Attractions

See Below

APEX Museum. The African-American Panoramic Experience Museum is located in the "Sweet Auburn" district of downtown Atlanta. Visitors are shown many perspectives and achievements on the history of African-American people in the United States past and present.
135 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 521-2739.

Atlanta History Center and Museum. Movingly tells the story of Atlanta from Indian settlement to the present day. Exhibits change frequently. Also on the 32 acres of gardens, woodlands and nature trails is the Swan House, built in 1928 for heirs to a cotton brokerage and illustrating the life of early 19th-century wealthy Atlantans. In contrast is the Tullie Smith Farmhouse, also on site. Coca-Cola Cafe provides refreshments. The center is open Monday-Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm, Sunday noon-5:30 pm. To tour the History Center costs $7 adults, $5 students and seniors, $4 youths ages 6-17, free for children ages 5 and younger. MARTA: Bus 23 from the Lenox station to the intersection of Peachtree Road and West Paces Ferry Road; walk west on West Paces Ferry to the pedestrian entrance.
130 W. Paces Ferry Rd., phone 404-814-4000.

Atlanta International Museum of Art and Design, downtown, features art exhibits from around the world.
233 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 688-2467

Botanical Garden. Bordering Piedmont Park, this tranquil oasis houses tropical, desert and endangered plants from around the world. Tuesday-Sunday 9 am-6 pm (to 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time). Closed Monday. In the summer, lunch is served Friday-Sunday on the terrace by the rose garden. US$6 adults, US$5 senior citizens, US$3 students and children ages 6-12, free for those under age 6. Free admission Thursdays 3 pm to closing.
Piedmont Avenue at the Prado, phone 404 876-5859.

Buckhead is Atlanta's restaurant and bar mecca. This popular spot is home to hundreds of fine restaurants and the hottest area for Atlanta's exciting night life. Buckhead has also emerged as Atlanta's newest financial district and the "Southeast's Finest Shopping Area".

Callaway Gardens is a recreational haven and gardeners delight with 2500 acres of cultivated foliage.
Box 2000, Pine Mountain, 31822, 1-800-CALLAWAY.

Carlos Museum. A permanent collection of more than 18,000 objects from Greece, Rome, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania, housed in a building designed by renowned architect Michael Graves. Artworks on paper, dating from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Special touring exhibits from other institutions, national and international. Worth the trip to Emory University's campus. Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. $3 donation suggested. MARTA: Bus 36 (North Decatur) from Arts Center station or Bus 6 (Emory) from Edgewood/Candler Park to Emory's Oxford Road gate.
571 S. Kilgo St., phone 404-727-4282.

Carter Center. Includes the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, displaying documents and other memorabilia of President Carter's administration. Multimedia presentations, art and cultural exhibits, a gift shop and a pleasant restaurant with views of the Japanese gardens and lakes surrounding the center. Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. $5 adults, $3 senior citizens age 55 and over, free for those under age 16.
1 Copenhill Ave. N.E. (near Little Five Points), phone 404-331-3942.

Centennial Olympic Park is the former home to the 1996 Olympic Games and remains a popular and beautiful downtown attraction. Sit back on one of the park banches and enjoy the great view of the skyline as the kids play in the Fountain of Rings.

Chastain Park Ampitheatre is recognized as one of the premier amphitheaters in the country and sets the standard for summer entertainment in Atlanta. Hundreds of music’s biggest names from every musical genre have appeared on stage at Chastain Park. Call TicketMaster for ticket info at 404-249-6400.

The Atlanta Civic Center. Go see "Les Miserables" or another great musical on the Southeast's largest stage.

CNN Center. The headquarters of Cable News Network. The studios of CNN and Headline News, as well as shops (such as the Braves Clubhouse Store) are housed in this vast complex, which includes restaurants and movie theaters. CNN studio tours are conducted daily 9 am-6 pm; they're 45 minutes long. Reservations suggested. $7 adults, $5 seniors, $4.50 children ages 6-12. Children under age 6 not permitted. Visitors can be in the audience of the show, Talk Back. Call in advance for tickets to the show: 800-410-4366.
1 CNN Center, Marietta Street at Techwood Avenue, phone 404-827-2300.

Cyclorama. The Battle of Atlanta can be seen 15 times a day at the Atlanta Cyclorama. Presented as a three-dimensional panorama with music and narration, the painting of the Battle of Atlanta forever captures a pivotal moment in the history of our nation. Visitors encounter the drama of an absorbing human story that took place on a hot July day in 1864. Museum Phone: 404-624-1071

The Georgia Dome is the largest cable-supported domed stadium in the world and the home venue for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. Take MARTA to the Arena/Georgia Dome station located one stop west of Five Points.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is the largest natural history museum south of the Smithsonian. Highlights include a 15-gallery Walk Through Time in Georgia, which traces the state's evolution with numerous hands-on displays, audiovisuals and exhibits; life-size dinosaurs; a shell museum; Georgia's only IMAX (five-story screen) theater; a gift shop and a restaurant. Museum open Monday Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. $9.50 adults, $8 students and seniors, $7 children ages 3-12. On Friday, the IMAX theater stays open until 9 pm. IMAX is an additional $7 for adults, US$6 for seniors and $5 for children. (The IMAX show can also be seen without going through the museum.) Museum phone: 404-370-0960. IMAX information: 404-370-0019.
767 Clifton Rd. N.E. (off Ponce de Leon Avenue).

The Fox Theatre is one of Atlanta's greatest landmarks and offers some of the nation's best ballet and musicals.

Georgia State Capitol. Native gold tops the dome of Georgia's capitol, an 1889 building housing a Hall of Fame honoring outstanding Georgians, a Hall of Flags and natural science displays. Mon-Fri 8-5, closed weekends.
Capitol Hill at Washington Street, phone 404-656-2844. (MARTA: one block north.)

High Museum of Art. Designed by Richard Meier, the museum's stunning exterior was created from white porcelain-lined panels. Houses European and American paintings, African and decorative art, photography, graphics and a special gallery for kids called "Masks." Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm (to 9 pm on the fourth Friday of every month), Sunday noon-5 pm. Closed Mondays. Tickets are $6 adults, $4 students and seniors, $2 children ages 6-17. Free admission Thursday 1-5 pm. Covered walks lead to MARTA's Arts Center station.
1280 Peachtree St. N.E., phone 404-733-4400.

Kennesaw Mountain, located about 10 miles Northwest of Atlanta, is one of the area's tallest mountains and offers a beautiful view from the top. The site is also a national battlefield park which pays tribute to an 1864 major civil war battle.

Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. This house at the corner of 10th and Peachtree streets is where Margaret Mitchell wrote most of Gone With the Wind.
999 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, (404) 249-7012

Phillips Arena is Atlanta's new, state-of-the-art sporting and special events arena. This is home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. Take MARTA to the Arena/Georgia Dome station located one stop west of Five Points.

Piedmont Park. Described by many as "Atlanta's Central Park", Piedmont Park is over 180 acres of year-round outdoor fun.

SciTrek. The Science and Technology Museum of Atlanta. Ranked as one of the top 10 science centers in the U.S., SciTrek houses more than 100 interactive exhibits. Also offers live demonstrations, traveling exhibits, workshops, lectures, films, overnights, parties and a terrific museum shop. Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm. $7.50 adults, $5 children ages 3-17 and seniors ages 65 and older. MARTA: Civic Center station.
395 Piedmont St. (Atlanta Civic Center Complex), phone 404-522-5500.

Six Flags Over Georgia, an 88-acre family theme park about 10 miles from downtown, contains more than 100 attractions. The park opens at 10 am; closing times vary. $32 adults, $21 seniors and children ages 3-9. Free for children ages 2 and under. $6 for parking, $6-$10 for stroller rental.
7561 Six Flags Parkway, Austell, on I-20 West (about 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta). Or take MARTA to Hightower station and catch Bus No. 201 to Six Flags. Phone 770 948-9290.

Stone Mountain Park (16 miles east of Atlanta) is the world's largest exposed granite monolith. The park has been recently privatized, but the historical reference should remain strong as ever. A section of the monolith has been carved Mount Rushmore-style into the shapes of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Gen. Stonewall Jackson and Gen. Robert E. Lee, all on horseback. A train circles the mountain. You'll also find plantation homes, nature trails, biking and hiking trails, golf, tennis, boating and fishing. In summer, there's a nightly laser show. Don't miss Historic Stone Mountain Village at the west gate of the mountain: It's a restored 19th century railroad town with shops and arts and crafts. Take the Stone Mountain Freeway (Highway 78). For more information, call 770-498-5701.

Turner Field, the home of the Atlanta Braves, is one of  Major League Baseball's newest ballparks. Named after Braves owner "Ted" Turner, Turner Field offers something for baseball fans of all ages.

Underground Atlanta. In the heart of Atlanta, three levels (one aboveground) and six city blocks of climate-controlled shopping and dining. More than 100 stores: Some storefronts are the only remaining buildings from Sherman's infamous march to the sea. Streetcart merchants abound. Originally opened in 1970 and closed in 1980, Underground Atlanta was spiffed up (at a cost of millions) and tried out again in 1989. Today it attracts millions of visitors. Easy access from area hotels. Monday-Saturday 10 am-9:30 pm, Sunday noon-6 pm. Bars and restaurants stay open later.
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at Peachtree Street (directly across from the Five Points MARTA station downtown). For more information, call 404-523-2311.

World of Coca-Cola. The story of Coke-past, present and future-is told through exhibits and an eye-popping collection of more than 1,000 pieces of memorabilia. You can sample the flavors of sodas that Coca-Cola bottles throughout the world. Monday-Saturday 10 am-9:30 pm (last ticket sold at 8:30 pm), Sunday noon-6 pm (last ticket sold at 5 pm). $6 adults, $4 seniors and children ages 6 12, free for children under age 6.
55 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. at Central Avenue, across from Underground Atlanta (MARTA's Five Points station), phone 404-676-5151.

Zoo Atlanta. More than 1,000 animals reside in naturalistic settings. Of those, one of the most popular areas is the rain forest, where western lowland gorillas Willie B., Choomba and their baby, Kudzoo, reside. Another is the Cyclorama, the huge circular painting of the Civil War Battle for Atlanta, complete with sound and lighting effects. Open Monday-Friday 10 am-4:30 pm, hours extended to 5:30 pm Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. $7 adults, $5 seniors and children. 
The Zoo is in Grant Park at 800 Cherokee Ave. S.E., phone 404-624-5600.