How to Visit Atlanta in 48 Hours

Atlanta is a city after my own heart. I love that it has the feel of a major city but one can also escape into nature very easily. This combination is why it’s known as the “City in the Forest”. Trust me when I say, you’ll find no shortage of things to do in Atlanta. After my short weekend trip, I still had multiple items on my itinerary to do for the next time I find myself in the ATL. So although you won’t see everything in two days, you can still experience enough to see that this city is pretty great.

Here’s how I suggest spending a jam-packed 48 hours in Atlanta:

Night: Head to a Brewery

On your first night, take it easy at one of the many breweries across the city. Depending on where you are staying, there is bound to be one close-by. To give you a few to choose from, a few of my favorites are Monday Night Brewing, Orpheus Brewing and Halfway Crooks.

Monday Night Brewing is a fantastic craft brewery with a wide range of drinks to try. I’m obsessed with fruity and sour beers so my favorites here are Dr. Robot and Mischief Managed with guava and passionfruit.

They also have a really cool wall full of ties as an ode to workers who come in to enjoy a brew after a long day. While the brewery doesn’t serve food, you can head over to Bone Garden Cantina or JCT Kitchen & Bar for some really tasty grub.

Next option: Orpheus Brewing. One of the best parts about Orpheus Brewing are the enjoyable views of Piedmont Park from its beer garden. Try to time your visit a bit before sunset for the best views.

My favorite brew here was the Over and Over and Over, a pineapple and vanilla sour. This brewery also doesn’t have food but Grass VBQ Joint was serving food out of the brewery so there might be a pop-up if you visit.

Halfway Crooks in the Summerhill neighborhood is another great option that was close to my hotel. With an open-air rooftop, good German beer and delicious food, Halfway Crooks is a fantastic choice.

The fries and pretzels were delicious, and I highly recommend the Radler if you’re into fruity beers like me. But they also have plenty of pilsners and pale ales to try.

After grabbing a beer and a bite to eat, head back to your hotel for a good night’s rest.

Morning: Explore Piedmont Park 

Rise and shine! Head to Piedmont Park to start your day. Fresh crisp air, sounds of nature and beautiful greenery make Piedmont Park the perfect place to spend the morning. It’s a huge park with plenty of spots to explore or relax.

One of the biggest attractions is the Atlanta Botanical Garden which has a lot of different plant collections and art pieces to check out. You do have to pay for a ticket but it’s well worth it, especially if there are exhibits at the Garden.

When I visited, there was an Alice in Wonderland exhibit with larger-than-life “plant giants” in the shape of the Red Queen, Alice, the white rabbit and more!

During Christmas time, they have a Holiday Lights exhibit which would make the perfect holiday activity.

If you’re looking for photo opportunities within the park, be sure to visit Midtown Reflection, the Meadow at Piedmont and the Dockside.

Stop by Sean’s Heart of the Park for some sustenance before heading to your next stop.

Afternoon: Walk along the Atlanta BeltLine

At the southwest corner of Piedmont Park is the start of the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail. The BeltLine is a 22-mile loop of multi-use trails throughout the city where people can walk, run, ride bikes, rollerblade, scooter…you get the picture!

Along the trail, there’s breweries, restaurants and shops. For the art lovers out there, a few beautiful murals and sculptures litter the trail.

If you’re not too tired from walking around Piedmont Park, I recommend walking to the King of Pops Window at Elizabeth and Bernina to reward yourself with a delicious popsicle (or three). There are so many flavors it will be hard to choose.

It’s about a 30-minute walk and on the way back you can head to Ponce City Market for your next stop!

Night: Ponce City Market

If you can, get here a bit before sunset so that you can explore the market during the daytime, do a little shopping or check out one of the many restaurants. I loved the doughnuts at Five Daughters Bakery for a sweet treat.

Once it starts getting close to sunset, make your way up to the rooftop for unparalleled views of the city.

You do have to buy a ticket but it’s worth the experience. Keep in mind that only adults 21+ can go up on Friday and Saturday after 5 p.m.

Skyline Park is one venue that’s a lot of fun because there’s mini golf, basketball, skee ball and other entertaining games.

Another venue, 9 Mile Station, has cocktails, beer and delicious food but it’s a tad expensive.

If you’re looking for a more upscale experience, make reservations at 12 Cocktail Bar for delicious drinks and then call it a night and get ready for tomorrow.

Morning: Celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Start your day walking in the shoes of the legendary Martin Luther King Jr. in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood where he grew up. Begin with the light yellow house where Dr. King was born.

Normally you can go inside the house and other attractions in the park but the pandemic closed down the interior so I couldn’t go in.  Hopefully things are better by the time you visit!

Next, walk down Auburn to the MLK Jr. Fountain where you can pay your respects to Dr. MLK Jr. and Coretta’s tombs which lie in a beautiful pool of water.

Other nearby spots include the Ebenezer Baptist Church where Dr. King was a pastor, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, The King Center and more.

Walking around this area, I imagined the inspirational words of Dr. King. He made such a huge impact on the world and in my own life. Being mixed with white and black, my life wouldn’t be the same if he hadn’t risked and lost his life for the betterment of our futures.

So I urge you to reflect on what we can do today to honor his legacy.

Don’t worry, there will be more learning at the next stop: downtown Atlanta!

Afternoon: Museum Hop Downtown

One of the things I love about downtown Atlanta is the vast choice of museums that are only blocks away from each other.

Before making the hard choice of picking one or two, grab a bite to eat at the Atlanta Breakfast Club for some tasty Southern specialties like Peach Cobbler French toast or the shrimp and grits.

If you want to continue the day’s theme of civil rights and history, I highly suggest going to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

The museum has exhibits depicting not only America’s civil rights movement but also global human rights and how those continue to affect millions worldwide.

In one harrowing interactive experience, I waited in line to participate in a lunch counter sit-in simulation where I acted as though I was sitting at a “Whites Only” counter.

I quite literally felt and heard the hatred through vibrations that nearly felt like kicks and headphones that played insults.

It was extremely powerful, and I urge you to experience it if only to understand what these brave individuals had to endure for the world we live in today.

Other museums that might be of interest include the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta or the Apex Museum.

The World of Coca-Cola is a big hit as the drink first debuted in Atlanta in 1886. In the museum’s tasting room, you can sample beverages in the Coca-Cola family from all around the world.

Be sure to check the hours of museums as many close by 5 p.m. and you want to time it correctly so you can check out as many as you’re interested in.

Night: SkyView Atlanta and Dinner

SkyView Atlanta is a 20-story Ferris wheel near Centennial Park downtown where you can get great views of the city.

I went at nighttime, but I bet it would be amazing at sunset as well (Can you tell I’m a sunset chaser?). Dinner can either come before or after SkyView depending on where you want to go.

Before we went on the ride, we hit up The Yard Milkshake Bar which has an insane variety of mason jar milkshake creations and you can keep the jar as a souvenir.

There are several restaurants near SkyView so be sure to check out Google Maps for something that looks good.

My suggestions are Park Bar, southern classic Waffle House or The Food Shoppe. If you’re looking for even more views of the city, The Sun Dial or SkyLounge would be good options albeit a bit pricy and generally only open on weekends.

Pro-tip for SkyView: look at Groupon for tickets.

We saved money on admission and got a box of chocolates thrown into the deal!

After spending about 10-15 minutes riding the Ferris wheel, either celebrate your last night with drinks or head back to the hotel to pack and prepare for your return home.

This was just a sampling of what the remarkable city of Atlanta has to offer. If you only have 48 hours to spend there, use this Atlanta travel guide to fill up your itinerary with everything from beer, history and fantastic views.