Seek and find
Discover the surprising side of Atlanta with these 25 tips!
Would I like to go to Atlanta? The birthplace of Coca-Cola and the city in the Southern US where I've had so many stopovers on my trips to America, but I've never set foot outside the airport. Before flying to Atlanta, I didn't really have a clear picture of the city, but after 48 hours in this vibrant city, I can say it's much more fun than I anticipated. With many charming neighborhoods not far from the city center, delicious restaurants, food markets, parks, and sights.
One of the best things about this trip was getting an exclusive look behind the scenes at Coca-Cola. We tasted new drinks, browsed the archives, and learned more about Coca-Cola's involvement in the fight for civil rights. Curious about this adventure? Then check out the vlog below, where I take you along on my journey to Atlanta!
In this blog I have listed my best tips for Atlanta that I collected for you during my trip and received tips from my followers on Instagram StoriesThank you so much for all the great tips; thanks in part to you, I got such a good impression of the city in such a short time!
7 FUN THINGS TO DO in Atlanta
Atlanta Beltline & Sky Park: New York has the Highline, Paris has Petite Ceinture, and Atlanta has the Beltline. A city park created on the site of a former train line. The best part is the East Side Trail, which connects various hotspots in the city. It's fun to bike along! It starts at Kirkwood Avenue and ends at Sky park on the roof of Ponce City Market! View a map of the East Side Trail here.
Ⓒ @discoveratlanta
Center for Civil and Human Rights & Martin Luther King Museum: Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. was from Atlanta? It's no surprise then that this city is home to the impressive Civil Rights Museum. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Atlanta. A follower also recommended the Martin Luther King Jr. Museum for those who have enough time to visit both!
Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd NW, Atlanta – civilandhumanrights.org
Martin Luther King Museum, 450 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta – nps.gov
World of Coca-Cola: Across from the Center for Civil Rights, you'll find the World of Coca-Cola. It's the museum (or rather, an experience) entirely dedicated to Coca-Cola. It's home to the only written copy of the formula for making Coca-Cola, and at the end of your visit, you can sample all the drinks made by Coca-Cola from around the world. There are over 200! You can see my favorites in the vlog, but I'd recommend something like Coffee Coca-Cola.
World of Coca-Cola, 121 Baker St NW, Atlanta – worldofcoca-cola.com
Ⓒ @worldofcocacola
Georgia Aquarium: It's the largest aquarium in the world. It's not only popular with tourists, but locals also recommended it to me as one of the things you definitely want to do when you're in Atlanta. Fun fact: you don't have to go all the way to Atlanta for a "visit," but you can visit most of the aquariums. watch animals via webcam!
225 Baker St NW, Atlanta – georgiaaquarium.org
Seeing Street Art: Atlanta is full of cool street art! With the Atlanta Street Art map You can explore more than 500 outdoor artworks throughout the city. The website offers tips for self-guided tours in various neighborhoods.
Ⓒ @504feral_rhetor
Day at Roswell: To be honest, I only knew the town of Roswell from an episode of The X-Files, but a follower of Your Little Black Book recommended this town, about an hour's drive from Atlanta, because it's fun to visit. You'll find several nice restaurants and shops there, and you can immediately take a mini road trip through the state of Georgia.
Visit the indoor (food) markets: One of the things that really surprised me about Atlanta is how old industrial sites have been transformed into hotspots, with trendy food markets, breweries, restaurants, and shops housed in old warehouses and factories. Two of these markets you shouldn't miss are Ponce City Market and Krog City Market.
Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta – poncecitymarket.com
Krog Street Market, 99 Krog St NE, Atlanta – krogstreetmarket.com
14 Restaurants in Atlanta You'll Want to Eat At
Superica: Don't tell any Mexicans this, but you can really make me happy with Tex-Mex any time of day. Because almost every dish is overflowing with cheese and sour cream. For the best Tex-Mex, like tacos and enchiladas, go to Superica in Atlanta.
Poke Buri: For the tastiest poké bowls in Atlanta, according to locals, go to Poke Buri. Besides poké, you're in the right place for sushi and, yes, sushi donuts!
Amélie's French Bakery & Café: Highly recommended for lunch with tasty sandwiches or just coffee and a cake or one of the cookies.
Bon Glaze: Although I'm not usually a fan of sweets, sometimes I really crave a donut. Atlanta has several places to satisfy your donut cravings, but Bon Glaze's artwork is perhaps the most delicious and beautiful to look at.
Yalla: Yalla was recommended to me on my very first day. This is the place to go for delicious Middle Eastern street food like hummus. You can find Yalla in several locations, including the Krog Street Market.
Ⓒ @yallaatl
Atwoods Pizza: Pizza is always a good choice. Almost everyone loves it, it fits almost any budget, and you can't go wrong with it if the ingredients are good. In Atlanta, go to Atwood's Pizza for the best artisanal pizza in town.
Eat Flower Child & Upbeet: Tired of all the fast food and enormous portions in America? Then head to Eat Flower Child or Upbeet for a super healthy and quick meal.
Watershed: Classic Southern comfort food with a modern, refined twist. This hotspot lets you sample the best the region has to offer.
Barcelona Wine Bar: The Inman Park neighborhood is full of great restaurants. For the tastiest tapas and excellent wines, head to Barcelona Wine Bar. In good weather, you can enjoy a meal on the terrace. The concept is shared dining, and I recommend ordering as much as possible, because everything I tried during my trip to Atlanta was delicious.
Barcelona Wine Bar
Golden Eagle: For great cocktails, bar bites, or an evening of fine dining, this restaurant is located in a former Beltline train depot!
Sweet Stack Creamery: An ice cream sandwich, one of the food hits on Instagram last year, can be enjoyed in Atlanta at Sweet Stack Creamery. You'll be amazed at how delicious it is!
Buttermilk Kitchen: The place to be in Atlanta for breakfast, with things like chicken & waffles!
Mary Mac's: This family-run restaurant is an Atlanta institution. On weekends, there's a long line of locals clamoring for Sunday brunch. This is the place to go for comfort food like fried chicken. The portions are enormous, so share a meal with your traveling companion!
Two Urban Licks: On a former industrial estate in a neighborhood where locals didn't venture out for fun until a few years ago, you'll find Two Urban Licks. It's one of the best restaurants in the city. It boasts a dark, warm, and therefore very cozy interior, and a large open kitchen in the center of the restaurant. The food is cooked over an open fire, which gives the dishes a truly delicious flavor!
Two Urban Licks
This is where you go shopping in Atlanta
- For the best shops in Atlanta, go to Ponce City MarketHere you'll find shops from emerging brands and local designers. Shops not to be missed include Citizen Supply, Anthropology, Archer Paper Goods, Candlefish, Coco + Misha, and Lily Rain.
- In the area surrounding Ponce City Market, you'll find many other great (brand) shops in the same former industrial area. So take your time to browse and finish your shopping spree with some delicious food and drinks at the food court. And who knows, if the weather's nice, you might even find something to eat at the rooftop!
Ⓒ @citizen.supply
Best hotels in Atlanta (Georgia)
W Hotels: I stayed at one of the W Hotels during this trip. Amazing views guaranteed! They were incredibly busy with major renovations, so if you're heading to Atlanta in 2019, you'll be in good hands. Tip: for nice weather, they have a rooftop pool in the warmer months.
Hotels I received tips from locals for my next visit to Atlanta:
Loews Hotel: According to locals, this is the hippest hotel where the action is. The bar is also popular on weekends with non-hotel guests. Personally, I always find that a great indicator of a good hotel!
Stonehurst Place: If I ever find myself in Atlanta again on a road trip, I'm definitely staying here! A restored boutique inn (just the word… love it!) with a modern-classic design and located in leafy Midtown.
Have fun with the tips from this Atlanta!
PSSSST... you can find more (travel) tips in my (new) books!
- Feed Your Wanderlust – Travel Guide for a Bohemian Lifestyle (new in 2018)
- staycation – 22 guides and shortlists for a holiday close to home (new in 2018)
- Wanderlust – Urban Travel Style Guide
- The Amsterdam City Guide (Dutch) & The Amsterdam City Guide (English)
Great as a gift for yourself or someone who loves to travel as much as you do!
WITH LOVE,
ANNE
In collaboration with Coca-Cola
Atlanta Tips
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