From history and art to wonders of the sea, bold backdrops await groups holding off-site events in Atlanta, where an ever-expanding landscape of attractions presents planners with memorable options.
Atlanta gained a high-profile off-site venue attraction with the opening of the Georgia Aquarium (404.892.6000; www.georgiaaquarium.org) next to the Georgia World Congress Center in November. In addition to its 16,400-square-foot ballroom, it has a 250-seat theater, an atrium hosting 500 people for banquets and a cafe accommodating 200 for banquets. The entire facility can hold 10,000 for a reception. Due to high demand, the facility will unveil a major meeting space expansion in October, and next month, the adjacent World of Coca-Cola will debut, offering even more unique off-site venue options.
In Midtown, Woodruff Arts Center (404.733.4200; www.woodruffcenter.org) encompasses institutions such as the High Museum of Art, the Alliance Theater, the 14th Street Playhouse, the Atlanta College of Art, and the Atlanta Symphony. The center has more than 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and the High’s new Renzo Piano-designed addition includes gallery space, an open-air piazza and a restaurant.
Turner Field (404.614.2177; www.braves.mlb.com), home of the Atlanta Braves, promotes itself as a year-round entertainment and event venue for groups of up to 40,000 people. In addition to its variety of event facilities, it features team-building options as well as a museum.
Atlanta History Center (404.814.4097; www.atlantahistorycenter.com) in Buckhead offers a wide array of venues and can host meetings and events for up to 500 people. Venues include 33 acres of gardens, two theaters, historic houses, classrooms, a ballroom, and the lobby of the new Centennial Olympic Games Museum. In addition, its Margaret Mitchell House & Museum in Midtown has 3,700 square feet of event space.
Centennial Olympic Park (404.223.4412; www.centennialpark.com), situated between the Georgia World Congress Center and the hotel district, can handle special events for thousands of people. The 21-acre legacy of the 1996 Olympics includes the Fountain of Rings, a 1,200-seat amphitheater and the six-acre Great South Lawn. The park has its own technical services and an on-site catering staff, and free Wi-Fi access was recently installed in its visitor center and Fountainside Cafe area.
Piedmont Park (404.875.7275; www.piedmontpark.org) encompasses 180 acres two miles northeast of downtown. The park features event space such as the 3,200-square-foot Magnolia Hall, a dock area and an historic visitor center.
Located adjacent to Piedmont Park, the 16-acre Atlanta Botanical Garden(404.876.5859; www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org) has rentable venues such as a 4,000-square-foot ballroom, an orchid center hosting up to 300 people, an exhibit center, four gardens, and classrooms.
