Where to stay in Atlanta

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the county seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County.

Sitting on the Piedmont Plateau in Northern Georgia, Atlanta is almost entirely in Fulton County, while a part of the city limits extends into DeKalb County. The city covers 132 sq mi (343 km²), but Metro Atlanta, which includes 28 counties, has an area of 8,376 sq mi (21,693.7 km²). The Chattahoochee River, which forms the northwestern boundary of Atlanta, is a major source of water throughout the metro area. Aside from the river, the topography of Atlanta is assorted with rolling hills, forests, lakes and ponds, and granite Stone Mountain to the east.

There are three separate skylines in Atlanta: Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead. The size of any one of these districts could rival the center of any other city in the South. However, Atlanta consists not only of skyscrapers and other high-rise constructions; each of the city’s urban neighborhoods offer unique atmospheres that are well adapted to living in the shadow of the city.

See the Districts articles for more listings. Most of Atlanta's major hotels are downtown between Five Points and Midtown in area with a name that is easy to remember: the Hotel District. The district is in the heart of Atlanta's economic and political center and is within walking distance to many of the major tourist attractions, including the Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the CNN Center. Rapidly growing Midtown, the center of Atlanta's business district as well as many high-rise luxury condos is nearby many museums and theaters. If you're looking for boutique hotels that are near a thriving urban setting, Midtown may be the area for you.

Getting in

Atlanta's principal airport is Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport (ATL) ("Hartsfield–Jackson," "ATL," or just "the airport" to locals), about 8 mi south of downtown. Hartsfield-Jackson has been the world's busiest airport since 1999, serving more than 107 million passengers in 2018. The airport has 192 domestic and international gates, and covers 4,700 acres (1,902 ha) of land with five parallel jet runways. ATL is a major hub for Delta Air Lines and a focus city for Southwest Airlines, and also serves as the location of Delta Air Lines corporate headquarters.

Getting around

Although most locals rely on their cars for day-to-day transportation, walking and public transit are well suited for visitors. The major downtown neighborhoods are quite walkable, and many attractions are easily accessible from public transit. If you'll have a car anyway, driving is often the fastest means of getting around. It also opens up destinations that are difficult or impossible to access by public transit. However, having a car in Downtown is often a hindrance where parking is scarce, and the lengthy rush hour is an exercise in frustration. Street names in Atlanta are very confusing.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.