While 24 hours in Atlanta might seem like too short a timeframe to explore the city, you can still see many amazing sites and eat plenty of delicious foods in one day. This post is not the ultimate guide to Atlanta and definitely not written in stone. It is simply my way of making one day in Atlanta, a completely new city to me, count. If you love hearty Southern food, reading Gone with the Wind, and having drinks at a rotating bar with the view of the city, this guide to 24 hours in Atlanta is for you!
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24 Hours in Atlanta Guide
8.00 am — Early Breakfast at Atlanta Breakfast Club
Start your 24 hours in Atlanta with a hearty Southern breakfast. Waking up early is a small sacrifice you need to make in order to cover a lot in one day. Besides, walking the empty streets of otherwise busy Atlanta is very refreshing. Atlanta Breakfast Club has a good selection of Southern-style breakfast items like fried chicken with waffles or shrimp and grits, as well as more traditional options like pancakes, omelets and French toast.
Atlanta Breakfast Club – 249 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd NW
9.20 am — CNN Studio Tour
From Atlanta Breakfast Club walk 13 minutes to CNN center. You will be passing through Centennial Olympic park which was built for 1996 Summer Olympics. The World Headquarters of CNN tour gives you an opportunity to look behind the scenes and learn how the news are made. The guide explains every little detail from the way green screen works to how anchors use teleprompter. You can even peek inside a studio while the anchor is reading news.
Tip: reserve your tickets online at least 24 hours in advance to make sure you have a spot on the earliest tour.
CNN Studio Tours – 190 Marietta St NW
Cost: $16
11.00 am — Quick Stop at Fox Theatre and the Georgian Terrace
After the CNN tour take a walk around the town. Make a quick stop on the way to see Fox Theatre, a former movie palace that is now a performing arts venue. The walk from CNN studio to the theatre will take you 30 minutes.
Fox Theatre – 660 Peachtree St NE
Across the street from Fox Theatre is located the Georgian Terrace, a hotel you cannot miss if you are a fan of “Gone with the Wind” and Clark Gable in particular.
The premier of the movie happened in Atlanta in 1939. All of the stars, including the director and Clark Gable, stayed at the Georgian Terrace (with Vivien Leigh as the only exception). The pre-premier party was also held at the hotel. Other notable guests of the hotel include Walt Disney, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Elvis Presley.
The Georgian Terrace — 659 Peachtree St NE
I was going for a dreamy look on this picture which came out as sad for some reason. Margaret Mitchell House where she wrote Gone with the Wind was my favorite thing to do during my one day in Atlanta.
11.30 am — Margaret Mitchell House Tour
To continue exploring “Gone with the Wind” sites walk 12 minutes from the Georgian Terrace to the Margaret Mitchell house on Peachtree Street, where she wrote her Pulitzer-Prize winning book. If you read “Gone with the Wind”, you will love this place. If you didn’t, I recommend exploring the house anyways.
The tour gives you a sneak peek into a life of a woman fighting for her rights and standing her ground. Margaret Mitchell is such an inspiration, you will run straight to the book shop after the tour. This was, hands down, my favorite thing to do in Atlanta.
If you want to learn more about the life of Margaret Mitchell, what led her to writing the bestseller novel, and how she reacted to the premier of the movie, Stephanie Craig of History Fangirl talks to Jessica van Landuyt about all these and more in her history podcast episode “The Birthplace of ‘Gone with the Wind'”. Give it a listen!
Tip: Monday to Saturday tours begin every half an hour starting at 10.30 AM. On Sundays, tours begin at 12.30 PM. Make sure to arrive 5-10 minutes earlier to get your tickets. Online reservation is not available.
Margaret Mitchell House – 979 Crescent Avenue NE
Cost: $13
Pulled pork sandwich at South City Kitchen
13.00 pm — Southern-Style Lunch at South City Kitchen
Finding great local food in a new city can be difficult, especially if you have only one day. There’s simply no room for mistake. South City Kitchen, located only 8 minutes’ walk away from Margaret Mitchell House, was recommended to me by a friend who lives in Atlanta. And boy, did the restaurant exceed my expectations! Southern cuisine at its best with an elaborate spin. I highly recommend their fried green tomatoes as appetizer. A dish, that is commonly ruined by excess fat, was pure perfection here. For the main, try catfish Reuben or pulled pork sandwich.
South City Kitchen – 1144 Crescent Avenue NE
15.30 pm — Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
Take public transport or Uber to get to Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. It consists of several buildings that can easily take you half a day to explore. The site includes MLK Jr. boyhood home, Ebenezer Baptist Church where he was baptized and served as pastor and a tomb where MLK Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King are buried. The visitor center has a museum dedicated to American civil rights movement and the path of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site – 449 Auburn Avenue, NE
Cost: free of charge
7.00 pm — Drinks with a View of Atlanta at Sun Dial
Walk 30 minutes from MLK Jr. National Historic Site to Westin Peachtree Plaza. You have three options here: visit the observatory for 360° spectacular panorama of the city, have a dinner at Sun Dial restaurant, or have drinks at Sun Dial revolving bar. Both the restaurant and the bar are located on the same level as the observatory and have wonderful views.
The glass elevators take you to 73rd level in 85 seconds. The elevator to the observatory is not the same as the elevators that take you to hotel rooms. It is a bit tricky to find, so ask for help if you are lost. In front of the elevator, a friendly staff member will ask you whether you are going to observatory or the bar. Even if you are not planning to eat and drink at Sun Dial, say you are going to the bar and they will let you in free of charge. Otherwise, the cost of observatory visit is $8.
Sun Dial bar offers good cocktails and light snacks, slightly overpriced, but revolving bar is one of a kind experience.
Sun Dial – 210 Peachtree St NW (inside Westin Peachtree Plaza).
Here your busy, but productive day in Atlanta comes to an end. If you have more than 24 hours in Atlanta, consider visiting World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Garden, High Museum of Art, Jimmy Carter Library, or Piedmont Park.
Where to Stay in Atlanta
Atlanta proved to be quite an expensive city to find accommodation. There are dozens of luxury hotels in the city in the price range of $200-$500, but very few mid-range and budget options. Which is why I booked a room at Airbnb during my stay. If you have never used Airbnb before, click here to get $40 off your first booking. Prefer a hotel to homestay? Below, you’ll find a few hotel options for different budgets.
Luxurious Independent Option — Stonehurst Place
Given a choce, I always prefer unique boutique hotels to chains. Atlanta map is dotted with the likes of Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt, and Ritz-Carlton, but if I were looking for a high-end experience, I’d go for the independent Stonehurst Place instead. Built as a private residence over a century ago, it was turned into a boutique hotel by the current owners. The mansion is conveniently located in midtown, boasts beautiful interiors, and it was literally the first time I came across 9.9 out of 10 rating on booking.com!
Luxurious Historic Option — Georgian Terrace
Another awesome luxurious option is the historic Georgian Terrace, the hotel where the stars of “Gone with the Wind” were staying during the premier of the movie. I mean, who wouldn’t want to stay at a hotel where Clark Gable spent a night? I guess, I am speaking for the ladies here. Elvis Presley stayed at the Georgian Terrace too, by the way.
Double room at Aloft (Photo courtesy of Aloft Hotels)
Somewhat-Mid-Range Funky Option — Aloft Atlanta Downtown
Convenient location in Atlanta’s downtown, funky and colorful design, and outdoor pool make Aloft one of the most popular options among travelers to Atlanta. For similar class and budget, you can also check out The Ellis, contemporary boutique hotel in downtown Atlanta.
Budget but Remote Option — Drury Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport
If you are spending only 24 hours in Atlanta, chances are you are flying in and out, so it makes sense to stay near the airport instead of city center. One of the best hotels near Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport is Drury Inn & Suites.
Do you have other suggestions what to do if you have only 24 hours in Atlanta? Let me know in comments!
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Love that city! I think it’s nice how dense Atlanta is, makes it easy to see a whole bunch! I really loved the mid-town area, and the hip Five Points neighborhood! But Buckhead is always fun haha <3
I wish I had the time to explore so many different neighborhoods! I think I did pretty good for 1 day, but definitely want to go back!