The Best Things to Do in Atlanta, Georgia

At a glance

• Where: Twelve picks across Downtown Atlanta, Midtown, Sweet Auburn, Grant Park and Buckhead, all inside the City of Atlanta
• Best base: Downtown Atlanta or Midtown, with MARTA rail connecting the two
• Cheapest big stop: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park is free, with no entrance pass required
• Hours: Typically Tuesday to Sunday for museums; check each official site before you go
• Time needed: Three full days covers the anchors; one day covers four or five picks

The best things to do in Atlanta, Georgia are Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum of Art, Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Beltline and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Add World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Oakland Cemetery, the Fox Theatre, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta History Center, and you have a trip that works in any season.

This is the answer a local gives a friend who is landing next week. Every pick below sits inside the City of Atlanta, and each one was checked against its own official site for this guide.

How we chose

We picked twelve places that Atlanta is actually known for, not just places that happen to be nearby. Each one had to be open according to its own official website, with an address that reads Atlanta, Georgia. We left out anything we could not confirm, which is why a few famous stops are missing. Hours and prices change, so treat every time below as typical and check the official site before you go.

Which Atlanta attractions should you do first?

Start with the five anchors: Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum of Art, Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Beltline and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. They cover water, art, green space, neighborhoods and history, and none of them overlaps with another.

1. Georgia Aquarium (Downtown Atlanta)

Georgia Aquarium is at 225 Baker Street NW in Downtown Atlanta. Plan on three to four hours. The official site lists the Southern Company River Scout gallery, where binturongs, river otters and a Canopy Walk are part of the visit.

Local tip: entry ends 30 minutes before closing, and pricing varies by date and peak times, so book a timed ticket on the official site and go on a weekday morning if you can.

2. High Museum of Art (Midtown)

The High Museum of Art is at 1280 Peachtree Street NE in Midtown. Give it two to three hours. It is typically open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., and it is closed on Mondays.

Local tip: the last ticket is issued one hour before closing, so arrive by mid-afternoon. Groups of ten or more get 10 percent off. Details are on the High's visit page.

3. Piedmont Park (Midtown)

Piedmont Park is Midtown's big front lawn, and it is the easiest way to see how Atlantans spend a free afternoon. The Piedmont Park Conservancy lists its directions page at 1322 Monroe Drive. Give it an hour for a walk or the whole afternoon for a picnic.

Local tip: parking is in a paid garage, and the first 30 minutes are free, so a short visit costs nothing. The park's own site has an Alerts and Closures page worth a glance before you leave: piedmontpark.org.

4. Atlanta Beltline

The Atlanta Beltline is a 22-mile loop of trails, parks and future transit that the Atlanta Beltline organization says connects 45 neighborhoods, with more than 16 miles of urban trails ready to walk. Its own site calls the public art along the trail the largest free public art exhibition in the Southeast, so a Saturday walk on the Atlanta Beltline doubles as the cheapest gallery day in town. Walk a section for an hour or spend a half day on a longer stretch, stopping for restaurants, breweries, galleries and public art along the way.

Local tip: you do not need to do the whole loop. Pick one stretch, walk it one way and ride or rideshare back. Details at beltline.org.

5. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (Sweet Auburn)

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park at 450 Auburn Avenue NE preserves the places where Martin Luther King Jr. was born, lived, worked, worshipped and is buried. It is typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1, and admission is free with no entrance pass required. Give it a half day.

Local tip: park rangers lead free Birth Home presentations daily, limited to 15 people on a first-come basis, and they fill fast. Registration is at Historic Fire Station No. 6, 39 Boulevard NE, so start your morning there and check the National Park Service page for the day's times and any closures.

What else is worth your time in Downtown Atlanta?

Downtown Atlanta packs Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights within a short walk of each other, which makes it a strong rainy-day base, and Oakland Cemetery sits just east of Downtown. See the Downtown Atlanta guide for more.

6. World of Coca-Cola (Downtown Atlanta)

World of Coca-Cola is at 121 Baker Street NW, next door to Georgia Aquarium. Plan on about two hours. It is typically open seven days a week, with hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 to 8 on Friday and Sunday, and 10 to 9 on Saturday.

Local tip: special hours do pop up, so look at the plan your visit page on the day.

7. National Center for Civil and Human Rights (Downtown Atlanta)

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is at 100 Ivan Allen Jr Boulevard NW in Downtown Atlanta. Allow two hours. It is typically open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4 p.m.

Local tip: adult admission is typically $26 plus tax with an advance reservation, or $28 plus tax for an Anytime ticket, so book ahead and save two dollars. See civilandhumanrights.org.

8. Oakland Cemetery (just east of Downtown Atlanta)

Oakland Cemetery, at 374 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE just east of Downtown Atlanta, covers 48 acres and describes itself as Atlanta's oldest public burial ground. The grounds are open dawn to dusk year-round and the visitor center is typically open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Give it 90 minutes.

Local tip: it doubles as a park, so it works as a quiet break between Sweet Auburn and the Beltline. Tours are listed at oaklandcemetery.com.

What should you do in Midtown?

Midtown is where Atlanta's arts live, so spend a day here pairing the High Museum of Art with the Fox Theatre and Atlanta Botanical Garden. Start with the Midtown guide.

9. Fox Theatre (Midtown)

The Fox Theatre is at 660 Peachtree Street NE. Its Architecture and History Tour is a 60-minute guided tour offered publicly. Holiday Tours run from Thanksgiving through late December.

Local tip: call the box office at (855) 285-8499 for tour times, since the tour page does not list them. Details at foxtheatre.org.

10. Atlanta Botanical Garden (Midtown)

Atlanta Botanical Garden is at 1345 Piedmont Avenue, beside Piedmont Park. Plan on two hours. Atlanta Botanical Garden sets its hours by season, and in winter it typically opens Tuesday to Sunday and closes on Mondays.

Local tip: members get free daytime admission, and a $5 fee applies to online and phone orders. Check atlantabg.org for seasonal hours.

What about Grant Park and Buckhead?

Grant Park has Zoo Atlanta, and Buckhead has the Atlanta History Center, so each is a good second-day trip. See the Buckhead guide.

11. Zoo Atlanta (Grant Park)

Zoo Atlanta is at 800 Cherokee Avenue SE. Plan on three to four hours. Zoo Atlanta is typically open daily until 5 p.m., with an opening time that shifts by season and last entry at 3:30 p.m. in winter. It is closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Local tip: giraffe feedings and rides are sold separately from admission, so decide before you go and buy ahead at zooatlanta.org.

12. Atlanta History Center (Buckhead)

The Atlanta History Center's Buckhead campus at 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW includes a 19th-century cyclorama and 33 acres of gardens, woodlands and trails. The campus is typically open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Give it half a day.

Local tip: leave time for the trails. Tickets are on atlantahistorycenter.com.

What does a three-day Atlanta itinerary look like?

This three-day Atlanta route groups the twelve picks by neighborhood, so you spend your time inside the attractions instead of in traffic.

1. Day one, Downtown Atlanta: Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, then the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
2. Day two, history: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in the morning, Oakland Cemetery after lunch.
3. Day three, Midtown: High Museum of Art, Piedmont Park, Atlanta Botanical Garden, then a Beltline walk.
4. Extra time: Zoo Atlanta, the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead, or a Fox Theatre tour.

More of the city: Atlanta neighborhoods, events this weekend and places to eat.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Atlanta for first-time visitors?

Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum of Art, Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Beltline and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park are the five anchors. Add World of Coca-Cola and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights if you are staying Downtown.

Is Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park free?

Yes. The National Park Service lists Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta as free, with no entrance pass required. Ranger-led Birth Home presentations are also free, limited to 15 people each on a first-come basis.

How many days do you need in Atlanta?

Three days covers the main attractions in this guide, split between Downtown Atlanta, Sweet Auburn and Midtown. One day is enough for four or five of the picks.

What is the Atlanta Beltline?

The Atlanta Beltline is a 22-mile loop of trails, parks and future transit connecting 45 Atlanta neighborhoods. Its own site says more than 16 miles of urban trails are ready to explore.

Which Atlanta attractions are close together?

Georgia Aquarium at 225 Baker Street NW and World of Coca-Cola at 121 Baker Street NW are neighbors in Downtown Atlanta. In Midtown, the High Museum of Art, Fox Theatre and Atlanta Botanical Garden are all on or near Peachtree Street and Piedmont Park.