If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
For most unmarried young adults, it seems that by the time you hit 30, life begins to resemble 27 Dresses: an endless cycle of spring and summer weddings. But plot twist, that hasn’t been my reality at all. I’m surrounded by people of all ages who, for one reason or another, have chosen not to get married yet, or not at all. I’ve only been to a handful of weddings, and I can honestly say I’ve never felt wedding fatigue.
So when my aunt told me my cousin was getting married in June, I was genuinely thrilled. It felt like a small family reunion, and Victor was finally going to meet my dad’s side of the family.
The other bonus was the location. The wedding was in Georgia, one of my family’s home bases. We spent a week staying with my aunt and uncle in a suburb of Atlanta (more on that later), but before the rest of the extended family arrived, we carved out a few days to stay with my mom and explore the city. Growing up, I never really spent time in Atlanta, so I was excited to finally see what this Southern capital had to offer.
The Aquarium
Even as a child, I had always wanted to visit an aquarium. It was a long-standing childhood dream, really. This time around, I finally got to go to the Georgia Aquarium. Opened in 2005, it was the largest aquarium in the world until 2012 and remains the largest in the United States.
As an adult, I’ve had to think more carefully about how I feel about aquariums and zoos in general. I’m an animal lover at heart, and I know that claim can raise eyebrows. For many people, aquariums are tied to fond childhood memories, and I’m sure more than a few marine biologists trace their passion back to an early visit like this.
I firmly believe there are bad aquariums and good aquariums, and that institutions can evolve. For me, a good aquarium does not use animals for entertainment, prioritises ethical care, and contributes meaningfully to conservation efforts around the world.
The Georgia Aquarium is particularly famous for its large animals, including whale sharks and beluga whales. Many of these animals were rescued from other artificial environments where they had previously suffered and cannot be released into the wild. In 2016, the aquarium announced it would no longer take whales or dolphins captured from the wild. There is still work to be done, but it feels like a step in the right direction.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Hometown
After the aquarium, we headed to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, which was at the very top of my Atlanta list. Dr King was born in Atlanta and lived here for much of his life. The park spans around 35 acres and preserves sites connected to his personal life and the broader Civil Rights Movement.
We started at the Visitor Center, where we bought tickets for a later tour of Dr King’s birth home. The main exhibit, Courage To Lead, traces the parallel stories of Dr King and the Civil Rights Movement through multimedia displays. It’s powerful, thoughtful, and exceptionally well done.
After Dr King’s assassination in 1968, his wife Coretta Scott King founded the King Center, dedicated to advancing his legacy through research, education, and training rooted in nonviolence. Dr and Mrs King are buried here, beside a reflecting pool and eternal flame, quiet symbols of justice, peace, and equality.
When our time slot arrived, we were welcomed into Dr King’s birth home by a National Park Service ranger. The house originally belonged to his grandfather, A.D. Williams, a minister who became pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1894. Dr King was born and raised here, in the upstairs bedroom, just blocks from the church where his family preached and worshipped.
The home sits in the Sweet Auburn Historic District, once a thriving African-American neighbourhood shaped by segregation under Jim Crow laws. Much of it has been lost to urban development, making the preservation of what remains feel especially vital.
Botanical Garden
The following day, we returned to the city and began our morning at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, a 30-acre urban oasis filled with thoughtfully curated plant life.
At the time of our visit, the Garden was hosting Origami in the Garden, a temporary exhibition featuring large-scale metal sculptures inspired by Japanese paper folding. The installations, ranging from flowers to animals and birds, added an element of playfulness and wonder to an already beautiful space.
My mom has always loved orchids, so the Fuqua Orchid Center was a highlight for both of us. Orchids are endlessly captivating, and it’s easy to see why so many people become lifelong admirers.
Another standout was the carnivorous plant collection. Inside the conservatory, we saw Nepenthes, or Asian pitcher plants, but it was the outdoor display that really stopped me. Large plots of Sarracenia pitcher plants stretched out before us. Native to parts of the southeastern United States, seeing so many together felt almost surreal.
The Beltline
From the Garden, we walked to the Atlanta BeltLine, a paved trail built atop 22 miles of former railway lines. It connects neighbourhoods across the city and is lined with public art, greenery, and local businesses, making it far more than just a walking path.
We followed the BeltLine to Ponce City Market, a former Sears building that sat abandoned for decades before being transformed into a bustling food hall, shopping space, and residential complex. The scale alone is impressive, but what really makes it shine is the variety.
We opted for Cuban food for lunch. Victor had his first Cubano sandwich, and we shared smashed and fried plantains, along with takeaway beers from a nearby brewery. It was the perfect place to cool off, refuel, and soak in Atlanta’s energy.
Noguchi
Before heading back to the suburbs, we stopped at the Noguchi Playscape, the only playground in the United States designed by Isamu Noguchi. Located in Piedmont Park, the playground is made up of bold, abstract concrete and metal forms designed to encourage movement, curiosity, and imagination.
I think of playgrounds as a primer of shapes and functions; simple, mysterious, and evocative; thus educational.
– Isamu Noguchi
And with that, we said goodbye to Atlanta. It’s a city layered with history, creativity, and constant motion, and I’d love to keep exploring it in the future. Of course, Atlanta is only one piece of Georgia. More on the rest of the Peach State very soon.
Have you been to Atlanta, and how did it compare to other Southern cities you’ve visited?
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