Fulton County lies at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in north-central Georgia; hardwood and pine forests shape the landscape. At the Atlanta Botanical Garden, nature is on display in both gardens and mature forest: the Kendeda Canopy Walk lets visitors walk among the treetops 40 feet above the ground. Storza Woods is one of the few remaining secondary forests of mature hardwood trees in Atlanta.
Gardens, Forests and Trails
The Atlanta Botanical Garden encompasses 30 acres of outdoor spaces and gardens. The Lou Glenn Children's Garden offers activities for growing, splashing, playing and learning about plant life. The Conservation Display Garden showcases carnivorous plants, orchids and native plants. The Fuqua Orchid Center displays orchids year-round in a 16,000-square-foot exhibition space. Nature experiences range from a path among the treetops to carefully curated plant displays.
Outdoor trails also offer a variety of ways to spend time. Along the Atlanta BeltLine, seven new parks and four trail segments are open to the public; visitors can explore on foot, by bike or on skates. Piedmont Park has several miles of walking and jogging paths, as well as drinking fountains along the trails. On the eastern bank of the Chattahoochee River, Power Island has a canoe and raft launch. A trail on the river's eastern bank leads to an overlook above the Devils Race Course Shoals.
Stories and Historic Sites
The Margaret Mitchell House is designated a National Historic Home and is where Margaret Mitchell Gone With the Wind wrote. The Atlanta History Center Buckhead and the Margaret Mitchell House are open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; check opening times before your visit, as they may change. Swan House offers a different glimpse into architectural history: Philip Trammel Shutze designed it in 1928 for Edward and Emily Inman. Smith Farm, in Atlanta's oldest surviving farmhouse, explores the history of rural life in Georgia and enslavement. The High Museum of Art adds to these discoveries with a collection of more than 20,000 works.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site preserves places where Martin Luther King Jr. was born, lived, worked, worshipped and is buried. The birth home offers free, ranger-led presentations daily that last about 30 minutes. Reservations are made in person at the park on the day of the tour on a first-come, first-served basis. During renovations, the temporary visitor center is located at Historic Fire Station No. 6, 39 Boulevard NE, Atlanta, Georgia. As schedules and temporary arrangements may change, check the latest visitor information before your visit.
Museums, Tours and Special Experiences
At the Fernbank Museum, the Giant Screen Theater shows documentaries on an immersive, four-story screen. On the second Friday of each month, it also offers an evening experience with food, drinks and activities among the dinosaurs. As a public green space, Oakland Cemetery combines trees, shrubs and flowers with historic grounds. A daily, 90-minute Oakland Tour explores the cemetery's history, historic gardens, art and architecture. The Historic Oakland Foundation also offers more than twenty themed special tours, including tours on African American history and Victorian symbolism.
At World of Coca-Cola, visitors can sample more than 100 beverages from the Coca-Cola family from around the world; at the Beverage Lab, they can create their own flavor profile. Zoo Atlanta offers children interactive scavenger hunts, stage presentations and hands-on learning activities. The Atlanta Streetcar runs between twelve stops and has low-floor areas for boarding with wheelchairs, bikes and strollers. Major attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, and World of Coca-Cola are near the Centennial Olympic Park stop.
Discover more destinations: Alpharetta, Atlanta, Union City, College Park, East Point, Duluth, Fairburn, Roswell, Johns Creek, Palmetto.
For the main travel overview: Georgia.
