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Atlanta, Georgia, is a city filled with activity, but the best place to start is with Centennial Olympic Park. This was the center of the 1996 Olympics and Atlanta did it right with this dedication to the 100th anniversary of the games.
The park is in the center of the city, home to top attractions, and accessible throughout. My niece, Moriah, is living in Atlanta and I decided to meet her to explore. This area was the perfect place for my first trip to the city in my wheelchair.
Must See Attractions
Centennial Olympic Park is open to the public free of charge. Prepare to walk around between attractions to see some of the special dedications, such as the Olympic rings, the 100th anniversary sculpture, and the Gateway of Dreams Monument.
The World of Coca Cola is like no museum you’ve ever been to. I had no trouble wheeling through the rooms filled with Coke’s history, specialty bottles, and visit with the Polar Bear. The Coca-Cola Theater had plenty of wheelchair seating and the staff made it easy to get in and out. It was a little tight in the crowded Taste It!, but it’s worth waiting for unlimited sampling of over 100 drinks under the brand.
Tip: for $6, you can get a large, reusable plastic cup that you can fill with your favorite drink and take it with you.
The Georgia Aquarium has many exhibits displaying various ocean life, including sharks and dolphins. I found the alligator alley, with an albino alligator, especially fascinating. The aquarium offers encounters with beluga whales, dolphins, harbor seals, penguins, sea lions, sharks, rays, and sea otters. They also have Sea Lion and Dolphin Presentations, both of which require additional tickets. Accessibility is good throughout.
The College Football Hall of Fame is an interactive playground, with dedications to NCAA team winners along the way. It’s a must visit for a college football lover, and very kid friendly. You’ll find lots for children of all ages to do. Everything there can be reached by wheelchair.
We did not go on the Skyview Ferris wheel. I wanted to visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, but it is closed for renovations until the fall. All of the attractions in Centennial Park can get busy so buy your tickets online. You can save money with grouping them on a CityPass.
Where to Stay
I stayed at The American Hotel, a Tapestry Hotel by Hilton. It was just a few blocks from Centennial Park. We never had to get into a car during the weekend there. My handicapped king room had enough space to get my powerchair around.
The bathroom was big, with handrails where I needed them and a fold down bench in the shower. I loved the retro red refrigerator for leftovers. They do have digital keys to get into the room, but mine did not work. The staff was extremely helpful during my stay.
If you can’t get into The American, there are a dozen other hotels in the area that advertise accessible rooms, including Omni Atlanta Centennial Park, Embassy Suites at Olympic Park, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, and the Glenn Hotel.
Places to Eat
I did some research before my trip and one place for dinner stood out among the rest: Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint. It was close to the hotel, and we went there on our first night. With a little help from the waitress, I was able to get my wheelchair to a comfortable table. Carlton & One Nation Express was playing the blues, and they were fantastic.
The cocktail selection here is large and creative. They also have an assortment of Moonshines. I had the cherry with pineapple juice, and it was perfect. Moriah had a Magnificent Lemon . We enjoyed an order of Sweet Georgia’s Hush Puppies with the drinks.
For dinner, I went with the Short Rib Pot Roast, which was tender and juicy. I had to try some of the Bourbon Glazed Sweet Potatoes, which were extremely sweet. Moriah decided on the Oxtails with Green Beans and Red Rice. It was her first time having oxtails and she was happy with her choice. We shared at Peach Cobbler for dessert.
We stopped at Peri Peri Grill for lunch between museums the next day. It’s remarkably close to Centennial Park, wheelchair-friendly, and offers healthy options.
Transportation Choices
Atlanta does not have Uber or Lyft WAV. The few taxis I could find with wheelchair lifts were booked. I was getting in at night, so I didn’t want to take a train by myself. It wasn’t a matter of safety but balancing my luggage and finding my way changing trains when I am tired. The MARTA system is an inexpensive way to get around all over Atlanta.
I was fortunate one of the cab companies I called who didn’t have a van referred me to Clyde Fleming. Clyde owns CFJR Safe Travels. He is a veteran who is expanding into a fleet of vans to help transport people with disabilities around Atlanta. He’s also establishing dedicated, accessible airport shuttles. Try him if you are going to be in the city.
Another Option…
The ATL Airport District offers another choice for those wishing to explore downtown. It’s a quite easy trip on MARTA to this area, just one stop from the airport. Since I had to be out of my room and didn’t have a flight home until 9:30 pm, we decided to spend the day there.
Our accessible room at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway was very large with a huge bathroom, complete with wheel in shower. The indoor pool has a lift, so we stayed there for a while. We didn’t use it, but they have the largest hotel fitness center I remember seeing, with state-of-the-art equipment.
Before my flight home, we had a memorable dinner at Hickory & Hazel Southern Table. It is located at the Renaissance Hotel, just across the street from the Marriott Gateway. The menu looked so good we had a tough time narrowing down what to order. The one thing we both agreed on was we had to try the Cast Iron Peach Cornbread. It was an ideal start, warm and filled with Georgia peaches.
It was still impossible to decide on a main course, so we picked two to share: Braised Lamb Shank with cheese grits and brussels sprouts, and Buttermilk Fried Chicken with collard greens and mac n cheese. It was too much to finish and my only regret was that I couldn’t take the leftovers on the plane, but Moriah was happy to take it all home.
I had a red velvet cake for dessert and Moriah ate the chocolate cake. Both were satisfying sweet teeth.
I know there’s a lot more to see in Atlanta, but I feel like I accomplished a lot on this weekend trip.
