Atlanta, GA Road Trips

Sitting on the Piedmont Plateau in Northern Georgia, Atlanta is almost entirely in Fulton County, while a part of the city limits extends into DeKalb County. The city covers 132 sq mi (343 km²), but Metro Atlanta, which includes 28 counties, has an area of 8,376 sq mi (21,693.7 km²). The Chattahoochee River, which forms the northwestern boundary of Atlanta, is a major source of water throughout the metro area. Aside from the river, the topography of Atlanta is assorted with rolling hills, forests, lakes and ponds, and granite Stone Mountain to the east. In 2020, Atlanta had 500,000 residents within the city limits and 6.3 million in the metro area. Atlanta is on the Piedmont Plateau, at an approximate elevation of 700–1100 ft (220–330 m) above sea level. The city is thus somewhat cooler than other places in the U.S. South, a fact that certainly helped the growth of the city before the introduction of air conditioning. Atlanta experiences a very wide range of temperatures. Temperatures in winter are overall mild to warm, but cold-fronts can bring light accumulations of snow and lows occasionally plummet into the teens. However, days are usually in the 50s F (10 °C) and nights in the low to mid 30s F (0 °C). Ice-storms are very rare, but not unheard of. Rainfall is high in late winter and early spring, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. The region is often affected during hurricane season (June through November) from remnants that spill out from the Gulf, bringing heavy rains and sometimes high winds.

Atlanta's top attractions form an eclectic mix that is sure to have something that appeals to everyone, and enough variety to keep the adventurous traveler busy. The highest concentration of exhibits can be found in the Centennial Park Area, where Atlanta's two biggest attractions are within two blocks of one another: World of Coca-Cola tells the history of the world’s most iconic brand, with plenty of samples to ensure understanding, and across the street is the Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest by volume of water, where you can swim with the biggest fish of them all, the whale shark. Those more inclined to history can visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Sweet Auburn, which includes this inspiring leader’s birthplace home, his final resting place, the church where he once gave sermons, and a museum and memorial dedicated to his colossal achievements. The largest collection of Civil War memorabilia in the nation, including the Cyclorama (which tells the story of the Battle of Atlanta through a massive, continuous, circular painting), can be found at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead, alongside a large exhibit memorializing the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Exhibits of both ancient and modern history can be found near Little Five Points at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, featuring a humbling display of the largest dinosaur ever unearthed, and the Jimmy Carter Library & Museum, which is the permanent home of the former president’s Nobel Peace Prize. The Michael C.

Visit Centennial Olympic Park in Downtown and relax by the man-made river, splash in the Fountain of Rings on a hot summer day or go ice skating at the ice rink in the wintertime, attend a concert, and pay respects to the victims of the 1996 Olympics bombing. Walk through Piedmont Park in Midtown, the largest park in Atlanta. Attend the Dogwood Festival in the spring time or one of the many musical events. Grant Park is the oldest city park in Atlanta and is home to Zoo Atlanta. Historic Oakland Cemetery, also here, serves as the final resting place for more than 3,900 Confederate soldiers, famous Atlanta author Margaret Mitchell, golfing legend Bobby Jones, six Georgia governors and 25 Atlanta mayors. The Beltline is a multi-use trail. Its plan calls for a 22 mi (35 km) loop around Atlanta, of which only some portions are complete. Many sections of the former railway corridor have already been renovated with paved walking paths, while some others are still au naturel but hikeable. The BeltLine has been a big hit with locals; on weekends with good weather you will see dozens of people every minute crossing the street at popular intersections such as near Piedmont Park. Founded in 1929, the Atlanta Ballet is the oldest professional dance company in America, the largest self-supported arts organization in Georgia and the official Ballet of Georgia. The company's performances combine contemporary and traditional styles with classic ballets and new choreography.

See the Districts articles for more listings. Affordability, variety of restaurants, culinary diversity and award-winning chefs are key ingredients that earn Atlanta a place at the table with other popular culinary cities. An assortment of neighborhoods offers an array of restaurants featuring cuisine that spans the globe, serving something for every taste. If you want to plumb the depths of what Atlanta's restaurant scene offers, do what locals do and sift through local magazine Creative Loafing. They review restaurants all over the city, and have several lists of "100 Dishes to Eat in Atlanta". During the past few years, several celebrity chefs have traveled south to call Atlanta home. Drawn to the quickly growing culinary scene, these chefs have been welcomed with open arms and some true southern hospitality. Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Anne Quatrano (Bacchanalia and Floataway Cafe), and Richard Blais (FLIP Burger Boutique, and One Midtown Kitchen) are just a few. What better place to travel than to the heart of Atlanta to experience classic and contemporary Southern cuisine at its finest? Mary Mac's Tea Room has been serving "meat and three" for close to 70 years, and has photos in every room to prove it, while innovators like Canoe, JCT, Restaurant Eugene, and South City Kitchen update Southern cuisine for the 21st century. A Wall Street Journal article in 2007 named Atlanta the best city in the U.S. for burgers. Their top pick went to Ann's Snack Bar, an 8-seat dive run by one woman.

In much of the South, thanks to the influence of Coca-Cola being headquartered in midtown Atlanta, "coke" can colloquially refer to any soft drink in place of "soda" or "pop". Ordering "a Coke" at a restaurant usually, but not always, means you're asking for a Coca-Cola Classic (and they will ask "Is Pepsi okay?" if they don't serve Coca-Cola products), but if someone says they're going to the grocery store to buy "some cokes" for a party, they mean "a variety of soft drinks", not just Coca-Cola. A true staple of southern culture, sweet tea can be found at almost any restaurant in Atlanta. In most places an order for "tea" will be assumed to mean "sweet tea"; hot or unsweetened tea need to be asked for specifically. A popular variant to a glass of sweet tea is an Arnold Palmer, a half and half mix of iced tea (either sweetened or unsweetened) and lemonade, named after the famous golfer who popularized it. Atlanta is home to Sweetwater Brewing Company, one of the largest microbreweries in the South; their 420 Extra Pale Ale is a signature item. Red Brick is the second-largest, while relative newcomers include Monday Night, Orpheus, Second Self, Three Taverns, and Wild Heaven. Beer bars are a big to-do in Atlanta. The most widely-known is local chain Taco Mac, which boasts an ever-changing collection of as many as 140 beers on draught and hundreds more in bottles, with wings, burgers, and tacos to wash them down. Not to be outdone, The Porter serves up 430 brews along with excellent gastropub food.

See the Districts articles for more listings. Most of Atlanta's major hotels are downtown between Five Points and Midtown in area with a name that is easy to remember: the Hotel District. The district is in the heart of Atlanta's economic and political center and is within walking distance to many of the major tourist attractions, including the Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the CNN Center. Rapidly growing Midtown, the center of Atlanta's business district as well as many high-rise luxury condos is nearby many museums and theaters. If you're looking for boutique hotels that are near a thriving urban setting, Midtown may be the area for you. Once the heart of Atlanta's nightlife, Buckhead is still home to several upscale hotels, which are close to the area's shopping and dining districts. If you're staying in Atlanta without a car, you'll have the best time if you stay around Midtown or Downtown, which offer central, easy access to MARTA. Both areas have many excellent bars, restaurants, and cultural attractions accessible by foot. The big-name hotels in these parts of town are close to train stations and bus routes, making access to most interesting parts of town quick and hassle-free. Buckhead and Decatur are other options with good access to transit, but not as many tourist attractions in the area (and in the case of Decatur, not many hotels to choose from).

Atlanta's principal airport is 1 Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport (ATL IATA) ("Hartsfield–Jackson," "ATL," or just "the airport" to locals), about 8 mi (13 km) south of downtown. Hartsfield-Jackson has been the world's busiest airport since 1999, serving more than 107 million passengers in 2018. The airport has 192 domestic and international gates, and covers 4,700 acres (1,902 ha) of land with five parallel jet runways. ATL is a major hub for Delta Air Lines and a focus city for Southwest Airlines, and also serves as the location of Delta Air Lines corporate headquarters. Atlanta has the 3rd highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States, and is one of the nation's largest media centers. Due to the high levels of media and executive activity, together with heavy congestion at Hartsfield-Jackson, there are several airports that focus on business and leisure aviation. 2 Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK IATA) is within "the Perimeter" in Chamblee, Georgia. Although PDK offers shuttle service to Cincinnati, Memphis, and Destin, it mainly serves as Atlanta's main private jet hub with 4 runways and 3 private terminals. There are 5 additional airports with private FBO terminals just outside of the perimeter: Fulton County Airport (FTY IATA); Cherokee County Airport (FAA LID: CNI); Falcon Field-Atlanta Regional Airport (FAA LID: FFC); Field-Cobb County International Airport (FAA LID: RYY); and Gwinnett County Airport (LZU IATA).

Although most locals rely on their cars for day-to-day transportation, walking and public transit are well suited for visitors. The major downtown neighborhoods are quite walkable, and many attractions are easily accessible from public transit. If you'll have a car anyway, driving is often the fastest means of getting around. It also opens up destinations that are difficult or impossible to access by public transit. However, having a car in Downtown is often a hindrance where parking is scarce, and the lengthy rush hour is an exercise in frustration. Street names in Atlanta are very confusing. There are more than 70 streets that have "Peachtree" in their name, and they are often difficult to distinguish (Peachtree Street, Peachtree Lane, West Peachtree Street, etc.) When someone says "Peachtree" without clarifying, they mean Peachtree Street, a major north-south thoroughfare through Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead. Do not confuse it with West Peachtree Street, which parallels Peachtree Street a block away and is a major road through Midtown. Additionally, many thoroughfares change street names frequently, generally at intersections and curves. Ponce de Leon Avenue, often shortened to Ponce, is pronounced PAHNS duh LEE-ahn. Visitors will find today's Atlanta very walkable, with many improvements made in the last decade. Most of the in-town neighborhoods are individually easy to walk around, with dense collections of bars, restaurants, and shops.

Despite Atlanta's historic reputation for crime, the city is not as dangerous as many perceive it to be. In fact, Atlanta's crime rate dropped significantly during the 1990s and 2000s, reaching a forty-year low in 2005. While violent crime levels are still high compared to most American cities, most of it is related to the drug trade and takes place in parts of the city visitors rarely – if ever – see. Usual precautions should be taken, as in any other major city, such as not traveling alone at night and being aware of which neighborhoods are more prone to crime. In Atlanta, the southwest and southeast areas have reported the most incidents of crime; the triangle created by I-285, I-75, and I-20 in particular is a dangerous neighborhood. Avoid venturing in areas surrounding the new Mercedes-Benz stadium such as Bankhead and Vine City late at night. Car theft is exceptionally high by national standards. Outside of the perimeter, crime rates are significantly lower (except Dekalb County). One thing to watch out for in Atlanta are homeless people, which have become an unfortunately prevalent sight since the 2000s. Whereas homeless people in big cities tend to leave you alone if you ignore them, those in Atlanta have been known to physically harass locals or tourists alike. Areas where the homeless tend to congregate most include the John Lewis Freedom Parkway, the areas south of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and northern Midtown.