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72 Hours In Atlanta- Visitors Guide

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Last month I had a whirlwind visit to Atlanta Georgia where I packed in as much sightseeing as I possibly could while I was there. With or without kids in tow, 72 hours in Atlanta is a good amount of time to see this vibrant city. I was in Atlanta to attend SitSum with the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

Here is how to plan a quick and fun visit to Atlanta. 

atlanta city pass

Atlanta has so much life in it.

Everywhere I turned there was someone or something to see. One of the first things we did was to get a CityPASS. CityPASS is a booklet of tickets you can buy at one set price that provides you access to many of the cities most popular attractions. Not only can you save money using it, you also don’t have to wait in lines at each place. Since we had limited time in the city this was a big help.

centenial park

With tickets in hand, your first stop should be Centennial Olympic Park. It’s a beautiful area to take in the energy of the area. Surrounding the park are many attractions that visitors love including CNN World Headquarters… which should be one of your next stops.

cnn world headquarters

World of Coca-Cola is right around the corner. Be sure to try all the different flavors of cola from around the world. Some taste great… others don’t. Either way, you will remember the different options for years! Time to keep movie…

coca cola tour atlanta

You could spend a whole day at the Georgia Aquarium.

If you have the time or if you have kids with you… block the day and really take it all in. The aquarium is broken down into different areas and I thoroughly enjoyed each of them. With the CityPASS, we didn’t have to wait in any lines to get in even on a day that they were limiting entry and other people had to wait. That is a huge benefit of having a CityPASS.

georgia aquarium

jellyfish georgia aquarium

In the same area is the Center For Civil And Human Rights.

I really wished I had the kids with me for this stop. The exhibits are so well created and it was like history was coming alive for me. I would plan a good two to three hours to see it all and don’t miss The American Civil Rights Movement exhibit or the Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. Both were fantastic.

atlanta center for civil and human rightscivil rights atlanta

Atlanta is a multicultural up and coming foodies paradise!

Plan out 4-6 hours for a food tour. You will not be disappointed. On our tour we learned much more than just about the food options available… we had a walking tour guide that really knew (and loves) Atlanta. Having a local to ask questions was invaluable… and the food was all amazing. Being a vegetarian I was worried that there would be no food for me to eat, but Atlanta was very vegetarian-friendly. From veggie burgers to just having shrimp or other meat taken off, I was well fed.

einsteins atlanta georgia

After your food tour make sure to stop on by the famous Fox Theater.

Built in 1928 its rich history is a testament to the resilience of the people of Atlanta. You can walk through the luxurious walls of the red carpet entrance, or buy tickets and take an insider’s tour.

fox theater tour

The next morning pick one of the lovely restaurants on Peach Street and have a cup of coffee.

There are many great spots to stop and sip your coffee while you are people watching in midtown. 

atlanta food tour

No trip to Atlanta is complete without seeing the Margaret Mitchell House.

It was fascinating seeing where she wrote Gone With The Wind… and hearing about her boisterous life and untimely death on the streets of Atlanta. She was a very interesting lady and I felt a sense of renewed energy after my visit.  

margaret mitchell house tour

Margaret Mitchel House Atlanta

This was inside her actual apartment. 
margaret mitchell typewriter

Be sure to take an afternoon stroll over to Piedmont Park.

Piedmont Park is over 180 acres surrounded by the urban neighborhoods of Midtown and Virginia Highlands. Our driver actually got a little lost on the way to the park so we enjoyed an in-depth tour of both areas. I’m in love with the architecture of the area homes. 

The park has a large pond that has a skyline view of downtown.

atlanta view from piedmont park

piedmont park

One more stop during your 72-hour visit should be to the Atlanta Botanical Garden

The gardens have new exhibits and noteworthy events happening all the time, so you are sure to see something spectacular during your visit. 

botanical garden atlanta

We stayed at the W Midtown during our visit and we found the location to be perfect to help facilitate our time in Atlanta.

Thanks for reading! Have you been to Atlanta?

Heather Reese
the authorHeather Reese
Heather Delaney Reese is the storyteller and photographer behind the lifestyle and family travel blog, It's a Lovely Life®! For the past decade, she has vacationed over 150 days a year with her family. She is a vegan, and loves being by the water, spending time with her children, husband, 2 Shih Tzus and Cat.

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