A few months ago, a longtime friend of mine moved to a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Until then, I had only been to Atlanta for short layovers, so the most I had gotten to see of it was the inside of the airport. This meant that I just had to go visit her, and of course do some sightseeing while I was there. Unfortunately, due to my full time job, I was only able to go visit her for a long weekend, and was able to spend even less time in Atlanta. Check out what I decided to do with my one day in Atlanta, Georgia.
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What to Do with One Day in Atlanta, Georgia
In the Morning: Atlanta Botanical Garden
Although Trip Advisor ranks the Atlanta Botanical Garden at #6 in their top things to do in Atlanta list, I would probably rank it at #1. Then again, I’ve always been a big fan of parks and gardens, so maybe I’m a little biased. Still, with over 30 acres full of all sorts of plant life, this place is absolutely beautiful, especially if you can go when everything is in full bloom.
Read my full review of the Atlanta Botanical Garden
In the Afternoon: Centennial Olympic Park & Souvenir Shopping
Originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Centennial Olympic Park now serves as a great public park in downtown Atlanta. If you aren’t lucky enough to be there during one of the many concerts and festivals hosted there (check their website for upcoming events), you can still admire the Olympic monuments. I definitely recommend stopping by the Fountain of Rings, which has unique water shows at 12:30PM, 3:30PM, 6:30PM, and 9:00PM.
While you are in the area, I recommend popping over to the souvenir shop, Hello Atlanta. There you can find all sorts of Atlanta souvenirs such as clothing, keychains, picture frames, shot glasses, and more.
Aside from souvenir shopping, there are A LOT of things to do in downtown Atlanta that are right next to Centennial Olympic Park. I unfortunately didn’t have time to visit them, but you can see a list of them at the end of this article if you are in need of some inspiration for cool things to do in Atlanta.
In the Evening: Oakland Cemetery
I know what you’re thinking. How does a cemetery make the list as one of the top things to do in Atlanta?
Even though it is a cemetery, it’s an important historical site. The 48 acres serves as a final resting place for many important historical figures such as Moses W. Formwalt, Atlanta’s first mayor, and Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind. It’s a great place to take a stroll through history. Personally, I’m not a big fan of history, so I found myself enjoying it for another reason, it’s landscape beauty.
You can find more information about its historical significance and upcoming tours on the Oakland Cemetery website.
At Night: Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision
How many people do you know that can say that they’ve seen a laser show on the side of a mountain? Not very many? It’s definitely the most unique thing to do in Atlanta. Grab a seat on the lawn or reserve a seat on the terrace and then sit back and enjoy the music, lights, fireworks, and flame cannons!
Read my full review of the Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision
Lasershow Spectacular Segment: “Everyday Heroes”
Lasershow Spectacular Segment: “Drone Wars”
Other Fun Things to Do in Atlanta, Georgia
Unfortunately, I only had a day to spend in Atlanta, but there are a lot more things to do in Atlanta if you have the time! Or, if one of my suggestions above don’t look all that appealing, you can consider switching up your Atlanta itinerary to include one of the below attractions.
The best part about some of the below attractions is that many of them are part of the Atlanta CityPASS. If you decide to visit several of these, the Atlanta CityPASS may save you a decent amount of money on admission. You can find more information on the Atlanta CityPASS website.
Alternatively, you could also consider taking a day trip to Savannah. Providence Canyon State Park, also known as Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon, makes for a good road trip from Atlanta as well.
World of Coca-Cola
Love to drink coca-cola? Consider checking out the World of Coca-Cola museum which shares the history of the coca-cola company. There, you can also try over 100 different beverages from around the world!
This is an Atlanta CityPASS location
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain is good for more than just the Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision. It’s actually home to several family friendly activities such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, camping, and more. As if that wasn’t enough, you can also indulge in Stone Mountain’s many attractions such as Dinosaur Explore, where you can learn about prehistoric dinosaurs, Farmyard, where you can see goats perform various tricks, Summit Skyride, where you can take a cable car ride that provides stunning views of Stone Mountain, and more.
Not to much further from Stone Mountain is also Tallulah Gorge, which makes for a great day hike.
Center for Civil and Human Rights
This famous museum not only shares the history of the civil rights movement in the United States, but also encourages visitors to consider current human rights issues around the world. You can find more information about the permanent and temporary exhibits on their website.
This is an Atlanta CityPASS location
Centre for Puppetry Arts
Check out the famous characters from Jim Henson’s Muppets as well marionettes form Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. Janine from Fill My Passport had a fantastic time here. If it’s a place your interested in, you can read all about her experience at the Centre for Puppetry Arts.
College Football Hall of Fame
Are you a fan of college football? If so, then the College Football Hall of Fame will be a must visit for you. Here, you can learn about the history of college football as well as the players that made it so great.
This is an Atlanta CityPASS location
Planning Your Day Trip to Atlanta
There is an Atlanta visitors center located in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport where you can get even more information about Atlanta. There is also one located between Centennial Olympic Park and the Oakland Cemetery. The staff there can provide loads of information about things to see, where to eat, and more when in Atlanta.
Have you ever been to Atlanta, Georgia, USA? What are your thoughts on how I chose to spend my time there? Is there anything else you would add to my list? Let me know in the comments below!
Are you ready to start planning your trip to Atlanta, Georgia?
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Further Reading
- A Review of the Laser Show at Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta, Georgia
- A Visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden
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Seems like you had a wonderful time in Atlanta! I highly recommend The Centre for Puppetry Arts.
I’d never heard of it! I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m there!
The Botanic gardens and the cemetery look amazing. It sounds like a great day out.
Try Little Five Points for vintage shops, cool dive bars, performance art and other fab scenes.
We need something Quick and Sweet for 1-day trip !
1. Coca-cola
2. CNN
3. Centinial Park, Summer Olympics