Fountain of Rings Centennial Park

Three Days in Atlanta Itinerary Fun Things to Do in Downtown Atlanta Georgia

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Are you looking for fun things to do in Atlanta? Keep reading to see how you can spend three days in Atlanta!


n Atlanta, Georgia is a great place to visit if you or your family love visiting museums. During our three-day visit to Atlanta, we enjoyed almost all the museums and things to do in downtown Atlanta! If you’re considering planning a trip to Atlanta, plan for either an extended weekend or about three days in Atlanta. In three days, you should be able to see most of what downtown Atlanta has to offer.

Top Fun Things to do in Downtown Atlanta: How to Spend an Extended Weekend in Atlanta

Planning Your Trip to Atlanta

Getting to Atlanta

Atlanta is home to one of the largest international airports in the United States, so flights to and from the city and readily available. Southwest Airlines has a hub in Atlanta so if you’re a frequent flier, you’re in luck!

Getting Around Atlanta

One of the nicest things about visiting the following attractions in Atlanta is that they’re centrally located within walking distance of one another. So if you’re staying in downtown Atlanta, you won’t have to worry about parking and driving to each attraction.

In terms of driving in Atlanta, it is a major and highly populated city, so traffic and aggressive driving are expected.

Grab Your Atlanta City Pass

If you’re considering visiting most of the top museums and attractions in Atlanta, consider investing in the Atlanta City Pass. This Atlanta City Pass includes entrance to the World of Coca Cola, Georgia Aquarium, the National Center for Human and Civil Rights, CNN Center, and the College Football Hall of Fame! With the Atlanta City Pass, you’ll save money instead of purchasing tickets at each attraction. For three days in Atlanta, if you’re considering doing most of these, the pass is worth it!

Top Fun Things to do in Downtown Atlanta: How to Spend Three Days in Atlanta

The World of Coca-Cola

The World of Coca-Cola is more than your traditional museum including the history of the brand. The World of Coca-Cola is more of an experience. Your tour begins with what Coca-Cola is best known for: its brand image. As you walk through the exhibits, you’ll learn how Coca-Cola came to be and how it revolutionalized brand marketing and made an impact on American culture. The best part of the World of Coca-Cola is the last exhibit, which allows you to sample Coca-Cola products from around the world! This museum experience is perfect for everyone and makes for a fun day in Atlanta!

Get your skip-the-line World of Coca-Cola tickets!

World of Coca Cola
  • Hours: 10AM-5PM every day 9AM-5PM on Saturdays
  • Admission: $13-$17

Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is definitely one of the highlights of Atlanta! This aquarium is home to thousands of species of fish and aquatic life from all corners of the world. At the Georgia Aquarium, you can also see live demonstrations and talks about various animals on exhibit throughout the day. The aquarium has multiple places to eat inside and gift shops.

Georgia Aquarium Whale Shark Exhibit
Georgia Aquarium Whale Shark Exhibit

Some of the top things to see at the Georgia Aquarium are the whale shark, dolphin, and beluga whale exhibits!

Throughout the year, the Georgia Aquarium hosts exciting events like 21 and overnights for adults and sleepovers for kids. So don’t forget to check out their event calendar when planning your visit!

  • Hours: 10AM to 5PM Daily
  • Admission: variable by time of year, specials, and date

Get your skip-the-line Georgia Aquarium tickets!

Stroll Around Centennial Park

Centennial Park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructure improvements for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. After the Olympics commenced, the space remained as a park with statues and fountains commemorating the Olympic Games. The park features the Fountain of Rings and a ferris wheel.

Fountain of Rings Centennial Park
Fountain of Rings Centennial Park

CNN Center

The CNN Center is the world headquarters for CNN! Here you can take tours of broadcast studios and newsrooms. During your visit to the CNN Center, you can take guided tours or visit the cafe and see the newsrooms from below.

  • Hours: 9AM to 5PM Daily
  • Admission: $17.50 for adults

Take a Day Trip to Stone Mountain Park

If you’re looking to get away from downtown Atlanta during your weekend getaway or three days in the city, consider taking a day trip to Stone Mountain Park. Throughout the seasons, Stone Mountain Park transforms into a variety of family fun activities and festivals. During the winter, snow is made and you can go tubing and see the Christmas lights! Year round, you can ride the gondola up the mountain or a ride around the base of the mountain.

Stone Mountain Park Carving

Interestingly, Stone Mountain is the only elevated land around Atlanta. It quite literally looks like a giant rock was dropped in the middle of a plain. Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock. Stone Mountain features a large carving depicting three Confederate figures, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson. The carving at Stone Mountain is actually bigger than Mount Rushmore!

Stone Mountain has caused some social controversy because of its depiction of confederate leaders and its interpretation as a memorial to the confederacy. However, the park remains one of the most visited attractions in Georgia and serves as a place for people to enjoy the outdoors and activities.