Atlanta is Georgia's heartbeat, and the Big Peach offers the perfect balance between big city life and Southern hospitality. The city is an important cultural and historical focal point — playing a vital role during both the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement — making it a must-visit destination in the South.

One of the best ways to explore the city is with the help of a hop-on-hop-off tour in Atlanta — stopping at all of Atlanta’s most important landmarks and allowing you to explore at your own pace and comfort.

Here's everything you need to know about hop-on hop-off tours, one of the most exciting sightseeing tours in Atlanta.

What are the best hop-on hop-off tours in Atlanta?

When it comes to hop-on hop-off tours in Atlanta, there are a select few options with comprehensive itineraries. Aside from this, trolley tours in Atlanta are also an ever-popular option for sightseeing. These narrated tours will take you to all of the Big Peach’s must-visit destinations on a 90-minute tour, but you won't be able to hop off.

Downtown Atlanta hop-on hop-off shuttle tour

This hop-on hop-off tour explores Atlanta’s downtown region which is home to a host of the city’s most popular attractions. Sure, it’s not entirely a bus and is rather a shuttle, but don’t let semantics get in the way of a great day out.

The route snakes its way through Atlanta’s historical downtown region, exploring sites that played a role throughout all of Georgia’s history.

There’s a shuttle available every 20 minutes, starting at 9 AM and ending at 5 PM, and your ticket is good for the entire day — enabling you to get off at a stop and explore on your own only to get onto the next available shuttle.

What are the prices of hop-on hop-off tours in Atlanta?

The downtown Atlanta hop-on hop-off shuttle tour will cost US$95 per person — but for this price, you’ll be able to use any shuttle on the route for the duration of the day.

For the best value for money, you should consider purchasing an Atlanta City Card for great discounts — especially if you plan on visiting several of the city’s attractions.

Another popular way of sightseeing when visiting Atlanta is a trolley tour — but you won’t be able to get on and off at your own discretion during this tour. These tours cost around US$35 per person.

Which places will I visit?

The hop-on hop-off shuttle route starts at Centennial Olympic Parks, a beautiful green space in the city that celebrates Atlanta’s hosting of the 96 Olympic Games. After this, it travels to the Georgia Aquarium, a state-of-the-art maritime menagerie that will entertain you while it educates — making it a popular destination for families.

Georgia is the city that gave birth to the global phenomenon called Coca-Cola and at the next stop — the World of Coco-Cola — you can learn all about the beverage’s humble origins. From there you’ll journey to the Mercedes Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons, and the State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks.

The next stop is one of the biggest attractions of the hop-on hop-off tour, the childhood home of the iconic human rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. You can visit his house and learn how growing up in a segregated community shaped and molded him into a man with a singular dream.

From here, the route visits many of the lesser known — but by no means any less interesting — landmarks scattered throughout Georgia’s downtown before heading to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. The next stop is City Hall and the Georgia State Capitol Building — a truly stately house that also features a museum for the more inquisitive.

Following this, you’ll journey down the historic Auburn Avenue, where you should take the opportunity to visit the Wheat Street Baptist Church — which functioned as an important fulcrum during the Civil Rights Movement.

From here the hop-on hop-off tour makes its way to the University Quarter of the city, visiting the Spellman College and the Morehouse School of Medicine to name but a few.

Your next point of interest is the Herndon Home Museum — a mansion that celebrates the life of a man who went from being enslaved to becoming Georgia’s first millionaire. He went on to start Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the main driving forces behind his fortune, and also a stop on the tour.

From here the hop-on hop-off tour visits a number of smaller attractions before looping back to its starting point.

What other sightseeing tours can you do in Atlanta?

Travel tips

Research the different routes and stops the hop-on hop-off tour offers. Decide which attractions you're most interested in to make the most of your time.
The earlier you start, the more stops you can visit. Plus, many attractions might be less crowded earlier in the day.
Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, as you'll likely be doing a lot of walking. Don't forget sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses if it's sunny.

Hop on Hop off Bus Tours in Atlanta