How to Spend 4 Hours in Atlanta: Olympic Park and World of Coca-Cola
Updated October 3, 2026
Four hours covers the heart of downtown's visitor district. Walk through the park built for the 1996 Summer Games, taste Coca-Cola drinks from around the world in the company's museum, then ride the observation wheel above the park.
Before 1996, the blocks west of Peachtree Center were a neglected part of downtown. The Olympics changed that, and Centennial Olympic Park became the gathering place of the Games, with a fountain shaped like the Olympic rings. Coca-Cola, first poured at a downtown Atlanta soda fountain in 1886, put its museum on the north side of the park. The big observation wheel on the park's edge gives a fine overview of downtown. All three sit within a few blocks of each other.
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The 4 hour plan, stop by stop
Stops and travel: 2 hr 25 min to 3 hr of 4 hours
Private donations turned a neglected downtown district into the main gathering space of the 1996 Summer Olympics, and the park remains Atlanta's Olympic legacy. Its Fountain of Rings, which the park calls the most photographed spot of those Games, now runs water shows set to music. Engraved commemorative bricks pave the walkways, and the Quilt of Nations and Paralympic Plaza mark the event's history.
Tip: Use the brick locator on the park's website to find a commemorative brick by the buyer's name or inscription. The site also hosts an audio tour to play on your phone as you walk past the landmarks.
- Time here
- 20 to 30 min
- Website
- centennialpark.com
NaviTime to head out from Centennial Olympic Park for World of Coca-Cola. It's a 4 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
Coca-Cola's museum on Pemberton Place tells the brand's story from its first glass in Atlanta to its global reach. Highlights include the Vault of the Secret Formula, a meeting with the Coca-Cola polar bear and Taste It!, where guests can sample more than 100 drinks from the company's lineup around the world. General admission tickets are good at any time on the date you choose, and the museum opens daily apart from a few holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Tip: Save Taste It! for the end of your visit. Each drink there represents a different part of the world, so pour small samples and try flavors you would never find at home.
- Time here
- 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 50 min
- Website
- worldofcoca-cola.com
NaviTime to head out from World of Coca-Cola for SkyView Atlanta. It's an 11 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
This observation wheel rises more than 200 feet over the edge of Centennial Olympic Park, with private, climate controlled gondolas for each group. Each ride makes several full rotations, with wide views over Centennial Olympic Park and the downtown skyline. VIP gondolas have glass floors and leather style seats. It opens daily from morning until late evening, and two gondolas are wheelchair accessible.
Tip: Ride late in the day if you can. The wheel stays open well into the evening, and the downtown towers light up as the sun drops.
- Time here
- 20 to 25 min
- Website
- skyviewatlanta.com
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