World of Coca-Cola and Atlanta skyline (June 2024)
Following our two nights in Savannah, my partner and I headed west to Atlanta, the state of Georgia’s capital. I was to stay for three nights, whereas my partner would stay on for two weeks for a summer program. That said, we spent some time together exploring Atlanta and its city life, albeit in the hot, sweltering summer heat.
It was a packed flight from Savannah at 10h30– thankfully, it only took an hour to reach Atlanta, and we pulled into Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport around 11h30. While we could have just driven to Atlanta and potentially save money on flying, it would have been a four-hour drive, and we were just not comfortable driving out of state. Plus, it was faster to fly over, even with the time needed to get to and out of the airports.
Welcome to Atlanta!
Atlanta itself is also not a public transport-friendly city, as it is pretty spread out with over 6.3 million people in its metropolitan area. While we could have benefitted from renting a car, we still got by with planning our itinerary from neighborhood to neighborhood and taking Ubers between them. The Ubers did add up, but it brought us a piece of mind– we had looked into public transport, but found it slow, late, and overall inconvenient to use. I am sure if we had the patience, public transportation could have worked out, but I especially did not have much time in town (two full days) to do so. Ubers worked out in the end!
That said, we got an Uber to our accommodation. We did not stay in Atlanta proper, but rather a bit outside of the city for my partner’s summer program. It took us about a half-hour to get there, as well as a bit of time to get the keys to our room, so it was already past 13h00 once we were able to settled in. We were quite tired from the travel that morning, so we stuck around the neighborhood, grabbing a small lunch and later delicious Indian food for dinner and otherwise just resting in our room (with glorious A/C) for the remainder of the day.
Indian food for dinner
We started our Atlanta sightseeing the following morning– after a simple, but delicious breakfast at a café near our accommodation, we took an Uber into the city center. Our first stop of the day was at the World of Coca-Cola, a museum dedicated to the big soft drink corporation. In fact, Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta by Dr. John Pemberton in 1886, originally used as medicine. However, it has since become a popular soft drink that can be found all over the world, devoid of its medicinal properties.
Fun fact: the original recipe of Coca-Cola contained cocaine, but today no longer uses it.
It was a hefty $52 USD for the two of us to enter the World of Coca-Cola, and to be honest, it was not completely worth the price. Basically, you are paying for Coca-Cola propaganda, with exhibits showcasing its historic advertisements and contributions to other big corps like the Olympics and the Red Cross. There was also the Coca-Cola tasting room at the end of the visit, where you can sample over 100 different drinks that Coca-Cola owns around the world. I tried a few, from Inca Kola (Peru) to the Beverly (Italy). Some were tasty, some were just-okay, and some were not to my taste. It was kind of fun, though!
Inside the World of Coca-Cola
Trying some Coca-Cola
My partner and I spent just under an hour at the World of Coca-Cola– while the price was not worth the visit, I think it is something you need to do at least once while in Atlanta. It is super touristy, and I think we visited just to scratch that itch and say we had been there. After all, Atlanta is where Coca-Cola was invented!
Any case, we waited for our next museum, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, to open at 12h00. Tickets cost $20 USD per person, and I found it a more-worthwhile purchase than the World of Coca-Cola. I am not a museum-goer, but the National Center ended up being one of the highlights of my time in Atlanta. We spent about 90 minutes inside, starting with the Civil Rights section that paid homage to the US Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. While it provided information about the people and events I had learned about in school (e.g. MLK, Jr, Rosa Parks, Little Rock Nine, etc), the Civil Rights section also went into depth about these events and lesser-known figures who also fought for African-American rights. Very profound and very moving.
Civil Rights section
Next was the Human Rights section of the museum, which I actually liked more than Civil Rights. This section was a more-comprehensive exhibit on the various rights out there, for gender, sexuality, immigration, and disabilities, to name a few. The exhibit showed current issues restricting and threatening human rights, from dictators to media censorship to unethical labor. I was especially fascinated by the exhibit of unethical labor in poorer countries like Bangladesh, El Salvador, and Zimbabwe, with its people getting paid little to none at all to make products like cellphones, shoes, even soccer balls, for its Western consumers. Goes to show just how much we take for granted the items we own here in the US, and not questioning just where they come from. I left the museum humbled and moved by it all.
Internet Freedom in Human Rights section
My partner and I got a late lunch at The Vortex, an eccentric restaurant-bar that is 21-and-over only and is known for its incredible burgers. Normally, I am not a huge burger person, but the medium-rare guacamole burger I got was WOW– super juicy and tender, and just a feel-good, hearty meal. I would seriously go back to Atlanta just to try more of The Vortex’s burgers!
The Vortex restaurant
Guacamole burger
We took a quick stroll through Five Little Points, considered a hip and trendy neighborhood of Atlanta. However, we found it to be kind of sketchy, as it is “hip and trendy” with its alternative shops selling items like marijuana. Not to say that weed is inherently bad, but unfortunately, it seemed to attract some seedy people in the area, so we did not feel comfortable wandering any more before grabbing an Uber to our next stop.
Next was a walk through the Krog Street Tunnel, which is filled with plenty of colorful street art. While it might look dodgy, it is actually quite safe to go through it. We then headed to the nearby Krog Street Market, a covered market with tons of shopping and eating to be had. We got some doughnuts at one of the indoor cafés to rest and cool off from the merciless summer heat, before taking an Uber back to our accommodation in the mid-afternoon. My partner and I got dinner later that evening near our place of stay, but otherwise that concluded our first full day of visiting Atlanta.
Krog Street Tunnel
Krog Street Market
Stay tuned for the next (and last) installment of our Georgia trip soon. Until then! 🙂
— Rebecca
Rebecca Goes Rendezvous 
Interesting to read about your stay in Atlanta. I’ve never been there but have passed through the airport. The Coca Cola museum seems costly for what it is. I’ve never actually been so much of a fan of fizzy drinks.
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Same, I’m not huge on soft drinks, but I suppose when in Atlanta, it’s a must to check out the Coca Cola Museum. I hope you get to head over to Atlanta to check it out some day!
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So you tried “Inca Cola”. In Lima this is the traditional drink people have with “Chifa” (Peruvian Chinese food) However, as I don’t drink either Coca-Cola or Inca-Cola, I settle for a nice bottle of “Cusquena” beer.
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Yes, I’ve actually had Inca Cola when I was in Peru! I do like the taste! Normally, I don’t really drink Coca Cola (or soft drinks, for that matter), but while in Atlanta, I’ll make an exception!
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It was during my visit to Atlanta and the surrounding area that I really drank Coca Cola, it was everywhere and refreshing in the heat. I stopped drinking it afterwards, but it felt addictive. It’s a good tactic to visit museums when it’s hot.
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Very true! I can imagine Coca Cola is very refreshing to have on a hot summer’s day. I don’t usually drink it, but when in Rome (or Atlanta, for that matter), I’ll give it a go!
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USD 26 per person is a very hefty price to pay for entering a place that is run by a big corporation known for its high profits! But then, as you said, while in Atlanta… Too bad that the city doesn’t have a proper public transit system. But then how did people go around the city during the 1996 Olympic Games? Anyway, your guacamole burger actually looks very interesting.
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I imagine people just took taxis or braved the long public transport to the Olympic Games back in the day. That, or maybe there were special shuttles that took attendees over to the Games…Atlanta is actually quite the foodie spot, as we ate well in town (guacamole burger, included)!
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While I knew that Atlanta is the Southern hub for Megabus, which is known for providing bus services for as low as $1, I had no idea that here you can learn about the history of one of the most famous beverages in the world, Coca-Cola. Atlanta looks and sounds like a wonderful city worth visiting. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Interestingly, I’ve also heard a lot of the music and film industries are moving over to Atlanta (instead of staying in LA), which makes the city a booming and hip place to be. The Coca-Cola museum was kitschy, but when in Atlanta, it’s a must-see for first-time visitors. Thanks for reading, Aiva, and Part 2 will be up soon!
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I think you’ve convinced me not to part with any money to visit the World of Coca Cola if we visit Atlanta next year, especially as I don’t even like the stuff! But the National Center for Civil and Human Rights looks very interesting. I wonder though if it is under any threat from the current regime policies regarding diversity etc? The Vortex looks fun too so that’s definitely on the list!
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I’d say if you’re not interested in big-corp propaganda, you won’t be missing out too much on the World of Coca Cola– better to spend your money elsewhere! I do recommend a visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, as I found it very poignant and insightful to learn more about humanity– the good, the bad, and the ugly. I have no idea if the museum is under threat given our current administration, but I hope not! Thanks for reading, Sarah, and more of our time in Atlanta to come soon!
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Good call on flying from Savannah to Atlanta! Driving would have taken a long time, as it seems there are no direct roads in the state of Georgia, making drives much longer than one would think. It looks like you found some unique and fascinating places to visit in Atlanta, and I don’t mean the World of Coca Cola! Whenever I had guests when I lived in GA they always wanted to go there. But in all fairness, they were interested in places like the MLK Center, too! Looking forward to your next post!
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Indeed! We saved a lot of time flying over, so that we had the time to explore as much of the city as possible. The World of Coca Cola was just-okay and gimmicky, but it was a fun one-off during our stay. However, I really did enjoy the National Center for Human and Civil Rights, and it was honestly a highlight of my trip! Part 2 of Atlanta will be up soon! 😊
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The civil rights museum looks amazing. Glad the Vortex food was as good as the entrance. The Krog Street Tunnel looked really cool.
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The museum was profound and deep, but very informative! Exploring and eating through Atlanta was a lot of fun 😊
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Ahh, this brings back happy memories of my trip to Atlanta back in 2019. We drove in Atlanta (then out to Chattanooga and Nashville), and it wasn’t fun – those roads in and out of Atlanta were rough, especially driving on the other side of the road and not knowing all the junctions. Anyway, I agree that the National Center for Civil and Human Rights was the highlight of the downtown area – we spent 4.5 hours in there and absolutely loved it.
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Nice! You made a southern US road trip out of it! I can’t imagine driving in Georgia, let alone out of state…kudos to you for doing so! I did enjoy my time at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which I found very insightful and honestly, a highlight of the trip! Stay tuned for Part 2 of Atlanta!
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Another memorable city visit many times from university tours of Atlanta airport to visiting friends Thanks
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Thanks for reading!
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You are welcome
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It looks like you had a good start to your visit to Atlanta. The National Center would have been of interest to me as well. My daughter spent some time doing humanitarian outreach work in Bangladesh which was a life changing experience for her. I’m looking forward to reading more about your time there!
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Very cool your daughter did humanitarian work in Bangladesh; I’m sure she learned a lot from that experience. Atlanta was an eclectic city, full of things to do and see. More to come soon!
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I can see the draw of visiting the Coca Cola museum just for the experience, despite the price. I’m not much of a soda drinker, but the taste testing seems fun. The Human Rights Museum, on the other hand, absolutely seems like something I should add to my Atlanta itinerary.
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The Coca Cola museum was gimmicky, but okay for a one-off experience. I found the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to be really insightful, and I definitely agree to add it to your itinerary should you head to Atlanta some day!
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Loved reading about your Atlanta adventure! You captured the city’s vibe so well—from Coca-Cola tastings to the powerful Civil and Human Rights museum. That burger at The Vortex sounds epic! Can’t wait to hear about the rest of your Georgia trip!
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Thanks for reading! Part 2 of Atlanta will be up soon 😊
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Looking forward to it, Rebecca! Can’t wait to see what other gems you’ve discovered in Atlanta and beyond. 😊
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It makes perfect sense that you visited Coca Cola when in Atlanta. Like visiting Guinness in Dublin.
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Very true! I didn’t visit the Guinness Store while in Dublin (although I saw it from the outside), but I’m sure it’s also a fun experience!
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I looked up The Vortex’s menu and started drooling just reading through their signature burgers.
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I’m not usually one for burgers, but I will say The Vortex’s were an exception! I’d happily go there again 😊
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Another one for the memories many times there and even tour of Delta Airlines facilities, memories forever, thanks
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So excited posted twice sorry lol !!!
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Yes, Delta Airlines has a major hub in the South! Very cool you got to tour it!
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Yes my educational background is aviation ::)
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The World of Coca-Cola is on my list of places to visit and it was nice to read about your experience. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights sounds interesting and educational, too. I love burgers and will add The Vortex to my Atlanta list of things to see and do. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
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I hope you get to Atlanta some day to check out these museums! I especialy found The National Center very insightful and well-worth a visit. Atlanta has a decent foodie scene, and the burgers at The Vortex reflect that! Thanks for reading, Darlene!
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Atlanta looks like a blast from this opening post, Rebecca. I didn’t know (or perhaps had forgotten) that Coca Cola hails from the city so yeah, gotta be done. Especially as I am quite partial to a Coke, truth be told. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights looks absolutely essential, I’m glad you rated it so highly. The Krog Street Tunnel looks cool, reminds me a lot of Leake Street in London. All the food looks mighty fine to me too.
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Thank you!! Yes, the Coca Cola headquarters are in Atlanta, and it’s a must-see if you’re a fan of Coke! I really enjoyed visiting The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and honestly, it was a highlight of my time in town. I hope you visit Atlanta some day, Leighton, as it’s a fun city to explore!
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The Civil and Human Rights sounds like a must-see if I’m ever spending time in Atlanta. There is an excellent, very moving Civil Rights Mueum in Memphis, in the hotel where MLK was killed that I visited recently.
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The Civil and Human Rights Center was honestly a highlight of my time in Atlanta; I learned so much during my visit, and it was a very humbling experience. I’ve yet to visit Memphis, but I hope to head over some day to learn more about MLK, Jr and his history
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Thank you for taking us through Atlanta! To be honest I mostly heard negative opinions about this city but from this post it actually seems like a pretty cool city! And the burgers seemed delicious!
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Interesting, what negative opinions? I’ve only heard it’s notorious for traffic, but I found it wasn’t too horrible when I visited (perhaps since it was in the summer?). Thanks for reading, Juliette!
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Mostly about it being a kind of sketchy city (and traffic)! But I suppose, as for every big city, it also just depend on where you go!
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