Best Free Things To Do in Atlanta, Georgia
Visiting Atlanta doesn’t have to break the bank. Check out the very best free things to do in Atlanta – from street art to parks to historical sites.
Exploring the city can be expensive when you factor in parking, entrance fees, and meals. But guess what? We can eliminate the entrance fees, because some of my favorite things to do in Atlanta happen to be free.
Free parking is even available at many of these destinations. As for meals – well, you have to eat. But consider bringing a picnic from home; I have noted a few great picnic places in the post.
Georgia Capitol Museum
If you have ever been in downtown Atlanta, you have probably seen the shining golden dome of the Georgia Capitol. But did you know that you can tour the building and the grounds for free?
The Capitol is open to tourists on weekdays between 8 and 5. Just note that because this is a government building, you will need to go through security and a government-issued photo ID is required for all visitors over 18.
Pick up a brochure just past security and then head up to the fourth floor to start your tour. You can peek at the House and Senate galleries and then enjoy the museum exhibits. I loved the displays, which highlight Georgia’s diverse ecosystems, agriculture, and history. And, of course, you can learn all about the Capitol building itself and the recent political and social history of Atlanta.
On the other floors of the Capitol are busts and paintings of famous Georgians – ranging from Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Georgia signers of the US Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Plus, on the second floor, you can get a glimpse of the Governor’s office.
QUICK TIPS: I would budget about an hour to 90 minutes for your stay. Unfortunately you won’t be able to find free parking in this very congested area, but there are some parking decks nearby. We parked in a deck on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and paid $12 for the day.
Visit the Georgia Capitol Museum website
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
Martin Luther King Jr. needs no introduction. And Atlanta can proudly claim him as one of her own! The famous civil rights activist was born on Auburn Avenue in the Old Fourth Ward in 1929.
Highlights of the national historic site include the King Birth Home, the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (where King and his father both preached), and the King Center (which contains the final resting place of King and his wife). Due to COVID-19, visitors cannot enter any of the buildings and tours of the birth home have been suspended. But you can still walk around the grounds!
QUICK TIPS: Free parking is available onsite. Check out these helpful itineraries to plan your visit in advance.
Visit the MLK Jr. National Historic Park website
Cabbagetown Street Art
Some of Atlanta’s most gorgeous street art is concentrated within a single half-mile stretch in the Cabbagetown neighborhood. Admiring the Forward Warrior murals on Wylie Street is one of my very favorite free things to do in Atlanta. You will be in awe of the vibrancy and creativity of the many artists!
In addition to the murals, don’t miss the Krog Street Tunnel and the Tiny Door. And if you brought lunch with you, then walk a few minutes to Cabbagetown Park and have a picnic. The small park has lovely shaded areas to eat, as well as a fun playground that children will love.
QUICK TIPS: Free parking is available on nearby streets. For details on where to park and how to best tour the art, read my full post on Cabbagetown street art.
Oakland Cemetery
Oakland Cemetery was founded in 1850, and as such it bears witness to over 150 years of Atlanta history. It’s more than just a cemetery – it’s an important historical site. Famous “residents” include Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind, and Maynard Jackson, the first African American mayor of Atlanta.
The cemetery is divided into various “character areas” or sections. For instance, in the Original Six Acres you can find the very earliest graves. And Potter’s Field contains over 7,500 unmarked graves, the resting places of the poorest of the poor.
The South’s troubled history is also very much on display at Oakland Cemetery. The tallest monument in the cemetery is the obelisk to Confederate Dead, which dominates the four-acre Confederate Burial Grounds.
And the existence of designated African American Burial Grounds testifies to the racism rampant in the US. Up until the 1960s, segregation was enforced in Atlanta even in cemeteries.
But despite the challenges they faced, many of the African American residents of Oakland rose up and changed the world for the better. Make sure you listen to the free “African American Voices” audio tour as you walk through the African American Burial Grounds.
My favorite part is the story of Carrie Steele Logan, who started taking orphans home with her and eventually founded the first African American orphanage in the US.
QUICK TIPS: The cemetery is open from dawn to dusk every day. There is free parking just outside the main entrance, but you may want to drive your car into the cemetery and hop in and out (especially if it is a hot day). Download the free map of Oakland Cemetery and go explore!
Visit the Oakland Cemetery website
Centennial Olympic Park
Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 1996, one hundred years after the modern Olympic Games began in Athens. Centennial Olympic Park was built for the occasion and has since become an integral part of Atlanta.
You can take a photo with the Olympic rings, admire the fountains and water gardens, and stroll under the Hermes Towers. There are many landmarks and monuments, including a mosaic in honor of the victims of the 1996 Olympic Park bombing. A free hour-long audio tour is available if you want to learn more about the history and features of the park.
Note: Centennial Olympic Park is usually open every day, but the pandemic has drastically changed the hours. As of July 2021, the park is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and is only partially accessible on other days.
QUICK TIPS: Centennial Olympic Park is within easy walking distance of major attractions such as the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. As for parking, there are a few parking lots in the vicinity. If you get there before 9 am, you can get the early bird special – $6 for the day.
Visit the Centennial Olympic Park website
Fernbank Science Center
Do you like science-themed exhibits and seeing live animals? How about star-gazing? If any of these activities sounds up your alley, then you should head over to Fernbank Science Center.
The exhibit hall is open on weekdays and contains two levels. On the bottom level you can explore space exhibits (from the Apollo 6 capsule to a collection of meteorites). Then head upstairs for live animals and a live beehive!
Eoghanacht, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
On Thursday and Friday nights from 9:00 to 10:00 pm, the science center’s observatory hosts public viewings of the night sky. I remember going with my dad as a child, and it was lots of fun! You can peer into a high-power telescope and see the stars and planets in a new way.
QUICK FACTS: Free parking is available onsite. Note that Fernbank Science Center should not be confused with the nearby Fernbank Museum of Natural History. They are two totally different things.
Visit the Fernbank Science Center website
Piedmont Park
Do you like exploring city parks? Then don’t miss the 189-acre Piedmont Park! This urban green space has a lot to offer: walking and running paths, playgrounds, a swimming pool, a splash pad, and more.
At the center of Piedmont Park is Lake Clara Meer, and visitors can take a stroll on a scenic 2.4-mile route around the water. It’s mostly in the shade, which is a relief during the summer heat. On the way around the lake you can step out onto the Clara Meer Gazebo, and make sure you stop to snap photos at the Skyline Picture Point.
Adults and kids will enjoy taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the city to relax in nature. And there are plenty of ideal places for a picnic!
QUICK TIPS: If you wish to swim in the pool, then come between 3:00 and 5:00 pm on weekdays for free swim. Otherwise you must pay a one-time pool access fee of $5 per person.
Free street parking is available around Piedmont Park (try 10th Street to begin with). But if parallel parking scares you, you can also pay a few dollars to leave your car in the SAGE Parking Facility (shared with the Atlanta Botanical Garden).
Visit the Piedmont Park website
David J. Sencer CDC Museum
Atlanta is home to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – a federal agency which has received a lot of attention in the last year and a half. I haven’t actually been to the CDC Museum, and I wasn’t able to go this summer because it is closed due to COVID-19. But I am including it in this post because it’s at the top of my list of free things to do in Atlanta once the pandemic is over.
The CDC Museum features exhibits on the history of the CDC and on public health in general. I can’t wait to visit when it reopens!
QUICK TIPS: The CDC Museum is open on weekdays, and free parking is available onsite. Because this is a government agency, you will need to go through security and a government-issued photo ID is required for all visitors over 18.
Go explore these free things to do in Atlanta!
And now it’s time for you to plan your trip to Atlanta. Pick your favorite destinations and head into the city! You don’t want to miss any of these free things to do in Atlanta.
Have you been to any of these places? Would you add anything to this list?
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Been to a few of these since I grew up in Atlanta but I moved away many years ago. Good writeup!
I’m glad you liked the post, Jan!
This looks like such a great place to visit. Love the look of Piedmont Park!
Yes, Piedmont Park has some awesome views!
So many cool spots to visit!
Yes, Atlanta has so much to offer 🙂