Visiting Atlanta on a budget

31.05.2024 - 16:39 / lonelyplanet.com / Delta Airlines

Atlanta is a lively hub for arts, culture and entertainment, and the number of reasons for that are growing by the day – the city has become an epicenter for film, hip hop and exciting new culinary trends that build on its strong southern roots.

Atlanta can be affordable when compared to other major metropolitan areas, but it’s not exactly cheap, especially since the city is experiencing a rapid population growth spurt. That said, Atlanta does offer a lot of free things to do in addition to the ticketed sights, and with a few strategies to help your budget stretch further, you can visit the city without worrying about hurting your wallet.

Average daily cost: $200-$250

As much as ATLiens love the hometown company, Delta Airlines, loyalists have yet to acknowledge that Delta’s dominance at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport keeps prices higher than they would be with a little more friendly competition. Deals are still available, especially when planning a trip during off-peak seasons, but you may need to watch prices fluctuate before finding the right flight for your budget.

Read more: How to see the best of Atlanta for free

You’ll find the highest concentration of hotels close to the city center in the Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead neighborhoods. Visitors pay for the convenience of being close to Atlanta’s hottest restaurants and other in-town attractions. If you’d like to save money, book a hotel outside of the Interstate-285 loop around the city – and area dubbed Outside of The Perimeter (OTP) by locals. Compare prices for accommodations in nearby cities such as Dunwoody, Norcross, Lithonia and Austell; if you prefer to stay close enough to use public transportation, look for overnight stays in Decatur, Brookhaven and Vinings.

Two companies provide bike and scooter rentals in the city of Atlanta: Bird and Lime. Lime rentals are also available in Uber’s app. If you want to support a local bike shop, Clutch Bicycle Shop offers hourly and daily bike rentals. Grab a scooter or ebike and hit the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, it’s most popular section, or the West Side trail, it’s oldest trail. You’ll have the opportunity to stop along the way and admire sculptures and street art, as well as indulge in some local restaurants and shops if you like.

Read more: Atlanta's top 5 parks for cycling, sightseeing and wildlife-spotting

As soon as you land at the airport, skip the ride share or taxi and instead opt for Atlanta’s mass transit system, MARTA. Each ride is $2.50 one way, plus four free transfers in a three hour period. If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to buy a $2 breeze card to pay for your rides. Planning to use trains and buses a lot? Grab a day pass to get unlimited rides for different