Atlanta: The City That Burned Down and Built Something Better

Atlanta was burned by Union forces in 1864, rebuilt within years, hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics, became the headquarters of Coca-Cola, CNN, Delta, and the CDC, and developed one of the most important civil rights histories of any American city. That last part is underused by visitors who spend three hours at the aquarium and wonder why Atlanta doesn’t feel like a history city. The history is on Auburn Avenue and in the BeltLine trails and at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, not in tourist brochures.

In March 2026, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and Trees Atlanta designated the trail system as the world’s longest linear arboretum, with over 300 tree species along its 22-mile corridor. That’s worth knowing because the BeltLine has become Atlanta’s most significant urban infrastructure project since the highway system, and walking or cycling it is the best way to understand how the city is changing.

What’s Worth Your Time

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park on Auburn Avenue is the essential Atlanta experience. The birthplace, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and King’s tomb are within a few blocks. The surrounding Sweet Auburn Historic District, once called the “Black Wall Street of America,” provides the economic and community context for the civil rights movement that the more sanitised museum treatments sometimes miss. Allow half a day.

The BeltLine is a 22-mile network of trails on former rail corridors connecting 45 neighbourhoods. The Eastside Trail between Piedmont Park and Krog Street is the busiest and most developed section, dense with restaurants, galleries, and public art. In 2026 the trail system also serves as a hub for World Cup activity given Atlanta’s role as a host city. Walking the full Eastside Trail takes about an hour; cycling it takes 20 minutes.

Georgia Aquarium spans 10 million gallons and holds whale sharks and beluga whales, the largest collection of fish in the world. It’s excellent. The crowds are real and the ticket prices reflect it: book in advance.

High Museum of Art in Midtown has a genuinely serious collection of American, African, and European art, housed in a Richard Meier building that’s worth seeing as architecture. It’s consistently underattended relative to what it offers.

Ponce City Market on the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail is a beautifully restored early 1900s Sears distribution warehouse now housing food halls, local retailers, and offices. The rooftop has a mini-golf course and bar with city views that makes no sense architecturally and works completely.

Where to Eat

The Busy Bee Cafe has been serving soul food in Atlanta since 1947: fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, the kind of cooking that made Atlanta’s reputation before the food hall era. Mary Mac’s Tea Room has been in business since 1945 with a similar legacy, and the fried chicken with sweet tea remains the benchmark against which Atlanta visitors measure everything else.

Antico Pizza Napoletana in Midtown is the best pizza in Atlanta by a clear margin, using imported ingredients and wood-fired ovens in a communal space that gets loud and crowded and feels right for it.

Krog Street Market near the BeltLine has a concentration of good food stalls and restaurants worth spending time at, particularly for lunch when the restaurant options are full with long waits.

Where to Stay

The Hyatt Regency Atlanta in downtown has a 22-storey atrium that is a piece of architectural history, designed by John Portman in 1967 and still impressive. The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta is the luxury standard. Budget travellers do better staying near Midtown or the BeltLine corridor than downtown, where the hotel pricing doesn’t reflect the walkability or dining quality.

Getting Around

MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) connects the airport to downtown and Midtown efficiently and cheaply. Atlanta traffic is consistently severe; driving during peak hours is a commitment. The BeltLine is the best argument for staying near a trail access point and walking rather than driving between attractions.