Atlanta is a warm, welcoming Southern city with a cosmopolitan feel. It is especially welcoming to people with hearing loss, as many of its attractions feature assistive technology to help visitors of all hearing levels enjoy their time. There’s plenty to do and see here, and loads of attractions that accommodate those with hearing loss. If you’re planning your Atlanta getaway, here are some of the top sights:
Atlanta Botanical Garden
This 30-acre garden is located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, just next to Piedmont Park. The gardens provide vibrant maps that lead you through the different sections of the garden, and informative signs give you background information on the many exotic species here. You’ll likely want to spend hours relaxing in these stunning gardens. Check out the Edible Garden, where produce makes for beautiful landscaping. On certain days, you can watch a cooking demonstration by an Atlanta chef that features Edible Garden ingredients. Fruits and vegetables from this garden are donated to local charities. Other must-sees are the Rose Garden, the tranquil waterfalls and ponds in the Cascades Garden and the Fuqua Orchid Center. Bring a picnic lunch, take a stroll on the Kendeda Canopy Walk and don’t miss the Japanese Garden.
Fox Theatre
Catch a Broadway show, concert or even a cooking show at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre. The interior has Egyptian touches and is simply stunning. If you’re living with hearing loss, the Fox offers individual assisted listening devices, signed performances and four designated seats in the front row for those who speechread.
Oakland Cemetery
If you love history, a visit to the Oakland Cemetery – the largest and oldest cemetery in Atlanta – is a must. You can take a tour on particular days or print a cemetery map and take a self-guided tour any day. This cemetery opened in the mid-1800s as part of the garden cemetery movement to make cemeteries more like urban parks. Today, you can visit this beautiful green space to see graves of famous people like Margaret Mitchell. Keep an eye out for the varied architecture and sculptures – you’ll see Gothic, Greek Revival, Egyptian, Victorian and Neo-classical styles here. You’ll even see impressive mausoleums with Tiffany stained glass windows.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
Learn more about and pay homage to one of America’s greatest heroes at a national historic site in the Sweet Auburn Historic District, just east of downtown. The site offers tours that are catered to the deaf and those that are hard of hearing, so you’ll be able to catch all of the intriguing details of MLK Jr.’s life. This is the site of King’s boyhood home and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he was a pastor. The site is spread out over several city blocks and you’ll also be able to pay your respects at MLK, Jr.’s burial site.
Georgia Aquarium
While visiting Atlanta, you can visit the largest aquarium in the world! There are more than 500 species featured here, and more than 80,000 individual sea creatures call the Georgia Aquarium home. Don’t miss the albino alligators, beluga whales, sea otters, octopi and penguins. Check out the Ocean Voyager exhibit, which features a tunnel where you can sit and watch the sea life swim above you. The aquarium offers phone guided tours for some exhibits, and those with hearing loss can receive a printed script.
