From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. Atlanta is spread out, so plan how you will move around before you land.Details
From the airport
The airport is busy and the rail line runs from it straight into downtown and midtown, so you can arrive without a car. For Day 4 you will want a car, or a ride, because the granite mountains are east of the city.
Heat and traffic
Summers are hot and humid and afternoon storms are common, so plan the outdoor places for the morning. Traffic is heavy at the ends of the working day, so leave extra time if you drive.
Where to sleep
Midtown is a good base, with the park, the trail, the museums and the rail line close by. Downtown is handier for the civil rights sites, and the east side suits the last day.
First evening
Keep it easy. Walk a stretch of the trail or sit in the park, eat early and sleep well, because Day 1 is a full day of history.
Day 1. Sweet Auburn and downtown and Midtown and Piedmont Park
6 stops · 5.4 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningWorth the time
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
The neighbourhood of Sweet Auburn, where King was born, grew up and preached. The park takes in his birth home, the church where he and his father served and the tomb beside a reflecting pool. A quiet, moving place to begin.
Go whenMorning, when the street is quiet and the sites are fresh.
Local tip Several of the sites are separate buildings, so give yourself time to walk between them. Check ahead on which are open and whether any need a timed ticket.
A Victorian cemetery near downtown, shaded by old trees. It holds the graves of Atlanta's mayors, soldiers and writers, and an area for those who were enslaved. It is also a quiet garden, so walk slowly.
Go whenMorning, in cool light.
Local tip Wear flat shoes and give it a slow hour. The paths are uneven in places. The walks and guides vary by season, so check ahead.
The gold-domed seat of the state government, finished in 1889. Inside there is a small museum, and the grounds have statues and plaques that tell the state's story, including the parts it would rather not.
Go whenMidday, between the neighbourhood and the museum.
Local tip The grounds are free to wander, and the dome is gilded. Read the plaques and statues with a critical eye. Check ahead on the museum inside.
A downtown park laid out for the 1996 Olympic Games, with a fountain of the five rings that children run through and wide lawns. A pleasant, lively place to end a heavy day.
Go whenEarly evening, when the fountain is lit (about 8:08 PM).
Local tip Bring a change of clothes if children want to splash in the fountain. The park is lively on warm evenings, with events that vary by season.
A paved path along an old railway line, lined with murals, small parks and sculpture, linking Piedmont Park to the neighbourhoods to the south. Stroll a stretch as the light fades.
Go whenEarly evening, when the light is gold and the trail is full of walkers (about 8:08 PM).
Local tip The trail is paved and flat. Walk a stretch rather than all of it, and look for the murals. It is busy at weekends.
A casual dinner at a spot along the trail, where the patios fill with walkers. Small plates are easy to share.
Local tip Trail-side tables fill on warm evenings, so book ahead.
If it rains. Georgia State Capitol is covered, so keep it. Move Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, Oakland Cemetery, Zoo Atlanta, Centennial Olympic Park and Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail to a dry day if you can.
Day 2. Midtown and Piedmont Park and Sweet Auburn and downtown
5 stops · 7.3 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningWorth the time
Georgia Aquarium
A very large indoor aquarium downtown, with a tunnel through a huge tank. A good choice for a wet or hot morning, and for children.
Go whenMorning, when the halls are quieter.
Local tip A large indoor aquarium, a good wet-day option. Check ahead on tickets and on timed entry.
Sandwiches, fruit and iced tea eaten on the lawn, with the skyline behind you.
Local tip Bring a blanket, because the lawns are busy.
About 11 min by car or transit2.1 mi
3
AfternoonWorth the time
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
A museum on the civil rights movement in America, linked to the wider fight for human rights in the world. Plan a good stretch of time and a pause afterwards, because some of the rooms are hard going.
Go whenAfternoon, after a morning walk, when you can give it your full attention.
Local tip Some exhibits are very upsetting. Plan a quiet hour afterwards, and check ahead on tickets and on what is open.
A huge brick building that once held a department store, now holding shops, food stalls and a roof with views. Wander the long hall, then step out onto the trail.
Go whenAfternoon, when the long hall is lively.
Local tip Take the stairs or lift to the roof for a view of the city. Check ahead on what is open, because tenants come and go.
A grand 1920s movie palace in midtown, built in a lavish Moorish and Egyptian style, with a ceiling painted like a night sky. Take in a show or just look at the outside and the lobby.
Go whenEvening, when a show is on.
Local tip Look up at the painted ceiling. Check ahead on what is on and on whether tours run that day.
A light dinner before a show, with time to walk to the Fox. Small plates or a Southern supper both work.
Local tip Allow extra time, because streets around the theatre are busy on show nights.
If it rains. Everything today is indoors, so rain does not change the plan.
Day 3. Midtown and Piedmont Park and North Atlanta
5 stops · 9.1 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningWorth the time
Atlanta Botanical Garden
A garden beside the big park, with a walk through the treetops, a conservatory and beds that change with the seasons. Go early for cool air and good light.
Go whenMorning, before the heat and the crowds.
Local tip Check ahead on what is in bloom and on any timed entry. A hat and water help in summer.
The leading art museum in the Southeast, in a cluster of buildings in the arts district of midtown. Its collection runs from American and European art to photography and folk art.
Go whenMidday, when the heat peaks and the galleries are cool.
Local tip It is a good wet-day or hot-day stop. Choose one or two galleries rather than trying to see them all.
In summer, ripe Georgia peaches, eaten out of hand or in a cobbler. Out of season, a simple salad and a sandwich near the museum.
Local tip Ask whether the peaches are local, because summer is the season.
About 15 min walk0.8 mi
3
MiddayWorth the time
Piedmont Park
The city's central park, with lawns, a lake, shady paths and a view of the skyline. Locals run, picnic and play ball here, so it is a good place to watch Atlanta at ease.
Go whenMidday or late afternoon, with a picnic.
Local tip Walk to the lake or the hill for a view of the skyline. The park is busiest at weekends and on festival days.
A large museum and garden in the north of the city, with a historic house, a farm and exhibits on the city's story, from the Civil War to the civil rights years. Allow a good part of the afternoon.
Go whenAfternoon, with a few hours to spare.
Local tip The house and gardens are lovely in spring. Check ahead on which exhibits and tours are open. It is a car or ride from midtown.
A museum and theatre of puppets from around the world, with shows for families. A good wet-day choice in midtown.
Go whenA wet or hot afternoon.
Local tip A museum of puppets from around the world, with shows for families. Check ahead on the schedule.
If it rains. High Museum of Art, Atlanta History Center and Center for Puppetry Arts are covered, so keep them. Move Atlanta Botanical Garden and Piedmont Park to a dry day if you can.
Day 4. East of the city
2 stops · 20.5 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from Center for Puppetry ArtsAbout 40 min by car17.2 mi
Where Day 3 ended.
1
MorningA guided morning
Panola Mountain
A granite outcrop south-east of the city with rare plants, protected as a state park and reached on a managed trail.
Go whenMorning, on a guided walk if one is offered.
Local tip A granite outcrop with rare plants, reached on a managed trail. Check ahead on how access works.
A low, bare granite hill with rare small plants and shallow pools in the rock, reached by a short trail. A quieter, more natural place than its bigger neighbour, with a wide view from the top.
Go whenAfternoon, or early morning in summer.
Local tip The bare rock is hot at midday and slippery after rain. Stay on the marked trail, because the small plants in the pools are fragile.
A sandwich, fruit and a snack, eaten in the shade after the climb.
Local tip There is little shade on the rock, so eat under the trees at the base.
Dinner
Supper on Decatur Square
A Southern or neighbourhood supper at a table near the square, with the evening crowd.
Local tip Decatur is lively on weekends, so book ahead.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 5. East of the city, part 2
2 stops · 18.9 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Arabia MountainAbout 31 min by car or transit9.9 mi
Where Day 4 ended.
1
MorningA morning of its own
Stone Mountain Park
A park around a huge dome of bare granite that rises out of the plain. Walk up the path to the summit for the view, then see the carving on the north face, which shows Confederate leaders and is a contested monument. Go early, because it gets hot.
Go whenEarly morning, before the heat and the crowds.
Local tip The summit path is steep and has no shade. Bring water, go slowly and turn back if it is too hot. The carving is a contested monument, and the park's own history is worth reading.
A leafy small city just east of downtown, around a historic square with a courthouse. Walk the streets near the square, and look in on its bookshops and cafes as the day ends.
Go whenEarly evening, as the square fills.
Local tip The square has benches and a lawn, and the streets around it are good for a slow walk. Many shops close early.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Departure day
After the last day. Leave time for the airport, because the roads can be slow.Details
Getting to the airport
The rail line is the surest way, since the roads fill with traffic at the ends of the working day. From the east side, allow plenty of time or take a ride.
Your flight
The airport is one of the busiest anywhere, so allow time at security. Do not plan a long outing on the day you fly.
If you have a few hours
Take one more walk on the trail, or sit in the park, before the ride to the airport.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Atlanta?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, March to April and September to November are the most comfortable months for walking around Atlanta. This plan is built for mid April, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 5 days in Atlanta, planned for mid April. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
Each day has about 3.3 to 9.1 miles between its stops, and 34.0 miles in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
3 days in the North Georgia mountainsAbout 70 miles awayAn easy add-on
4 days in the Great Smoky MountainsAbout 140 miles away
4 days of makers and mountains in AshevilleAbout 160 miles away
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