Emory University Atlanta Campus Map: How to Find Your Way Around Easily

Navigating Emory University’s Atlanta campus for the first time can feel overwhelming. Whether you are a prospective student, a patient heading to Emory University Hospital, or a local Atlantan attending a game or performance, having a clear mental map of campus and nearby streets makes your visit much smoother.

This guide walks you through the main parts of Emory’s Atlanta campus, how it fits into the city around it, and practical tips for finding buildings, parking, transit stops, and key landmarks.

Where Emory’s Atlanta Campus Is Located

Emory’s main Atlanta campus sits in the Druid Hills neighborhood, in northeast Atlanta, near the border of the City of Atlanta and unincorporated DeKalb County.

Core location details

• Area: Druid Hills / Clifton Corridor
• Major cross streets: Clifton Road NE, North Decatur Road, Oxford Road NE
• Nearby neighborhoods: Virginia-Highland, Decatur, Inman Park, Midtown (a short drive away)
• Nearby landmarks: CDC headquarters, Fernbank Museum, Lullwater Preserve

Most people think of Emory’s campus in terms of three overlapping areas:

1. Main Academic Campus (around the Quad)
2. Clifton Road / Health Sciences & Hospital Area
3. Emory Village & Surrounding Streets

Understanding these zones helps you read any Emory campus map more quickly.

Main Zones on an Emory University Atlanta Campus Map

1. Central Campus and the Quad

The academic heart of Emory is the central Quad, a large green space surrounded by many of the university’s signature buildings.

Common buildings near or around the Quad include:

• Administration and academic halls

  • White Hall
  • Candler Library
  • Carlos Hall
  • Callaway Memorial Center

• Student-focused spaces

  • Dobbs Common Table (DCT) and the main dining area
  • Alumni Memorial University Center (AMUC)
  • Residence halls located just off the main Quad

On most official campus maps, this central area is clearly outlined, often marked as the “Main Campus” or “Undergraduate Campus.” If you’re visiting for an admissions tour, a campus event, or to meet a professor, this is typically where you will spend most of your time.

2. Clifton Road and the Health Sciences Area

Running along the eastern side of campus, Clifton Road NE is one of the most important streets on an Emory campus map. Much of Emory’s medical and research activity is centered here.

Key sites commonly shown along Clifton Road:

• Emory University Hospital – The main hospital complex
• Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
• Emory Clinic buildings and specialist offices
• Health sciences research buildings and labs

If you are an Atlanta resident arriving for medical appointments, you will usually be directed to an address on Clifton Road NE or a nearby connector street. A campus map can help you see:

• Which parking decks are closest to your clinic or hospital entrance
• Which pedestrian routes or indoor corridors connect buildings
• Where patient and visitor check-in areas are relative to main entrances

3. Emory Village and Campus Edges

On the western side of campus along North Decatur Road and Oxford Road NE, you’ll find Emory Village, a small but important hub of commercial and student life.

Highlights typically shown near Emory Village on a campus map:

• Dining spots and services frequently used by students and visitors
• The main Oxford Road entrance to campus
• Nearby campus buildings used for classes and student services
• Sidewalks leading directly into the central campus and Quad

For anyone driving in from Decatur or from the east side of Atlanta, Emory Village is often the first clearly recognizable landmark that signals you’re at the edge of campus.

Reading an Emory University Atlanta Campus Map

Most Emory campus maps share several common features. Knowing how to interpret them will save time, especially if you’re navigating under time pressure (for example, to a hospital appointment).

Common map elements

• Color-coded building types

  • Academic and classroom buildings
  • Residential halls
  • Research and health sciences buildings
  • Athletics and recreation facilities
  • Visitor services (information, admissions, etc.)

• Parking icons and zone codes

  • Visitor parking decks and surface lots
  • Permit-only or employee parking areas
  • Patient and family parking near the hospital

• Pedestrian paths and accessibility routes

  • Major walkways crossing the Quad and central campus
  • Stairways versus ramps or elevators
  • Accessible routes marked between key buildings and parking

• Shuttle stops and transit markers

  • Emory shuttle (Cliff Shuttle) stops
  • MARTA bus stops along Clifton Road or North Decatur Road

When you pull up a map, start by locating:

1. Your destination building name or code
2. The nearest visitor or patient parking option
3. The closest entrance or shuttle stop you actually plan to use

Key Destinations and How They Appear on a Campus Map

The following table summarizes some of the most commonly searched Emory destinations for people in Atlanta and how they typically show up on maps.

Exact building names and locations can change as Emory grows, so it’s useful to cross-check the name in your appointment or event confirmation with the latest official map.

Getting to Emory’s Atlanta Campus: Streets and Access Points

Main driving approaches

From within the Atlanta metro, drivers commonly reach Emory via:

• From Midtown/ Downtown Atlanta

  • Freedom Parkway → Moreland Ave NE → North Decatur Road
  • Or Ponce de Leon Ave → Clifton Road or N. Decatur Road

• From Decatur

  • West on North Decatur Road straight into Emory Village
  • Options to turn onto Clifton Road, Oxford Road, or other campus-adjacent streets

• From I-85 or I-285

  • Access via Clairmont Road, Shallowford Road, or North Druid Hills Road, then local streets to Clifton Road NE

Campus maps often highlight gateways or primary entrances from these routes so you can see which one lines up best with your parking destination.

Parking on Emory’s Atlanta Campus

Parking is one of the main reasons people rely on a detailed campus map.

Types of parking you’ll see on a map

• Visitor parking decks
  Typically marked with a “P” symbol and often near major campus entries, hospitals, or event spaces.

• Patient and family parking
  Located close to hospital and clinic entrances on or near Clifton Road NE. These are usually clearly labeled as patient/visitor parking.

• Permit-only / employee parking
  Often separated from visitor areas and marked as restricted or by permit type.

When planning a visit:

1. Identify your destination building.
2. On the map, locate the closest visitor or patient parking.
3. Note the street entrance to that deck or lot (many have more than one way in).

🚗 Tip: During busy weekday hours, visitor decks near Emory University Hospital and major academic halls can fill quickly. If you have a time-sensitive appointment, allow extra time for parking and walking.

Walking Routes and Campus Layout

Once parked, most visitors navigate Emory on foot. Campus maps help by showing:

• Main walkways across the Quad connecting academic buildings
• Routes from parking decks to major entrances
• Elevation changes (Emory has some mild hills and stairways)
• Paths that connect the hospital complex to academic or parking structures

For someone unfamiliar with the area, it’s helpful to mentally note:

• The Quad as your central reference point for the academic side
• Clifton Road as the reference for the hospital/health side
• North Decatur Road / Emory Village as the western edge reference

Transit to Emory: Shuttles and MARTA

Many people in Atlanta avoid driving to Emory by using public transit and university shuttles.

MARTA connections

While Emory’s main campus does not sit directly on a MARTA rail line, campus maps often show:

• Nearby MARTA bus stops along Clifton Road NE and North Decatur Road
• Connections to rail stations, such as:
  • Decatur Station (East-West line, with bus transfer toward Emory)
  • Other nearby stations that feed bus routes toward the Clifton Corridor

Using MARTA’s system map along with Emory’s campus map can help you coordinate where to get off the bus and which part of campus you will enter.

Emory shuttles (often called Cliff Shuttles)

Campus-area maps typically show:

• Shuttle stop icons around the Quad, hospital, and parking areas
• Main shuttle hubs where multiple routes converge

These shuttles commonly connect:

• Central academic campus
• Clifton Road medical complex
• Nearby park-and-ride locations
• Other Emory facilities in the Atlanta area

If you’re commuting from elsewhere in Atlanta, a common approach is:

1. Park or arrive via MARTA at a connecting point.
2. Use a shuttle route into the heart of campus, guided by the stops shown on the campus map.

Using a Campus Map for Events, Tours, and Daily Life

Campus tours and prospective students

If you’re coming from elsewhere in Metro Atlanta for a campus tour:

• Look for the admissions or welcome center on the campus map.
• Check which visitor parking deck is recommended in your tour confirmation.
• Use the map to estimate the walking distance from your car to the tour start point.

Sporting events and performances

For games, lectures, or performances:

• Identify the venue name (arena, auditorium, or hall).
• Find that venue on the map and look for nearby visitor/event parking.
• Check if the event notes mention specific recommended decks or lots.

Maps are particularly helpful at night or during weekends, when some usual pedestrian entrances may be locked and you need to follow the main, marked routes.

Practical Tips for Navigating Emory in the Context of Atlanta

• Account for Atlanta traffic. Even short trips from Midtown, Decatur, or Virginia-Highland can take longer during rush hour. Use the campus map to identify the best entry street before you leave.
• Carry or save a map image. Cell reception is usually good, but saving a screenshot or printed map ensures you have building names and parking information handy if your signal drops.
• Match building names exactly. Many Emory buildings have similar names or are part of a larger complex. Double-check that the name in your confirmation matches what you see on the map.
• Plan accessible routes if needed. Campus maps often highlight accessible entrances, ramps, and elevator locations, which can be crucial for hospital visits or mobility needs.
• Use campus boundaries as anchors.
  • West: Emory Village / North Decatur Road
  • East: Clifton Road / CDC area
  • Inside: Quad, hospital, and residential zones

By combining an Emory University Atlanta campus map with a basic sense of how the campus fits into Druid Hills and the broader city, you can move confidently between parking, clinics, classrooms, and events—whether you live in Atlanta or are just in town for the day.