Atlanta: Travel Guide

Atlanta is the largest city in the Southeast United States, with approximately 500,000 residents in the city proper and 6.2 million in the metro area — the ninth-largest in the country. It sits in the Piedmont Plateau at approximately 1,050 feet elevation, inland from any coast or river navigable to the sea, and grew primarily through its role as a railway hub and later as a logistics and finance centre. Delta Air Lines is headquartered here; Coca-Cola was invented here in 1886; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is here; CNN was founded here.

For visitors, Atlanta offers Civil Rights history at a depth unmatched by any US city outside of Alabama and Mississippi, a food scene with genuine Southern cooking alongside a serious restaurant culture, the world’s largest aquarium, and a walkable outdoor corridor — the BeltLine — that has transformed how residents use the city. The weather is mild by Southern standards: hot and humid in summer, pleasant in spring and fall, rarely below freezing in winter.

Getting to Atlanta

By air: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, handling approximately 100 million passengers annually. It sits 10 miles south of downtown. MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) Gold and Red lines run directly from the domestic terminal to downtown stations (Five Points, Peachtree Center) in approximately 20 minutes for approximately $2.50 (as of 2026). Taxis cost approximately $30–$35 to downtown; rideshares approximately $20–$30.

By train: Amtrak’s Crescent service connects New York Penn Station to New Orleans via Atlanta. New York to Atlanta takes approximately 18 hours; Charlotte to Atlanta approximately 5 hours. Amtrak’s Brookwood Station (1688 Peachtree St NW) is 2 miles north of downtown. Fares from approximately $40 with advance booking.

By car: Atlanta sits at the intersection of I-75/I-85 (forming the Downtown Connector through the city) and I-20 (east-west). Traffic on these routes is severe during commuting hours (7–9am and 4–7pm weekdays). Allow extra time on Sunday evenings when visitors and commuters converge.

Getting Around Atlanta

Atlanta is notably car-oriented outside its central neighbourhoods. MARTA operates two rail lines (Red/Gold running north-south, Blue/Green running east-west) that intersect at Five Points downtown and serve the airport, Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, and key downtown points. A single MARTA fare is approximately $2.50; a Breeze card (reloadable) gives a slight discount.

The Atlanta BeltLine is a 22-mile loop of former railway right-of-way converted into multi-use trails connecting 45 neighbourhoods. The Eastside Trail (from Piedmont Park south to Reynoldstown) is the most developed section — well-lit, flat, and lined with restaurants, bars, and art installations. Accessible year-round; free to use; bikes can be rented at BeltLine bike-share stations.

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft) is the practical transport option for neighbourhoods not served by MARTA rail — Cabbagetown, Grant Park, East Atlanta, Castleberry Hill, and most of Buckhead require either a car or rideshare.

Where to Stay in Atlanta

The Georgian Terrace Hotel (659 Peachtree St NE, Midtown) — opened in 1911, where The Gone With the Wind cast stayed during the 1939 film premiere at the Loew’s Grand Theatre across the street. The beaux-arts building has 326 rooms including apartment-style suites. Rooms from approximately $180 per night; suites from approximately $280. Walking distance to the Fox Theatre and MARTA’s North Avenue station.

The Clermont Hotel (789 Ponce de Leon Ave, Ponce City Market area) — a 1924 building converted into a boutique hotel in 2018. The rooftop bar has the best views in the neighbourhood; the Clermont Lounge on the basement level is Atlanta’s most storied dive bar. Rooms from approximately $160 per night. Well-positioned for the BeltLine Eastside Trail and Ponce City Market.

Hotel Colee (3377 Peachtree Rd NE, Buckhead) — Buckhead’s most style-conscious hotel, with a rooftop pool and easy access to the Buckhead shopping corridor. Rooms from approximately $200 per night. Buckhead is Atlanta’s upscale residential and shopping area; less interesting as a base for cultural sightseeing but convenient for the north end of the city.

Glenn Hotel (110 Marietta St NW, Downtown) — a boutique hotel steps from Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia Aquarium. Rooms from approximately $140 per night; the Rooftop at Glenn has good skyline views. MARTA’s Dome/GWCC/Phillips Arena/CNN Center station is a short walk.

Stonehurst Place (923 Piedmont Ave NE, Midtown) — a restored 1896 Craftsman mansion operating as a 6-room bed and breakfast. Rooms from approximately $190 per night including breakfast; the most intimate accommodation option in Midtown. Garden setting; 10-minute walk to MARTA’s Midtown station.

Budget: For true budget accommodation, Motel 6 and budget chains near Midtown and the I-85 corridor run approximately $65–$90 per night as of 2026. The practical advantage of choosing a MARTA-adjacent property — even a budget chain near the North Avenue or Midtown stations — is significant in a city this car-dependent; weigh location against rate. Mid-range travellers willing to stretch to approximately $90–$130 per night will find Hampton Inn properties near Midtown offer a noticeable step up in quality and position. Atlanta does not have a well-established hostel in the city centre, so budget travellers are largely confined to budget chain options.

Where to Eat in Atlanta

Staplehouse (541 Edgewood Ave SE, Old Fourth Ward) — one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the South. A rotating tasting menu of 6–9 courses for approximately $95–$110 per person (as of 2026). All profits support The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit providing emergency assistance to restaurant workers. Reservations essential and competitive; book 3–4 weeks ahead.

Empire State South (999 Peachtree St NE, Midtown) — Hugh Acheson’s flagship Georgia cooking. Lunch sandwiches and composed salads approximately $16–$22; dinner mains approximately $26–$42. The pork belly, Georgia shrimp, and pimento cheese plate are the standards. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Gunshow (924 Garrett St, Cabbagetown) — chef Kevin Gillespie’s restaurant where servers circulate dim-sum-style with trays of small dishes. No menu — you accept or decline each dish as it comes by. Expect to spend approximately $40–$60 per person plus drinks. Dinner Wednesday–Saturday only.

Busy Bee Cafe (810 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW, Vine City) — the oldest soul food restaurant in Atlanta, open since 1947. Fried chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, and cornbread. Lunch plates approximately $14–$18. Cash preferred. Martin Luther King Jr. ate here when he lived nearby.

Ticonderoga Club (99 Krog St NE, Krog Street Market, Inman Park) — a cocktail bar and small-plates restaurant in the Krog Street Market food hall. Thoughtful Southern-influenced cooking: deviled eggs, grilled fish, seasonal vegetable plates. Small plates approximately $10–$18; cocktails approximately $12–$14. Open daily.

8ARM (710 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Ponce City Market area) — a large multi-concept space with a bakery, café, and evening restaurant. Breakfast from approximately $8–$14; dinner mains approximately $18–$28. Rotating art on the walls; live music on select evenings.

What to See in Atlanta

National Center for Civil and Human Rights (100 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd) — adults approximately $19.99, children approximately $14.99 (as of 2026). Open Monday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday noon–5pm. The centrepiece is the sit-in simulation: you sit at a diner counter and experience a simulated lunch counter protest, with audio of the harassment protesters endured. Sobering and effective. The adjacent exhibits on global human rights movements give the Civil Rights story international context.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park (450 Auburn Ave NE, Sweet Auburn) — free admission to the park itself; the King birth home at 501 Auburn Ave requires a ranger-led tour (free but timed entry passes required; book at recreation.gov). The park covers the birth home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church (where King and his father preached), and the King Center (including King and Coretta Scott King’s tomb). Allow 2–3 hours.

Georgia Aquarium (225 Baker St NW) — adults approximately $39.95, children approximately $29.95 (as of 2026). One of the largest aquariums in the world, with 10 million gallons of water. The Ocean Voyager exhibit — featuring four whale sharks — is the signature attraction. Open daily 10am–5pm (until 6pm on weekends). Advance tickets recommended in summer.

World of Coca-Cola (121 Baker St NW) — adults approximately $22, children approximately $16. Open daily 10am–5pm. The Taste It experience lets visitors sample Coca-Cola products from around the world (over 100 beverages). Adjacent to the aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park; combined with the aquarium makes a full day in the downtown core.

High Museum of Art (1280 Peachtree St NE, Midtown) — adults approximately $19.50, children approximately $12 (as of 2026). One of the largest art museums in the South. Strong African American art collection, European decorative arts, and photography holdings. Open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday noon–5pm.

Practical Notes

Atlanta’s summers are hot and humid: average high in July approximately 89°F (32°C), often feeling warmer with humidity. Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are the most pleasant seasons. Winter is mild by national standards — average January high approximately 52°F (11°C) — but the city handles winter weather poorly: occasional ice storms can shut down the road network.

Sales tax in Atlanta is approximately 8.9% on most goods; restaurant meals are subject to the same rate.

Tipping: 18–20% is standard at full-service restaurants; approximately $1–$2 per drink at bars.