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Saturday, January 15, 2022

Things To Do In Atlanta, Georgia

Check out these Things To Do In Atlanta, Georgia before your next trip to this bustling city.

If you are going to be looking for a campground in the area, be sure to go to our State By State Guide To State And National Park Campgrounds to find our favorites in Atlanta.



I had to change the title of this post because we have just made our third trip to Atlanta. Our old title was A Weekend In Atlanta.  If you didn't have a chance to read this post the first time around, please do. If you did, you can just skip the first section of this post and read about our second trip. If you came back to read about our second trip, skip all the way down to the last section where you can read about our third time around!
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We planned a road trip to Atlanta, Georgia to watch our favorite baseball team, the Mets, play their away game against the Braves.   We arrived the day before the game to make it a mini vacation.  (You can read about our first day and all about Stone Mountain Park here.)  We chose to stay at the Country Inn & Suites, Atlanta/Galleria, Ball Park because it was within walking distance of of the stadium.  This made the hotel very convenient for us.  They offered shuttle service to the stadium but we found out about it after the shuttle left!  There's never any harm in getting a couple of extra steps each day so it was actually a good thing that we missed the bus.  If we would have skipped the sightseeing we would have made the bus but then we would have missed out on seeing some awesome sights.  We researched before we left on our weekend road trip and found a couple of things we had to see and do here.

Our hotel was only a few miles from Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park.  This park spans about 35 acres and consists of several buildings and sites that includes Martin Luther King, Jr.'s childhood home on Auburn Street in the Sweet Auburn Historic District.  We didn't have time to look inside, which was free to do, but we were thrilled to just stand on the same porch where one of the greatest people in history once stood.



Down the block is Ebenezer Baptist Church where both Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dad, were preachers.



Across the street from the church is the visitor's center which has exhibits telling the story of the Civil Rights Movement.  There is also a theater here and the D.R.E.A.M Gallery that holds exhibits that will change from time to time.  You can pick up the free tickets to enter King's childhood home in the visitor's center here.

A few blocks away from the park was the Krog Street Tunnel.  I was thrilled to find this tunnel as we love to seek out the unusual sights in a new city.  This tunnel was perfectly quirky.  If you are an artist with a paint can, you can display your art in this tunnel.  It was so colorful and so fun and the paint cans thrown around throughout the tunnel just added to the ambiance of this place.


 


The walls outside the tunnel were also decorated with works of art and a couple of restaurants and stores in the few blocks surrounding the tunnel also got in the spirit and decorated their businesses with spray paint as well.



Now it was time to get to the game.  We went back to the hotel to drop our car off and walked up the hill towards SunTrust Park along with lots of other people doing the same thing we were.



I had completely forgotten that the Braves fans were the ones who did the tomahawk chop when they were cheering for an amazing play.  I remembered the rivalry the Mets and Braves had when I was a kid and how much that chop annoyed me haha!  If the Brave fans were cheering, the Mets were probably in trouble!  It all came back to me when we got to the stadium.  Everything is about the chop.



We had great seats and were able to watch the Met's pitchers warming up before they got into the game.



And because it was Memorial Day, there was a wonderful pre-game show honoring every branch of the armed forces and the brave men and women who serve or served in them.  Throughout the game, between innings, individuals were singled out for either serving, formally serving or being the family of someone who gave their lives while serving.  We saw their images on the big screen and gave them standing ovations.  There were also taps and a moment of silence in honor of all those heroes who never returned from their tour of duty.



Unfortunately, the Mets lost but we had fun in spite of the loss.  The Mets hadn't been doing so well so we kind of expected it.   We are fans for life, though, no matter how bad their seasons are.

After the game we wanted to find somewhere fun to eat.   There was a burger place in Atlanta that was recommended for us to try by our son Joe.  He has made trips to some really out of the way places to try a burger he has read about so we trusted his suggestion.  We found H&M Burger in Ponce City Market.


H&F Burger is where we could find the famous H&F burger that local chef and James Beard Award winner Linton Hopkins created.   This burger was first served at Holeman and Finch Public House.  There would be only 24 burgers prepared each night at 10 p.m.  First come, first served.  You would have to come back another night if you missed out.  The original H&F burger is a double cheeseburger, topped with red onion and house-made pickles served on a freshly baked bun which is made to be the same size as the burger.  It is buttered and toasted on a griddle before the burger gets to sit inside it.  It is served with made from scratch ketchup on the side.  We ordered french fries and shaved crisp onions to eat with our burgers.  I have to say that this burger is on the top of my "best burger I have ever eaten" list.  And the fries and shaved crisp onions were not too shabby either.


We were on vacation so that means we could splurge on desert.  I noticed something delicious that I had never had before, on our way over to H&F, and I had to have it.  But first we needed to walk off some of the calories of our delicious dinner.  We went window shopping and then checked out the rooftop area.   We didn't, but could have had a cocktail up here while we relaxed and enjoyed the view.   We passed an area with a piano and comfy couches and listened to a young couple playing Chopsticks


After our walk I was ready for desert!  Batter Cookie Dough Counter served "cookie dough" that you could eat before it turned into a cookie.   I've always thought that the best part of baking a cake or cookies is being able to lick the spoon that stirred the batter even though I know I am taking a risk of getting sick from the raw egg.  I don't know how they did it, but you can eat the dough they sell here without worrying.  I picked brownie batter and sugar cookie.  They were yummy but a little too sweet.  I would love to go back one day to test out the other flavors though!



Needless to say, I was stuffed after all the eating we just did so it was time to head back to the hotel.
We had a great time in Atlanta.  We will be looking for another Mets game here in the future for an excuse to visit this fun city again!

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We knew we would be back!

What brought us here this time was because we couldn't get all the way to Mammoth Cave National Park, the first stop on our 5 National Park Road Trip.

We camped at Stone Mountain Campground. Soko notice that there was a campground here on our first visit. It was nice to get a chance to camp here as we were hoping that one day we would be able to check it out.


We were not disappointed. It was a 5 star (our rating) campground with a couple of easy trails we enjoyed hiking on. (Read more about this campground here.) You can hike here whether you are camping at the campground or not. We would definitely recommend hiking along the Stone Mountain River, if you have time, on your trip to Atlanta.


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We hiked the Evergreen Trail which would take us to the Cherokee Trail which would take us to the century old Washington w. King Bridge.


We got a glimpse of the carving on the side of Stone Mountain at this point on the trail. Read more about this carving here.



It started to get late when we finally made it to the Cherokee Trail so we decided that we should head back to the car and drive to the bridge instead. 


We only had 1 1/2 days to spend in Atlanta this time. We decided that we would spend the one full day we had here at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.


On any given day you will find Atlanta Botanical Garden hosting a special event. We were lucky enough to be at the garden for the SUPERnatural: Aerial Art in Motion exhibit. We enjoyed watching the streamers dancing in the wind as we walked along the suspension bridge they call the Kendeda Canopy Walk.


Everywhere we looked we saw gorgeous displays of colorful flowers and beautiful foliage.


There are specialty gardens and greenhouses throughout the garden. You will need a few hours to be able to see all Atlanta Botanical Garden has to offer.  
 
                                                                  Fuqua Orchid Center

                                                                     Tropical Rotunda


Japanese Garden

                                                                            Children's Garden

In addition to the live flowers in the garden, there were amazing glass flowers that were almost equally as beautiful as their counterparts. These glass flowers were a collection in another exhibition that was currently being featured here, Glass Art in Bloom.



But the highlight on our day at Atlanta Botanical Garden had to be suddenly coming upon the Earth Goddess as we turned a corner. This beautiful lady was installed in 2013 as part of a mosiaculture (sculptures made out of plants) exhibition that became a permanent resident. The goddess is 20 feet tall, weighs 29 tons and holds more than 18,000 plants. She has to be trimmed weekly to keep her gorgeous shape.



We had another awesome visit to Atlanta and are excited to know that we already have plans to visit for a third time. Keep an eye out for Part 3!

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Well you spotted Part 3! 

We didn't come alone on our third trip to Atlanta. We were joined by my sister, Sandie and brother-in-law JT. The four of us traveled in our trailer, making 26 stops, mostly at campgrounds but also at a few hotels, from Florida to California and back. Atlanta was our first stop. The first night was spent relaxing at the campground, Atlanta South RV Resort. (Read more about this campground here!)

2022 Cross Country Road Trip Stop 1


Our second and only full day in Atlanta was spent in downtown Atlanta and in particular, Centennial Olympic Park.


Centennial Olympic Park is located at the site of the 1996 summer Olympics. Before the Olympics, vacant lots and abandoned industrial buildings landscaped this area. Now you can enjoy a beautiful park, complete with a playground for the kids and more, in what is now known as the Centennial Park District.


During the Olympics, this area served as a gathering place for visitors and spectators. It hosted live entertainment and medal presentations.


The park closed after the Olympics for renovation and opened again in 1998 for the public to enjoy. The park's highlights include landmarks and features dedicated to someone or something that represents the Olympics in general or the 1996 Olympics in particular. 


The eight Hermes towers encircle the park and are reproductions of towers that led ancient Greek Olympians and spectators to public spaces and events.


The Gateway of Dreams pays homage to the founder of the modern Olympic games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin and to the ideals of the games.


In 2016 the park was updated to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1996 Olympic games. The updates included the Fountain of Rings Plaza featuring the Olympic Rings Spectacular.


The area around the park is called the Centennial Park District. Here you will find State Farm Arena, home to NBA's Atlanta Hawks, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to NFL's Atlanta Falcons. Fans of college football might want to visit the College Football Hall of Fame. If you are vacationing with the kids, the Georgia Aquarium would be something the whole family could enjoy together. 


After our walk around Centennial Park, we enjoyed a Coca-Cola float at the World of Coca-Cola's kiosk.


Plan on spending at least two hours at Centennial Olympic Park, unless you are going to take advantage of the other venues in the Centennial Park District, then you could be here all day. 

Besides for paying for parking ($10.00) and Coke floats ($5.00), we were entertained for free here and enjoyed every minute of it!


This post was featured at:

                                        Pretty Pintastic Party














69 comments:

  1. I spotted your post on Party in Your PJs and had to come check it out. I grew up in GA and love Atlanta. It's such a great city with lots of quirks. The MLK park is a wonderful testament to his incredible work. I'm a die hard Braves fan, so I was watching that game on TV here in Charleston. Sometimes, I think the chop is a bit annoying, too. :)

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    1. Hahaha! I loved hearing that the chop was a bit annoying even to a fan! Thank you so much for stopping by!!

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  2. Thanks for the mini vacation to Atlanta! Haven't been except driving in the insane traffic to get to Florida from NY. Usually took 95 down but due to a hurricane a few years ago we had to divert from our usual route).

    Oh yes the METS: I'm sure you knew the Iconic Team Song “Meet the Mets” Turns 55 this year!

    Will have to check out the rest of your blog.

    Linda
    Bestoflongislandandcentralflorida

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    1. Yes! Did you know the Mets recorded an album of all their "hits" hahaha! My friend still has her copy! I'm in central Florida (for 1/2 the year) also. If you come back to the blog, check out the post on murals in Lake Wales!

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  3. Your trips always look like so much fun. Thanks for sharing on To Grandma's House We Go!

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    1. Yes! We are so grateful that we are able to travel as much as we do!

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  4. Looks like a fun trip and those burgers/fries look amazing.

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  5. There are lots of fun things to do in Atlanta if you ever get a chance to go. Definitely have one of those burgers and the sides. They are worth the calories!

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  6. Looks like a fun weekend. I love food and that burger and cookie dough place sounds fun.

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  7. We are only 2 hours south of Atlanta and love to take weekend trips from time to time. I think we need to visit the Cookie dough place on our next trip! We went to Suntrust Park for the first time this spring and loved the Chop! It is so exciting in that moment! I enjoyed you visit and the places you shared. #merrymonday

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    1. You are so lucky to be so close to Atlanta and all it has to offer! Thank you for nice comments!

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  8. Found you on the Pretty Pintastic party - Since I'm getting ready to retire in a few years, I'll be following your adventures!!

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    1. Aw! Thanks! I hope that you share your adventures with me also!

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  9. Great entry and virtual tour of Atlanta through your words and photos!
    Thanks for taking part in the Travel Tuesday meme.

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    1. Thank you and thank you for hosting your party every week!

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  10. I went to Atlanta back in the early 2000's. The parts that I saw were really nice...except for the MARTA. LOL. so happy you had an awrsome time.

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    1. Yes it was a fun city. I'm not sure what the MARTA is but I'm glad I didn't bump into it!

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  11. I do love baseball and for years I religiously watched the Braves. But now, when I get the chance I stay much closer to home by watching our minor league team, Birmingham Barons, play. PLAY BALL!
    :) gwingal

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    1. Watching the minor league teams are lots of fun. You are lucky to live near your team's. Thank you for stopping by!

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  12. Looks like a great place to visit! I`ve never visited any of the southern states past Texas and I would really love to go. Thanks for giving me a taste of it.

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    1. Welcome! Texas is definitely a place I would love to see!

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  13. What a fun weekend. I haven't done the sight-seeing, tourist thing in Atlanta in way too many years. You know how it is when you have close friends and/or family in a city. You go to their home for an event and that's about it. I think Hubs and I need to sneak into Atlanta and do some fun sight-seeing like you did. Fun post.

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    1. You are so lucky that you get to visit often! Hope you get to sneak away with Hubs one day to explore!!

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  14. Found you on Blogging Grandmothers Group! Love the post about Atlanta. Hubby works there sometimes, and we love visiting local diners and unusual sites! Sounds like yall had a great time!

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    1. Thank you. We did have a lot of fun in Atlanta. We hope to get back again one day. It's great for you that you get to visit often!

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  15. Looks like you all had a fun time even if your team did lose. Enjoyed reading about your trip. Shared x 4 ♥

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    1. Thank you for sharing!! We are used to the losing! We will always be fans though.

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  16. Definitely going on my bucket list.....I have driven through Georgia but never stopped long enough to take in the sights.....

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  17. I know that song: Georgia on my mind. Ray Charles! First time seeing photographs of it though - sure looks like a very nice place! Love all the colourful flowers at the Atlanta Botanical. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I hope you get to go one day. I think you will love it!

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  18. WOW awesome love the botanical garden shots #SeniorSalonPitStop @esmesalon

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  19. I enjoyed your virtual tour of Atlanta. Love the photos!

    Happy Thursday!

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    1. So happy you joined us "virtually" in Georgia and had a good time!

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  20. Visiting again to say thanks so much for linking up at the 25 and Done Link Party 2. Shared onto Fb, Pn, and Tw!

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    1. Thank you Dee, as always, for your support and for hosting all your great parties!

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  21. We've never been in, only driven by, Atlanta GA. Looks like there is a lot to see and do. Thanks for sharing, and for joining in my Travel Tuesday Link party.

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    1. My daughter found your party and let me know about it. Thank you so much for hosting a party for travel bloggers! I am glad to have a place to link my posts and also to visit other travel blogger's blogs!!

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  22. I love finding hidden art and wall murals in cities too! Great review of all the things to do in Atlanta Georigia.

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  23. I now know a lot more about Atlanta than I did. The botanical gardens look amazing!

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by and for hosting your nice party! Hope you have an amazing week!!

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  24. It looks like a great weekend, especially the botanical gardens and Stone Mountain. I'd love to go there someday

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    1. I hope you get a chance to go. I think you would love it!!

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  25. I would definitely like to go there, especially to the botanic garden.

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  26. Thanks for posting at Funtastic Friday. Loved seeing the Goddess at the Botanical gardens.

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    1. She was beautiful!! Thanks for hosting your nice party.

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  27. Wow, so very beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  28. So much to see and do, I've only ever been through the airport. i'd love to attend a baseball game.
    Thanks for linking with #pocolo, sorry for the delay with commenting and sharing. Hope to see you back soon.

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    1. Don't worry about getting back to me. I just appreciate that you have a place for us to link our posts!

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  29. I enjoyed this Michelle. Was just reminiscing with a friend yesterday and said Atlanta was the one city that sort of defeated us when we were full-time RVers. We accidentally arrived just as they Olympics traffic was leaving (yeah, we are *that* old), the parks advertised in the Good Sam "Bible" were either closed or full, the traffic was terrible. (we pulled a 45 foot 5-W behind a mini-Freightliner, so heavy city traffic was never fun, especially when we were searching for an RV Park as the one we had planned for was full). This, of course, was all before GPS! . ''' anyway, we ended up not seeing a lot of what we had wanted to and that had never happened to us before, nor did it later. The Travel Planner/Driver of the family never wanted to go back, this post would probably change his mind!!!

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    1. Wow! Well at least you do have a vivid memory of Atlanta, even though it was not a pleasant one. I hope that you give this exciting city another chance!!

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  30. We plan on going to Atlanta in a few weeks so it's great to discover your post about all the fun things to do there! Bookmarking this post.

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  31. What a fun weekend! Atlanta looks like such a neat place to visit!

    Alexandra
    OnRockwoodLane.com

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    1. Atlanta is a great place to visit. I will be visiting again this summer! Thanks for stopping by!

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  32. What a great time. Would love to go there.

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    1. I hope you get a chance to go. I think you would have a great time!

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  33. I've seen the botanical gardens on a few other bloggers sites as well and I am always so impressed with their changing art installations and how they offset the plants and beauty of the gardens so perfectly.

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    1. I am not surprised that you have read about this garden on other sites.It really is a must-do when you are in Atlanta!

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  34. I have visited the church and his house. It is just awesome. Thanks for sharing

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    1. It really is an awesome site! Thanks for stopping by!

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  35. Thank you bunches for sharing things to do in Atlanta with Sweet Tea & Friends this month my friend. Also, your photos are stunning.

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  36. Thank you for sharing this with Your Moment Blog Hop!

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