17 Best Things to Do in Atlanta
Atlanta is a city that’s simultaneously known for its rich history and influence on the future. A city of transformation, it's the birthplace of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., and remains a political hotbed in today's national discourse. And while its designation as a Hollywood of the South has allowed the city to develop quickly and in exciting ways, it's also wrapped in forest, with natural beauty woven into the urban landscape. Recent years have brought chic hotel openings, exquisite retail options, and beautifully designed green spaces. Atlanta’s dining scene has long been focused on locally grown food, and continues to shine with options ranging from no-frills to sophisticated. There’s a lot to explore; before you get lost in everything the Big Peach has to offer, start with our list of the best things to do in Atlanta.
Read our complete Atlanta travel guide here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Courtesy the SintosesactivityAtlanta BeltLine
What started as an idea for a Georgia Tech graduate thesis has become one of Atlanta’s best-loved outdoor attractions. Atlanta was once called “Terminus” because of the railroads that converged in the city before the Civil War, and this project repurposes the historic 22-mile railway loop around the downtown area into a multi-use paved path lined with native plants and art installations. While only the Northside Trail, Westside Trail, Eastside Trail, and West End Trail are fully complete, the other sections are hike-able. When it’s finished (estimates say 2030) it will connect 45 in-town neighborhoods, include 33 miles of multi-use trails and 2,000 acres of parks, and become one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States. If you've got limited time, pick an entry point and a destination and make your own shorter loop. For instance, park at Ponce City Market and walk north to Piedmont Park before heading back, a trip that should take less than an hour at an easy pace.
Gene Phillips/Courtesy The Center for Civil and Human RightsactivityThe Center for Civil and Human Rights
This downtown attraction, opened in 2014, celebrates the American Civil Rights Movement and the global Human Rights Movement. The airy, modern building was designed to inspire positive action with lofty architectural elements like a clear glass front and two bold, curved walls. Conceived by design firms HOK and Perkins+Will, the architects in charge said they were inspired by Washington, D.C.’s National Mall, Cairo’s Tahrir Square, and Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Inside, the museum includes three levels of galleries and event halls: A walk through the exhibit on American Civil Rights starts in the 1950s, illustrating the impact of Jim Crow laws and legalized racism on America. It explores communities' fights for equality, and raises questions about the systems Americans have yet to challenge.
Courtesy Lee's BakeryrestaurantBuford Highway
$If “Atlanta is the cultural capital of the New South," as Marian Liou, founder of We Love BuHi, is fond of saying, then "Buford Highway is its multicultural heart.” Along this bustling street, you’ll find every manner of international cuisine, including Vietnamese, Peruvian, Chinese, Malaysian, Korean, Cuban, and Mexican. Use Lee’s Bakery—one of the few places where you can find equally fantastic pho and banh mi in a combo—as your jumping off point for exploration. It's emblematic of many of the gems along the road: Not fancy, but darn good. We say, go for the combo while you're there (that's half banh mi, half small pho for the uninitiated)—you just can't go wrong with the crunchy French bread baked daily and fragrant broth. And if you find yourself craving something else from an equally far-flung part of the world, just take a drive; Bangladeshi at Panahar, some of Atlanta's best sushi at Sushi Hayakawa, and Korean at Sokongdong Tofu House are all within striking distance.
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Courtesy Ponce City MarketshopPonce City Market
Clocking in at a whopping 2.1 million square feet, this is the Southeast’s largest brick structure, and is home to big retailers, local boutiques, gyms, and more than 20 varied restaurants and food stalls (including multiple James Beard Award-winning chefs). Ponce City Market is somewhere you come for a good time, whether it's shopping at a small boutique, gallery, or larger store, or for a meal or drink in the central food hall (featuring three James Beard Award winners). Management does a great job of hosting fun events like cooking classes, art and candle making workshops, wine tastings, and more. You also can pay a small fee to take a freight elevator to the rooftop and play vintage carnival games and get some of the city's best skyline views.
Courtesy Atlanta Botanical GardenactivityAtlanta Botanical Garden
Adjacent to Atlanta’s verdant Piedmont Park, it’s easy to see why this 30-acre oasis in the heart of Midtown welcomes more than half a million visitors each year. In 2010 it nearly doubled its size when it opened the Canopy Walk, a 600-foot walkway suspended in the trees. Guests can visit the steamy orchid house, walk through the edible garden of native plants (though they are edible, resist the temptation!), and stop for an upscale meal at Longleaf, one of the few restaurants in the world to be housed in a botanical garden. In addition to being a serene place for a stroll, ABG leads a number of nationally recognized conservation efforts, including the Orchid Conservation Institute, the Conservation Greenhouse for endangered plants, and a program to save rare frogs, so there’s an educational element here too.
Courtesy Junkman's DaughtershopLittle Five Points
There are a few places in Atlanta where freak flags fly, and proudly so—but chief among them is Little Five Points. The quirky neighborhood around the five-corner intersection of Euclid, Moreland, and McLendon Avenues on Atlanta's east side is home to Variety Playhouse (their solid roster of indie concerts is the stuff of legends), alternative clothing boutiques, vintage record shops, and plenty of off-color restaurants, but for a microcosm of what makes L5P unique, head to the Junkman’s Daughter, an emporium of novelties. There, shoppers will find gifts, clothing, and art for folks of all persuasions, from goth to hippie to punk.
Allen Creative / Steve Allen / Alamy Stock PhotoactivityZoo Atlanta
Founded in 1889, Zoo Atlanta is one of the city’s oldest cultural destinations and one of the great zoos in the country under continuous operation. The 40 acres it occupies in the Grand Park neighborhood are home to more than 1,000 animal residents representing over 200 species, so there’s a draw whether you’re into being outdoors or seeing a particular kind of animal, whether passing through on a solo trip or here with your family. While you’ll find unique habitats and the typical zoo inhabitants (elephants, lions, giraffes, bears, alpacas, tortoises, and flamingos), it’s known for being one of only three U.S. zoos to have giant pandas and for having one of the largest populations of great apes in North America.
GettyactivityAtlanta History Center
One of Atlanta's best museums, the Atlanta History Center was originally founded in 1926 by a group of Atlantans dedicated to, well, preserving their city's history. The Center, as we know it today, came to fruition in the 1990s as a way of highlighting the political and cultural history of Atlanta and the surrounding region. Unsurprisingly, there's an impressive collection of Civil War art and artifacts here (including Cyclorama: The Big Picture, a painting that measures 49-feet tall by 371-feet long), along with written commentary on the Native American history of Georgia and lighter, more pop-culture-adjacent topics like Folk Art. The 33-acre campus of historic homes, exhibitions, and archives is unto itself a treat, especially the epic Swan House, former home to one of the wealthiest families in Georgia.
GettyactivityWestside Park
You might recognize this park from television show "The Walking Dead." The former Bellwood Quarry has been converted into this 280-acre park with beautiful skyline views. Westside Park is a thing of beauty for nature lovers and photographers alike. A sculptural gateway that resembles dinosaur ribs, designed by Portman Architects, leads you into the spacious park with two and a half miles of paved trails that loop around a reservoir. There's a playground for kids and plenty of green space for those who want to have a picnic or just sprawl out. Bring your sneakers, as it's hilly.
BellyardshopThe Interlock
Something of a one-stop-shop for pleasure seekers that you can make a day out of, this mixed-use development in the heart of West Midtown is anchored by the 161-room Bellyard Hotel. At Drawbar, an industrial-glam vibe and an inviting lobby restaurant, sit on the terrace overlooking the skyline for maximum enjoyment of happy hour, which is held Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (with snack specials on top of drink discounts). The Interlock happens to have an open container license, so you can visit the other venues such as indoor mini-golf experience Puttshack, and open-air coffee and cocktail spot Holiday Bar. Head to St. Germain, the French bakery on the ground floor of the Interlock, and indulge in a couple of pastries that look too pretty to eat—almost. A rooftop bar and pool are also forthcoming.
Bruce Damonte/Courtesy Mercedes-Benz StadiumactivityMercedes-Benz Stadium
When Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened its doors in 2017 it became an eye-catching star in Atlanta's skyline. The unique roof's design hearkens to a falcon wing (appropriate given the football home team) and the retractable roof transforms in just a few minutes. The venue is impressive thanks to its stunning windows that give an amazing view of the city as you descend and ascend the escalators. You can visit for a football game or live music performance, but the thrill of an Atlanta United soccer game (typically occurring February through October) is unbeatable.
GettyactivityKing Historic District Tour – Atlanta History Tours
Prepare to be inspired on the King Historic District Tour, which is meticulously researched by company founder and historian Akila McConnell. On the two-and-a-half-hour walking tour—at about 1.5 miles, the pace is leisurely—you’ll get an up-close look at some of the city’s most important Civil Rights locations and learn little-known stories in the neighborhood. With a maximum of 14 guests—there's no minimum, so it’s possible you could have the guide’s undivided attention—the experience feels intimate, even when it's at capacity.
Courtesy High Museum of ArtactivityHigh Museum of Art
The High is one of the biggest and best museums in the Southeast, the kind of place Yayoi Kusama might bring her Infinity Mirrors, alongside a permanent collection of some 17,000 works. The campus stands out in Midtown, Atlanta's arts district, with buildings by bold-faced names like Renzo Piano and Richard Meier. Inside, you'll find a bit of everything: photography; decorative arts; classic European and American works; photographs by Dawoud Bey. It's a day well spent. You won’t want to miss the newest collection, given to the museum in 2019. The Doris and Shouky Shaheen Collection, displayed in a gallery named in the couple’s honor, includes works from legendary artists such as Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Amedeo Modigliani, and Henri Matisse. If you only have time for one gallery, this is a heavy-hitter.
GettyactivityOakland Cemetery
Oakland Cemetery, a 48-acre public park, is the final resting place for more than 70,000 souls and one of the city’s oldest public parks. Established in 1850 with just six acres near downtown Atlanta, it’s grown over the years and now includes miles of walking trails spread among the headstones, decorative sculptures, and mausoleums. Some of the most popular graves here include "Gone With the Wind" author Margaret Mitchell (her house is another Atlanta landmark), golfer Bobby Jones (co-founder of the Masters Tournament and the first golfer to win golf’s Grand Slam), and Maynard Jackson (Atlanta’s first first African-American mayor, and namesake of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ). It's also free to visit.
shopLee + White
Lee + White is an adaptive reuse development in the West End neighborhood that consists of former warehouse spaces transformed into destinations like Best End Brewing and ASW Distillery, with a food hall addition on the way. The specialty here is anything quaffable: Beer lovers should hit up Monday Night Garage, where Monday Night Brewing dreams up sours and barrel-aged brews in a spacious, funky tasting room. Even those who don't drink can enjoy a trip to the development with a stop at Honeysuckle Gelato, or Cultured South for a glass of kombucha. If you're hungry, try Boxcar, an American cuisine restaurant with splashy art and an extensive beer list (it's owned by the team behind Hop City, one of Atlanta's most iconic craft beer shops).
James DuckworthVirginia-Highland District
A visit to the Virginia-Highland neighborhood (named for the intersection of Virginia and North Highland Avenues) is like a mini city break, within the city limits. Just 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta, historic craftsman homes and cottages line the streets of the picturesque neighborhood that's a lovely spot for a morning or afternoon stroll. There’s also a booming retail district that includes Atlanta institutions like George’s, a bar established in 1961, and brunch go-to Murphy’s. Exciting newcomers are Kinship Butcher & Sundry and Academy Coffee; the latter is known for its cocktail-like coffee drinks (think lattes with bitters and fanciful syrups). Other must-visit spots include Doughnut Dollies and Virginia Highland Books, an independent bookstore with a cushy seating area to sit and read over a coffee.
activityDecatur Square
The word ‘charming’ comes to mind when you picture Decatur Square. Decatur is a city known as an "in-town" suburb thanks to its close proximity to downtown Atlanta. The town's square itself is a nice space to hang out (you may recognize it from the television show "Watchmen") with a rich scoop of local ice cream from Butter & Cream. There are plenty of things to do here, and it's a food-enthusiast's wonderland: Several of the city's top restaurants are Leon's Full Service (seasonally-driven fare in a former gas station) and the Iberian Pig, a tapas institution. Decatur is a city driven by a love for all things local, so you won't see many chains here when it comes to food or retail; instead hit beloved businesses like Squash Blossom Boutique, Wild Oats & Billy Goats art gallery, B-Side bagels, and Little Shop of Stories bookstore.
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