Discover Happiness @ World of Coke Tour: Atlanta, Georgia

My daughter Trina was able to bag a research assistant post at the University of Georgia in Atlanta. Having come from the glacier cruise in Anchorage, Alaska, we took a ‘red-eye’ flight to Atlanta via Delta Airlines, operated by Alaska Airlines, with a stopover in Seattle. With the different time zones from west to east, I forgot how many hours we spent waiting in airports and travelling on air. We just found ourselves retiring to bed right after dinner in our Atlanta hotel.  

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world.

Centennial Inn, Cone St. NW, Atlanta, the CNN building (L) and Omni hotel (R).

I could not contain my excitement the following morning because my childhood friend and classmate, May Guanzon-Godfrey, was about to pick us up from our hotel. May, up to the present, is based in Southern California and graciously offered to host us in this part of the USA. 

Me (L) and May (R) in Pemberton Place, Atlanta, right in front of the World of Coke building, our first-stopover in Georgia.

Coke fans, all over the world should be excited to visit the World of Coke in Pemberton Place which was completed in 2007. Here, we were able to discover the captivating story of the world’s most famous beverage, except for the formula of making Coke, which, most of us know is one of the world’s best kept secrets. Admission ticket costs $16/adult and $12/child. 

The World of Coke building.

Me at the lobby with the names of Coke in different languages.

Truly, an international brand, the lobby shows off photos of the different faces of people who drink Coke. Photo below shows Trina with the people drinking coke from all over the world.

The lobby also features these beautifully designed bottles as shown in the background.

Inside The Loft, a guide explained to the guests about what to expect inside the exhibit areas. The Loft also featured Coke artifacts from the past.  

The friendly guide. 

The Guide and me in the Loft.

Coke artifacts.

Old Coke bottles.

From the Loft we went in the theater where we were treated to a 6-minute film about Coke and the happiness it brings to the world. “It features nine mini-stories of people in various life stages and cultures experiencing universal moments of happiness (http://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/exhibits/moments-happiness-film/).

We, then proceeded to the exhibit area. In the exhibit is the delivery truck (below). These yellow trucks were used to deliver the popular cola to their customers. The delivery truck is an example of a dramatic style of the late 1940s truck design.

Delivery truck in the 1940s.

A description of how Coke was invented is explained below (L) while the popularity of the original Coke is depicted on the newspaper clipping (below R).

How is Coke made? The process of making Coke is shown below. The exhibit also features the different tests made to ensure the quality of every bottle of Coke. 

Coke lovers! We come to the most awaited portion: the free taste of more than 100 flavors of coke produced around the world. 

Trying out the most ordinary and the most outrageous Coke flavors.

Different Coke flavors around the world.

Photo below shows me (L) and May (R) at our bonding moment while tasting the different Coke flavors.

Aside from numerous “interactive experiences, video highlights, images and descriptions”, each guest gets a chance to take home a FREE commemorative 8-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola. Should you want more souvenir items, you can purchase them from the Coca-Cola store. I bought a baseball bat for my husband, Leo, because he is a fan of baseball. Photo below shows the bottles of Coke that each guest could take home.

There are many interesting things to learn and see at the World of Coke exhibition, specially, if you’re a fan of Coca-Cola. Tickets may be bought at their ticket booth or you may purchase your tickets online at their website (http://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/purchase-tickets/). Their website also provides information about your different concerns about the World of Coke tour.