The majority of Atlanta’s must-see attractions are entirely accessible and wheelchair friendly. First time visitors to Atlanta should purchase the City Pass, which provides admission to five of the city’s most popular paid attractions at a discount of more than 40%. Atlanta is a large city and there is much more to see beyond the premium attractions included in the pass. After visiting the CityPass attractions, visitors should also see many of the sites we have reviewed below. Attractions included in the pass are marked with a link to purchase it.
Centennial Olympic Park
Built for the 1996 Olympic Games, Centennial Olympic Park is located in the heart of downtown Atlanta. The beautifully manicured park sits on 21 acres of land. The park is open daily to the public from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and attracts millions of visitors each year. It is frequently used as a venue for concerts and public gatherings. It is also the site of the city’s Independence Day fireworks celebration. Artwork and sculptures are spread throughout the park. Visitors, joggers and concert-goers are drawn to the Fountain of Rings, an interactive, computer-controlled fountain with jets that are synchronized to music. Many of the city’s popular attractions are located within walking distance of the park, including the Skyview Ferris Wheel, the World of Coca-Cola Museum, Georgia Aquarium and the CNN Center. The park’s paths are entirely wheelchair accessible. ADA-compliant public restrooms are located in the Visitor Center, located on Andrew Young International Blvd., and in the North Pavilion at the northern end of the park.
Skyview Ferris Wheel
The Skyview Atlanta ferris wheel was added to the city’s landscape in 2013 and is located next to Centennial Olympic Park. Visitors who take flight around the wheel will see panoramic views of the skyline from one of 42 air-conditioned gondolas. The peak of the wheel’s rotation reaches nearly 20 stories into the sky. The gondolas are wheelchair accessible and can accommodate 2 to 6 passengers. The cost to ride is $13.50 for adults and $12.15 for seniors aged 65+. Rides include four full rotations which last anywhere from 9 to 15 minutes. More information on the wheel and tickets/admission can be found at www.skyviewatlanta.com.
Inside CNN Studio Tour (CityPass)
The world headquarters of cable news giant CNN and its sister network HLN are located in downtown Atlanta. The Inside CNN Studio Tour is a guided 50-minute walking (or rolling!) tour/experience. The tour allows visitors to watch broadcast news live and in the making. This will offer answers to questions and curiosities about how the news is made and broadcast all round the world. The tour weaves through the news bureau, passing cubicles with researchers and even offering a glimpse of the news studios themselves. The tour is wheelchair accessible, but only at the specific times of 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. Standard tours at other times make use of stairs and escalators rather than the elevators. More information on reserving a spot on an accessible tour is available on the CNN Studio Tour website. Admission is available to adults for $16.00 and to seniors (age 65+) for $15.00. Discounted admission is available through the Atlanta CityPass. The public areas of the CNN Center, including its food court, are open to all free of charge.
Nearest subway station: Blue/Green lines at Dome-GWCC-Philips Arena-CNN Center
Georgia Aquarium (CityPass)
The Georgia Aquarium is located next to the World of Coca-Cola and nearby Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. From its opening in 2005 until 202, the Georgia Aquarium held the designation of being the largest in the world. Since it was passed in size by Singapore’s Marine Life Park, the aquarium has had to settle for “largest in the Western Hemisphere.” Titles and records aside, it is truly an enormous facility. More than 100,000 animals representing 500 species are housed inside tanks with a combined volume of more than 10 million gallons. The aquarium and its exhibits are fully wheelchair accessible and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Admission is available to adults for $38.95 and to seniors (age 65+) for $34.95. Discounted admission is available with the Atlanta CityPass. More information on the aquarium, its resident animals, and featured exhibits is available online at www.georgiaaquarium.org.
Nearest subway station: Blue/Green lines at Dome-GWCC-Philips Arena-CNN Center
World of Coca-Cola (CityPass)
The World of Coca-Cola is a museum showcasing the history and development of the world’s most popular soft drink. The museum first opened in 1990, but was moved to its current located across from Centennial Olympic Park in 2007. New and updated exhibits take visitors through the Coca-Cola company’s history: starting with 10 advertising jingles from the last 60 years and other marketing materials dating as far back as 1896. Visitors receive an overview of the production process and walk through a bottling line that produces commemorative bottles of the soft drink. The museum experience concludes in the “Taste It!” exhibit, where 64 soda pop flavors available for sampling. The World of Coca-Cola is fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is accessible to all wheelchair users. More information on accessible accommodations can be found at www.worldofcoca-cola.com. Admission is available to adults for $16.00 and to seniors (age 65+) for $14.00. Discounted admission is available through the Atlanta CityPass.
Nearest subway station: Blue/Green lines at Dome-GWCC-Philips Arena-CNN Center
The Fox Theatre
First opened in 1929, the Fox Theatre is located on the historic Peachtree Street in the center of Atlanta. The theatre seats 4,678 and hosts a wide range of performing arts, including ballet, Broadway shows, music concerts and movie films. The theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Two years later, in 1976, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. The theatre attracts approximately 750,000 patrons each year. Wheelchair accessible seating is available on the Orchestra Level in the last row, row 30. More information on the theatre’s history and schedule of performances can be found at www.foxtheatre.org.
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Opened in October 1984, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum is the Presidential Library for the United States’ 39th President. The library houses documents and other papers relating to Carter’s administration and family life. Included in the collection are 27 million pages of documents, 500,000 photographs, films and audiotapes. President Carter’s Nobel Peace Prize is also on display. The library takes up just under 70,000 square feet of space. The grounds also house Carter’s private office and the headquarters of the Carter Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to human rights advocacy. The library and museum is completely wheelchair accessible. Admission to the museum is available to adults for $8.00 and to seniors (age 60+) for $6.00. Additional information on the library and museum can be found at www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov.
Zoo Atlanta (CityPass)
Opened in 1889, the Atlanta Zoo, or Zoo Atlanta, is home to more than 1,500 animals representing 220 species. It is only one of four zoos in the United States with Giant Pandas. These two panda bears, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, were brought to the zoo in 1999. The zoo is also highly regarded for its gorilla population. Since 1988, 21 gorillas have been born at Zoo Atlanta and live within the Ford African Rain Forest exhibit. Another popular attraction is The Zoo Train, a replica of an original 1883 locomotive. This ride runs throughout the zoo and is wheelchair accessible, with a ramp to the front passenger car, behind the train’s conductor and the engine. The rest of the park is wheelchair friendly, with ramps and sidewalks throughout. Admission is $22.99 for adults and $18.99 for seniors (age 65+) and members of the military. More information on the zoo can be found at www.zooatlanta.org.
Atlanta History Center (CityPass)
Experience Southern hospitality at one of the South’s most engaging history centers; featuring award-winning exhibitions, guided tours of the 1860s Smith Family Farm and 1928 Swan House, 22 acres of beautiful historic gardens and trails, shopping, dining, and more. Also, a guided experience at Margaret Mitchell House located at the Midtown campus.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History (CityPass)
Fern bank Museum: From the largest dinosaurs ever discovered, to the biggest screen in Atlanta, experience a world of adventure. Immersive, hands-on exhibitions make science, culture and natural history come alive in a big way.
High Museum of Art (CityPass)
Experience the largest art museum in the Southeast! The High Museum showcases an inspiring permanent collection that rotates over 13,000 works as well as dynamic special exhibitions from around the world. Our light-filled galleries have something for everyone to enjoy.
