Atlanta is the heartland of the South, and has many attractions and things to do when you visit it. With the biggest airport in the world, Atlanta attracts more than 19 million people from many different places and cultures. With all of these people coming in, Atlanta must have something attractive about it, right? Well, whether you are like live animals, sports, or you just want a bite to eat, this list will certainly have something to add to your “to-do” list the next time you visit.

Zoo Atlanta



First up is Zoo Atlanta. This wild and diverse zoo offers a wide variety of animals; you can see anything from a kookaburra to a kangaroo. However, this zoo does not only offer a chance to spot beautiful animals, they also offer other events such as, “The Beastly Feast,” and “Brew at the Zoo.”

Along with seeing the zoo animals from the regular side, Zoo Atlanta also offers a special behind the scenes adventure, aptly named “Wild Encounters.” This guided tour offers an opportunity go behind the cages of three of the parks most interesting animals: Slasher, the Komodo Dragon; Kelly, an African Elephant; and, the most desired animal, a panda! During the tour you will be close enough to the animal that you are able to touch it! In addition to this, you also get to feed the animal a mid-day snack.

Georgia Aquarium

Sticking with the animal theme, the Georgia Aquarium is a great place to visit on your trip to Atlanta. With 8.5 million gallons of water and 120,000 different animals, the Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world. For many people, this is the first place they want to go upon arrival to Atlanta. The aquarium makes the your visit very interesting. First, they have the aquarium divided into several different groups that house different types of animals for the visitors to see. In addition to this, they also offer a restaurant, “Café Aquaria,” so you don’t have to step out to get lunch. And don’t forget, they always give a good dolphin show! The Georgia Aquarium is a good, family friendly attraction that I personally enjoy, and you should too.

The World of Coke

Conveniently located directly across the way is the World of Coca-Cola, better known as the World of Coke. This museum has anything and everything you need to know about the succulently delicious Coca-Cola. You start off in a room displaying the dating all the way to Coke’s humble beginnings. After this, you watch a short film describing the “magic” that happens inside of every Coca-Cola bottle. You then enter the hub where you can do a number of things. Namely, you can see the history and milestones of the company of Coke, and read all about the secret formula, even seeing where the vault where it is stored! When you are ready to leave, you exit through a working, small-scale bottling plant. Also included in this section is the "Cokes of the world" exhibit. It lets you try Coca-Cola products that are produced on every continent. As you leave, you get a “free” glass bottle of coke. This too is a phenomenal place to bring your family to get to learn about, and try, the world’s favorite drink.





Centennial Olympic Park

Centennial Olympic Park is the perfect place to go to a festival, have a picnic, or just hang out. The primary attraction here is the events and festivals. They have one almost every weekend, and many are free to attend. However, it is also a nice place to have a picnic with your family. This park went through massive renovation, starting with an old rundown part of town, and ending up with the beauty that is Centennial Olympic Park.

The Varsity

“What’ll you have?” This is the customary greeting you will receive when you enter, ”The Varsity,” in Atlanta, Georgia. Famous for its hot dogs, burgers, and shakes, The Varsity is a Georgian landmark. Everyone in Atlanta loves chowing down on the Varsity’s fatty, yet extremely delicious, treats. Their main menu items are burgers, chili dogs, shakes, fries, and onion rings. Not only do they have delicious food, but they are also the world’s largest drive in diner. At any given time, the varsity will be packed with sincere, southern people, and dedicated workers ready to serve you.





See one of Atlanta's Sports Teams

Atlanta has many college and professional sports teams. They have the Hawks with basketball, the Falcons with football, and the Braves for baseball. In addition to the pro teams, the Georgia Tech campus is in Atlanta, providing the people of Atlanta with an opportunity to watch more sports games. All three major arenas are in the center of Atlanta: Turner Field, Philips Arena, and the Georgia Dome. As you can see, no matter what time of year you visit Georgia, there will always be an exciting sports game for you to attend.





Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain is the perfect place to spend the day if you want to get out doors with your family. They have many attractions ranging from a thrilling obstacle course in the sky, to an actual plantation from the 1800’s. One of the most popular things to do here is climb the mountain. It is about a 2-3 mile round trip, and the view from the top is amazing. If you aren’t the athletic type, you can also pay to take the cable car up. If cresting a mountain isn’t really your thing, they also have a “village” that has attractions such as a 4D movie, a mini water park, and something called sky hike, which is like an obstacle course in the sky. As soon as it gets dark, a laser show is projected on the side of the mountain complete with music and video.





CNN -- Studio Tour

The CNN studio tour provides a behind the scenes look at how your news is made. The tour takes place at the CNN headquarters, and starts with you going up the world’s largest freestanding escalator. You then enter a 50 foot globe where you can view some of the world’s biggest historic moments. Throughout the rest of the tour, you go through the control room, special effects studio, and the interactive news room. This great tour does a good job of showing you how your news reaches you.





The William Bremen Holocaust Museum

We will end our “virtual tour of Atlanta” with some education sites. The William Bremen Holocaust Museum educates you about none other than… the holocaust! Who would have guessed. They have tour guides to take you through the museum who often are actual survivors of the holocaust. They take through an hour or two of pictures and artifacts from the holocaust, explaining them and their relevance to that time. They also often have speakers that come in to teach you about the holocaust and their experience with it. This is a very touching museum that I personally suggest you visit.





Fernbank Science Center

The Fernbank Science Center is another educational attraction in Atlanta. But remember, education doesn’t have to be boring. Fernbank offers many ways for kids and adults to learn about science, while having fun. They even have mini experiments for you to do. The main piece in the atrium is an almost complete restructuring of a Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton, which is very interesting and cool to look at. Along with their permanent exhibits, they also have special, limited time ones. Examples of these are “Human Bodies,” and, “Wild Life Rescue.” Fernbank is a wonderful place to go to learn about science, and have a bit of fun of course.