Map of Atlanta, Georgia: How to Navigate the City Like a Local

Finding your way around Atlanta, Georgia is much easier when you understand how the city is laid out, where the major neighborhoods are, and which routes locals actually use. Whether you’re visiting, new to the area, or just trying to get a mental “map of Atlanta,” this guide walks you through the city in a clear, practical way.

The Big Picture: How Atlanta Is Laid Out

Atlanta does not follow a simple grid like some cities. Instead, it has a hub-and-spoke layout centered around Downtown and Midtown, with major highways and neighborhoods radiating outward.

Key Features of the Atlanta Map

• Downtown Atlanta – Historic core of the city; government buildings, major sports venues, and big attractions.
• Midtown – Just north of Downtown; arts district, high-rise offices, major hotels, and Piedmont Park.
• Buckhead – North of Midtown; known for shopping districts, upscale housing, and business centers.
• Perimeter area – Around I-285 (the perimeter highway) with major office parks and suburbs.
• Inside the Perimeter (ITP) – Areas within I-285; generally more urban and denser.
• Outside the Perimeter (OTP) – Suburbs and outlying communities beyond I-285.

On a map of Atlanta, you’ll see three main interstates forming the backbone of how people move through the city: I‑75, I‑85, and I‑20, plus I‑285 circling the metro area.

Understanding the Major Highways and “Spaghetti Junction”

Navigating Atlanta by car often starts with knowing the interstates and how they show up on a map.

Core Interstates

• I‑75
  Runs north–south through the city.

  • South: to the airport, Macon, and Florida
  • North: through Midtown and Buckhead toward Marietta and Kennesaw

• I‑85
  Also runs north–south, joining I‑75 through Downtown.

  • South: connects toward Montgomery and points southwest
  • North: splits from I‑75 near Midtown and heads toward Norcross and Greenville

• The Downtown Connector (I‑75/85)
  The section where I‑75 and I‑85 merge through Downtown Atlanta. On a map, it’s the central vertical highway cutting through the city’s core.

• I‑20
  Runs east–west, crossing the Downtown Connector.

  • East: toward Decatur, Stone Mountain, Augusta
  • West: toward West End, Six Flags area, and Alabama

• I‑285 (“The Perimeter”)
  A loop circling Atlanta. Many locals describe locations as inside or outside the Perimeter. On a map, it’s the ring around the central city.

Spaghetti Junction (I‑285 / I‑85 Interchange)

On an Atlanta map, the large, complex interchange northeast of the city is “Spaghetti Junction,” where I‑285 and I‑85 North meet. If you’re new to Atlanta:

• Expect many ramps and lane changes.
• Study this part of the map if you plan to drive between Downtown/Midtown and Gwinnett County.

The Core: Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead

When you look at a map of Atlanta, the core area from Downtown up through Buckhead is where many visitors and residents spend most of their time.

Downtown Atlanta

Where it sits on the map:
Directly south of Midtown, around the intersection of I‑75/85 and I‑20.

What you’ll find here:

• Government & Civic:

  • Georgia State Capitol – Liberty Plaza & Capitol Square
  • Atlanta City Hall – 55 Trinity Ave SW

• Major attractions & venues:

  • Georgia World Congress Center
  • State Farm Arena
  • Mercedes‑Benz Stadium
  • Centennial Olympic Park
  • Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca‑Cola (just to the north in the Centennial Park area)

Transit hubs:

• Garnett (south Downtown) – near intercity bus services
• Five Points MARTA Station – main rail transfer station:
  • Address: 30 Alabama St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
  • Connects all MARTA rail lines; key reference point on most transit maps.

Midtown Atlanta

Where it sits on the map:
Just north of Downtown, along Peachtree Street and the I‑75/85 corridor.

Highlights you’ll see on a Midtown map:

• Piedmont Park – Major green space east of Midtown’s main towers.
• Atlanta Botanical Garden – On the park’s northern edge.
• Arts & Culture Cluster:
  • Woodruff Arts Center
  • High Museum of Art
  • Alliance Theatre

Transit:

• Midtown MARTA Station – 41 10th St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
• Arts Center MARTA Station – 1255 W Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Both appear prominently on city transit maps and are key landmarks for getting around without a car.

Buckhead

Where it sits on the map:
North of Midtown along Peachtree Road and GA‑400, inside the Perimeter.

What stands out:

• Commercial centers:
  • Lenox Square area (near Lenox Rd NE and Peachtree Rd NE)
  • Phipps Plaza area
• Residential pockets:
  • Tuxedo Park, Peachtree Heights, and other neighborhoods scattered between Peachtree Rd and Northside Dr.

Transit:

• Buckhead MARTA Station – 3360 Peachtree Rd NE
• Lenox MARTA Station – 955 E Paces Ferry Rd NE
• Lindbergh Center MARTA Station (just south of Buckhead) – a major bus/rail transfer point.

Intown Neighborhoods: What You’ll See On the Map Inside the Perimeter

Many of Atlanta’s most recognizable neighborhoods sit inside I‑285. On a detailed neighborhood map, you’ll see clusters of named communities around Downtown and Midtown.

Eastside Neighborhoods

Located mostly east and northeast of Downtown/Midtown.

• Old Fourth Ward (O4W) – East of Downtown and the Connector; near the BeltLine Eastside Trail and historic sites like the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.
• Inman Park – East of O4W; Victorian homes, near the BeltLine.
• Virginia‑Highland – North of Midtown, between Piedmont Park and Druid Hills.
• Little Five Points – At the intersection of Euclid Ave NE and Moreland Ave NE; easily spotted on local maps.

Westside Neighborhoods

West of the Downtown Connector, inside the Perimeter.

• West Midtown / Upper Westside – Former industrial area turned mixed‑use; along Howell Mill Rd and Marietta St.
• West End – Southwest of Downtown, near I‑20 and the West End MARTA Station.
• Castleberry Hill – Immediately southwest of Downtown; known for lofts and galleries.

Southside Intown Areas

• Mechanicsville, Summerhill, and Peoplestown – South of Downtown along the Connector and Hank Aaron Dr.
• Pittsburgh – South of Downtown, west of the Connector.

Knowing these names helps you interpret “intown” maps of Atlanta, which often label neighborhoods instead of focusing on interstates.

The Atlanta BeltLine: Mapping the Loop Around the Core

On many modern maps of Atlanta, one of the most important features you’ll see is the Atlanta BeltLine, a developing loop of trails, transit, and parks around the city core.

Major BeltLine Segments

• Eastside Trail – Runs from near Inman Park/Reynoldstown up past Old Fourth Ward toward Piedmont Park.
• Westside Trail – Runs through neighborhoods like West End and Adair Park.
• Southside and Northside sections – Portions are built or under construction, gradually forming more of the full loop.

On a map, the BeltLine usually appears as a curving path encircling central neighborhoods, connecting parks and mixed‑use developments.

Transit Map of Atlanta: MARTA Rail and Bus Basics

If you’re looking at a MARTA map of Atlanta, you’ll mainly see color‑coded rail lines and a network of bus routes.

MARTA Rail Lines Through the City

• Red Line – North/South
  • Runs from North Springs (north of Sandy Springs) down through Buckhead, Midtown, Downtown, and to Airport Station at Hartsfield‑Jackson.
• Gold Line – North/South
  • Runs from Doraville through Chamblee, Lindbergh, Midtown, Downtown, and also to the Airport.
• Blue Line – East/West
  • Connects Hamilton E. Holmes (west) through Downtown to Indian Creek (east).
• Green Line – East/West
  • Shares much of the Blue Line through Downtown but terminates earlier on the west side.

Key MARTA Rail Stations on Atlanta Maps

• Airport Station – At Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport
• Five Points – Main transfer hub in Downtown
• Midtown, Arts Center, North Avenue – Central to the Midtown and tech corridor
• Lindbergh Center – Major transfer point north of Midtown
• West End – Access to Westside intown neighborhoods

For bus routes, printed and online maps typically show numbers and main corridors (e.g., buses along Peachtree St, Moreland Ave, Metropolitan Pkwy).

Driving the Surface Streets: Peachtree and Other Key Roads

Once you look beyond the interstates, several streets show up again and again on any street map of Atlanta.

Peachtree: The Spine of the City

Peachtree Street / Road / Industrial Blvd appears in many forms, but the central run is:

• Starts in Downtown as Peachtree St
• Continues through Midtown
• Becomes Peachtree Rd in Buckhead and continues toward Brookhaven and Chamblee

On a city map, following Peachtree gives you a good sense of the central north–south spine of Atlanta’s urban core.

Other Notable Roads

• Ponce de Leon Ave (Ponce) – Runs east–west along the north edge of Midtown and O4W.
• Moreland Ave – North–south route on the east side, crossing I‑20 and connecting Little Five Points to East Atlanta.
• Northside Dr – Runs north–south on the west side of Downtown and Midtown.
• Cobb Pkwy / US‑41 – North of the city, roughly paralleling I‑75.

Airports and Transportation Hubs on the Map

Knowing where transportation hubs are located on a map can help you plan arrival, departure, and transfers around Atlanta.

Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

• Location:
  Just south of Downtown, off I‑85 and connected by Airport Blvd and Camp Creek Pkwy.
• MARTA Access:
  Airport Station is inside the Domestic Terminal, at the southern end of the Red and Gold rail lines.

Major Ground Transportation Points

• Greyhound / Intercity bus services – Typically located near South Downtown and the Garnett MARTA area.
• Amtrak Atlanta Station – 1688 Peachtree St NW, near Brookwood between Midtown and Buckhead.

Most regional and national maps will highlight ATL and Downtown as primary reference points.

Quick Reference: Atlanta’s Layout at a Glance

Use this simple summary to visualize the map of Atlanta, Georgia in your head:

Practical Tips for Using a Map of Atlanta

• Decide if you’re ITP or OTP. This quickly narrows down which parts of the map matter for your daily travel.
• Use landmarks, not just addresses. Locals often describe areas by reference to interstates, MARTA stations, or well‑known neighborhoods.
• Trace your route along the interstates first. Then zoom in to surface streets and neighborhood names to complete your path.
• Pay attention to direction labels. Streets like Peachtree, Ponce de Leon, and Moreland change character as they cross neighborhoods, even if the name stays the same.
• For transit users, memorize the MARTA “plus sign.” The north–south (Red/Gold) and east–west (Blue/Green) lines cross at Five Points, forming a simple mental map.

With a basic understanding of how Atlanta is organized—Downtown at the center, Midtown and Buckhead rising to the north, the Perimeter loop, and the BeltLine around the core—you can read almost any map of Atlanta, Georgia and quickly figure out where you are and how to get where you need to go.