... visit unique markets and festivals, indulge at your favorite patisserie, and enjoy nights at rooftop bars ...
The exquisite Earth Goddess plant sculpture overlooks Cascades Garden in Atlanta Botanical Garden. Image credit: Conchi Martinez/Shutterstock
DAY 2: Sample the Arts and Outdoors
The High Museum of Art features Renaissance triptychs, early American furnishings, and contemporary photography. Image credit: f11photo/Shutterstock
In summer, the Municipal Market in Sweet Auburn, the city’s oldest food hall, is the place to find juicy Georgia peaches. Use this as a chance to try a little bit of everything that the city’s diverse cultural background has to offer, like traditional Southern grilled fare from Fire in Smoke BBQ, jerk chicken from Afrodish, and a vegetarian banh mi spicy sandwich from Mattchews.
Day 1: Explore the Southern Capital
Blandtown’s Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours serves up Michelin-recommended Southern soul food from James Beard-nominated Chef Deborah VanTrece. Try the hot favorites on the decadent brunch menu: etoufee crawfish frittata and hoisin oxtails.
DAY 3: Experience the Past and Present
Image credit: Shutterstock
NEIGHBORHOODS
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Eat & Drink
Shop
10 a.m.
12 p.m.
3 p.m.
10 A.M.
12 P.M.
10 A.M.
12 P.M.
Make your way to Sweet Auburn, where a young Martin Luther King Jr. grew up. The National Historic Park-managed neighborhood includes Martin’s boyhood home and the church where he served as preacher. He and his wife are commemorated in a reflection pool across the street at The King Center. Exhibits include his key from Lorraine Motel, where he was assassinated in 1968, and the Grammy he received for Best Spoken Word Recording.
Visit the 1996 Olympic Games venue of Centennial Olympic Park near sporting venues Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, both world-class sporting spaces that host local events and global extravaganzas. Nearby is the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, a museum honoring multiple movements through its exhibits. At an interactive lunch counter, hear what the Civil Rights sit-ins were like from the people who experienced them.
Stop by the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, which honors the longest-living president, who hailed from Georgia. Highlights include his Nobel Peace Prize and a replica of the Oval Office to snap photos in. Then head to the Old Fourth Ward and check out the shops at Ponce City Market, a retail and dining complex in a former Sears warehouse with food hall and local boutiques. Quintessential Atlanta bar Manuel’s Tavern offers a warm Southern welcome and is the place for a casual lunch. Enjoy the French dip with a local brew and Manuel’s special ambiance.
Start your day with a brew from Portrait Coffee in the historic West End. It features blends inspired by the city’s heritage, including Atlanta-based politician and lawyer Stacey Abrams and writer Toni Morrison.
Dive into city’s earliest days at the Atlanta History Center. Rotating exhibits from the permanent collection include 1996 Olympics memorabilia and the original zero-mile post from the railroad, marking its end point and where the city was founded – hence, its original Terminus name. Give yourself plenty of time to see Swan House, the Southern belle of a beautifully restored residence of a local family until the 1960s. Browse antiques inside, then step out to the terraced gardens, a favorite spot for photos.
Downtown Atlanta’s historic landmarks and modern buildings glow with color at dusk. Image credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Image credit: Shutterstock. Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake are roughly ten miles from Aspen
Steeped in history, dynamic Atlanta is also the place to come for wonderful food, a vibrant arts scene, and top-level sports
Atlanta
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Give yourself plenty of time to see Swan House, the Southern belle of a beautifully restored residence
December 2024 (Volume 26)
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Discover some of Atlanta’s highlights, including its surprisingly eclectic arts scene, walkable neighborhoods, abundance of green spaces, and unmissable restaurants, with this itinerary that spans three days.
An easy way to navigate the city is to follow the Beltline, 22 miles of former railroad tracks circling the heart of the city. The paved path, used by pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters, has restaurants with walk-up patios and, intriguingly, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar – The James Room – with a secret entrance behind a daytime coffee shop. Vibe out to the live music and DJ-spun tunes over an Old Fashioned.
8 p.m.
Rent a bike in Midtown’s Piedmont Park or step into Atlanta Botanical Garden, set inside the park, for its orchid collection and Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures. Midtown is also home to the High Museum of Art, a world-class institution with more than 20,000 works. Don’t miss the regional folk art, including pieces from Georgia’s own Howard Finster.
3 P.M.
Holeman and Finch is the place for fine dining and craft cocktails. The restaurant merges classic steakhouse fare with Southern dishes, sourcing ingredients from local farms. Tucked behind a door at the back of a food hall, Jojo’s Beloved is a cocktail bar and lounge with intimate booths and neon lights. Here, you’ll enjoy a great soundtrack and a creative drinks menu.
8 P.M.
Spend time in the fresh air while diving into the city’s connections to the world of TV and film production at Westside Reservoir Park. Set in the site of a former quarry, its accessible paved trails offer the chance to learn about locations that have featured in well-loved movies and TV shows, including Stranger Things and The Walking Dead.
3 P.M.
Head back toward The White House to The People’s House: A White House Experience for interactive exhibits that highlight daily life in the Executive Mansion.
3 p.m.
3 P.M.
While in Georgetown, spend some time admiring the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks. If time allows, visit the on-site museum, home to an impressive collection of Pre-Columbian and Byzantine art.
3 P.M.
While in Georgetown, spend some time admiring the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks. If time allows, visit the on-site museum, home to an impressive collection of Pre-Columbian and Byzantine art.
Feeling hungry? You’ll find D.C.’s Little Ethiopia in Shaw. Try the Michelin-recommended Chercher Restaurant. Then explore Meridian Hill Park, once the site of President John Adams’ home and a campground for Union soldiers during the Civil War. Today, D.C. residents can be seen picnicking with friends or joining the rhythmic Sunday afternoon drum circle, a tradition since 1984.
12 P.M.
Start your day with a guided tour of the U.S. Capitol for a behind-the-scenes look at the Crypt, National Statuary Hall, and the Rotunda. The grounds lead out onto the National Mall, a roughly two-mile-long green space lined with free Smithsonian Institution museums, art galleries, and sculpture gardens.
Just south of the National Mall, the International Spy Museum offers displays featuring the world’s most famous spies – fictional and real – and their gadgets. See James Bond’s car collection from the 007 films (through September 2025) and test your spy skills by completing undercover missions around the museum.
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8 P.M.
Spend time in the fresh air while diving into the city’s connections to the world of TV and film production at Westside Reservoir Park. Set in the site of a former quarry, its accessible paved trails offer the chance to learn about locations that have featured in well-loved movies and TV shows, including Stranger Things and The Walking Dead.
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