In this “Travel SMART” series of articles we discuss real-world travel plans for exploring popular locations in a cost-effective manner. SMART evaluates the Staying options, Mobility, Attractions, ROI (Return-On-Investment) and Transport options for planning the trip. This article focuses on travel plan based from Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Transport options – Atlanta Airport (Code: ATL) is consistently ranked as World’s busiest airport for the past 2 decades. The Airport has an International terminal that connects to the 2 adjacent Domestic Terminals via shuttle bus. There is a free airpot loop train that connects International Terminal, Airport Hotels, Parking Garage and the Domestic Terminals. The easiest way to reach downtown is via the MARTA train which has connecting bus services to nearby cities and suburbs around metro Atlanta. Driving in downtown can be time consuming due to heavy congestion.
Staying options – Depending on your duration of stay and locations to visit, Atlanta offers a variety of staying options. Our recommendation below is a bit biased toward Hilton hotel chains due to our Hilton Honors Membership benefits. However, any comparable hotel search via Expedia or Google can yield cost effective results that fit your needs. We found our stay at the following hotels cost-effective and comfortable. They all offer free breakfast and point benefits if you use the Free Hilton Honors App to check-in.
- Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta Airport North – This hotel is close to Atlanta Airport. The free airport shuttle monorail connects ATL Airport Terminals and parking garages to this hotel.
- The Starling Atlanta Midtown, Curio Collection by Hilton – This 4-star hotel has a great view of the Atlanta Midtown, although a bit on the expensive side. It is a good option to stay within walking distance of attractions like Atlanta Botanical Garden.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta Alpharetta – This 4-star hotel in the North-Fulton suburbs is just miles from the GA-19 highway off Exit-9 and close to many restaurants and upscale shopping malls like The Avalon. It also has a popular breakfast buffet.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Alpharetta Halcyon – A little further up north by Exit 12 off of Highway GA-19, this Embassy Suites is conveniently located within a shopping village complex. This could be an ideal stay option if you plan to visit the North Georgia Mountains.
Mobility – Atlanta is organized into 5 major counties – Gwinnett (NorthEast), Cobb (Northwest), Clayton (SouthWest), Dekalb (Central-East) and Fulton (North-South). The city of Atlanta is in Fulton county and Fulton county connects the Airport in the south (Clayton) through downtown to the northern suburbs (North Fulton) via MARTA train and bus services. The major interstates are I-85 (Southwest to Northeast), I-75 (Southwest to Northeast) and I-20 (East-West) all connected by the I-285 Perimeter highway.
Attractions – Key attractions in Atlanta are spread mostly around downtown and midtown (Along the I-285 Perimeter). Some key attractions are listed below.
- Historic Atlanta Downtown – Downtown Atlanta is easily accessible via public transportation (MARTA train or bus) or driving and parking at a garage. Key attractions here include the historic Underground Atlanta, World of Coca-Cola and The CTR (formerly CNN Center) with its adjacent Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- Georgia Aquarium – One of World’s largest freshwater Aquarium.
- Atlanta Botanical Garden & Festival of Lights – This beautiful garden next to Piedmont Park hosts popular seasonal concerts and events like the ‘Festival Of Lights’ during Christmas and New Year (see pictures below).
- High Museum of Art – This Art museum in downtown Atlanta has an impressive collection of African American arts, Photography as well as famous paintings from Impressionist and Modern era.
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park – This historic national park contains museum and artifacts from the American Civil War and the key Battle of Atlanta that shaped the Union victory over the confederates.
- Nearby Locations out of Atlanta – Within an hour or two drive from Atlanta you can reach additional attractions like the Atlanta Motor Speedway (NASCAR track), Talullah Falls and Alpine town of Helen in the North Georgia mountains as well as the scenic Callaway Gardens down south in Pine Mountain, Georgia.
ROI (Return On Investment) – Some important factors when evaluating an Atlanta visit are the mobility and staying options. We found the following steps in our travel plan for using ATL as a base yielded a high ROI!
- Save on Overall transport cost by using a combination of public transport (train/bus) if you plan to stay and visit attractions mostly in downtown or midtown area.
- Rent a car from the ATL airport if planning to explore the northern suburbs or take road trips outside the city.
- Use a credit card online for advance booking on popular attractions. You can get the Atlanta City Pass to save on tickets for multiple attractions.
- Save on meals by choosing a hotel with free breakfast options. For example, Hilton Hotel chains have free breakfast for Hilton Honors members (free program with a downloadable app). Select your hotel location according to the areas you plan to visit, i.e. downtown, midtown or other faraway locations.
Watch the video below to enjoy one of Atlanta’s famous winter pastime – the Festival of Lights show at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.