dining scene special is its variety. Atlanta restaurants are relaxed and welcome diners with open arms. You’ll find authentic ethnic restaurants too, especially on Buford Highway, just 20 minutes outside Downtown.

Music, Film and Pop Culture

Get the inside scoop on the Atlanta film scene with Atlanta Movie Tours including Atlanta film sites featured in The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are 10 unique movie experiences offered on nearly 80 guided tours a month. Swan House Capitol Tours at Atlanta History Center includes a guided tour through the Swan House showcasing rooms used during filming of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

For the music fans, Atlanta hosts more than 30 festivals annually, including AC3 Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Imagine Music Festival, Music Midtown, Shaky Knees and SweetWater 420 Fest. The musical heritage of Atlanta includes many legends who made their careers in Georgia’s capital, including Otis Redding and Gladys Knight, along with more recent artists like Indigo Girls, CeeLo Green, OutKast and many popular hip-hop artists.

Cultural Capital of the Southeast

Atlanta’s arts scene spreads well beyond the city’s world-class venues. A new wave of visual art installations and street murals has rolled in, adorning parks, walls, tunnels and walkways with color and jumpstarting Atlanta’s independent artist scene.

The site of historic events including Civil War battles, the birth of the civil rights movement and the Centennial Olympic Games, Atlanta is rich with historical stories and figures. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park gives insight into the first steps toward civil equality and includes King’s birth home. The city is also home to Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum and Library.

The Local Scene

Atlanta isn’t just another big city; it’s an urban landscape made up of nearly 45 in-town neighborhoods. Midtown is known as Atlanta’s “heart of the arts” and sits along the famed Peachtree Street, just a few miles north of downtown. It boasts the largest concentration of arts facilities and organizations in the Southeast.

You can also visit the “Beverly Hills of the East.” Buckhead is a shopping haven for fashionistas across the Southern USA. Find the latest styles from high-end designers at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. Neighborhoods on Atlanta’s Eastside are connected by the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, a multi-use trail and greenspace that runs nearly five kilometers from Piedmont Park to Reynoldstown.