Would you agree that we can hop on the train from the airport to Olympic Park and make the round trip in about 3 to 3.5 hours? We won't have any luggage to worry about. It will be weekday, arrive hopefully 3pm and outbound flight leaves 8pm.

Shouldn't be a problem.

I really don't know why you would bother to do this. It's a lot of time and trouble with very little time to see or do anything.

It should work. If your inbound flight is on time, you would be at the park by 4:30 at the latest. You could even grab a quick bite (there's a food court, a Mexican restaurant, Jocks & Jills sports bar, McCormick & Schmicks) in CNN Center. Start back to the airport by 6:15 or so.

It beats sitting in the airport for 5 hours.

When (as in month) will you be coming through? This could have an impact on things.

I ask this because security wait times have been AWFUL lately at the Atlanta airport. A friend of mine flew in from D.C. earlier this week and she toldme the security check line was winding out into the reservations area, which I've never seen happen.I can only attribute all this to the end of school and the start of vacation travel. Things may calm down some in the next month or so.

Under normal circumstances, I would say you'd be able to make the MARTA trip to Centennial Olympic Park and back. If you come in the late summer/fall, the new Aquarium may be ready to open and it is in that area. It's supposed to be awesome.

Regarding the wait times for the security checkpoints at ATL: the lines regularly get that long these days at peak times, but they do move pretty quickly. At off-peak times, it's rarely more than 5 minutes or so. Even when the lines fill up the tape maze in front of the checkpoint and extend back out into the atrium, the time from the back of the line to the checkpoint is still only about 20 minutes, sometimes less. I've missed a couple of flights out of ATL because of the security lines, but only on Monday mornings at rush hour (7:30-9:30), and on those occasions the lines extended all the way through the atrium, back through the arrival lobby area in front of the car rental counter, back along the hallway between baggage claim and the atrium, and on into the baggage claim area itself. Those were also both last fall, when TSA and the airport didn't quite have their act together yet. Unless it's a Friday afternoon when tracys2cents and her party are traveling, I wouldn't expect the security lines to be terrible. With no bags to check and having already checked in, they shouldn't have any trouble making their flight if they're back at the aiport between 6:45 and 7, which would mean getting back on the train at Five Points station between 6 and 6:15. I did see incredibly long lines at about 8 am two Saturdays ago, but that was the day after most metro area schools dismissed for the year.

Rackensack, thanks for that update on security situation. I'm not there that often thee days so you're input is a lot more reliable than mine. I know think the last few weeks have been an exception, not the rule.

I did look to see when the Aquarium is opening and it is slated for late November so that may not work. Still, a visit to CNN Center for a tour would be fun and a stroll around the park.

Rackensack is right on the money. Even when security lines wrap to baggage claim you're through them in about 30-45 minutes top. Even on a Monday morning, I have not been in line longer than this.

Depending on when you arrive, there could be jazz in Centennial park of some other event. McCormmick and Schmicks has 1.95 appetizers in the bar until 7:00 (double-check time) and discounted drinks. And of course there is the CNN center. It will take you about 20-25 minutes on MARTA. You get off at Five points and switch to the West line to GA Dome stop. You could also get off at Five points and walk. Your choice.

Have fun

Thanks everyone. Yes just looking to make the time fly, 5 hours in a plane followed by 5 in an airport and 5 more in a plane is just too claustrophobic for me!

sk8, if we get off at 5 points, could you give me the walking directions? Don't wanna waste 20 minutes on a wrong turn. Thanks

I don't use the 5Points station, so I don't know which street you face when you exit the station, but here are several maps that may help you in the interim. The parking map shows the W1 Marta station between the GA Dome, GA World Cong. Ctr & Philips Arena/CNN Center, the downtown map shows both W1 and 5Points Marta stations, and the walking map (of the park) is nice.

http://www.centennialpark.com/getting_here/driving.html

Just on the off chance that it is raining that day, Underground and The World of Coke are both accessed from 5Points.

If you exit 5-points, you want to take the plaza exit which should be on Marietta street. On Marietta ST, you walk north (left) toward Phillips Arena, CNN, and Centennial Park. There are Marta and ATL security at the station. As well as an information booth. They can tell you what's going on in the area during that time as well.

Have fun.

Fodorites, anything to add? Marietta street quickest route?

Actually, there isn't an exit onto Marietta Street from Five Points Station. Since you'll be arriving on a northbound train on the North/South line, you'll come in on the lowest level of Five Points station. You can exit the train on either side of the car; both the center platform and the side platform have stairs/escalators up. If you're going to take the East/West line to CNN Center, go up one level and follow the signs for Westbound trains. Note, however, that the walking distance from CNN Center MARTA Station to the park is only marginally shorter than the distance from Five Points.

If you're going to walk from Five Points, go up one more level to the Concourse Level. The next direction is sort of up to you. If you want to get to Centennial Olympic Park by the quickest, most direct route, follow the signs to exit onto Forsyth Street. Go right on Forsyth Street half a block to Marietta Street, then turn left. When you get to the CNN Center (on the left), turn right on Centennial Olympic Park Drive; the park will be on the left in a block or so.

On the other hand, if you want to see a little more of downtown Atlanta, at the expense of a slight detour, follow the signs to exit onto Peachtree Street. When you do, you'll be facing the uppermost levels of the Underground Atlanta complex. Turn left (north) along Peachtree Street. The first major intersection you'll come to is the "Five Points" after which the station is named -- the intersection of Peachtree, Marietta, and Edgewood. On the northeast corner of this intersection is Woodruff Park. A block down Edgewood on the right (to the east) is the Hurt Building, one of Atlanta's most distinguished early skyscrapers (and the building visible in the opening credits of the TV series "Matlock"). The northwest corner of the intersection includes the old Citizens and Southern bank building (now part of Bank of America). Continue north along Peachtree to Peachtree and Luckie Streets and take in Atlanta's own Flatiron Building, which predates the one in Manhattan by several years. Turn left at Luckie Street. The area to your left as you proceed up Luckie Street is known as the Fairlie-Poplar District, and has been the site of significant renewal in the last several years; the Healey Building and several other buildings on the National Register sit cheek-by-jowl with new development, much of it part of Georgia State Univesity. As you cross Fairlie Street on Luckie, the Rialto Center for the Arts will be on your left. Continue down Luckie Street, across Spring Street, until Luckie dead-ends at Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

Returning, you could head toward the CNN Center from the park, turn left on Marietta Street, past the old Federal Reserve building and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution building, turning right on Forsyth Street to get you back to Five Points Station.

If you have any problems or questions, look for the men and women in the white shirts and pith helmets or riding Segway scooters -- they're downtown Ambassadors, whose mission is to provide information and assistance to visitors downtown.

Here's a map of the area designed for walkers:
http://www.fairliepoplar.org/CAPMaps/walktheremap.pdf

There's more info about the Fairlie-Poplar District at http://www.fairliepoplar.org.

Holy Moly, I am loving you Atlantans! I may have to figure out a way to make this an overnight stopover just so that I can meet some Georgia people! Thank you so much for all the info!

That was most impressive, Rackensack. I think I'll print off your post and give it to every out-of-town guest I have who wants to go into the city. Nice job.

tracy's2cents. I just read your thread and your last post about the people in Atlanta. I was in Atlanta in April and I can sincerely tell you that I have never seen nicer people. SF has a good reputation with tourist but I would put the people of Atlanta on the top of the list also.

Just one more question, a dumb one probably, but for our return to the airport, do we look for a train marked just "airport" or is it a certain color line that we need? THANKS!

Not dumb at all. The lines are North-South, and East-West. If you start at the 5Points station you want the SOUTHbound trains. (The airport is the end of the line.) If you start at W1 behind CNN Center/Philips Arena then you want an EASTbound train for 1 stop to 5Points and change to a SOUTHbound train. Have fun.

Rackensack--I've lived in metro Atlanta for several years now and enjoyed your 'tour'. I have learned nothing about the majority of downtown and your post taught me a couple of things