Exploring Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia: A Practical Map & Walking Guide

A map of Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia is more than just a street layout—it’s a guide to one of the most historically important corridors in the city. This short stretch, officially Auburn Avenue NE, runs through the heart of the Sweet Auburn neighborhood just east of Downtown and is central to Atlanta’s civil rights history, Black business heritage, and cultural life.

Below is a clear, locally focused guide to understanding where Auburn Avenue is, how it’s laid out, what’s along it, and how to navigate it like a local.

Where Auburn Avenue Is in Atlanta

Auburn Avenue NE is in intown Atlanta, on the east side of Downtown:

• Western end: Near the Peachtree Center / Downtown area
• Eastern end: Near the King Historic District and Old Fourth Ward
• Neighborhood: Primarily the Sweet Auburn corridor

In simple terms:
If you’re standing at Downtown Atlanta around Peachtree Street, Auburn runs east from there, roughly parallel to Edgewood Avenue and Decatur Street.

Basic Layout of Auburn Avenue

Here is a simple way to visualize the street from west to east:

The most visited and historically dense portion is between Courtland Street and Boulevard NE.

Key Landmarks Along Auburn Avenue (West to East)

If you’re looking at a map of Auburn Avenue, these are the major pins you’ll want to recognize:

Downtown Entry Point

• Peachtree Center Area (West End of Auburn)
  • Auburn Avenue begins in the Downtown grid and quickly becomes more historic as you head east.
  • Convenient if you’re staying in a Downtown hotel or near Peachtree Center MARTA Station.

Sweet Auburn Business & Cultural Core

• Sweet Auburn Curb Market (Municipal Market) – 209 Edgewood Ave SE

  • Not directly on Auburn, but one block south and often paired with Auburn Avenue visits.
  • Indoor market with food vendors and local stalls; easy to reach when you walk along Auburn and cut down toward Edgewood.

• Historic Commercial Blocks on Auburn Avenue
  As you move east past Courtland St and Piedmont Ave, maps will show clusters of historic commercial buildings. These blocks used to house many of Atlanta’s most influential Black-owned businesses and organizations.

Core Civil Rights & Religious Landmarks

• Big Bethel A.M.E. Church – 220 Auburn Ave NE

  • One of the oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregations in Atlanta.
  • Visually prominent on maps and in person; a key anchor on the western Sweet Auburn stretch.

• Prince Hall Masonic Temple – 330 Auburn Ave NE

  • Historic building linked to Black civic and fraternal life.
  • Often marked on maps as a significant historic structure.

• Historic Black Business Corridor

  • Around the 300–500 blocks of Auburn, you’ll see references to historic offices, banks, and organizations on most detailed maps of the corridor.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park Area

As you continue east on Auburn, you enter the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, one of the most mapped and signposted sections of the street.

• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park – Visitor Center

  • Located near the Auburn Ave & Jackson St area.
  • Most ATL maps label this district clearly, and it’s a central reference point for understanding Auburn Avenue.

• Ebenezer Baptist Church (Historic & Horizon Sanctuary) – 101 & 407 Auburn Ave NE

  • The historic Ebenezer Baptist Church sits directly on Auburn, near Jackson Street.
  • The modern Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary is also nearby.
  • On most maps, look for the cluster of icons labeled with “Ebenezer” along mid–Auburn Ave.

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birth Home – 501 Auburn Ave NE

  • East of Jackson Street along Auburn.
  • In many mapping apps, this is clearly pinned as “Birth Home of Martin Luther King Jr.”
  • The surrounding blocks include preserved historic homes from the early 1900s.

• The King Center – 449 Auburn Ave NE

  • Slightly off the main road but within the same block area.
  • Includes the reflecting pool and tomb of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King.
  • When looking at a map, this will be shown just north of Auburn but is considered part of the same historical cluster.

Eastern Transition Toward Old Fourth Ward

• Boulevard NE Intersection

  • A major north–south street that intersects Auburn.
  • On a map, this is a useful reference if you’re orienting yourself between Auburn, Edgewood, and Freedom Parkway.

• Residential & Community Blocks

  • East of Boulevard, the density of tourist stops decreases, and Auburn transitions toward more residential and local community buildings.

How to Use a Map of Auburn Avenue Effectively

When you pull up a map (digital or print), here’s how to read it in a locally useful way:

1. Find the Core “Must-See” Stretch

For most visitors and many locals revisiting history, the focus is:

• From Courtland Street NE to Boulevard NE
• This stretch includes:
  • Big Bethel A.M.E. Church
  • Sweet Auburn commercial core
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church
  • MLK Jr. Birth Home
  • King Center area

If you only have 1–2 hours, this is the section to zoom in on and walk.

2. Use Landmarks as Navigation Anchors

Instead of memorizing every cross street, orient yourself by major landmarks:

• Downtown side anchor: Peachtree Center / Downtown grid
• Central anchors:
  • Big Bethel A.M.E. Church
  • Prince Hall Masonic Temple
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church
• Eastern anchor: MLK Jr. Birth Home and Boulevard NE

On a map, drop pins or mental notes at these locations. They’re easy to spot and make it simple to tell if you’re going the right way along Auburn.

3. Pair Auburn with Nearby Streets

Auburn Avenue rarely exists in isolation in daily use; locals often pair it with:

• Edgewood Avenue SE (one block south in many sections) – dining, nightlife, restaurants
• Decatur Street (to the south/west) – transit access and Downtown connection
• Jackson Street – connects Auburn to the Visitor Center, Freedom Parkway, and bridge viewpoints
• Boulevard NE – connection up into Old Fourth Ward and down toward Memorial Drive

When looking at a map, imagine Auburn as the historic backbone, with these other streets feeding in people, transit, and amenities.

Getting To Auburn Avenue: Transit & Parking on the Map

MARTA (Rail)

On most transit maps, Auburn Avenue lines up with East-West connectivity from Downtown:

• Closest stations for Auburn Avenue:
  • Peachtree Center Station (North-South Line) – West entry to Auburn (walk east).
  • King Memorial Station (East-West Line) – A bit southeast of Sweet Auburn; a short walk or quick rideshare away.

Once you get off MARTA, pull up a walking map and trace Auburn east–west:

• From Peachtree Center, walk east through Downtown to pick up Auburn.
• From King Memorial, walk northwest or ride toward the MLK National Historical Park area.

Streetcar

Atlanta’s Streetcar route clearly shows its path along a portion of Auburn Avenue:

• The line runs along Auburn Avenue and Edgewood Avenue in a loop.
• Streetcar stops commonly shown near:
  • Sweet Auburn Curb Market (on Edgewood, but close to Auburn)
  • Park areas and historic sites along the Auburn corridor

When viewing a streetcar map, use the stops that mention “Sweet Auburn” or “King Historic District” as your landmarks.

Parking

Public parking is mostly clustered around Downtown and the King Historic District:

• Look along Edgewood Ave, Decatur St, and nearby side streets for decks and lots.
• When checking a map, search near:
  • Auburn Ave & Courtland St (Downtown edge)
  • Auburn Ave & Jackson St / Boulevard NE (MLK park area)

Always verify posted signs on-site, since rules may differ by block.

Walking Auburn Avenue: A Simple DIY Route

If you’re using a map to plan a self-guided walking tour, this structure keeps it straightforward:

Step 1: Start Near Downtown

• Begin around Peachtree Center or Auburn Ave & Courtland St.
• Walk east along Auburn toward Sweet Auburn.

📍 On your map: Mark Big Bethel A.M.E. Church as your first major landmark.

Step 2: Continue Through the Historic Business Core

• Walk past historic storefronts and civic buildings as you move toward Piedmont Ave and Jackson St.
• This segment highlights the former center of Black finance and business in Atlanta.

📍 On your map: Note Prince Hall Masonic Temple and surrounding blocks.

Step 3: Explore the MLK Jr. National Historical Park Area

• Keep walking east along Auburn to reach:
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church
  • MLK Jr. Birth Home
  • King Center (just off Auburn, but part of the same area)

📍 On your map: Draw a rough loop around Auburn Ave, Jackson St, Boulevard NE, and the surrounding blocks so you don’t miss key sites.

Step 4: Decide How Far East to Go

• Many visitors turn around near Boulevard NE, especially if they plan to head back toward Downtown or connect to Edgewood Avenue.
• Locals exploring deeper Old Fourth Ward might continue east and then cut north or south to other neighborhood destinations.

Tips for Reading Digital & Paper Maps of Auburn Avenue

• Check the suffix: Make sure you’re looking at Auburn Ave NE in Atlanta, Georgia, not a similarly named street elsewhere.
• Zoom in for walking paths: Some maps highlight pedestrian paths and park walkways around the MLK district that branch off Auburn.
• Look for labeled districts: Terms like “Sweet Auburn”, “Old Fourth Ward”, and “Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park” often appear as shaded zones—these help you understand the broader context of Auburn Avenue.
• Use satellite or street view if available: Helpful to see which buildings are active, where entrances face Auburn, and how crosswalks are laid out.

Why Auburn Avenue Matters on the Map of Atlanta

For anyone living in or visiting Atlanta, Auburn Avenue is one of the city’s most important streets to understand geographically and historically:

• It forms a direct east–west line from Downtown into Old Fourth Ward.
• It anchors the Sweet Auburn Historic District, central to the story of Black Atlanta.
• It contains some of Atlanta’s most visited civil rights and cultural landmarks, including the MLK Jr. National Historical Park.

Whether you’re planning a walking tour, figuring out how close your hotel is to historic sites, or just trying to understand how this part of the city connects, a map of Auburn Avenue helps you see how history, transit, and neighborhoods all intersect in one corridor.