State Farm Arena | TravelDojo

State Farm Arena is an indoor sports and entertainment arena in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, and serves as the home court for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. The venue opened in 1999 and has been a primary site for professional basketball, concerts and large-scale events.

The arena contains multiple seating tiers, corporate suites and event spaces designed for sports, concerts and family shows. It has undergone refreshes and upgrades to maintain modern visitor facilities and technology.

Originally opened as Philips Arena in 1999, the venue has hosted playoff basketball, major concerts and civic events since its opening and is a focal point of Atlanta’s entertainment district.

Geographically the arena is situated in the heart of downtown Atlanta near Centennial Olympic Park, the CNN Center and other major attractions, with access to public transit and city roads.

Capacity and use: Configured primarily for basketball with a typical capacity of about 17,600 for NBA games; also hosts concerts and live events.
Location in the city: Located adjacent to downtown Atlanta attractions such as Centennial Olympic Park and the CNN Center, making it part of the city's central entertainment district.

How to Get to State Farm Arena #

State Farm Arena sits in downtown Atlanta beside Centennial Olympic Park. Take MARTA heavy rail to Peachtree Center or Five Points stations - both are roughly a 10-15 minute walk to the arena; multiple MARTA bus routes also serve the downtown core. By car use I‑75/I‑85 (the Downtown Connector) and follow signs for Centennial Olympic Park/International Boulevard; downtown garages and event parking are available. From Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport the drive is typically about 20-30 minutes (around 20 km) depending on traffic.

Tips for Visiting State Farm Arena #

Use MARTA and get off at Civic Center (or a nearby downtown stop) to avoid downtown traffic and the limited event-day parking around the arena.
Plan to arrive 30-45 minutes before doors open: security screening and ticket scanning can create bottlenecks, especially for NBA games and major concerts.
Have mobile tickets ready and confirm venue bag/entry rules ahead of time on the arena's official site to speed entry and avoid surprises at security.

Best Time to Visit State Farm Arena #

Best time is during scheduled events you want to attend-expect peak crowds on game nights and weekends, quieter at non-event times.

Peak event season

Oct-Apr · Indoor, climate-controlled

NBA season and many major events occur then-expect high crowd levels on game and concert nights.

Summer / off-peak

May-Sep · Indoor, climate-controlled

Fewer regular sports events; concerts and special events still occur but weekday crowds are generally lower.

Weekdays vs weekends

Year-round · Indoor, climate-controlled

Weekends and event nights draw the largest crowds; non-event times are quiet with easy entry and tours.

Weather & Climate near State Farm Arena #

Climate

State Farm Arena's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 0°C to 32°C. Abundant rainfall (1300 mm/year), wettest in March.

Temperature & Rainfall

Temperature Range

32°

Warmest Month

0°

Coldest Month

Monthly Conditions