Your Atlanta CME conference.

Atlanta after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM Atlanta time. For an easy afternoon, choose one outing near your study setting: a walk on the Atlanta BeltLine, a stop at Ponce City Market, or a visit to Piedmont Park. Leave time for getting there and for Atlanta’s weather, since summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms.

Travel, accommodation and admission are arranged separately. Your conference follows your own schedule on your phone or laptop; the city is the setting you chose for it.

Trails and parks, or gardens and galleries?

The Atlanta BeltLine describes itself as a 22-mile loop of trails, parks and future transit that connects 45 neighborhoods. Along the route you will find local shops, restaurants and breweries, and the BeltLine lists Art on the Atlanta BeltLine, a public art exhibition. Guided bike tours are offered, and fitness classes run for all ages and skill levels. The BeltLine’s site names the Westside, Southwest and Northeast trails and says the network covers over 16 miles of urban trails, so decide which section you want before you set out.

Ponce City Market is a mixed-use destination for shopping and dining, and its own site says it is ten steps from the BeltLine. It also has a rooftop play space. Choose it if you want a meal and a walk in the same stop.

Piedmont Park is run by a conservancy in partnership with the City of Atlanta. It has an Active Oval, a pool, dog parks and a Green Market, so it suits a longer, slower afternoon outdoors. It also has playgrounds and a splash pad.

For something more cultivated, the Atlanta Botanical Garden is at 1345 Piedmont Avenue and lists its Fuqua Orchid Center among its indoor gardens. Its early November hours run Tuesday through Sunday, so check the current schedule against your 2:00 PM finish. The Atlanta History Center is in Buckhead and describes 33 acres on one ticket, with museum exhibitions, the Swan House, Smith Farm and Goizueta Gardens. Its exhibitions include Gatheround: Stories of Atlanta and Cyclorama: The Big Picture.

Centennial Olympic Park and downtown

Centennial Olympic Park is a downtown park, transformed from a neglected area into a gathering space for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Its website lists the Fountain of Rings, the Southern Company Amphitheater, Unity Plaza, the Quilt of Nations, Paralympic Plaza, the Water Gardens and the Magnolia Tribute Garden. The park anchors an entertainment district, and Georgia Aquarium is also downtown, so the two fit together in one afternoon.

Art and history along Peachtree

The High Museum of Art is at 1280 Peachtree Street NE. It is closed on Mondays, so check its hours against your 2:00 PM finish. The last ticket each day is issued an hour before closing, so a 2:00 PM finish still leaves time for a visit.

Oakland Cemetery describes itself as Atlanta’s oldest public burial ground. Its website lists guided walking tours, including a 75-minute tour and one on African American history in Atlanta from the Civil War through the Civil Rights era, with dates in early December 2026. Look at its tour calendar for the dates that fit your trip.

Downtown and civil rights history

Georgia Aquarium is at 225 Baker Street Northwest in downtown Atlanta. It says it is open 365 days a year, with daily entry ending half an hour before closing. Some presentations need same-day reservations, so look at the aquarium’s site before you go. It is a nonprofit focused on ocean and aquatic animal awareness and conservation.

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park lists a visitor center, the birth home of Dr. King, Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Fire Station No. 6 and the tomb of Dr. and Mrs. King. The visitor center features an exhibit called Courage To Lead. The Park Service lists ranger-led activities. Check the park’s current schedule before you plan the afternoon.

When to visit Atlanta

Atlanta’s official tourism site describes spring, March through May, as a pleasant and popular season, with highs in the 60s and 70s°F, though it also brings tree pollen and storms. Fall, from September through November, is pleasant and less humid, with colorful foliage, and October is often comfortable.

Summer, June through August, is hot and humid with highs in the mid-80s to low 90s°F and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winter is short and relatively mild, with highs in the mid-40s to mid-50s°F and occasional freezes and ice.

Getting to Atlanta and your study setting

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the arrival point shown in this guide. Atlanta’s tourism site says it is about 8 to 10 miles south of downtown, and that MARTA’s Airport Station, at the southern end of the Red and Gold lines, has direct trains to downtown without changing. The International Terminal is connected to the Domestic Terminal by a shuttle.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.