Your 24 Hour Travel Guide: The Best Way to Spend 24 Hours in Atlanta

Atlanta, Georgia is a vibrant and bustling metropolitan city situated in the heart of the American South.  I had long wanted to visit Atlanta due to its historic significance during the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement and, a few weeks ago, finally had the opportunity to explore firsthand all that the city has to offer.  As you might remember, I spent my birthday of this year in New Orleans, Louisiana, so comparisons between the two cities were fresh on my mind.  While New Orleans manages to maintain a certain sense of veiled mystique, Atlanta is a city that lays it all out there and tells it like it is.

As a medium-sized US city, Atlanta is overflowing with activities to keep visitors entertained, regardless of your background.  With so much to explore, it can be challenging to narrow down must-see sights, especially if you are pressed for time during your visit.  This guide to the best way to spend 24 hours in Atlanta contains something for everyone, offering a list of must-see attractions guaranteed to pique your interest and leave you wanting to book the next flight to Georgia.

 

Atlanta Botanical Garden

1345 Piedmont Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is situated on 30 sprawling acres in Midtown Atlanta.  Created in the 1970s with a mission of developing and maintaining plant collections for “display, education, research, conservation and enjoyment”, the Botanical Garden remains a point of interest for visitors and residents of Atlanta alike.  The Garden includes an enviable orchid collection, a tropical conservatory full of animals, a rose garden, and an edible outdoor garden, just to name a few of its many attractions.

The Garden offers public and private programming, featuring a summer concert series, a variety of classes for adults ranging from cooking to Tai Chi, and weekly cocktail parties surrounded by nature.  If the Garden seems adult-centric, not to worry.  In addition to offering a wide array of activities aimed towards the 21 and over crowd, the Garden also features a Children’s Garden with activities galore for your little ones, ranging from interactive outdoor play areas to educational programming.

Specific Points of Interest: Interspersed throughout the Garden are a variety of exhibitions including living sculptures, Chihuly glass, and other whimsical surprises you will have to see to believe.

 

Walk the BeltLine Trail to Ponce City Market

Suggested route: Enter the Trail at the SE corner of the Atlanta Botanical Garden and walk to Ponce City Market.

The Atlanta BeltLine is nothing short of a community feat, demonstrating Atlanta’s ingenuity and creativity.  As a sustainable redevelopment project, the BeltLine, when comple, will connect 45 neighborhoods through a 33-mile loop of multi-use trail.  The hope is that the BeltLine will offer Atlanta the opportunity to redefine and connect its diverse neighborhoods. You can hop on and off the BeltLine throughout the city, allowing for easy access between neighborhoods and cultural attractions.

Perhaps the most impressive feat of the BeltLine is it’s collection of ever-evolving art installations, ranging from photography to street art to sculptures.  In addition to featuring a wide array of art, the BeltLine also offers community events such as free fitness classes, races, and an annual music and arts festival.

Specific Points of Interest: While walking the BeltLine, and exploring Atlanta in general, be on the lookout for Tiny Doors.  The six inch doors were created as a way to offer free and accessible art to all,  giving new life and a sense of wonder to older structures like bridges and walls.

 

Explore Ponce City Market

675 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

Located just off the BeltLine in the old Sears, Roebuck & Company building you will find Ponce City Market, a mixed-use space full of restaurants, boutiques, and bars.  The unique urban marketplace has a community-oriented feel, featuring tables interspersed throughout, making it the perfect place to gather, work, or play.

I personally passed several hours in Ponce City Market when a rainstorm derailed my plans and had an incredible time exploring all of the Market’s unique offerings.  It is a one-of-a-kind space with no-shortage of charming boutiques, delicious food and cocktails, and photo opportunities.  The roof of the market even features a collection of carnival games paired with breathtaking views of the city!

Specific Points of Interest: Citizen Supply – full of local and international artisan goods and includes gorgeous blogger-friendly spaces to shoot in.  Modern Mystic – your one-stop-shop for all things mystical like crystals, sage, and metaphysical books.  Ponce Denim Company – the ONLY store you need to visit to buy jeans ever again.  They will even alter your jeans and ship them to you if you’re visiting from out of town!

 

The Center for Civil and Human Rights

100 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard NW, Atlanta, GA 30313

In addition to being full of fun attractions, Atlanta also offers educational opportunities abound, including the Center for Civil and Human Rights.  The Center, established in 2007, was founded to inspire visitors to take the fundamental rights of every human being personally.

Offering a wide array of permanent and temporary exhibits, the Center engages visitors through imagery, artifacts, and storytelling. The Center aims to relay how the Civil Rights Movement in the United States relates to human rights struggles worldwide.

Specific Points of Interest: The Center has an ever-evolving collection of exhibits, so you will want to check their website prior to your visit for the most up to date information.

 

SkyView Atlanta Ferris Wheel

168 Luckie Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

If you are looking for a unique, sprawling view of the city, look no further than SkyView Atlanta.  Located next to Centennial Olympic Park, SkyView Atlanta offers unrestricted views from 20-stories high.  The climate controlled gondolas are the perfect place to take in the city from above.

Points of Interest: In addition to regular tickets, SkyView Atlanta also offers a VIP gondola experience complete with Ferrari-style seats, glass floors, and a longer ride time.

Whether you are looking for history, art, shopping, or just some good old fashioned Southern beauty, Atlanta has it all.  While the city certainly deserves more than a day of time, you can also get a very good feel for the metropolis in a handful of hours.  It is my hope that this guide to the best way to spend 24 hours in Atlanta will inspire you to take a trip southbound to explore all that this vibrant city has to offer.

Be on the lookout for my upcoming posts about the best places to eat and drink in Atlanta.  You won’t want to miss them!

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