When Mother Nature exudes an ire that’s too hot to handle, we can still enjoy a summer day in this town. Unwind in the air-conditioned environment of our favorite indoor places—at least for a few hours.
World of Coca-Cola
Summer in Hotlanta leaves even the most hydrated among us feeling parched, but lucky for us the World of Coca-Cola’s Tasting Lounge is a thirsty man’s Shangri-La.
Grab a cup and sample more than 100 international and domestic beverages made by The Coca‑Cola Company, ranging from the iconic original to hard-to-find and limited release drinks like the spicy soft drink Thums Up from India and the raspberry-cream flavored Sparletta Sparberry only available in Southern Africa.
The attraction also features a 4D movie theater, memorable artifacts and advertisements and a photo-op with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear.
Skyview Ferris Wheel
Head downtown for a ride on the 150-foot Skyview Ferris Wheel. Climate controlled gondolas protect passengers from the elements, whether it's streams of sunshine or torrents of rain. As you might imagine from the wheel’s sheer stature, sight lines of Centennial Park and beyond are utterly amazing. Go VIP for a Ferrari-style seat.
Fernbank Science Center’s Planetarium
You and 499 of your closest friends can zoom through the heavens aboard the star-lit visions of the Zeiss Mark V projector at Fernbank Science Center’s Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium.
A new, full-dome digital projection system—we’re talking a 70-foot diameter—means that the Earth, the moon and sun, our solar system and fascinating topics like dark matter come alive in your mind’s eye. Plus, it’s much easier on the wallet than a field trip to the local cineplex for a showing of “Despicable Me 3.”
High Museum of Art
Twenty-first century architecture buffs can check off another Renzo Piano-designed art museum on the ol' bucket list with a visit the incredible High Museum of Art—with a suggestion of trekking to the new Whitney Museum in NYC as well as the Boston twofer Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Harvard Art Museums.
What you see inside counts, too, and the ATL’s High doesn’t disappoint.
Visitors slurp up the tasty morsels of Campbell’s Soup courtesy of a modern art master in “Andy Warhol: Prints From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation,” until Sept. 3, 2017.
And for of-the-moment fare, Spanish artist Jaime Hayon is the subject of two commissions: “Technicolor,” (Oct. 15, 2017) a vibrant installation that pairs hanging tapestries and glazed ceramic pieces, and “Merry Go Zoo,” (Nov. 26, 2017) a playful, kinetic sculpture garden.
SweetWater Brewing Company Taproom
Visit the two guys behind this Midtown craft brewery and cool down with a frosty pint—or four—poured from among the complete lineup of signature, seasonal and pilot beers. If you’re feeling restless, try a tour of the facility.
Monument Garden
While on a tour of SunTrust Park or at an Atlanta Braves game, stop by the miniature Braves hall of fame and check out team memorabilia, such as the Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron statue in the concourse behind home plate.