We’ve stayed in Atlanta twice in less than a year, so I thought I’d share what we’ve learned. We’ve tried a couple different campgrounds, explored different things to do, and have some things you’ll want to know before you plan a trip in your RV to Atlanta.
Things To Know
The big thing you’ll notice in Atlanta is the traffic. There is no shortage of highways…and big ones. The traffic can get pretty crazy, but there is a silver lining. Atlanta drivers are the nicest we’ve seen anywhere in the country. We’ve seen them practically slam on their brakes to let you onto the highway or change lanes. They’ll make room for you when you’re turning out onto a busy road. Just turn your blinker on, and you’ll be okay.
Another thing that you’ll want to know is that there are trees…lots of trees. There are so many trees in fact that if you’re up on a high point, you can’t even see most of the houses and suburbs. You’ll only be able to see the 3 distinct skylines of downtown Atlanta, Midtown, and Buckhead. This can be a bit disconcerting if you’re used to big open spaces, but our main concern with the trees has been getting a clear view of the sky for our Starlink. Thankfully, we worked it out in our second campground, but it would have been a problem at the campground we stayed at last year.
Places to Stay
Stone Mountain Park Campground
We’ve stayed in two different campgrounds in Atlanta. Last year we stayed at Stone Mountain Park Campground. It’s part of Stone Mountain Park which is a huge park on the east side of the Atlanta area. Staying here felt a lot like camping in the mountains. We would recommend doing some research when booking and picking a spot. There are a lot of loops and they aren’t all in the same. Some are much better than others. If you have Starlink for your internet, it would be a challenge finding a spot with the view of the sky you need. There are a lot of trees!
Holiday Harbor Marina and Resort
The second time around we stayed at Holiday Harbor Marina and Resort. Like all campgrounds there are pros and cons, but I will say right off the bat that we like this area a lot better. Like at Stone Mountain, it feels like we’re camping in the mountains. They were able to find us a spot that works for our Starlink most of the time. We’ve just had slight interruptions here and there. They do not have full hookups but do have water and electric. There’s a dump station, so we have been able to use our “honey wagon” and empty our gray water. They did say that they have a pump-out service available, though, if you don’t have the option of using a “honey wagon”.
Things to Do
In a metro area this size there’s a lot to see and do, but here are some of the things we’ve done.
Stone Mountain Park
Let’s start with Stone Mountain Park. It’s not just a campground. It’s an absolutely HUGE park. We especially enjoyed going to the top of the mountain to see the view of the Atlanta area. We also found a covered bridge and learned about the granite quarry that used to run here.
Chick-fil-A Tour and Dwarf House
Did you know Chick-fil-A started in Atlanta? We already loved this chain of restaurants, but after doing the tour and learning more about the history of the company and their philosophy, we like them even more. If you do the tour, it’s fun to go to the nearby Dwarf House which is the location of the original Chick-fil-A. The menu is a little different here, and you can even order a hamburger!
Zoo Atlanta
We love visiting good zoos, and Zoo Atlanta is definitely a good zoo. If you’ve read or watched The One and Only Ivan, this is the zoo that he ended up living in. They even have a memorial set up for him.
Southern Belle Farm
We went in search of local peaches and enjoyed our visit to Southern Belle Farm. It was a little tricky to find peaches from Georgia in stores, so be sure to check the labels, especially if you’re there when they’re not in season.
World Of Coca-Cola
The World of Coca-Cola is another fun spot. You get a little taste of the history of Coke with displays, interactive exhibits, and theaters. The way they’ve set it up makes it more exciting than just a museum about soda. The room everyone is there for, though, is the tasting room. You can taste different Coke products from around the world. As far as we could tell, this included all the drinks we tried at the beverage bar in Disney Springs plus several more.
Have you been RVing in Atlanta? What tips or tricks would you share? Let us know in the comments below.
