How to Visit Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta
Built for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta, Georgia has become a focal point of day-to-day activity for locals and tourists. An area that used to be an eyesore is now home to The World of Coke museum, the Georgia Aquarium and acres of parkland full of activity from morning till night.
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Instructions
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Take the MARTA train to the Philips Arena/CNN Center stop. MARTA is Atlanta's public transit system. The Philips Arena/CNN Center stop is on the East/West train line, one block away from the park. The next-closest stop is Peachtree Center on the North/South train line, three blocks away from the park. Many MARTA bus lines also have stops at or near the park (see resources below). If driving, Centennial Park has many parking lots surrounding it, and they are much more expensive than taking MARTA, especially during concerts, festivals and sporting events.
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Walk across the street to Centennial Park. You can walk around the CNN Center or straight through it. The atrium inside the CNN Center is like a giant food court at a shopping mall. Eat lunch here, or plan on coming back later. The CNN tour, which begins on the ground floor of the atrium, is worth shelling out a few extra bucks for (the tour is also included in the Atlanta City Pass, see Resources).
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Run through the Olympic Rings fountain and search for familiar names in the engraved bricks that line the park. The focal point of the park is the fountain. It's not hard to locate. It's where you see all the people hanging out and water shooting up into the air. Kids of all ages are welcome to play in this fountain. The water shoots up from the ground in the form of the five Olympic rings. Come after dark to see the dazzling lights dance with the water. Surrounding the fountain are brick sidewalks and plazas, each brick engraved with the name of the person who purchased that brick before the '96 Olympic games. It's fun to look for famous names in the bricks, and you can find many. Elton John and President Carter are two names you might happen to see.
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See the only remaining after effects of the infamous 1996 park bombing. On the east side of the park, in the Garden Walk along Centennial Olympic Park Drive, there is a sculpture of kids running. This sculpture contains shrapnel indentations from the pipe bomb that exploded during the 1996 Olympic games.
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Tour the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke museum. At the south end of the park are the popular Georgia Aquarium and The World of Coke museum. If you buy an Atlanta City Pass (see Resources) these are included, as is the CNN tour.
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Tips & Warnings
Unless you're staying in a hotel near the park, take MARTA to avoid the expense and hassle of parking in downtown Atlanta.
Three of the attractions mentioned (the CNN tour, the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke) are included in the Atlanta City Pass.
