The Perfect 3-Day Georgia Civil War Sites Itinerary

Much of the 1864 Atlanta Campaign was fought along the Western & Atlantic Railroad north of Atlanta, and you can still follow that route today from one battlefield and museum to the next. This itinerary starts at Kennesaw, works north through Pickett’s Mill, Allatoona Pass, and Cassville, and finishes at Adairsville, Tunnel Hill, and Chickamauga. For a fuller list of sites across the state, see our Civil War Sites page and the Georgia Civil War Sites Map.

Start at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, a Smithsonian Affiliate with three permanent collections. Its exhibits cover the daily lives of soldiers, a reproduction of a turn-of-the-century locomotive factory, and the Great Locomotive Chase, which makes it the best introduction to how much the railroad mattered in this war.

In the afternoon, head to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, a 2,923-acre battlefield that preserves earthworks, cannon emplacements, and monuments. Fighting here ran from June 19 to July 2, 1864, with some of the heaviest action on June 27. The park has three battlefield areas, so start at the visitor center and pick the ones that fit your time and energy.

Begin at Pickett’s Mill Historic Site. On May 27, 1864, some 14,000 Federal troops tried to outflank the Confederate position and attacked 10,000 men under General Cleburne. The Federals lost 1,600 men to the Confederates’ 500, and the victory delayed the Federal advance by a week. Visitors can walk the same ravine where hundreds died and see the earthworks the soldiers built.

Next, go to Allatoona Pass, where the battle described on our Allatoona Civil War Battle page took place on October 5, 1864. Confederate General French attacked a Union garrison protecting Sherman’s railroad supply line, and the defenders held on inside an earthen “Star” fort. Finish the day in Cassville, remembered by Civil War students for what did not happen here, the so-called Cassville Affair, when General Johnston planned a major offensive that never came.

Start in Adairsville, where the Adairsville battlefield marks the fight on May 17, 1864, after General Johnston’s army retreated south from Resaca. Union troops attacked entrenched Confederates about two miles north of town, at the Octagon House. From there, drive north to the Tunnel Hill Heritage Center. Its 1,477-foot railroad tunnel was begun in 1848, and the first Western & Atlantic train passed through on May 9, 1850. After decades of neglect it was restored and opened to the public in 2000.

End at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the first of America’s national military parks and the model for the ones that followed, including Shiloh, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. The monuments and the scenery make it a fitting last stop.

Where to stay: Marietta or Kennesaw makes a good base for Day 1, and Cartersville is a convenient base for Days 2 and 3, since Allatoona Pass and Cassville are close by and Adairsville is a short drive north. See our Lodging & Accommodations page for options.

Hours and fees: Several of these are small sites with limited hours, and fees change from time to time. Check each site’s own page before you go.

Prefer the coast? See our 3-Day Georgia Coast Itinerary, which includes Fort Pulaski and Fort McAllister.

Where were the Atlanta Campaign battles fought in Georgia?
Most of the fighting followed the Western & Atlantic Railroad south from Tunnel Hill toward Atlanta, through Resaca, Adairsville, Cassville, Allatoona Pass, New Hope Church and Pickett’s Mill, and Kennesaw Mountain.

How long does it take to see the major Civil War sites north of Atlanta?
Three days is a comfortable pace for the sites on this route, with Kennesaw on the first day, Pickett’s Mill, Allatoona Pass, and Cassville on the second, and Adairsville, Tunnel Hill, and Chickamauga on the third.