Georgia invites travelers to discover an exciting array of new experiences coming to the Peach State in 2025, from luxury hotel stays and theme park attractions to cultural offerings and milestone celebrations. Here is a preview of the most anticipated openings and experiences set to debut across Georgia this year.

New and Improved Attractions

Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta – 20th Anniversary Year, New Exhibit Opens May 2025
Georgia Aquarium – the largest aquarium in the U.S. – celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025 with an exciting lineup of experiences, including an all-new bioluminescence exhibit that showcases the mesmerizing glow of marine life like corals and jellies, tying into a summer event that will transform the aquarium into an immersive glowing wonderland for all ages.

Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell – Georgia Gold Rusher Debuts Spring 2025
The Georgia Gold Rusher is the first-of-its-kind, free-spinning gondola ride that offers high-speed, high-elevation thrills with twists, turns, and exciting water features. Inspired by Georgia’s 1885 gold rush, the coaster will introduce thrill seekers to William “Willy” Gibson and his hydraulic mining machine through immersive storytelling.

Wild Adventures Theme Park, Valdosta – Expansion Opens Spring 2025
The Water’s Edge expansion at Wild Adventures will feature three new family-friendly rides, new animal habitats, new dining options, and live entertainment. New rides will include the Horizon Wheel, a reimagined, illuminated Ferris wheel providing panoramic views; the Wing Swinger, a soaring swing ride; and The Boat Parade, a gliding and bouncing speedboat-themed ride. Guests can also enjoy new animal encounters and exhibits, including brilliantly colored macaws and a new reptile house.

National Center for Civil & Human Rights, Atlanta – Expansion, Reopens Fall 2025
A 28,000-square-foot expansion is underway at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which will add three new galleries to the world-class museum and cultural institution: an immersive family gallery for children 12 and younger; a gallery showcasing the history and legacy of the Reconstruction Era; and a traveling exhibitions gallery. Enhancements will also be made to the Center’s permanent civil and human rights exhibits, plus a reimagined gallery to display papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville – Expansion, New Exhibits Open Late 2025
The Smithsonian-affiliated Tellus Science Museum is building a 20,000-square-foot addition that will feature two new exhibit spaces. One will house a new permanent exhibit featuring the evolution of technology and smartphones. The second gallery space will host larger, more dynamic traveling exhibitions that will rotate two to three times a year.

Major Events and Milestone Celebrations

ATL Airport, Delta Air Lines Soar into Centennial Years; Delta Flight Museum Turns 30
Global travel giants based in Atlanta are marking major milestones in 2025 as they continue to shape the future of air travel and connect Georgia to the world.

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) will host a once-in-a-century celebration over the next 18 months, featuring a centennial gala, art installations, and stories that chronicle its journey from an abandoned auto racetrack to the world’s busiest and most efficient airport.

• Delta, Atlanta’s hometown airline, kicked off its centennial year by unveiling groundbreaking innovations to enhance the travel experience. As part of ATL’s Concourse D renovation, a new 23,000-square-foot Delta Sky Club will open this spring, marking the first new Club at Delta’s ATL home base since 2016 and the second-largest at the airport.

• Delta Flight Museum, housed in two historic 1940s hangars on the ATL campus, celebrates its 30th anniversary this spring with new exhibits and experiences for visitors to explore Delta’s 100-year legacy and growth from a small crop-dusting operation to a global airline.

Georgia Welcomes Soccer Fans for FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host six matches for the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, including a quarterfinal, marking the largest stand-alone global club football event ever staged. Matches in Atlanta start June 16 and conclude with a quarterfinal on July 5. The tournament will commence the one-year countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026, reinforcing Atlanta’s reputation as a premier soccer destination. It also joins an impressive slate of major sporting events coming to the city over the next several years, including the MLB All-Star Game in 2025, FIFA World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl LXII in 2028, and NCAA Final Four in 2031.

Hotels on the Horizon

Municipal Grand, Savannah – Opens Early 2025
A new cocktail-centric, luxury boutique hotel, Municipal Grand is set to open in the Hostess City of the South in early 2025. Built as a banking headquarters in the 1960s, the mid-century gem is being reimagined into a six-floor hotel featuring 44 guest rooms, a lobby bar and restaurant, rooftop pool, and subterranean bar.

Cypress Resort, Jasper – Phase One Opens Spring 2025
From private dining under the stars to bespoke spa treatments in the heart of the forest, Cypress Resort will offer discerning travelers a transformative escape where nature and luxury intertwine. Opening in four phases starting in Spring 2025 and completion anticipated by 2030, the resort will span 48 acres with 30 luxury villas, a 50-foot private waterfall, a full spa, multiple restaurants, and more amenities.

Hotel Phoenix, Atlanta – Opens Summer 2025
Inspired by the mythical bird that symbolizes Atlanta’s rise from the ashes after its destruction during the Civil War, Hotel Phoenix pays homage to the city’s spirit of renewal and growth. The 292-room hotel will feature a rooftop restaurant with sweeping views, a lobby coffee bar, a full-service all-day restaurant and bar, and a resort-style pool with private cabanas. It will be located within Centennial Yards’ 8-acre entertainment district being developed in downtown Atlanta in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Chambray Hotel, Roswell – Opens Late 2025
An upscale boutique property that pays tribute to Roswell’s milling history, The Chambray Hotel will soon be steps away from bustling Canton Street in the heart of the historic downtown. Located next to the new Southern Post mixed-use development featuring a variety of restaurant and retail offerings, the 125-room hotel will include a Mediterranean restaurant and rooftop sushi bar, among other amenities.

In Case You Missed It

Recent Attraction Openings

Akins Ford Arena, Athens – Opened December 2024
Athens’ thriving music and entertainment scene just amped up a notch with the brand-new Akins Ford Arena, bringing even more concerts, sports tournaments, and events to the city. Just steps from downtown’s lively center, the state-of-the-art venue features interactive displays of the Georgia Music Collections from the University of Georgia Libraries with memorabilia representing more than 200 legendary artists.

Georgia Safari Conservation Park, Madison – Opened June 2024
Georgia Safari Conservation Park is an interactive and conservation-minded wildlife experience, offering guided safari drives, up-close animal encounters, and luxury overnight stays. For the ultimate overnight adventure, guests can stay in unique accommodations ranging from luxury safari tents nestled within a forest canopy overlooking a private savanna to an exclusive suite with panoramic views of the 10,000-square-foot giraffe and rhino barn.

Recent Hotel Openings

Hotel Granada, Atlanta – Opened August 2024
Celebrating over a century of history, Hotel Granada incorporates curated design elements across its 120 guest rooms, public spaces, and dining outlets. Nestled beneath the hotel lies May Peel, a cocktail bar that transcends the ordinary, inviting guests to embark on an evening of hand-crafted drinks and conversation.

All-Movie Hotel, Peachtree City – Opened July 2024
Francis Ford Coppola’s All-Movie Hotel and post-production facilities is conveniently located just a short drive from Trilith Studios. Filmmakers and fans can stay in suites once occupied by stars like Coppola and Adam Driver while discovering unique artifacts and props displayed throughout the hotel.

FORTH Hotel, Atlanta – Opened June 2024
The highly anticipated FORTH is the newest hotel and social club situated along the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail. The 196-room property features a series of food and beverage concepts including a lobby café, upscale Italian steakhouse, poolside restaurant, and 1970s-inspired rooftop cocktail lounge overlooking the Atlanta skyline.

Rivet House, Athens – Opened June 2024
Rivet House blends chic accommodations and bespoke design with the spirit and culture of the Classic City. Brought to life by a local husband-and-wife duo, the 50-room boutique hotel reimagines the historic denim mill with stunning interiors designed by the owners themselves. Guests can indulge in modern Italian cuisine at Osteria Olio and rejuvenating treatments at the holistic spa.

Hotel Bardo, Savannah – Opened February 2024
A new urban resort at the heart of Savannah’s Forsyth Park, Hotel Bardo features 149 luxury guest rooms, coastal Italian restaurant Saint Bibiana, Saltgrass wellness center, a membership-based social club, and curated retail offerings.

Cloudland at McLemore Resort, Rising Fawn – Opened February 2024, New Golf Course Opens Summer 2025
The 245-room Cloudland at McLemore Resort is located on a gorgeous mountaintop setting, complete with award-winning golf courses, a heated infinity pool, and spa amenities – all perched 2,300 feet above sea level on Lookout Mountain. Joining the acclaimed Highlands Course at McLemore this summer, The Keep is an 18-hole, cliffside course featuring awe-inspiring views, giving guests the opportunity to golf above the clouds.

Recent Restaurant News

Georgia’s Culinary Stars Shine in MICHELIN Guide Atlanta, James Beard Award Semifinals
Atlanta’s MICHELIN-starred dining scene is growing, with a total of nine One-Star restaurants as of Fall 2024: Atlas, Bacchanalia, Hayakawa, Lazy Betty, Mujo, O By Brush, Omakase Table, Spring, and Staplehouse.

The 2025 James Beard Awards have selected more than 10 Georgia restaurants and chefs as semifinalists across various categories: Kimball House (Outstanding Restaurant), Casa Balam (Best New Restaurant), Aria (Outstanding Hospitality), Lucian Books and Wine (Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program), Marietta Proper (Best New Bar), Kursten Berry of Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours (Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service), and Brian So of newly MICHELIN-starred Spring, Rod Lassiter and Parnass Savang of Talat Market, Bruce Logue of BoccaLupo, and Fu Li Zhang of LanZhou Ramen (Best Chef: Southeast). Final nominees will be announced April 2, with winners revealed June 16.

This is just a preview of the unforgettable experiences visitors to Georgia can enjoy in 2025. To learn more about recent and upcoming openings across the state, visit ExploreGeorgia.org.