City: Atlanta, GA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (404) 222-7275

Description: Centennial Olympic Park was the epicenter of fun during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games. The merriment and celebrations were marred by a fatal bombing that briefing closed the park, but visitors returned in droves to honor the dead and in defiance of the event. Although the association with that tragic event is sure to be on visitors’ minds as they stroll past the victims’ memorial, the park remains a delightful open space in the heart of Downtown. The hot summer days still draw crowds who come to frolic in the Fountain of Rings that shoots streams of water into the air from ground level. At night the tall towers that line the park’s walkways are dotted with lights. A major draw for many out-of-towners and locals alike is discovering the exact location of the Olympic brick they bought with their name on it. An information center with brick locators, a cafe, and shopping spots are also part of the park. The Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and Imagine It! children’s museum are next to the park.