Atlanta Walking Tour: A Guide to Centennial Olympic Park and Pemberton Place

Relive the glory days of Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park on a walking tour covering the history of the world-famous sporting event.

Starting in front of the park’s Olympic Rings sculpture, you’ll hear about the significance behind these iconic colorful rings. You’ll then waltz through the park, passing five small plazas known as quilts, and find out how the city came to host the 1996 Summer games. At the Quilt of Origins, I’ll show you the artwork that protected park-goers from a bomb.

From the quilts, you’ll stroll to Pemberton Place, tourist ground zero. There, you'll get insight into how Atlanta became the genesis of the Civil Rights Movement and learn about the bizarre beginnings of the most famous soft drink in the world. Within a 3-minute walk, I’ll show you the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which is the top-ranked Atlanta attraction on Tripadvisor.

Next, you'll take in some of downtown Atlanta’s iconic sites, from Skyview Atlanta (our signature Ferris Wheel) and the marquee of The Tabernacle, a popular concert hall, to the impressive Westin Peachtree Plaza which is just a stone’s throw from where the tour wraps up. There, you’ll hear about Ted Turner, the founder of Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, and CNN, and his lasting impact on the city.

By the end of this tour, you'll be able to answer such burning questions as:

• Why were the Atlanta Olympics such a success?
• Who was Richard Jewell and what role did he play in the Centennial Park bombing?
• What makes the Georgia Aquarium the top rated aquarium in the country?
• Did Coca-Cola really contain traces of...ehem...illegal drugs?
• How did Atlanta native Martin Luther King Jr., spur an entire movement that changed the world?

Come and experience the park and its surrounds for yourself, and discover why it’s the top of every traveler’s Atlanta bucket list!

Please note: Centennial Park closes at 7pm nightly, so it's preferable to start the tour no later than 5pm to prevent being locked in!