A Perfect Day in Atlanta

There may be no more iconic a restaurant than the Sun Dial, located at the top of the Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel. The 360-degree views of Atlanta make it ideal for special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays, and especially marriage proposals. Chef Starnes serves up seasonal dishes with stunning presentation. If you’re looking for a more casual experience, try the Bar on 73, which has the same view with a more laid-back atmosphere. The bar takes 35 minutes to revolve, making every seat the “best seat in the house.” You can also head up to the top free of charge.

A popular destination for field trips, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History encompasses a 65-acre forest as well as a more traditional facility full of dinosaur fossils, Native American artifacts, and more. Visitors can also look forward to an IMAX theater, which showcases documentaries on wildlife and other science-related topics. For adults, the museum hosts a monthly Fernbank After Dark event, featuring cocktails, tapas, live music, and access to all exhibits. If you go, be sure to pose for a picture in front of the dinosaur replicas at the front of the museum.

Since the boom in filming in Atlanta, particularly with the popularity of The Walking Dead, Atlanta Movie Tours has filled the market with tours of the city’s filming locations. Their Big Zombie Tours visit sites from the famous AMC show as well as the movies Zombieland and Pet Sematary 2. The Atlanta Film Sites tour covers locations from Driving Miss Daisy, Scream 2, The Blind Side, Due Date, and many more. They’ve also introduced Gone with the Wind and Hunger Games tours. The tours start at $45 and last around 3 hours. Movie buffs will love their introduction to the Hollywood of the South.

To better understand the civil rights movement and its impact on Atlanta, stop by Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both Martin Luther King Jr. and his father served as pastors. The living, breathing landmark, located in Sweet Auburn, is now a part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, which also includes King’s childhood home, a visitor center, and the King Center. Here, you can see where MLK preached his sermons, and even attend a Sunday service.

Few places give better city views than rooftop bars. Six Feet Under, with locations next to Oakland Cemetery and in the Westside, both have a rooftop bar. The original Six Feet Under in Grant Park was named for its proximity to the city’s most famous cemetery and is known for its raw bar, fried seafood, and beer selection. Grab a seat on the rooftop early, as it gets crowded quickly.

If you’re short on time in Atlanta, now there’s a way for you to see most of the sights in a matter of minutes. SkyView, the city’s newest attraction, is a Ferris wheel that soars 20 stories above the ground. You can park at any of the lots surrounding Centennial Olympic Park before boarding a gondola. From above, you’ll be able to see the buildings of downtown, the CNN Center, the Georgia Aquarium, and the World of Coca-Cola. SkyView is open every day until 11 p.m. and beyond. The 15-minute ride is $13.50 for adults, $12.15 for seniors and military, $8.50 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for kids under 2. If you’re feeling like a big shot, go for the VIP flight, which allows you to skip the line to board a plush gondola, complete with leather seats and a glass floor. It will set you back $50 per person, but each capsule can hold five people, making this the ideal place for a special occasion.

The Atlanta of today owes much to the 1996 Summer Olympics. In preparation for the games, the city transformed a seedy neighborhood into a tourist-friendly destination, creating Centennial Olympic Park as the center of all activity—including, unfortunately, the tragic bombing that marred the entire event. Today, the park is still a hub, now for tourist attractions rather than medal presentations. Surrounded by everything from the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola to CNN Center, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights, it often hosts concerts, movies, and popular events like the Music Midtown Festival. It’s also home to a playground and the Fountain of Rings, which puts on daily water shows.

An Atlanta breakfast institution since 1956, the Silver Skillet has been run by the same family for more than 20 years. Featured in countless movies and television shows, including The Real McCoy and Remember the Titans, you may have even seen it before. The biscuits and gravy are prepared the classic Southern way, and the lemon icebox pie was named one of the best in the country.

One of the South’s top art institutions, the High Museum was established in 1905 with a collection of European works. Over time, it has expanded to include modern art, regional artists, and rotating exhibits on everything from designer sneakers to the Terracotta Warriors to the Louvre’s most notable works. Outside, guests can view Rodin’s famous sculpture The Shade, which serves as a memorial to the 106 art patrons from Atlanta who died in a plane crash in 1962. Also outdoors are several interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to get up-close-and-personal with the art.

Far from a traditional driving range, Topgolf is an interactive game experience with great food and an extensive bar. Atlanta has two locations in Alpharetta and the Westside. Grab some friends to share an upstairs bay, where you can use their clubs and order some drinks. The game itself is easy to learn as each player gets a card and an account similar to bowling. The range has colored circles, each with their own point values, that you aim to hit the ball into. In this way, it resembles both darts and traditional golf. The high-tech facility has balls that come out from a sensor-powered system and tracks your score. While waiting for your turn, take advantage of the free WiFi and HDTVs.