A Sooner fan's guide to Atlanta
ATLANTA — University of Oklahoma fans are used to Miami thanks to the Sooners long Orange Bowl history. They've become well-versed on New Orleans in recent years as the Sooners have made appearances in the Sugar Bowl.
But Atlanta is a new experience for OU fans.
Not only is Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl for the first time, but the Sooners Dec. 28 appearance against LSU will be the first OU football game played in Georgia. Here's a look at things to do in Atlanta leading up to the game:
A Coke and a smile
An Atlanta pharmacist created Coca-Cola in 1886 and a decade later, the drink spread across the country.
The World of Coca-Cola opened in 1990 and moved to its present location in 2007. The museum includes a history of Coke from the beginning, a visit to the vault where the formula for the drink is stored and the ability to try samples that include both widely available drinks and those available in other parts of the world including a pineapple/coconut drink from Africa, Fanta Pineapple from Greece and Inca Kola from Peru. Through New Year's Day, visitors can check out holiday attractions including a 28-foot tall ornament of holiday lights, try seasonal drinks and take selfies with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear.
A night at the aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium was the largest aquarium in the world for the first seven years after it opened in 2005 before being passed by an aquarium in Singapore.
The aquarium has more than 10 million gallons of fresh and salt water and features Beluga whales, penguins and whale sharks among others.
Cheer on a former Sooner
The day before the game, Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks host Giannas Antetokounmpo and that Milwaukee Bucks. Young, a Norman North product, starred for the Sooners in 2017-18, averaging 27.4 points and
8.7 assists for an NCAA Tournament team. A second-year guard, Young is one of the league's bright young stars, averaging 29.0 points and 8.4 assists this season.
As of Sunday afternoon, tickets remained beginning at $47 each at Ticketmaster.com.
Celebrate civil rights
Atlanta is home to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, which features several important places in the life of the civil rights icon. The site includes King's birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church where King served as pastor, as well as King's gravesite.
Most of the site is self-guided except for tours of the home where King was born and lived the first 12 years of his life.
Where to eat
The Varsity, 61 North Ave.: Have a chili dog and some onion rings at this iconic restaurant near the Georgia Tech campus.
Mary Macs Tea Room, 224 Ponce de Leon Ave. Northeast: The tea room opened in 1945 and has expanded to feature six dining rooms. The restaurant features Southern staples including fried green tomatoes, fried chicken and sweet tea.
Gusto!, multiple locations: The healthy fast casual stop was founded by former Sooners quarterback Nate Hybl.