Atlanta runs north from Downtown’s convention and museum blocks, through Midtown’s parks and theatres, to Buckhead’s shopping streets. Book in the neighborhood you will actually be in each day. A cross-town drive eats into a short visit.
Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights sit together Downtown. Hotels around Peachtree Center are close to the Georgia World Congress Center and MARTA. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is west of the main hotel blocks. If you are in town for a game, check the walk or the nearest rail stop before you book.
Midtown runs north along Peachtree Street, with the High Museum of Art, Fox Theatre and Piedmont Park among its main stops. MARTA’s North Avenue, Midtown and Arts Center stations each cover a different stretch of the district. Stay close to one of them and the airport and Downtown are a straight train ride away.
East of Downtown, Sweet Auburn and Old Fourth Ward hold the civil rights sites and the BeltLine Eastside Trail, with Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market along the way. Inman Park and Little Five Points have restaurants and independent shops farther east. The BeltLine is a good walk. Many eastside hotels are not near a MARTA rail station, though, so expect to pay for rides if you cross the city often.
Buckhead is well north of Downtown. It has the Atlanta History Center and the shops around Buckhead Village and Lenox Square. The Buckhead and Lenox MARTA stations help, but only if your hotel is a short walk from one. Stay here for the northside, and allow extra time to reach the Downtown sights.
MARTA’s Red and Gold lines run from Hartsfield–Jackson airport into central Atlanta. Walking is pleasant in spring and fall. Midsummer is hot and sticky. If your plans stay in the center, a hotel by a rail station lets you skip the rental car. If they reach into the suburbs, you will want a car, so check what the hotel charges to park.