There are 7 places to visit in Atlanta while on a girls trip (College Spring Break). This post is about helping two former students learn about traveling using Atlanta as the backdrop. I believe in giving back, and our trip to the ATL went beyond just traveling to the destination.

Spring Break Trip in Atlanta

I had a conversation with two of my former students about going to the ATL for spring break. “You pay for your flight, and I got the accommodations.” While they were home for winter break, we purchased Southwest roundtrip tickets leaving on the last flight Friday and returning late Monday. Because I have TSA PreCheck, I met them at the airport. I boarded first and saved seats next to me.

Late Night Flight                        

We tried to check into the hotel. The room was not ready; it was noon. We dropped off our luggage I wanted to visit my friend and owner of Black Dot Cultural Center. Please support Kazemde Ajamu. We hung out, purchased t-shirts, had lunch at a local business, and ended the night by sitting on the hotel patio. We officially kicked off our spring break trip in Atlanta.

Tourist Time

I headed to Ted’s Montana (Stop 2) while Danny and Parris went to the Waffle House. The food at Ted’s was delicious. After lunch, we became tourists and went to the World of Coca-Cola (Stop 3), Clark-Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College (Stop 4). I had no clue these institutions were so close. As a school counselor, I was thinking, “Why didn’t I know this?” Of course, we finished our day dining at Sweet Georgia Juke Joint (Stop 5).

King Center

We went to the King Center (Stop 6). I was overwhelmed. I travel to Atlanta often, but I have never played tourist. We sat in the Ebenezer Baptist Church for about 30 minutes. Please visit and donate. After our self-guided tour, we made our way to the CNN (Stop 7) building for lunch before grabbing our luggage and heading to the airport. I used Priority Pass Select to gain entrance to The Club ATL. Remember, I am entitled to two guests. Our last meal of the day was free.

This trip was about sharing my knowledge with young people about traveling. I did not rent a car, and it was cheaper to buy a MARTA pass. Besides, I would be the one driving everywhere. Danny and Parris learned about tipping and left the gratuity at the AC Hotel. I also told them if someone picks up the tab, they should tip, which they left at Sweet Georgia Juke Joint.

Utilizing my Rewards Programs

I asked the girls if they wanted a separate room. They joked and said, “We sleep in the same bed all the time.” These are college students. I used Amex Travel to book the room at Hyatt Place using Amex Membership Rewards points and cash. It was a no-brainer to redeem an award certificate for one night and points plus cash at the AC Hotel. I paid for the accommodations and only spent $125.03. This trip demonstrates how I use points to offset the cost of traveling, especially since I volunteered to pay for the accommodations. I encourage you to google the hotels I mentioned to see the savings for yourself.