Every few weeks, I always have a sudden urge to book a trip to an unfamiliar destination in order to explore a new city and experience a mini adventure. As Ryan and I were busy planning Milena's first birthday party, we kept talking about taking her on a trip to celebrate the remarkable journey we've had the past 12 months and satisfy our incessant travel bug. Our research began and we ended up at Atlanta, a city known for their southern hospitality and their incredible aquarium.
Our daughter loves animals. Not in a "oh, every kid loves dogs" way but where she literally has a mini heart attack if there is any kind of living creature in her vicinity. So, the world's second largest aquarium seemed fitting to celebrate her birthday.
I used Hopper to track flights from Dallas to Atlanta and once the tickets dropped in price, we quickly booked our trip our plans quickly came together.
Accommodations
We planned on a two night trip and stayed at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis which is an easy walk from all the sights we wanted to see. The hotel is newly updated and has a beautiful atrium which might give you serious vertigo on the elevator.
Their staff was very accommodating and we were quickly upgraded to a suite once we checked in which was a nice surprise! It definitely started our trip off on the right foot and we were eager to start our day of sight seeing.
Georgia Aquarium
Atlanta's number one tourist attraction and the highlight of our trip was by far the Georgia Aquarium. With six galleries and 70 habitats, you and your family will have plenty to see during your visit.
We opted to purchase the early bird ticket which was a few dollars cheaper and fit Milena's nap schedule better than a later time. The aquarium is a bit pricey so saving just a few bucks on the tickets was well worth it.
Like many other visitors, the whale sharks were the most incredible sight to see. Since we arrived so early, we had the large tank practically to ourselves and it was humbling to see the large creatures glide through the water.
We enjoyed their sea lion show and watching Milena take in all the sights and sounds of the space. She loved every minute of it and made our trip to Atlanta so worth it.
World of Coco-Cola
Located next to the aquarium, World of Coco-Cola is a fun museum that celebrates the rich history of America's favorite soda. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of Coco-Cola like our family, its still an interesting museum with a lot to see and interact with. We had big fun with the tasting room and enjoyed learning a bit more about this iconic brand.
As we were finishing up the tour, the polar bear mascot arrived and it was game over for Milena. She was so excited and couldn't stop calling out to him trying to get him to come over to her. We waited patiently for our turn to take a picture with him and luckily no tears but all smiles. She absolutely loved him. It made Ryan's and my day for sure.
Centennial Olympic Park
After a full day of being inside museums, we opted to end our sight seeing with some fresh air and headed over to the Centennial Olympic Park. Its right across from the aquarium and was built during the 1996 Olympic games. We walked around and enjoyed the quiet park which we had practically to ourselves.
Atlanta was refreshing in my eyes. It is a large metropolis but I feel the attitude of a big city hasn't quite reached Atlanta yet. Southern hospitality rings true throughout the city and left a smile on our faces throughout our stay.
Two days is a perfect amount of time to enjoy the city's sights and I am eager to return to Georgia and explore it a bit more.SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave