Atlanta Black History and Civil Rights Tour: 4-Hour Deep Dive

Four hours through Atlanta's Black Mecca: neighborhoods, landmarks, and the stories that shaped a movement

A 4-hour guided tour of Atlanta's Black History and Civil Rights sites, departing from Atlanta Marriott Marquis at 10am or 1:30pm, with stops across Summerhill, the West End, Downtown, Old 4th Ward, and Sweet Auburn Avenue. The tour includes a local guide, air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and up to five photo stops. Lunch at a historic neighborhood spot is optional. Minimum group size applies. If the tour doesn't meet it, you'll be offered an alternative date or full refund.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each4 stops

1. 13th Arrondissementpassing by
2. Georgia State Capitolpassing by
3. Mercedes-Benz Stadiumpassing by
4. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park30m

Explore Atlanta's Black History and Culture

• Pass Downtown Atlanta historic hotel district
• Pass 1996 Olympic Games hub
• Pass Five Points District and Coca Cola birthplace
• Pass Atlanta Government Center and City Hall
• Pass Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field
• Pass Olympic Stadium and Torch
• Stop at Tyler Perry Studios for photos
• Visit Original Madea House filming location
• Stop in West End historic neighborhood
• Pass Atlanta oldest black owned bookstore
• Pass Atlanta University Center HBCUs
• Pass historic Civil Rights landmarks
• Pass through the Gulch with city skyline views
• Pass Castleberry art galleries and filming locations
• Pass historic Negro Street and civil rights sites
• Lunch stop at independent family-owned eateries
• Visit Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

The experience

The tour starts downtown at the historic hotel district, then moves through the neighborhoods that built Atlanta's identity as the Black Mecca. You'll pass through Five Points, where the city began, and see the Birthplace of Coca-Cola, then head to the Government Center and Fulton County Courthouse to understand Atlanta's Black political power. The guide narrates the unknown facts and the architecture that holds them.

The route takes you through Summerhill, one of Atlanta's first Black neighborhoods, where you'll see the Olympic Stadium and torch from 1996, then past Tyler Perry Studios (the welcome entrance is accessible after 5pm Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday, and on holidays). The West End stop includes time in a historically rich neighborhood with Victorian homes, street art murals, and Black-owned businesses, plus a bathroom break. You'll also visit the Atlanta University Center (the largest consortium of Black colleges in the country, including Morehouse, Spellman, and Clark Atlanta University) a filming location for major films and TV shows.

Sweet Auburn Avenue, once called the richest Negro Street in the world, anchors the second half of the tour. You'll see Woodruff Park, the Atlanta Daily World (the first Black daily newspaper), the SCLC Headquarters, historic Black churches, and civil rights art murals. The lunch stop, optional, lands in a historic neighborhood with independent, family-owned eateries serving soul food, BBQ, New Orleans cuisine, seafood, West African, and Asian dishes. The tour ends at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, where you'll see Ebenezer Baptist Church, MLK's Birth Home, and the King Center, with another bathroom stop built in.

What’s included

• A fully narrated local guide in English.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• up to five photo stops across the five neighborhoods and landmarks.
• bathroom breaks at the West End, Sweet Auburn Avenue, and Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.
• optional lunch at a historic neighborhood eatery with your choice of cuisine.

Information

Lasts 4h 30m, runs every day except Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:00 and 13:30, from US$ 74 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Tuesday and WednesdayDepartures at 10:00 and 13:30Another day? ›

GroupUp to 27

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (13 to 95 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Roundabout Atlanta Tours & Transportation

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to fit another activity into your day: the 4-hour window works as a morning tour ending by early afternoon or an afternoon slot that leaves your morning free. If you need time to linger at stops or explore neighborhoods deeply, a longer tour would suit you better.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What neighborhoods does the Atlanta Black History and Civil Rights tour actually visit?

The tour covers Summerhill, the West End, Downtown Atlanta, Old 4th Ward, and the Historic Sweet Auburn Avenue District, along with stops at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, the Atlanta University Center, and Tyler Perry Studios. Each neighborhood has its own civil rights history and architectural landmarks.

When do the morning and afternoon departures leave from Atlanta Marriott Marquis?

The morning tour departs at 10am and the afternoon tour at 1:30pm, both from the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel in Downtown Atlanta. Arrive 20–30 minutes early. The hotel is near MARTA train access and Uber/Lyft pickup, and has parking garages and lots about one block away ($10–$30 per day).

Is lunch included in the Black History tour, and what are the food options?

Lunch is optional and happens at a historic neighborhood spot with independent, family-owned eateries. You'll find soul food, BBQ, New Orleans cuisine, seafood, West African, and Asian dishes, plus fresh fruit, herbs, and spices. The choice of where and what to eat is yours.

What does the tour include, and what should I bring?

The tour includes a fully narrated local guide, air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water, and up to five photo stops at neighborhoods and landmarks. An umbrella or rain poncho is recommended for light rain. The tour operates in all weather. Gratuities are not included.

How many people need to book for the tour to run?

The tour requires a minimum number of travelers to operate. If the minimum isn't met, you'll be offered a different date, another experience, or a full refund.

Can I visit Tyler Perry Studios on this tour?

Yes, Tyler Perry Studios is a stop on the tour. The welcome entrance area is only open to visitors after 5pm on Fridays, all day Saturday and Sunday, and on holidays, per Tyler Perry management. The tour includes a photo stop there.