How to Spend 1 Day in Atlanta

From civil rights landmarks to downtown style, sprawling Atlanta has endless facets to explore. With one day, you can sample the best of the city’s Southern cuisine, visit a big-name attraction, and discover film sites, local history—and even zombies. Use these tips to make the most of one day in Atlanta.

Morning: Hotlanta’s Hottest Spots

Atlanta’s headlining attractions rival the best in the nation, so take time to explore the one that interests you most. Go nose-to-nose with marine life at the Georgia Aquarium; try to guess the secret ingredient at the World of Coca-Cola; visit the resident pandas at Zoo Atlanta; or head to CNN’s global headquarters to see how the news gets made. Booking tickets in advance is a time-saving strategy that makes arrival seamless, and if you’re hoping to tick off more than one destination, multiple-attraction passes can save you money.

Afternoon: Sample Southern Hospitality

Pour yourself a glass of sweet iced tea for an afternoon of Atlanta cuisine—it goes from traditional Southern “meat and three” to fried chicken and cutting-edge bites. With just one day in Atlanta, it’s a shame to commit to a single meal, so consider a food tour that features a series of dishes in restaurants, diners, and local markets. And since food, history, and culture are deeply linked here, you’re sure to get a side of storytelling with your meal, as well as a delicious look at daily life in Atlanta.

Night: From History to the Hollywood of the South

Now that you’re energized for an afternoon of exploring, choose a guided tour that dives into Atlanta history, or discover some of the blockbuster films and television shows that have been filmed here. Themed film tours run the gamut fromGone with the Wind toThe Walking Dead, while best-of film tours sample a little bit of everything. If history is more your style, Atlanta’s rich in fascinating destinations; check out Civil Rights landmarks and historic homes with some of the city’s grandest architecture.