We’ve looked at CityPASS packages in Toronto, Houston and Seattle. Today, we travel to the Southeast of the United States to take a look at Atlanta, Georgia. Known by Canadians as that place on I75 that you stress about your whole drive to Florida because you just know you’re going to get lost or stuck in traffic. Atlanta has a very affordable CityPASS package that will save you nearly 50% on five great attractions. For a city with a metro population of 5.5 million, it is also an affordable city for downtown luxury accommodations.
Atlanta CityPASS Overview
Update: For 2016, there have been some changes to the Atlanta CityPASS lineup. Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola and CNN Studio Tours remain. The alternative to Zoo Atlanta is now Center for Civil and Human Rights. The alternative to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History is the College Football Hall of Fame. Gone are the High Museum of Art and Atlanta History Center.
What you get with the Atlanta package is five great attractions, all within fairly close proximity of each other. The Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola and Inside CNN Studio Tour are always included.
For the other two attractions, you must choose between Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta History Center. You must also make a choice between the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the High Museum of Art. Keep in mind that the High Museum of Art is half price every Friday between 4pm and 9pm.
As with all CityPASS packages, you have a nine consecutive day window to visit all the attractions. You can order the package at anytime and the nine day period does not start until you’ve visit the first attraction. By ordering the pass, you save time and frustration by skipping ticket lines. You also save up to 47% over regular walk-up prices.
In U.S. dollars, anyone 13 or older pays just $74 for the package. Children 3-12 pay just $59. The only additional fee is a $1 per person processing charge. Below, we list the regular prices of each attraction. When you consider just the Georgia Aquarium individually is $38.95 plus tax for an adult, it is very evident what a great value the Atlanta CityPASS is.
For more information on CityPASS Atlanta or to purchase your package, click on the ad right above this. Transparency: This is an affiliate link – there will be no hidden fees to you but by booking through this link, It’s About Travelling can earn a small commission.
The Attractions
Georgia Aquarium
Opened in November, 2005 on legacy land from the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the Georgia Aquarium has over 10 million gallons of water full of aquatic creatures with 6.3 million gallons in the largest tank.
The aquarium features Beluga Whales and African Penguins in the Cold Water Quest. In Ocean Voyager, there are Whale Sharks and Manta Rays. Southwest Airlines sponsors Tropical Diver, an exhibit of tropical coral reef fish. In River Scout, there are albino alligators, Piranha and Asian Small-Clawed Otters. There are also Dolphin shows and a discovery zone.
Georgia Aquarium is open 365 days per year. From Sunday to Friday, the attraction is open from 10am to 5pm. On Saturdays, hours are slightly extended, opening at 9am and closing at 6pm.
As mentioned above, regular pricing for adults (13-64) is $38.95 plus tax. Children 3-12 pay $32.95 and seniors get a $4 discount at $34.95. If you happen to be just visiting the aquarium, it should be noted that there is a $7 discount if ordering ahead online.
The aquarium is located at 225 Baker Street NW in Central Atlanta, just off I75/I85. The attraction is adjacent to the World of Coca-Cola and across from Centennial Olympic Park.
Official Website: Georgia Aquarium
World of Coca-Cola
This museum celebrating everything Coca-Cola is open daily until 5pm and is only closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It is suggested a minimum of two hours for a typical visit. World of Coca-Cola is located at 121 Baker Street NW in central Atlanta.
Regular pricing starts at $16 for adults, not including taxes. Seniors 65 and older get a $2 discount while kids 3-12 pay $12.
The original World of Coca-Cola opened in 1991 and was relocated to its present location at Pemberton Place in May, 2007. Pemberton Place is named for the inventor of Coca-Cola, John Pemberton. There is a mix of artifacts from the past 125 years and from over 30 different countries.
Also included are some of the Coca-Cola sculptures that were on display during the 1996 Olympics. You will see lots about the history of the company, a look into the bottling process, and a ton of video at several theatres, including a 4-D theatre. In house is the vault that contains the secret formula for the famous soft drink. There is also a tasting area and, of course, a gift shop.
Official Website: World of Coca-Cola
Inside CNN Studio Tour
Among the things Atlanta is famous for is Ted Turner’s Cable News Network (CNN) which was founded in 1980 and is now, for better or worse, the world’s leading source in breaking news. The Studio Tour takes place at the global headquarters of CNN.
For the 55 minute guided walking tour, adults would normally pay $16 while seniors 65+ and students 13-18 get a dollar off and kids 4-12 pay $13. Tours happen every 20 minutes on a daily basis between 9am and 5pm, except on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Not included in the CityPASS package is the ‘Morning Express With Robin Meade Tour’. This is a specialty tour that happens just once a week, on Thursday’s at 8:30am. This unique tour comes with a price of $49 per person.
Official Website: Inside CNN Studio Tour
Zoo Atlanta (alternate to Atlanta History Center)
The zoo is open daily year round from 9:30am to 5:30pm with Saturdays and Sundays in the summer extended to 6:30pm. The zoo is closed for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Located at 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, the zoo is southeast of downtown, near Turner Field and close to the junction of I20 and I75/I85.
Located on a 40 acre plot of land since 1889, Zoo Atlanta is home to over 1,500 animals and 220 species. This is currently one of only for locations in the United States where you can see Giant Pandas. In Canada, the Toronto Zoo also houses these gentle giants. Other mammals include: Sloth, Sumatran Tiger, Orangutan, Giraffe, Gorilla, African Elephant and African Lion.
Regular pricing for this attraction is $22.99 for adults, $17.99 for children 3-11 and $18.99 for seniors 65+ and college students.
Official Website: Zoo Atlanta
Atlanta History Center (alternate to Zoo Atlanta)
Located on a 33 acre plot in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, due north of downtown, the Atlanta History Center has been a museum celebrating the area’s history since 1926. The address is 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW and the museum is home to two historic houses, the 1828 Swan House and the 1860s Smith Family Farm.
The History Center is open Monday to Saturday from 10am until 5:30pm. On Sundays, staff get rto sleep in with the museum opening a bit later at noon. The Regular entrance fee for adults is $16.50. Seniors 65+ and students 13+ pa $13.00 while children 4-12 pay $11.00.
Official Website: Atlanta History Center
Fernbank Museum of Natural History (alternate to High Museum of Art)
Northeast of downtown and south of the Atlanta History Center, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History is located at 767 Clifton Road NE and was established in 1992. The museum houses dinosaurs, fossils, a star gallery, the connected 65 acre Fernbank Forest and a Rose Garden.
Fernbank is open Monday to Saturday from 10am until 5pm. Like the Atlanta History Center, the Museum of Natural History is open a little later on Sundays with the doors opening at noon. General admission for adults is $18.00. Students and seniors 62+ pay $17.00 while children 3-12 pay $16.00.
Official Website: Fernbank Museum of Natural History
High Museum of Art (alternate to Fernbank Museum of Natural History)
Established in 1905, the High Museum of Art has a permanent collection of over 14,000 works of art. The museum houses new and different temporary exhibits all the time. Permanent works include African art, American art, European art, Folk art, Modern and Contemporary art and Photography.
Located just northeast of downtown, the High Museum of Art is found at 1280 Peachtree Street NE. Closed Mondays, the museum is open from 10am to 5pm from Tuesday to Saturday and from noon until 5pm on Sundays. Fridays have extended hours until 9pm and entrance fees are half price after 4pm on that day.
Regular general admission rates for the museum are $19.50 for adults. Seniors 65+ and students pay $16.50. Children 6-17 are discounted to $12.00.
Official Website: High Museum of Art
Atlanta, Georgia
This city with a metro population of 5.5 million is located in the north central of the state of Georgia, south of Chattanooga, Tennessee and east of Birmingham, Alabama. Easily found via the U.S. Interstate System, Atlanta is at the junction of I75, I85 and I20.
For those in Southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area, it’s worth the drive to Buffalo, New York before flying. Flights from Buffalo to Atlanta, via Southwest Airlines can be had for as low as $161, one way.
Hotel rooms are reasonable in for a city the size of Atlanta. Downtown rooms can be had for below $100 per night. According to Hotels dot com, even luxury can be had for a decent price. The Hilton Atlanta has rooms through the booking website for $122 on a Saturday night in May. For that same example evening, you can even have a room at the Westin Peachtree Plaza for $198. Just to confuse everyone, those prices are in Canadian Dollars. At the moment, if dealing in U.S. Dollars, take 20% off those prices.
For more information on hotels in Atlanta through Hotels dot com, enter the site here: Atlanta Hotels.
