Are you looking for unique things to do in Atlanta? Home to CNN, Coca-Cola, Delta and plenty of other big names, Atlanta has a strong economy and much more to see and do than the usual tourist stops. Whether you’re planning a trip or have lived inside the Perimeter your whole life, check out these 15 unique things to do in and around Atlanta, and be sure you don’t overlook any hidden gems the city has to offer. Hours, prices and bookings change, so check each one’s website before you go.
1. SkyView Atlanta
If you love Ferris wheels but get a bit nervous sitting in their open cars, check out the enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas on SkyView Atlanta, beside Centennial Olympic Park downtown. They feel safe and comfortable without sacrificing the view of the city below.
2. Fernbank Science Center
More than just your average museum, the Fernbank Science Center in DeKalb County has a 70-foot planetarium dome. Its shows offer an up-close look at outer space, making you feel as if you’re flying through an asteroid belt or getting up close with a black hole! Don’t confuse it with the Fernbank Museum of Natural History nearby; both are worth a visit.
3. Bury the Hatchet
If you’re looking for a way to de-stress while enjoying some old-fashioned physical exertion, check out Bury the Hatchet, with axe throwing in Sandy Springs. Coaches show you the ropes, and then you get to throw your own axes at the targets, or join group games and friendly competitions!
4. The Sipping Plant
For those looking to do something with their hands, check out The Sipping Plant in Sandy Springs, where you can sign up to make your own terrarium. These small, glass-enclosed gardens are an excellent way of bringing some green inside your home, and you’ll feel especially proud to show them off after making one yourself!
5. Antique Biplane Rides
For a bit of nostalgia, check out Biplane Rides Over Atlanta. Flights leave from Peach State Aerodrome, a grass airstrip near Williamson, south of the city, in a restored open-cockpit biplane, with routes over downtown Atlanta or Stone Mountain. It’s a unique way to see Georgia from the sky!
6. The Michael C. Carlos Museum
For those who love ancient art, be sure to visit the Michael C. Carlos Museum on Emory University’s campus. There you can see art and artifacts from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and the Near East, along with collections from the Americas and Africa.
7. Escape Woods
Escape games are a favorite attraction for many, and Escape Woods, in Powder Springs in Cobb County, lets you enjoy this thrill outdoors! There you can race against the clock in games set in a bunker, a cabin or a maze in the woods. Some are family-friendly and some are meant to scare, so get your friends together and pick your level of fun.
8. Atlanta Glass Treehouse
For those who love tree houses and need a place to stay for the night, check out the Glass TreeHouse, a steel-and-glass home raised among mature hardwoods in Atlanta. It is rented for overnight stays, and lets you enjoy a memorable night high among the treetops!
9. 54 Columns
Sol LeWitt’s 54 Columns art installation is a cluster of tall concrete columns of different heights in the historic Old Fourth Ward. The piece has been the subject of plenty of debate since it went up, with some wondering about its meaning and significance. If you’re in the neighborhood, why not check it out and see what it means to you?
10. The Atlanta White House
If you’ve always wanted to visit the nation’s capital but don’t have the time or funds, take a drive past the Atlanta White House on Briarcliff Road! This private home is a scaled-down replica of the White House in Washington, D.C. It isn’t open to visitors, but from the street it gives you a glimpse of what the real one looks like. For a grand Atlanta mansion you can actually tour, try the Swan House at the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead.
11. The CDC Museum
This little gem is not for the faint of heart, but if you love sci-fi or science itself, be sure to visit the David J. Sencer CDC Museum at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s headquarters near Emory. Its exhibits show the agency’s work over the years, from the fight to eradicate smallpox to controlling measles and other diseases. Bring a photo ID, as you enter a federal campus.
12. Center for Puppetry Arts
Billed as the largest organization in the U.S. dedicated to puppetry, the Center for Puppetry Arts in Midtown also houses a museum gallery dedicated to Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets.
13. The Cator Woolford Gardens
A true hidden gem off South Ponce de Leon Avenue in Druid Hills, these gardens sit on the nearly 40-acre Cator Woolford estate, now home to the Frazer Center. You’ll find terraced garden “rooms”, flowers and woodland paths, as well as plenty of soft grass for a picnic or just relaxing in the sun.
14. Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
The Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking at Georgia Tech traces the medium’s origins all the way back to the Sumerians and Egyptians. The museum houses some 100,000 artifacts related to paper, so if you’re an avid writer or artist, it’s a must-see!
15. The Switchyards Ping Pong Club
At the Switchyards Downtown Club, on Ted Turner Drive downtown, a ping pong table sits in a sunken room below street level, behind wide windows you can look down through from the sidewalk. Playing is for members, but it’s a fun one to spot on a walk through downtown, and if you love ping pong you may want to join.
A Word from Our Local Atlanta Team
This list is brought to you by Melo Public Adjusters Atlanta. With so many fun things to do around the city, we know you have better ways to spend your weekends than arguing with an insurance company after a storm, a fire, a burst pipe or a break-in. If you’re struggling with a property insurance claim, call us about a public adjuster in Atlanta and let us deal with the insurance company for you.
