Omni Hotel At CNN Center: Family Fun In Atlanta

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Atlanta is the perfect weekend destination for families who want a big-city Southern experience with lots to do.

We were invited to stay at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, a four-diamond property in downtown Atlanta, during Memorial Day weekend. My husband and I both had the holiday off and looked forward to decompressing during the 4-hour drive from Nashville (what did parents do without portable DVD players?!)

What’s that real estate mantra? Location, location, location. The Omni Hotel at CNN Center is conveniently located within walking distance of two of the hottest family attractions in Atlanta – the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke. We had the valet park our car upon arrival and we didn’t need the car keys again until departure two days later! Our guest rooms, which were located on the 20th floor, offered amazing views of the Olympic park area and were comfortable, quiet (despite us being in the heart of bustling downtown), and spacious.

Your kids won’t go hungry at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center which features an incredible fine dining breakfast buffet experience at Prime Meridian. I love loading up on a big breakfast when we travel. Some of the unique items featured included maple sausage with blueberries and the Eggs Benedict was the best I’d ever had. The girls devoured the French toast! There is also a huge food court in the CNN Center on the hotel property which is comprised of two towers, perfect for families who want to get a quick bite to eat.

We’ve never stayed at an Omni property before, but I was pleasantly surprised by their Loyalty Program perqs, which include Wifi, complimentary bottled water, complimentary newspaper, and early check-in and late check-out. The Omni Hotel at CNN Center has a gym, spa, and a rooftop outdoor pool.

Our first Atlanta Braves game!

We arrived on Saturday afternoon just in time to catch mine and the girls’ first ever Major League baseball game!  Turner Stadium is a gorgeous facility and we lucked out and had shaded seats. Although the Braves lost against the Washington Nationals, we had a fantastic time, not to mention lots of nachos. After the game we headed to the hotel and then walked down to Taco Mac for a late dinner where I had the most fantastic frozen margarita I have EVER had in my life and I’ve had some margaritas in my life people!

An incredible whale shark we had the opportunity see up close and personal at the top of the largest ocean exhibit in North America (Ocean Voyager) a behind-the-scenes tour at the Georgia Aquarium. I highly recommend this tour!

No family trip to Atlanta is complete without a visit to Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest aquarium. One of the most amazing things about our behind-the scenes tour was learning how this facility takes care of all of its amazing residents. It’s incredible to see the work and dedication that goes into running a world-class aquarium. New to the aquarium since we’d visited four years ago is AT&T’s Dolphin Tales, which combines the entertainment of a show with “performances” from trained dolphins. It’s a definite must see, and is included in the price of regular admission. Tip: Make reservations in advance for Dolphin Tales as it fills up quickly!

The girls with a statue of Coca Cola’s creator, Dr. John S. Pemberton

The Freestyle Coke machines were a big hit!

We headed to World of Coca Cola for the afternoon where we enjoyed looking at Coke memorabilia throughout the years and catching a fun 4D movie. Our favorite part, though, was definitely the tasting experience. Visitors to the museum can sample Coke products from around the world, from Asia to Latin America, and we all loved getting a Coke in a glass bottle as a souvenir as we left the museum. Dinner that night was at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria on Marietta, also within walking distance of the Omni. We ordered a delicious Margherita pizza and the 7-year-old ordered meatballs on her half of pepperoni pizza, which got a big thumbs up.

World of Coca Cola

We ended our Memorial Day weekend with an Inside CNN Studio Tour, which was located on the hotel property and just a short walk from the main lobby. This was honestly one of my favorite parts of our trip. My girls are 7 and nearly 10 and they also loved learning about how the news is edited and what goes on behind the camera to produce the news. Miss A even volunteered for a demonstration of the green board during the news. It was truly fascinating and informative, although no Nancy Grace or Anderson Cooper sighting!

The next time you are looking for a fun family weekend getaway to Atlanta, check out the Omni Hotel at CNN Center for a top-rate property which offers bar-none convenience to all those hot spots on your itinerary. I’d recommend the VIP Splash Package, which doesn’t expire until December 31. We’ll definitely be back as we didn’t even get to visit the Atlanta Zoo or the children’s museum!

BlondeMomBlog’s Atlanta Family Faves:

Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Georgia Aquarium

Inside CNN Studio Tour

World of Coke

Max’s Pizza

Taco Mac

Atlanta Braves games at Turner Stadium

Disclosoure: Omni Hotel at CNN Center provided us with complimentary accommodations in order to facilitate this review. Amazon affiliate link used in post.

About the author

Jamie Reeves
I'm Jamie, a 51-year-old Nashville working mom desperately seeking a few moments of Zen and zinfandel. I love to travel, find great deals, and talk with my hands. My husband and I have two daughters, three dogs, one cat and too much laundry. Email me at blondemomblog @ gmail.com.

38 comments

  1. Matthew says:

    Thanks for the review! I’ve been to World of Coke before but not the GA Aquarium. I’ll make it a point next time I’m in Atlanta. As a budget tip (though perhaps for travelers without kids), McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant (which is near/at CNN Center) has a great happy hour bar food menu!

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