Around Centennial Olympic Park, a legacy of the 1996 Olympic Games, an aquarium and a civil and human rights museum sit side by side, and the Sweet Auburn streets where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born and preached are preserved as a national historical park. MARTA trains and the streetcar take you on to the Beltline, a former rail corridor turned trail, and to Midtown's parks and museums.
April-May and October have average highs of 23-27°C, good for walking. June to August is hot, with average highs of 30-32°C, and December to February is cool, with average highs of 11-14°C and lows of 1-3°C. Rain falls all year at 85-134 mm a month, with July the wettest at 134 mm.
Monthly climate normals
Warmest: Jul (avg high 31.7°C) · Coolest: Jan (avg low 1.3°C) · Wettest: Jul (133.9 mm)
High °C
Low °C
Rain mm
Jan
11.3°
1.3°
106.7
Feb
13.7°
3.2°
118.6
Mar
18.1°
6.7°
122.2
Apr
22.5°
10.8°
85.3
May
26.6°
15.7°
93.2
Jun
30.2°
20.1°
100.3
Jul
31.7°
21.8°
133.9
Aug
31.2°
21.5°
99.1
Sep
27.9°
18.2°
113.5
Oct
22.6°
12.2°
86.6
Nov
17.6°
6.9°
104.1
Dec
12.2°
2.5°
99.1
Monthly averages of daily highs and lows, and average monthly rainfall. Any given year can differ.
Source: WMO World Weather Information Service — National Weather Service (USA) · Atlanta (WMO city data) · 1981–2010 normals —View source
Airport to the city
MARTA Red and Gold lines to the city
MARTA's Airport Station at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is inside the Domestic Terminal, between the North and South baggage claims. Red and Gold line trains start at the Airport Station and run to downtown (Five Points, Peachtree Center) and Midtown. Tap a contactless credit or debit card, a mobile wallet, or a Breeze card or ticket at the faregates. Trains run 4:45 a.m.-1 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m.-1 a.m. on weekends. After 8:30 p.m., if you are going to Buckhead, Medical Center, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or North Springs, you may need to take a Gold (Doraville) train and change to a Red (North Springs) train at Lindbergh Center. The Airport Station has a MARTA RideStore.
Time average travel time: about 16 min to Five Points, 17 min to Peachtree Center, 20 min to MidtownCost USD 2.50 per trip (a paper Breeze ticket adds a USD 1 fee)
International Terminal to the MARTA Airport Station
The MARTA Airport Station is inside the Domestic Terminal. From the arrivals level of the International Terminal, take the free shuttle to the Domestic Terminal baggage claim, or ride the airport's Plane Train to the Domestic Terminal Baggage Claim stop. The International Terminal shuttles run 24/7.
Time about 15 min between terminals by shuttleCost free
Taxis and other transport
Check the airport's official information before you go for pickup points and fares for taxis and other ground transport.
Time varies with traffic (check official info)Cost check official info
Getting around
MARTA rail
There are Red, Gold, Blue and Green lines. A trip costs USD 2.50 regardless of distance, and each fare includes up to four transfers between buses and trains. Trains run 4:45 a.m.-1 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m.-1 a.m. on weekends.
Paying (tap to pay and Breeze)
Tap a contactless credit or debit card or a mobile wallet on the validator at faregates, on buses and at streetcar stops. You can also use a reloadable Breeze card or a paper Breeze ticket from the vending machines (USD 1 fee, valid 90 days). Each rider needs their own card, and you must tap the same card to get your transfers. Cash on buses must be exact change and does not include transfers.
A downtown streetcar with 12 stops, including stops near the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (Centennial Olympic Park stop). A ride costs USD 1. Service can change, for example during vehicle repairs, so check MARTA's service alerts.
MARTA buses
Buses run 5 a.m.-1 a.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m.-12:30 a.m. on weekends. Routes 3 and 99 serve the King national historical park, and Route 7 (board at King Memorial, Lindbergh or West End stations) stops at Piedmont Park's Monroe Drive entrance.
Where to stay
Downtown (Centennial Olympic Park area)
Good for: First-timers, aquarium, museums
Centered on Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Olympic Games, with the Georgia Aquarium and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights within walking distance. Walk from Peachtree Center or Civic Center stations.
Sweet Auburn
Good for: History, civil rights sites
A historic African-American neighborhood that, throughout the 1900s, was home to some of the first major Black-owned businesses in Atlanta and the country. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park is on Auburn Avenue, and Edgewood Avenue is lined with street art, restaurants and bars.
Midtown
Good for: Parks, art museums, gardens
Home to the large city park Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Botanical Garden next to it, and the High Museum of Art at the Woodruff Arts Center. MARTA's Midtown and Arts Center stations are close by.
Eastside Beltline (Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park)
Good for: Walks, street art, neighborhoods
The Beltline's Eastside Trail runs from Piedmont Park south to Irwin Street in Inman Park. Historic Fourth Ward Park sits beside the trail, and Inman Park has streets lined with Victorian homes.
Built as the gathering place of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, the park began construction in 1995 and reopened in 1998 after renovations following the Games. It is open daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m., and the Fountain of Rings shows run daily at 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Alcohol, glass containers, biking and skateboarding are not allowed in the park. The Visitor Information Center is temporarily closed while the park is restored (park's official information, checked 13 October 2026).
Georgia Aquarium
The aquarium across from Centennial Olympic Park, known for its whale sharks and beluga whales. General admission includes the Dolphin and Sea Lion Presentations (free reservation on the day of your visit, first come, first served). Children 2 and under enter free; prices and hours vary by date. With a timed-entry ticket, enter within one hour of your selected time. It is a 10-15 minute walk from Civic Center or Peachtree Center stations on the Red and Gold lines.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
A museum on the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and the history of human rights worldwide; photography is not permitted in the A Committed Life gallery, which shows the King Collection. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Anytime general admission is USD 28 for adults (13-64), USD 22 for ages 7-12 and USD 23 for seniors (65+), plus tax. Walk 8 minutes south from Civic Center station, or use the streetcar's Centennial Olympic Park stop.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
A national historical park preserving the places where Dr. King was born, lived, worked, worshipped and is buried. Entry is free, and it is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed January 1, Thanksgiving Day and December 25). Start at the temporary visitor center in Historic Fire Station No. 6 (39 Boulevard NE). The Birth Home is closed for renovations, but rangers give Birth Home presentations in the bookstore next door several times a day (15 people each, first come, first served). Rangers lead talks daily at Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King preached, and from the plaza by the "I Have a Dream" World Peace Rose Garden, with its 185 roses, you can see the crypts of Dr. and Mrs. King across the street. No train stops at the park, so take the streetcar or MARTA bus routes 3 or 99.
A project turning a 22-mile loop of old railroad around the city core into parks, trails and transit; as of July 2026, more than 16 miles of the 22-mile mainline trail are complete. The Eastside, Westside and Southwest trails and parts of the Northside and Northeast trails are open, and the Eastside Trail, opened in 2012, is a popular route for walking, jogging and cycling. Along the trail runs an arboretum of trees and wildflowers and one of the largest public art exhibitions in the U.S. Southeast. Historic Fourth Ward Park, which reclaimed 17 underused acres, sits beside the trail.
Piedmont Park covers more than 189 acres in Midtown, with a lake and large fields, and is open daily 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Next door, the 30-acre Atlanta Botanical Garden has a canopy walk above the trees and indoor conservatories (orchids and a tropical rotunda). The garden is open Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., closed on most Mondays, and takes cards only. The average visit is 1.5-2 hours.
The art museum at the Woodruff Arts Center, right across the street from MARTA's Arts Center station. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m.; closed Mondays. The last ticket is issued one hour before closing. General admission is USD 23.50 (plus USD 2.09 in fees), and children 5 and under enter free.
Oakland Cemetery
Atlanta's first cemetery, opened in 1850, spreads over 48 acres just east of downtown. Author Margaret Mitchell, golfer Bobby Jones and Mayor Maynard Jackson are among those buried here, and it is also an arboretum and an outdoor sculpture museum. Entry is free, and the grounds are open from dawn to dusk year-round. The visitor center is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and the general guided walking tour (paid) runs daily at 10:30 a.m. Some days close early for events, so check the official notices. From King Memorial station, exit to Decatur Street.
Atlanta's food scene brings together dishes from around the world and Southern comfort cooking. Some restaurants put creative spins on Southern food.
Barbecue
Smoky barbecue is part of Atlanta's food scene too.
Global food on Buford Highway
Along Buford Highway, restaurants from around the world, including Mexican taquerias, make it a good place to try many cuisines.
Craft beer
Atlanta has many breweries; in places such as Decatur you can take a brewery tour and try fresh beer.
Farmers markets
Piedmont Park's Green Market runs Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. from the last weekend in March to the second weekend in December (until 12 December in 2026). The Atlanta State Farmers Market, run by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, covers 140 acres, and most vendors are open daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Daily budget (per person)
BudgetTransport: USD 2.50 per MARTA trip, USD 9 for a 1-day pass, USD 1 per streetcar ride. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Centennial Olympic Park, the Beltline, Piedmont Park and Oakland Cemetery are free. Hotel and food costs vary by date; check booking sites
Mid-rangeGet around on a 3-day pass (USD 16) and add the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (USD 28 for adults, plus tax) and the High Museum of Art (USD 23.50, plus fees). Check booking sites for hotels and food
ComfortA 7-day pass costs USD 23.75. Georgia Aquarium prices vary by date, so check the official site. Accommodation is most of the budget; compare prices for your dates on booking sites
Amounts are rough figures in local currency. Check exchange rates before you go.
Suggested itinerary
Day 1
MARTA Red or Gold line to Peachtree Center → check in → evening Fountain of Rings show at Centennial Olympic Park (6:30 or 9 p.m.).
Day 2
Georgia Aquarium (reserve the dolphin and sea lion presentations on the day) → lunch → National Center for Civil and Human Rights (Tuesday-Sunday) → stroll Centennial Olympic Park.
Day 3
Streetcar to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (from 9 a.m.; Birth Home presentations are first come, first served) → Auburn and Edgewood avenues in Sweet Auburn → afternoon walk through Historic Fourth Ward Park and along the Beltline's Eastside Trail to Inman Park.
Day 4
Arts Center station → High Museum of Art (Tuesday-Sunday) or Atlanta Botanical Garden (Tuesday-Sunday) → Piedmont Park (Green Market on Saturdays) → MARTA to the airport.
Local tips
The High Museum of Art and the Atlanta Botanical Garden close on Mondays, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights lists hours only for Tuesday to Sunday. On a Monday, plan around the free King national historical park and the city's parks.
On MARTA, each rider needs their own card or payment method, and passing cards back is not allowed. Tap the same card to get your transfers; a bank card and a mobile wallet count as different payment methods even if they use the same account.
The Beltline is a shared trail where no mode has the right of way. Pass on the left and walk no more than two side by side. Mile marker numbers on the light poles help responders find you quickly in an emergency (call 911).
June to August is hot, with average highs of 30-32°C, and July is the wettest month (134 mm). Carry water and an umbrella, and check pollen counts and air quality before you go out.
Birth Home presentations at the King national historical park take 15 people each and fill quickly. Check the schedule early in the day at the temporary visitor center.
Check the U.S. government's official information on entry requirements (visa, travel authorization, etc.) before you travel.
