Forum Discussion

miller2540's avatar
miller2540
Explorer
Feb 16, 2014

Georgia Aquarium

We are planning to take some of our grandchildren, ages 1-13, to the Georgia Aquarium. Every time we have gone through Atlanta there has been a ton of traffic. Therefore we have several questions: 1) Is there RV parking? 2) Are there kid friendly campgrounds in the area? 3) What would be the best time of the day to arrive? 4) What else is there to see in the area?

8 Replies

  • I can’t help with parking, but can tell you that i was in Atlanta on business a couple years ago and my niece and her family who live there took me one afternoon. The aquarium is amazing!
  • Well, of course you *can* drive your big ol' honkin' RV downtown. After all, 18-wheelers do it. Trash trucks do it. Firetrucks do it. I work in downtown Atlanta just a couple blocks off Peachtree Street, so I fully understand what the traffic is like every day. That said, you couldn't pay me enough to bring my RV into the downtown surface streets.

    I love Atlanta and we've lived here about 30 years. Come on down and see all that we have to offer! Georgia is an amazing place.
  • Yes, there is RV parking in Atlanta. There will be a lot of traffic depending on the time of day but that is to be expected. You'd have to gauge your own comfort level with that kind of driving to determine if it is a good idea. But RV-sized vehicles drive in Atlanta all the time in the form of buses, Prevost motorcoaches, school buses, semi-trucks, etc. Sometimes people here equate "I wouldn't do it" with "It can't be done."

    Parking is available at the Georgia World Congress Center (http://www.gwcc.com/) The most likely place they will let you park is the Marshaling Yard. That is where motorcoach and school bus parking for the Aquarium is directed to on the Aquarium's own website. I'd call the GCCC before hand and make sure that there are no events that would restrict your access to one of their lots or the yard. If you are comfortable with your driving abilities and study the route / roads in an out of there I wouldn't hesitate to do it if it suits you. You can take public transportation or walk from there.
  • Take a stroller for younger kids and ride MARTA from lot near Stone Mountain in to Aquarium, CNN, Centennial Park all in area of single stop. Grant Park (home of Zoo Atlanta and Cylorama are a different stop. Both on the east/west line from Stone Mountain into town.

    Absolutely agree with all who say do NOT drive RV in to the attractions. Almost all parking is pay lots, and will get you no closer than MARTA. I will not drive into downtown in my pickup if I can get out of it, as it is too large for narrow crowded streets.
  • Ivylog wrote:
    I would leave your Class C at Stone Mountain CG and use MARTA.


    I second this response. The kids would love Stone Mountain and MARTA is cheap and safe transportation to downtown. DO NOT TAKE YOUR RV DOWN THERE. If you don't want to take MARTA, rent a car.

    I think GA Aquarium is well worth the effort to get there. IMO, it's the best aquarium I've every seen and that includes our many trips to the Tennessee Aquarium. You need to go online and make your reservations, though. They take walk-ups, but people with reservations go in first. In the summertime, you can end up waiting a good long time waiting out in the heat
  • CnN tour is interesting I agree with stone mountain camping I have always stayed in the loop by the pool Light show is worth seeing as well We also enjoyed the Varsity restuarant when we were there


    World of Coca-Cola.
    visit www.woccAtlanta.com/.


    LEGOLAND.
    , visit http://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/atlanta/.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    I would leave your Class C at Stone Mountain CG and use MARTA.
  • miller2540 wrote:
    We are planning to take some of our grandchildren, ages 1-13, to the Georgia Aquarium. Every time we have gone through Atlanta there has been a ton of traffic. Therefore we have several questions: 1) Is there RV parking? NO! And please don't drive your RV into Atlanta as the roads are narrow with no parking. 2) Are World of Coca Cola, CNN Center, Centennial Park, Cyclorama, Grant park Zoo, Fernbank Science Center, Atlanta ferris wheelthere kid friendly campgrounds in the area? The closest kid friendly RV park will be in Stone Mountain Park about 30 miles east and a ton of traffic between.3) What would be the best time of the day to arrive? late morning4) What else is there to see in the area?


    You did not ask, but you will enjoy the Chattanooga Aquarium better. The on is Atlanta is so very crowded that is difficult to see anything. Each display is in a "room" where you have to fight to get up to the glass to see anything. In Chattanooga, you walk along hallways and see everything at your side. The crowd flows in Chattanooga and fights in Atlanta.