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How To Spend A Day in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

Skylounge Rooftop Bar

What do you do with a day in Downtown Atlanta? You have so many options! Read this post to see my itinerary for things to do in Downtown Atlanta in one day.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend a day in Downtown Atlanta? The city’s tourist center is full of possibilities!

From exploring Atlanta’s top attractions to enjoying the beauty of downtown, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

With this itinerary, you’ll get an amazing Downtown Atlanta experience in just one day.

A Day in Downtown Atlanta Itinerary

With a day off of work, Kevin and I spent the day in Downtown Atlanta. Our adventure consisted of a trip to the Georgia Aquarium, dinner followed by drinks at the SkyLounge rooftop bar, and a ride on the SkyView Atlanta Ferris wheel.

The Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the western hemisphere and is the only aquarium outside of Asia that houses whale sharks. Naturally, the whale shark exhibit is one of the major attractions. The aquarium has five main exhibits, each reflecting specific ocean environments: Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest, River Scout, and Dolphin Celebration.

Georgia Aquarium Dolphins

We made it just in time for a dolphin show in the Dolphin Celebration gallery. Show times vary, but each show lasts about 20-30 minutes and seating fills up fast. Cold Water Quest houses the arctic animals. Here, you can crawl under the penguin exhibit to take a selfie with a few African penguins.

Ocean Voyager is the largest exhibit. This exhibit has the world’s largest indoor aquatic habitat, an underwater tunnel, and one of the world’s largest viewing windows. This is where the whale sharks and giant manta ray live among other large fish. Just hop on the moving sidewalk an let it take you on a conveyor belt ride through the tunnel while the sharks swim above you.

Georgia Aquarium Tunnel

You can get discounted tickets to the Georgia Aquarium and other top Atlanta attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS! With this attraction pass, you’ll also get expedited entry, saving you both time and money.

Or, if you only have time for the Aquarium, you can buy advanced tickets here.

SkyLounge

Skylounge Rooftop Bar

The SkyLounge at the Glenn Hotel is a sophisticated rooftop bar that offers panoramic views of the greater Atlanta area and serves handcrafted cocktails. The bar was named one of the six top Atlanta rooftop bars by Forbes.

On top of the 11 story boutique hotel, the bar is small and cozy. Some nights there may be a DJ, and the bar also overlooks Centennial Olympic Park so you can catch some entertainment from any musicians playing there during festival season.

With our fusion cocktails in hand, we waited for the sunset before heading down to the Ferris wheel.

SkyView Atlanta

Skyview Atlanta

Located just off of Centennial Olympic Park, SkyView Atlanta is a 20 story tall Ferris wheel with fully enclosed gondolas and views of Downtown Atlanta. Each flight is four rotations, which lasts for about 15 minutes.

You get an amazing view of the Atlanta skyline, and its a great romantic date night activity.

Book your SkyView Atlanta ticket here.

Skyview Atlanta Date

Mapping Out Your Day in Downtown Atlanta

Ready to explore Downtown Atlanta? Use the map below to help plan out your 1-day itinerary exploring Downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

Top Atlanta Tours

Where to Stay in Atlanta

Read next: 10 Best Hotels in Downtown Atlanta

Craving More Atlanta Activities?

If you need more things to do while visiting Atlanta, check out these top posts:


Ready to visit Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.

  • Get Familiar With the City: Check out my Ultimate Guide to Atlanta to help plan your trip!
  • Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
  • Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Booking.com.
  • Save on Attractions: Save 42% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.

Cheers!

Paige

How To Spend A Day in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

How would you spend a day in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia? Tell me in the comments!

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2 Comments

  1. How do you go about redeeming the datenight skyview groupon? Do you get to skip the line or let them know you purchased the date night package? My husband and I are going to ATL soon and I would like to surprise him with this!

    1. When you reserve on Groupon for the Date Night package, you should get a ticket or a confirmation number that you can then present at Skyview, letting them know you purchased the package. I don’t believe the Groupon comes with a skip-the-line option. Groupon should be able to give you more details when you book; it’s been a while since we did this! But it will be a wonderful surprise for your husband, and I hope y’all enjoy your trip!

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