Photo: Marc Merlin · CC BY-SA 4.0
7 Days · in Atlanta
Seven Days in Atlanta: The Complete City Itinerary
A full week lets you experience Atlanta the way residents do, blending marquee sights with slower neighborhood days. The first five days cover downtown, the civil-rights history of Sweet Auburn, Midtown's museums and parks, the Old Fourth Ward and the BeltLine, and Buckhead. Days six and seven then reach the greenery of Grant Park, historic Oakland Cemetery, the Westside's dining scene, bohemian Little Five Points, and the square in Decatur. You'll eat across the city's signature traditions, fried chicken, soul food, barbecue, and modern Southern cooking, and see its art, history, and green spaces. Each day stays geographically tight, so a week feels immersive rather than exhausting.
Day 01
Downtown, Centennial Park & the Aquarium
Olympic-legacy parkland, the Georgia Aquarium, Coca-Cola, and civil-rights history.
Morning
Centennial Olympic Park
Start at Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Games, and watch the Fountain of Rings before crowds gather, the perfect orientation to downtown Atlanta.
Late Morning
Georgia Aquarium
Spend two hours with whale sharks, beluga whales, and the Ocean Voyager tunnel at one of the world's largest aquariums, right beside the park.
Lunch
Centennial Park District
Lunch around the park district's cafes and food halls, moments from the afternoon's museums.
Afternoon
World of Coca-Cola
Tour the World of Coca-Cola for the brand's history, the vault, and a tasting room of sodas from around the globe.
Late Afternoon
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Visit this moving museum, which links the American civil rights movement to human-rights struggles worldwide.
Evening
Southern soul-food dinner
Close with classic Southern fried chicken and biscuits, a fitting welcome to the city's soul-food traditions, and toast your first day.
Day 02
Sweet Auburn & Civil Rights History
The King birth home, Ebenezer Baptist, the King Center, and Auburn Avenue.
Morning
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
Begin at the MLK Jr. National Historical Park visitor center, then see Dr. King's birth home on Auburn Avenue; reserve the birth-home tour ahead.
Late Morning
Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church
Step inside historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King preached, and hear recordings of his sermons in the sanctuary.
Lunch
Sweet Auburn Curb Market
Grab lunch at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, a 1920s municipal market packed with soul-food and international stalls.
Afternoon
The King Center
Visit The King Center and the reflecting pool surrounding the crypt of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King.
Late Afternoon
APEX Museum
Walk to the APEX Museum on Auburn Avenue for exhibits on African-American history and the Sweet Auburn district's heyday.
Evening
Old Fourth Ward dinner
Dine in the adjacent Old Fourth Ward, whose restaurants range from Southern comfort food to ambitious modern Southern cooking.
Day 03
Midtown Museums & Parks
The High Museum, Piedmont Park, the Botanical Garden, and the Fox Theatre.
Morning
High Museum of Art
Explore the High Museum, the Southeast's leading art museum, from folk art to modern and contemporary galleries in its Richard Meier building.
Late Morning
Piedmont Park
Stroll into Piedmont Park, Atlanta's signature green space, for skyline views across Lake Clara Meer.
Lunch
Midtown eats
Lunch among Midtown's many restaurants along Peachtree and Crescent, moments from the garden gate.
Afternoon
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Wander the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Canopy Walk, orchid house, and Japanese garden beside Piedmont Park.
Late Afternoon
Fox Theatre
See the lavish 1929 Fox Theatre, a Moorish movie palace; take the daytime tour or check the evening's marquee.
Evening
Midtown dinner
Dine in Midtown's restaurant-dense blocks near Colony Square and Juniper Street; reserve ahead for the top tables.
Day 04
Old Fourth Ward & the BeltLine
Ponce City Market, the Eastside Trail, Krog Street Market, and Inman Park.
Morning
Ponce City Market
Start at Ponce City Market, a former Sears building now full of shops, a food hall, and the rooftop games at Skyline Park.
Late Morning
Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail
Walk or bike the Eastside Trail, the BeltLine's most popular stretch, lined with murals and pop-up patios.
Lunch
Krog Street Market
Grab lunch at Krog Street Market, an industrial food hall in Inman Park with everything from tacos to ramen.
Afternoon
Krog Street Tunnel & Cabbagetown
Detour through the graffiti-covered Krog Street Tunnel into Cabbagetown's cottage-lined streets and street art.
Late Afternoon
Inman Park
Explore Inman Park, Atlanta's first planned suburb, with grand Victorian homes and the leafy Springvale Park.
Evening
Inman Park dinner
Dine along Highland Avenue in Inman Park, home to some of Atlanta's most beloved independent restaurants.
Day 05
Buckhead & the Atlanta History Center
A sweeping history campus, the Swan House, upscale shopping, and fine dining.
Morning
Atlanta History Center
Explore the Atlanta History Center's Civil War galleries and the restored Cyclorama painting on its wooded Buckhead campus.
Late Morning
Swan House
Tour the elegant 1928 Swan House mansion, a Buckhead landmark and film location, and its terraced gardens.
Lunch
Buckhead Village
Lunch in Buckhead Village among the cafes and shops of the Shops Buckhead Atlanta district.
Afternoon
Lenox Square & Phipps Plaza
Browse Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza, the South's premier shopping centers, for an unhurried afternoon.
Late Afternoon
Chastain Park
Head to Chastain Park, Atlanta's largest city park, for a walk past its golf course and outdoor amphitheater.
Evening
Buckhead dinner
Dine at one of Buckhead's acclaimed steakhouses or upscale Southern restaurants; book ahead for the marquee rooms.
Day 06
Grant Park, Oakland & the Westside
Zoo Atlanta, historic Oakland Cemetery, and the Westside dining scene.
Morning
Zoo Atlanta
Start in Grant Park at Zoo Atlanta to see gorillas, elephants, and the African Plains; arrive early to beat the groups.
Late Morning
Oakland Cemetery
Walk to Oakland Cemetery, a 48-acre Victorian garden cemetery and open-air museum with magnolias and downtown skyline views.
Lunch
Memorial Drive eats
Lunch along Memorial Drive's casual eateries between Grant Park and Cabbagetown at your own pace.
Afternoon
Westside Provisions District
Head to the Westside Provisions District, a former meatpacking complex now packed with boutiques and celebrated restaurants.
Late Afternoon
West Midtown galleries
Browse the art galleries and design showrooms of West Midtown along Howell Mill Road and Marietta Street.
Evening
Westside dinner
Dine on the Westside, home to some of Atlanta's most ambitious kitchens, from Southern tasting menus to wood-fired grills.
Day 07
Little Five Points, Decatur & Farewell
Bohemian Little Five Points, a walkable Decatur square, and flexible time for favorites.
Morning
Little Five Points
Explore Little Five Points, Atlanta's countercultural hub, for vintage shops, record stores, and street performers.
Late Morning
Candler Park & Freedom Park
Stroll east through leafy Candler Park or along the Freedom Park PATH trail among gardens and public art.
Lunch
Decatur Square
Head to walkable Decatur and lunch around its historic courthouse square, a hub of independent restaurants.
Afternoon
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Visit the Fernbank Museum of Natural History for its dinosaurs, giant screen theater, and adjacent old-growth forest.
Late Afternoon
BeltLine & Piedmont Park
Revisit the BeltLine or Piedmont Park for a final leisurely walk, or a rooftop drink at Ponce City Market's Skyline Park.
Evening
Farewell dinner in Atlanta
End the week with a favorite Atlanta meal, soul food, barbecue, or a modern Southern tasting menu, before departing.