Come for the Civil Rights History, Stay for the Southern Charm

theSkimm

From Montgomery, Alabama, to Boston, Massachusetts, Martin Luther King Jr., left his mark on cities across the country. But perhaps none more so than Atlanta, Georgia — the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement and the place where King was born and raised. Today, several of the city’s most cherished sites celebrate King’s life, which is just one of many reasons to visit the de facto capital of the South. Some others include: a flourishing arts scene (the High Museum of Art is well worth the visit); sprawling green spaces (see: the 22-mile Atlanta Beltline and Piedmont Park, essentially the ATL equivalent of Central Park); buzzy restaurants (don’t miss Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours); destination-worthy neighborhoods (like Summerhill and Virginia-Highland); and, yes, an abundance of Southern charm.

🛏 If you’re able to reserve The Hamilton Howell House, you should. Located in the heart of the historic Old Fourth Ward, the four-bedroom home was built by acclaimed Black architect Alexander Hamilton Jr. in 1893 and has since been beautifully restored. Traveling alone or with a small group? Check out the exceptionally hip Hotel Clermont, with more than 90 chic, retro-influenced rooms (think: velvet headboards, lightbulb sconces) and a highly regarded French-Southern brasserie.

📍 Follow in King’s footsteps at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. There, you’ll find the Ebenezer Baptist Church (where King, his father, and grandfather were all pastors), the King Center (which includes the crypts of King and his wife), and King’s birth home (currently closed for renovations). The 39-acre park is just part of the Sweet Auburn neighborhood (where many Black-owned barbershops, businesses, and restaurants flourished in the ’40s and ’50s), so leave time to explore the historic area and its other attractions, like the Municipal Market, where you can purchase everything from sweets to seafood. Have a few more hours? Head across town to King’s alma mater, Morehouse College, where there’s a chapel named after the school’s most influential alum.

🍴 Two of the spots where King met, planned, and ate with fellow civil rights crusaders are still open for business: The Busy Bee (the soul food institution first opened in the 1940s and was one of King’s spots for pecan pie) and Paschal’s Restaurant (known for serving some of the city’s most legendary fried chicken). Additionally, make sure to stop by some of Atlanta’s newer Black-owned restaurants, like Michelin-recognized Bomb Biscuit Co. (as the name implies, the biscuits, ranging from classic buttermilk to black pepper bacon, are a must) and French-inspired café Bread & Butterfly, which the New York Times namedone the best restaurants in America last year.