Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia, which is enough to make it an attractive place for tourists coming to this state.
According to many travelers, Atlanta is an exciting place to explore due to the fact that you will see a mixture of the old and the new.
As the whole city was burnt down during the Civil War, it rose from the ash and was transformed into the lively metropolis that is nowadays considered one of the most important economic and cultural centers in the Southern United States.
The city boasts three separate skylines and the global headquarters of major companies such as Coca-Cola and CNN, making it quite a striking place to visit.
Besides these modern tourist attractions that Atlanta has to offer, there is also a rich history to explore, being that it is the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. and the cradle of the civil rights movement.
All in all, it can be said that Atlanta is one of the most visited cities in all of the United States.
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Center for Puppetry Arts
The first that we would like to mention as an attractive location in Atalanta is the Center for Puppetry Arts, a unique and unusual place to visit.
The Center for Puppetry Arts gives you the chance to see hundreds of fantastic puppets from all around the world, as well as watch a live performance or make your own little character.
It was founded in 1979, and since then, this highly-rated museum has developed into a place that documents the history, techniques, and traditions of puppetry in Europa, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
There is an entire collection devoted to Jim Henson and his iconic creation The Muppets.
Krog Street Market
The Krog Street Market is known as the best food hall in the world.
The Krog Street Market is full of attractive restaurants, specialty shops, and fresh produce stalls.
The market can be found in a historic 1920s warehouse, at the heart of Inman Park.
It is just a short drive east of the center of the city.
The Krog Street Market was established in 2014 and since then, it is a favorite place both for locals and tourists.
This is due to its marvelous food and fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as souvenirs.
Besides buying fresh food, you can also sit down for a meal as it has to offer everything from Indian and Italian to American, Latin American, and Vietnamese cuisine.
SkyView Atlanta
The SkyView Atlanta will provide you with one of the best panoramas of downtown’s skyscrapers.
The SkyView Atlanta is located at the southern end of Centennial Olympic Park.
The part of it is the gigantic Ferris wheel that is popular with tourists ever since its first opening in 2013.
Tourists get into air-conditioned gondolas from where they can see many of the city’s most important buildings and landmarks.
Our suggestion is to enjoy a ride on the SkyView after dark, being that this is the time when Atlanta is lit up magically and you can watch the famous Fountain of Rings show.
Delta Flight Museum
The Delta Flight Museum is the location that should be visited only by people who are not afraid of heights/
The excellent Delta Flight Museum was established to actually preserve the history and evolution of the aviation industry.
It can be found in two humongous hangars next to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
It has numerous kinds of artifacts, airline equipment, and aircraft on offer.
The museum was set up in 1995 with the aim to focus on Delta’s history, expansion, and the future of flight.
However, throughout time, it has transformed into a place where you can learn about different models of planes and even enter inside a Boeing 747 and try a fun flight simulator.
Atlanta BeltLine
Walking, running, or cycling along the Atlanta BeltLine is one of the most popular ways to see the city.
Besides being used to connect numerous neighborhoods and parks together, the multi-use trail can take its travelers past interesting outdoor sports facilities, restaurants, and microbreweries.
It stretches about 22 miles in length and follows the tracks of what used to be a railway corridor.
In the future, more miles of trails are planned to be added, as the project will be fully completed in 2030.
Jimmy Carter Library & Museum
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum is located in the northeast of downtown, next to the Carter Center.
The place is established so as to preserve the memory of the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter.
Visitors can take a look at some of the amazing memorabilia, photos, and film clips that were taken during his career as president from 1977 to 1981.
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum was opened in 1986, and it has a collection of things that are related to his life, starting from his upbringing and achievement as a peanut farmer to how he opposed racial segregation.
Among the interactive exhibits, visitors can also see his Nobel Peace Prize and the replica of the Oval Office.
Turner Field
People who come to Atlanta, do not only want to explore historical and architectural sights but become a part of a sporting spectacle, as well.
If this is the case with you, then Turner Field is definitely the place that should not be missed.
It used to be the home of the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball, but nowadays after being renovated, it hosts Georgia State University’s college football games.
Turner Field was opened in 1996, as the massive stadium which was used as the centerpiece of the Summer Olympics that were held in Atlanta that year.
Today, it is called the Center Parc Stadium, as it is located south of the center, and not only sports events are held there.
It is a place for fantastic concerts and community events.
Ponce City Market
The Ponce City Market is a location that has everything a tourist may opt for, from shops and restaurants to offices, flats, and a rooftop amusement park.
It used to be a Sears catalog facility, the building is set alongside part of the BeltLine in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.
Ponce City Market was built in 1926, but its red brick building was later renovated and reopened in 2014.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
The Fernbank Museum of Natural History is the place where you can take a look at hundreds of interactive exhibits and exciting hands-on activities.
The Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located fifteen minutes drive to the northeast of the center, and once there, you will be amazed by its dinosaur fossils and IMAX theater.
The place boasts an outstanding outdoor area that includes canopy walks, nature playgrounds, and native wildlife to explore.
This is a very well-known and award-winning museum which was established in 1992.
Its galleries are full of life-size replicas of whales and its most attractive exhibit is definitely a huge 123 foot-long Argentinosaurus – the largest dinosaur.
Oakland Cemetery
The Oakland Cemetery can be found very close to downtown and it is the resting place of about 70,000 souls.
Besides the rows of impressive old graves, the place boasts mausoleums and sculptures with ancient oaks and magnolias that surround it.
The Oakland Cemetery was founded in 1850, and it exemplifies the Victorian-style cemeteries of that time.
Some of its sections are dedicated to Confederate soldiers and both Jewish and black citizens.
The monuments, mausoleums, and statues that can be found there highlight the role that the city played during the Civil War and the civil rights movement.
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is located next to Centennial Olympic Park.
This is yet another of Atlanta’s top tourist attractions as inside this large football-shaped building, you will be able to see numerous artifacts and exhibits which were made to keep the memory of some of the greatest players and coaches.
This entertaining museum was opened in 2014 and visitors get a chance to learn about the players and their records, helmets, and uniforms, as well as practice their QB skills on the indoor pitch.
Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta is the place where you can find all kinds of amazing animals, including both large and small ones.
Zoo Atlanta is located on the southern third of Grant Park and it used to have the title of the worst zoos in the States.
However, its excellent exhibits and spacious enclosures with unforgettable animal encounters have changed this opinion.
From the moment of its establishment in 1889, the zoo has expanded so much that it now boasts about 1,500 animals, birds, and reptiles of more than 200 different species.
Its most attractive inhabitants are giant pandas and gorillas, not to mention elephants, rhinos, and tigers.
The highlight of the zoo is definitely the World of Reptiles.
Mercedes Benz Stadium
Mercedes Benz Stadium is also a place for people who opt for a concert, show, or sports event.
This is considered a massive, multi-purpose stadium that is home to the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United FC of MLS.
This is a new stadium being that it was built in 2017, and it is located a short walk west of downtown.
This stunning arena is believed to be an adequate replacement for the demolished Georgia Dome.
Atlanta History Center
The Atlanta History Center is an ideal place for people interested in learning all about the state’s history, culture, and heritage.
The Atlanta History Center is a must-see attraction as it has an extensive array of historic houses, farms, and gardens, not to mention its brilliant museum.
We suggest that you explore sites, such as the antebellum Smith Farm and elegant Swan House.
That way you wil find out everything about the settlers, the Civil War, plantation life, and local Native American culture.
You should not miss the center’s ornamental gardens where a huge collection of colorful plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs is on offer.
Center for Civil and Human Rights
Atlanta is well known as the ‘cradle of the civil rights movement’ so you should not leave the place without checking out the Center for Civil and Human Rights.
It is located in the north of Centennial Olympic Park, where interested individuals can take a look at the history and achievements of the movement.
Center for Civil and Human Rights does not focus only on the history of human rights but also indicates other ongoing human rights struggles around the world.
The Center for Civil and Human Rights was founded in 2014, and nowadays it is a museum that is full of fascinating photos, exhibits, and film clips.
You will be able to hear personal stories and speeches that are related to the struggles and successes of the civil rights movement.
The main features are Martin Luther King’s personal possessions.
High Museum of Art
The High Museum of Art is set in Midtown and is considered one of the leading art museums in the South.
It belongs to the most visited tourist attraction in Atlanta since its foundation in 1905.
It used to be known as the Atlanta Art Association until 1926 when the High family donated their family home on Peachtree Street to house the collection.
The High Museum of Art was moved to a new building designed by Richard Meier in 1983, and there you can see the works from 19th and 20th century American, European, African, and African-American artists.
Piedmont Park
The Piedmont Park is in Northeastern Atlanta near Midtown.
It used to be an out-of-the-city gentleman’s farm that belonged to a doctor Benjamin Walker.
Throughout history, it had various owners, but finally, it became the property of the Piedmont Exposition Company.
Several architects worked on different parts of the park and the most notable was Olmstead who created many pathways that are still in use today.
The park consists of a large basketball complex, a large fishing lake, a playscape, and a large lawn, among many other attractions.
Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site
The Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site is a historic attraction in Atlanta which consists of several buildings, of which the boyhood home of Martin Luther King Jr and the church where his father, and later King himself first came to preach are the most famous.
You should not miss seeing the firehouse, a civil rights walk of fame, and the “I Have a Dream” international world peace rose garden once in this historic park.
Visitors are often amazed by a large mural that depicts scenes in Dr. Martin Luther King’s life.
We suggest visiting this place when large events such as Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month take place.
Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park was established for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Since that event, Olympic Park has continued to be a tourist attraction frequently visited as it is very close to downtown, located between the Aquarium and the CNN center, and easily accessible when in the city.
Among its fun features, we have to mention an interactive fountain of Olympic rings, synchronized with lights, water jets, and music, a collection of the flags of all of the host nations of the previous Olympics, and an air-conditioned Ferris wheel.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Botanical Garden is right next to Piedmont Park, and it consists of different sections.
Each section is actually devoted to a different region, plant, or animal type.
There is a Japanese garden, a rose garden, woodland areas, and a children’s garden.
The main attraction within this botanical garden is the indoor Fuqua Conservatory.
This is a part of the garden where visitors can see a range of tropical, desert, and subtropical plants and animals, as well as the largest orchid collection, tropical birds, turtles, and poison dart frogs.
Visitors who are not afraid of heights can try a large canopy walk which will enable them to explore the treetops.
The most famous of events that took palace in the Atlanta Botanical Garden was a display of the glasswork of Dale Chihuly in 2004 when half a million guests came.
Stone Mountain Park
Stone Mountain Park is located in Metro Atlanta and it boasts a huge monolith called Stone Mountain.
Its most famous feature is a sculpture called the Confederate Memorial Carving of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.
The top is 825 feet (251 meters) tall and gives its visitors a beautiful view of Atlanta.
The museum Confederate Hall provides tourists with information about the mountain’s geology, but they should not miss the Antebellum Plantation and Farmyard, an open-air museum with farm animals that visitors can pet.
There are also 19 historic buildings whose aim was to depict a pre-Civil War plantation.
Fox Theatre
The Fox Theatre was supposed to be a Moorish architecture Shrine temple.
However, the Fox Theatre developed into a movie theater that further on became a performing arts theater.
Nowadays, it is a host of the Atlanta Ballet, traveling Broadway events, and other music concerts.
The theatre is even attractive to those who do not want to see a show, as its building is a combination of Egyptian and Islamic architecture, which is worth taking a tour of.
The theater inside looks like an Arabian courtyard and has a large ballroom designed after the temple of Ramses II.
CNN Center
CNN is the world’s best-known news franchise.
Its headquarters are spectacular being that its center is connected to a large food court atrium, shared by Centennial Olympic Park, Phillips Arena, the Georgia Dome, and the Georgia Conference Center.
Visitors can go on studio tours available, where they will be shown the technology used.
Plus, they will be able to enter the viewing galleries overlooking the newsrooms and newsreaders of CNN.
The part of this center is a large, attached hotel fro those guests who would like to stay and try to see their favorite newscaster or special guest in the studios.
World of Coca-Cola
This might not seem so important place to visit in Atlanta, but it is still one of the most attractive locations for tourists,
The world of Coca-Cola is a place where you can find out how Coca-Cola tastes in every nation of the world.
A new museum was renovated and relocated in 2007 and it now has a larger collection of company belongings.
You will be able to see sixty years of jingles, ads dating back to the 1800s, as well as a 4-D movie experience.
The most visited part of this museum is the updated tasting room which will let you discover the preferred formula versions from different parts of the world.
Georgia Aquarium
The last on our list and the one that truly deserves the top position is the Georgia Aquarium.
It is the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, and for a long period of time, it was the largest in the world.
The place boasts notable species, including beluga whales and manta rays.
This aquarium is well known as the only location outside of Asia where you can see a whale shark – the world’s largest fish.
The aquarium consists of five ecoregions, and those are tropical reefs, open ocean, arctic waters, freshwater rivers, and large marine mammals.
What is the most notable activity of this aquarium is that it takes part in a conservation project, meaning that it works on a captive beluga whale breeding program.