A plan for Atlanta

Sitting on the Piedmont Plateau in Northern Georgia, Atlanta is almost entirely in Fulton County, while a part of the city limits extends into DeKalb County. The city covers 132 sq mi (343 km²), but Metro Atlanta, which includes 28 counties, has an area of 8,376 sq mi (21,693.7 km²). The Chattahoochee River, which forms the northwestern boundary of Atlanta, is a major source of water throughout the metro area. Aside from the river, the topography of Atlanta is assorted with rolling hills, forests, lakes and ponds, and granite Stone Mountain to the east.

In 2020, Atlanta had 500,000 residents within the city limits and 6.3 million in the metro area.

Climate

Atlanta is on the Piedmont Plateau, at an approximate elevation of 700–1100 ft (220–330 m) above sea level. The city is thus somewhat cooler than other places in the U.S. South, a fact that certainly helped the growth of the city before the introduction of air conditioning.

Atlanta experiences a very wide range of temperatures. Temperatures in winter are overall mild to warm, but cold-fronts can bring light accumulations of snow and lows occasionally plummet into the teens. However, days are usually in the 50s F (10 °C) and nights in the low to mid 30s F (0 °C). Ice-storms are very rare, but not unheard of. Rainfall is high in late winter and early spring, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. The region is often affected during hurricane season (June through November) from remnants that spill out from the Gulf, bringing heavy rains and sometimes high winds.

Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures frequently reaching above 90 °F (32 °C), thus the city earning the nickname "Hotlanta" (a name which makes locals cringe, and will likely be met with a retort of "Nobody calls it that"). Heat indices average around 92 °F (33 °C) during the day and 73 °F (23 °C) at night, but can climb above 103 °F (39 °C) and not go below 77 °F (25 °C) on some particularly sweltering days.

Museums

Atlanta's top attractions form an eclectic mix that is sure to have something that appeals to everyone, and enough variety to keep the adventurous traveler busy. The highest concentration of exhibits can be found in the Centennial Park Area, where Atlanta's two biggest attractions are within two blocks of one another: World of Coca-Cola tells the history of the world’s most iconic brand, with plenty of samples to ensure understanding, and across the street is the Georgia Aquarium, The United States’s largest by volume of water, where you can swim with the biggest fish of them all, the whale shark.

Those more inclined to history can visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Sweet Auburn, which includes this inspiring leader’s birthplace home, his final resting place, the church where he once gave sermons, and a museum and memorial dedicated to his colossal achievements. The largest collection of Civil War memorabilia in the nation, including the Cyclorama (which tells the story of the Battle of Atlanta through a massive, continuous, circular painting), can be found at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead, alongside a large exhibit memorializing the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.

Parks and recreation

Visit Centennial Olympic Park in Downtown and relax by the man-made river, splash in the Fountain of Rings on a hot summer day or go ice skating at the ice rink in the wintertime, attend a concert, and pay respects to the victims of the 1996 Olympics bombing.

Walk through Piedmont Park in Midtown, the largest park in Atlanta. Attend the Dogwood Festival in the spring time or one of the many musical events.

Grant Park is the oldest city park in Atlanta and is home to Zoo Atlanta. Historic Oakland Cemetery, also here, serves as the final resting place for more than 3,900 Confederate soldiers, famous Atlanta author Margaret Mitchell, golfing legend Bobby Jones, six Georgia governors and 25 Atlanta mayors.

The Beltline is a multi-use trail. Its plan calls for a 22 mi (35 km) loop around Atlanta, of which only some portions are complete. Many sections of the former railway corridor have already been renovated with paved walking paths, while some others are still au naturel but hikeable. The BeltLine has been a big hit with locals; on weekends with good weather you will see dozens of people every minute crossing the street at popular intersections such as near Piedmont Park.\* Founders Green, Centennial Yards. Public park at Centennial Yards in downtown. (updated May 2026)

Performing arts

Founded in 1929, the Atlanta Ballet is the oldest professional dance company in America, the largest self-supported arts organization in Georgia and the official Ballet of Georgia. The company's performances combine contemporary and traditional styles with classic ballets and new choreography. Its annual season is presented at the historic Fox Theatre (Midtown), including the holiday season favorite The Nutcracker. The "Fabulous Fox" is worth a visit just to see its grandiose interior, and hosts many plays and concerts throughout the year.

See the Districts articles for more listings.

Affordability, variety of restaurants, culinary diversity and award-winning chefs are key ingredients that earn Atlanta a place at the table with other popular culinary cities. An assortment of neighborhoods offers an array of restaurants featuring cuisine that spans the globe, serving something for every taste.

If you want to plumb the depths of what Atlanta's restaurant scene offers, do what locals do and sift through local magazine Creative Loafing. They review restaurants all over the city, and have several lists of "100 Dishes to Eat in Atlanta".

During the past few years, several celebrity chefs have traveled south to call Atlanta home. Drawn to the quickly growing culinary scene, these chefs have been welcomed with open arms and some true southern hospitality. Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Anne Quatrano (Bacchanalia and Floataway Cafe), and Richard Blais (FLIP Burger Boutique, and One Midtown Kitchen) are just a few.

What better place to travel than to the heart of Atlanta to experience classic and contemporary Southern cuisine at its finest? Mary Mac's Tea Room has been serving "meat and three" for close to 70 years, and has photos in every room to prove it, while innovators like Canoe, JCT, Restaurant Eugene, and South City Kitchen update Southern cuisine for the 21st century.

A Wall Street Journal article in 2007 named Atlanta the best city in the U.S. for burgers. Their top pick went to Ann's Snack Bar, an 8-seat dive run by one woman. The Vortex and The Earl were also listed, and are better choices if you don't have several hours to spend waiting in line. There are dozens of other highly-rated relative newcomers to the burger scene.

Atlanta is also making a name for itself in pizza of almost every style. For gourmet Neapolitan-style pizza, Antico Pizza Napoletana and Varasano's are invariably named among the best, but opinions are divided about which is the top. Other gourmet pizzerias include Ammazza, Double Zero, and Fritti, to name just a few. If you're looking for less-pretentious 'za, check out Blue Moon Pizza, Cameli's, Fellini's, Nina & Rafi, or Rocky Mountain Pizza.

Coca-Cola

In much of the South, thanks to the influence of Coca-Cola being headquartered in midtown Atlanta, "coke" can colloquially refer to any soft drink in place of "soda" or "pop". Ordering "a Coke" at a restaurant usually, but not always, means you're asking for a Coca-Cola Classic (and they will ask "Is Pepsi okay?" if they don't serve Coca-Cola products), but if someone says they're going to the grocery store to buy "some cokes" for a party, they mean "a variety of soft drinks", not just Coca-Cola.

Sweet tea

A true staple of southern culture, sweet tea can be found at almost any restaurant in Atlanta. In most places an order for "tea" will be assumed to mean "sweet tea"; hot or unsweetened tea need to be asked for specifically. A popular variant to a glass of sweet tea is an Arnold Palmer, a half and half mix of iced tea (either sweetened or unsweetened) and lemonade, named after the famous golfer who popularized it.

Beer and more beer

Atlanta is home to Sweetwater Brewing Company, one of the largest microbreweries in the South; their 420 Extra Pale Ale is a signature item. Red Brick is the second-largest, while relative newcomers include Monday Night, Orpheus, Second Self, Three Taverns, and Wild Heaven.

Beer bars are a big to-do in Atlanta. The most widely-known is local chain Taco Mac, which boasts an ever-changing collection of as many as 140 beers on draught and hundreds more in bottles, with wings, burgers, and tacos to wash them down. Not to be outdone, The Porter serves up 430 brews along with excellent gastropub food. Brick Store Pub offers over 20 beers for connoisseurs, plus an additional bar of Belgian beers in an upstairs alcove. Serving up their own in-house brews, Wrecking Bar and Twain's top the list of brewpubs. Other local favorites for a good pint include Publik Draft House, Book House, Thinking Man Tavern, and Cypress Street Pint & Plate.

Although most locals rely on their cars for day-to-day transportation, walking and public transit are well suited for visitors. The major downtown neighborhoods are quite walkable, and many attractions are easily accessible from public transit.

If you'll have a car anyway, driving is often the fastest means of getting around. It also opens up destinations that are difficult or impossible to access by public transit. However, having a car in Downtown is often a hindrance where parking is scarce, and the lengthy rush hour is an exercise in frustration.

Street names in Atlanta are very confusing. There are more than 70 streets that have "Peachtree" in their name, and they are often difficult to distinguish (Peachtree Street, Peachtree Lane, West Peachtree Street, etc.) When someone says "Peachtree" without clarifying, they mean Peachtree Street, a major north-south thoroughfare through Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead. Do not confuse it with West Peachtree Street, which parallels Peachtree Street a block away and is a major road through Midtown. Additionally, many thoroughfares change street names frequently, generally at intersections and curves.

Ponce de Leon Avenue, often shortened to Ponce, is pronounced PAHNS duh LEE-ahn.

By foot

Visitors will find today's Atlanta very walkable, with many improvements made in the last decade. Most of the in-town neighborhoods are individually easy to walk around, with dense collections of bars, restaurants, and shops. In particular, getting around within Midtown, Downtown, Decatur, Buckhead, or the areas around the North Highland Avenue corridor in East Atlanta (including Virginia-Highland, Poncey Highland, and Little Five Points) is usually quite easy; walking times rarely exceed 10–20 minutes, and buses or trains provide some relief for longer trips. Getting between those neighborhoods solely by foot is more difficult; for example, expect a 30–45-minute walk between Midtown and Virginia-Highland. Inter-neighborhood transportation is best done by car or public transit.

By transit

Atlanta is served by MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), ☏ +1 404-848-4711, which operates subway and bus networks in the city of Atlanta and the counties of Fulton and Dekalb. Locals just say "MARTA"; referring to it as "the MARTA" will mark you as an out-of-towner.

Despite Atlanta's historic reputation for crime, the city is not as dangerous as many perceive it to be. In fact, Atlanta's crime rate dropped significantly during the 1990s and 2000s, reaching a forty-year low in 2005. While violent crime levels are still high compared to most American cities, most of it is related to the drug trade and takes place in parts of the city visitors rarely – if ever – see.

Usual precautions should be taken, as in any other major city, such as not traveling alone at night and being aware of which neighborhoods are more prone to crime. In Atlanta, the southwest and southeast areas have reported the most incidents of crime; the triangle created by I-285, I-75, and I-20 in particular is a dangerous neighborhood. Avoid venturing in areas surrounding the new Mercedes-Benz stadium such as Bankhead and Vine City late at night. Car theft is exceptionally high by national standards. Outside of the perimeter, crime rates are significantly lower (except Dekalb County).

One thing to watch out for in Atlanta are homeless people, which have become an unfortunately prevalent sight since the 2000s. Whereas homeless people in big cities tend to leave you alone if you ignore them, those in Atlanta have been known to physically harass locals or tourists alike. Areas where the homeless tend to congregate most include the John Lewis Freedom Parkway, the areas south of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and northern Midtown.