Quick Atlanta Trip
 

I am spending a night in Atlanta on a trip to Florida (to see my parents)in July.

I booked my hotel at the Marriott Downtown.

Is this a good hotel? Decent area?

Will be going to the Braves game that night. Any particular section that I should look for tickets in?

What other sights should I try to see on that afternoon. I get into Atlanta around noon and its a 7pm game so will have a few hours to spend. Will also have time Sunday before flying back to Hartford. I am probably going to the Georgia Aquarium on Sunday. Any feedback on the aquarium?

How humid is it in Atlanta that time of year? As bad as SW Florida?

Based on Trip Advisor, it doesn't seem like the Georgia Aquarium is worth going to because of the crowds. Knowing that it is a holiday weekend, what other sites are worth seeing?

I would not stay in downtown if you are visiting as a tourist. It would be better to stay in midtown or Buckhead.

I've never been to the Aquarium but everyone I know who has loved it, crowds or no crowds. If you stay in midtown, you could visit the High Musueum, the Margaret Mitchell house, or the Botanical Gardens and Piedmont Park.

In Buckhead, there is the Atlanta History Center.

Atlanta is hot and humid in July, like most places in the Southeast. I'm guessing marginally better than SW Florida, but not by much.

If you've been to the TA Atlanta forums, you can read about the different Atlanta neighborhoods and the pros and cons of staying in midtown or Buckhead. But unless you have to be in downtown for business or a convention, it's really not an ideal place to stay for a visitor.

Hotel was decided due to a friend of mine staying there for the month for work. I did read about the different areas but would rather stay in the same hotel. That being said, he is looking into being able to change hotels for the weekends so we may end up changing.

I'm not one of the people claiming "don't stay downtown, it's so scary and awful!" -- I work downtown, and it's not that bad or scary.

It's just pretty dead at nights and weekends, and all the fun stuff and "action" is happening elsewhere. Like midtown and Buckhead, among other places.

There is a new W Hotel opening in midtown this spring. There is also the Four Seasons in midtown if budget isn't a concern, and a Marriott Suites next door to the FS.

I agree with Midtown over Downtown - for the same reason. Downtown is dead at night. Lots of stuff going on in Midtown.

Keep this in mind about staying at the Marriott Marquis downtown. You will not have to go outside your hotel to hop on the metro because it is connected to Peachtree Plaza.

It is a big deal because July in Atlanta is hot and you can stay in the AC.

I like Daily's which is a stones throw from your hotel and you can walk through Peachtree Center to get there.

Aside from the hotel issue, what other sites would you recommend seeing in Atlanta, given the very limited time?

How is Stone Mountain Park?

Any recommendations for a Hilton in Atlanta? We decided to change hotels but I would like to use Hilton Points

Hilton Towers is across the street from the Marriot. Stayed at the Hyatt (in front of Marriot)last week. Stayed at Marriot and Hilton many times.

Second the tip on Dailey's!

From Hilton you cross the side street to left and get on an elevator to walkway that leads into Peachtree Center and Metro entrance. You will have a few minutes out of ac as compared to Marriot, but just a few.

Hilton is 5 blocks walk from aquarium (well worth the trip). Marriot is about 4. Buy your tickets online in advance, go at your assigned time and hang to the back of the group. Have report on trip advisor from last July visit for Braves/aquarium. (would have gone again last week if there had been time)

Hilton/ Marriot and Hyatt are all nice hotels. If you're renting a car, just be aware of cost of valet parking for each hotel. Self parking isn't free either and not worth trouble. Went into Marriot last week to meet friends. Lobby was a mess due to renovation.

Love the downtown convenience for ballgames. We prefer to sit behind homeplate in lower rows of upper tier. Good view of field and city skyline. Bonus is roof for shade all afternoon and you won't get wet if it rains. Shorter line in ladies' restrooms. Go Braves!

Atlanta has a very nice zoo. It's only one of 4 in US with pandas. (Baby just turned one.) Been to Stone Mountain many times and always enjoy it. (it's a good drive from downtown)

The King Center, High Museum and Botanical Gardens are good options too.

World of Coca Cola is new and within walking distance of your hotel as well. There is an aquarium/ WofCC combo ticket available which saves a few dollars.

The aquarium is really nice..I've been twice now. I agree with mhc that you should buy your tickets in advance online. I would book the first of the day because the lines get very long very fast since there is a security check before entering. You won't want to be waiting out there in the July heat.

Thanks to the wonderful Airline industry (unable to get a flight home until Monday night for anything less than $900), I will be able to go to the Aquarium on Monday morning. Do the doors open at 8am? Will definitely get the first available tickets.

I don't think they open until 10am. Here's the website:

http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

I have the website, just its blocked by the firewall at work...

The Fodors site for the Aquarium listed as 8-6 b/w Memorial Day and Labor Day, which is why I asked that.

From the website:

Regular Hours:
Sunday - Friday :
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday:
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Exceptions:
March 29: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
March 30-31: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
April 1-12: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Thanks. Guess my only hope to fit it in is once I get into Atlanta, which will be in the Sat. afternoon before the Braves game. Probably goes on the maybe list as I don't know if I will want to deal with the afternoon crowds.

How reasonable is it to go to the Aquarium for the 10 am entry? Spend a few hours there and then head to Stone Mountain Park for the rest of the day.

May not fit your schedule, but Sunday afternoon may be less crowded than Saturday.

Aquarium / Stone Mountain Park would be Sunday.

Sorry, we must have overlapped.

You could easily go to the aquarium on Sunday before going to Stone Mountain.

Stone Mountain is open 10am-8pm in July. Lasershow is at 9:30pm.
http://www.stonemountainpark.com/

Is there a BBQ restaurant downtown that we could go to before the game? Or on the way to Turner Field?

Try Daddy D'z in Grant Park not far from Turner Field. It's a real down-home kind of place.

www.daddydz.com

What is the better attraction? Zoo or the Aquarium. I'm thinking zoo because of the pandas. My only concern is that on my other road trip, we are already going to the zoos in Milwaukee and Minneapolis. This leaves the Pandas as the only unique exhibit. Is there any unique exhibit at the Atlanta Aquarium?

Unique attractions at the Georgia Aquarium - the beluga whales and the whale sharks. Aside from that, we didn't enjoy the aquarium. If you have small kids with you, then it would be great, but i wasn't all that impressed for how it's advertised. Overall, I would prefer the TN Aquarium in Chattanooga to the Georgia one. But the belugas and whale sharks were amazing to see in an aquarium - definitely unique to the Atlanta aquarium.

Glad I asked then. Rather than doing the aquarium / Stone Mountain, I think we are going to do the Zoo / Stone Mountain Park on Sunday. I can see Beluga whales at the Mystic Aquarium. The Atlanta Aquarium is on our list of maybes for Saturday or Monday morning.

I am an Atlanta native. That being said I would never go to the zoo over the aquarium especially in July. The aquarium is world class, the zoo is not. And AC makes the fish the easy winner. Plus if you are staying downtown no need to travel to Grant Park.

Stone Mountain is worth it if staying for the laser show otherwise hot as crap and lines lines lines. It's a family do with the kids kind of place.

Botanic Gardens are nice if a special installation is going on (Chihuilly).

Definitely agree with Aquarium over zoo. I live in Atlanta too and the aquarium is the best tourist attraction we've got. Plus, its in the centennial park complex which makes it easy to walk over to the cnn center, world of coke or just circle around the park. I attached a zoomed in aerial so you can see how it all fits.

http://www.HotelMapSearch.com/?llz=3...ottom_left_n1n

I love the Atlanta Zoo. Not only is there a baby panda as another poster mentioned but there are 4 young gorillas (less than 3 years old) who are hilarious! Lots of adult gorillas, of course. Also, 3 lion cubs were just born but I don't know if they will be in public when you come in July. The Aquarium is also impressive and may be easier for you to get to from your hotel. The High Museum is featuring some art from the Louvre right now-- the ancient world-- so that would be neat to see as well. You could take MARTA (the metro).

Three new lion cubs born today.

Based on the 7-12 weeks that the article states, they will not be out. We are still trying to decide which one to go to - Aquarium or Zoo. Having already been to 2 aquariums in the past month and 1 zoo, it may just come down to the baby gorillas and the pandas. Ask me tomorrow and I may say the whale sharks...

If it's a hot day, go to the aquarium.
If it's kinda cool, go to the zoo.

How's that for a plan? :-)

Starrs, that would work but me being obsessive has to have tickets ahead of time...

Well, you're better off getting advance tix for the A, but don't need them for the Z.

Decision was made for us. My friends girlfriend is flying down the following weekend and wants to go to the Aquarium, therefore we are going to the zoo. I may try to get to the aquarium for an hour on Monday morning before heading to the airport to see the whale sharks, beluga whales and a few other exhibits.

Assuming 9am entry, how long to see the whole aquarium assuming a decent pace?

Can't advise on the Aquarium as I have never been but I found the zoo somewhat disappointing two weeks ago. The giraffe(s) were not on display, rhino not on display, elephant habitat was being worked on so elephants could only be seen in the barn, the female lion and baby are not available for viewing yet, and the tiger could only be seen from afar. To top it all off, the petting zoo was closed. It was 98 degrees also. However, the three year old we were with said her favorite was the flamingos so she was happy.

Just convinced my friend to go to the Aquarium. We are still planning on going to Stone Mountain Park on Sunday afternoon so it didn't make much sense to do 2 outside activities due to the heat.

Anyone know how to buy the tickets for Stone Mountain Park online with the add on for the Duck Tour? I can get to the Adventure Pass which is supposed to have a duck tour option for an additional $8 but cannot find it online to be able to reserve the duck tour ahead of time.

Click on my name, then scroll down to see MY FIRST GTG & TRIP TO ATLANTA thread. I was just there 2 weeks ago and reported on some of the places you mentioned. I highly recommend Stone Mountain.