This Black Historical past Tour of Atlanta Was Simply Named One of many Greatest Journey Experiences within the U.S.

From the civil rights motion to popular culture, Atlanta has lengthy been a wealthy supply of Black tradition in America. So it’s no shock that guests have been raving about Atlanta’s Black Historical past and Civil Rights Tour, incomes it a spot on the 2023 Viator Expertise Awards for greatest experiences within the U.S.

The four-hour tour in an air-conditioned van begins by passing vital landmarks (just like the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Underground Atlanta, and the Georgia State Capitol) earlier than making the primary cease on the Atlanta Olympic Cauldron Tower. Right here, the information shares information and historical past concerning the 1996 Olympic Video games.

Subsequent, the tour strikes on to the Tyler Perry Studios, the place there’s the chance to take photographs in entrance of Madea’s precise home. (Mabel “Madea” Earlene Simmons is an iconic character created and portrayed by Perry.)

Again on the van, the route passes by the Shrine of the Black Madonna, Atlanta College Heart, and historic districts like Castleberry Hill and Candy Auburn. (The latter was one of many initially thriving Black neighborhoods.) Alongside the way in which, well-known filming places, murals, and Black-owned companies are highlighted. 

There’s additionally a 30-minute go to to the Martin Luther King Jr. Nationwide Historic Park, which incorporates the civil rights chief’s delivery dwelling; Ebenezer Baptist Church, the place he was baptized; and MLK Jr. World Peace Rose Backyard, which is a part of the Worldwide World Peace Rose Gardens program.

Guests then journey by means of the Edgewood Avenue Southeast space, which is filled with road artwork and famend bars, earlier than ending at The Municipal Marketplace for an elective lunch cease. The tour firm calls this market “Atlanta’s historic gem” — it has impartial and household owned stands that serve up soul meals, West African and Asian meals, barbecue, and extra.

Run by Roundabout Atlanta Excursions and Transportation, the small group tour — with departures at 9:30 a.m. and a couple of:15 p.m. on Thursdays by means of Mondays from the Atlanta Marriott Marquis — has a most of 12 individuals to make sure a extra intimate expertise with alternative for questions and additional understanding. 

One latest traveler stated, “The tour information was superb on historic information and stored us knowledgeable and amused all through the journey,” including that it “was emotional to [visit the] Martin Luther King [sites], seeing his birthplace and tomb.” One other stated, “The small group … made it much more personable to work together with the tour information. Spotlight was seeing the black neighborhoods on the southwest of ATL and the MLK highlights on Auburn Avenue.”

The Atlanta Black Historical past tour rose to the highest of Viator’s a whole lot of excursions after the corporate studied common evaluation scores, the share of bookings with a evaluation, and the variety of bookings on Viator, over a 12 months. Different excursions that made the High 20 within the U.S. embrace Freedom Path: Small Group Tour of Revolutionary Boston, Arlington Nationwide Cemetery Tour with Altering of the Guards, and the Charleston Hidden Alleyways and Historic Websites Small-Group Strolling Tour.