Downtown Atlanta begins at Pemberton Place, the gateway to what many call the city’s Cultural Mile. Here, within a short walk, you’ll find four of Atlanta’s most iconic attractions:
📍 1. Georgia Aquarium The largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, home to whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, and thousands of marine species. Don’t miss the panoramic underwater tunnels and the dolphin theater.
📍 2. World of Coca-Cola An interactive museum dedicated to the world’s most famous soft drink. Discover the company’s history since 1886, peek at the legendary “secret formula,” and sample more than 100 flavors from across the globe.
📍 3. Centennial Olympic Park Built for the 1996 Olympic Games, this park is now the green heart of downtown. Its Olympic-ring fountains, lawns, and performance spaces host concerts, festivals, and are perfect for a break between museum visits.
📍 4. CNN Center Headquarters of the global news network. A guided tour takes you behind the scenes, into studios and control rooms, to see how international news is produced and broadcast.
Together, these landmarks create a walkable cultural corridor — a compact journey through Atlanta’s marine wonders, industrial heritage, Olympic spirit, and media power.
Atlanta began as a modest railway stop — the end of the line that unexpectedly grew into the South’s busiest hub. The city was burned to the ground during the Civil War, yet out of the ashes rose a bold, industrious Atlanta. This is the birthplace of Coca-Cola, the cradle of the modern Civil Rights Movement, and home to the largest Black middle class in the United States. Few cities embody change and resilience the way Atlanta does.
At the heart of downtown lies Pemberton Place, a cultural crossroads where three icons stand side by side: the vast Georgia Aquarium, the playful World of Coca-Cola, and the moving Center for Civil and Human Rights. A short walk from the parking lot takes you past fountains and green lawns straight into this vibrant trio.
The Georgia Aquarium is breathtaking in scale — the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Its glass tunnel immerses you in the deep, as whale sharks and graceful manta rays glide overhead, surrounded by a dazzling cast of marine life. The highlight for many visitors is the dolphin presentation in the “Ocean Theater,” a show where science and spectacle merge to reveal the intelligence and energy of these remarkable animals.
The World of Coca-Cola tells another side of Atlanta’s story. From Dr. John Pemberton’s original pharmacy syrup to a brand recognized by billions, the museum traces the evolution of a cultural icon. Visitors marvel at the legendary vault said to guard the secret formula, and the experience ends in the famous tasting room — more than 100 flavors from 40 countries. From familiar Fanta and Sprite to exotic drinks that spark delight or surprise, every sip is part of a global journey that began right here in Atlanta.
