The Best Things To Do Around Atlanta: A Local’s Guide to the City

Atlanta has a way of feeling like a big city and small town at the same time. Whether you’re here for a weekend, new to the area, or looking for fresh ideas as a long-time local, there are plenty of things to do around Atlanta beyond just the usual tourist stops.

Below you’ll find a structured guide to Atlanta’s neighborhoods, attractions, outdoor spaces, food, and family-friendly activities—organized so you can quickly find what fits your time, budget, and interests.

Quick Overview: What Do You Want To Do Today?

Iconic Atlanta Attractions You Shouldn’t Miss

Downtown & Centennial Olympic Park Area

If you’re new to Atlanta or showing visitors around, Downtown is usually the place to start.

Key attractions around Centennial Olympic Park:

• Georgia Aquarium
  One of Atlanta’s signature attractions with massive tanks, immersive exhibits, and plenty to see in a single visit. It sits just off Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

• World of Coca-Cola
  A museum-style experience exploring the history and branding of Coca‑Cola, a company long associated with Atlanta. It’s next to the Aquarium, making it easy to pair the two in one day.

• Centennial Olympic Park
  A public green space built for the 1996 Olympics. Good for walking, picnicking, and letting kids run around between attractions.

• College Football Hall of Fame
  Popular with sports fans, featuring interactive exhibits, memorabilia, and seasonal events.

• SkyView Atlanta
  A large Ferris wheel near the park that offers aerial views of the skyline, especially nice at sunset or after dark.

Tips:

• 🚗 Parking: There are multiple paid decks around the park. If you plan to visit several attractions, look for garages that sit between them so you can walk.
• ⏰ Timing: Weekdays and earlier mornings are usually less crowded than Saturdays and holiday weekends.

Exploring Atlanta Neighborhoods by Vibe

Atlanta is very neighborhood-driven. Each area has its own feel, restaurants, and things to do.

Midtown: Arts, Parks, and Nightlife

Midtown is one of the most walkable parts of the city and a hub for arts and culture.

Highlights:

• Piedmont Park
  A large urban park with walking trails, open fields, a dog park, and seasonal festivals. Great for jogging, people-watching, and skyline views from the meadow.

• Atlanta Botanical Garden (inside Piedmont Park area)
  Known for seasonal plant displays, holiday lights, and children’s garden areas.

• High Museum of Art
  A leading art museum featuring rotating exhibitions and a strong permanent collection, including modern and classical works.

• Midtown Mile (Peachtree Street NE)
  A stretch of Peachtree with restaurants, bars, and shops, plus easy MARTA access via Arts Center and Midtown stations.

Midtown is a good choice if you want to pair culture, green space, and dining without driving all over town.

Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward & BeltLine Eastside

If you like walkable, trendy neighborhoods with plenty of food and casual activities, this is where many locals spend their weekends.

• Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail
  A paved multi-use trail running from around Piedmont Park toward Reynoldstown. Ideal for walking, biking, scooters, and people-watching.

• Ponce City Market (off the BeltLine)
  A large, redeveloped market with food stalls, retail shops, offices, and a rooftop area with games and skyline views.

• Krog Street Market & Krog Street Tunnel
  Krog Street Market offers food hall-style dining and small shops. The nearby tunnel is known for its constantly changing street art and murals.

• Inman Park streets
  Attractive historic homes, tree-lined streets, and restaurant clusters along Highland Avenue and surrounding blocks.

This area is excellent if you want a full day on foot: breakfast or brunch, a walk or bike on the BeltLine, lunch at a market, then drinks or dessert nearby.

Westside & West Midtown

The Westside has grown into one of Atlanta’s most popular areas for dining and design-focused shops.

• Revitalized warehouses housing restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques
• Breweries, rooftop bars, and patios
• Proximity to Georgia Tech and the Northside Drive corridor

The atmosphere here is more industrial-chic, appealing to people who want food, drinks, and shopping with a slightly less touristy feel than Downtown.

Buckhead: Shopping, Dining & Upscale Nightlife

Buckhead combines major shopping, office towers, and residential neighborhoods.

Things to do:

• High-end and mainstream shopping areas
• Restaurants and lounges with later-night scenes
• Residential streets with large homes and tree cover
• Proximity to the Atlanta History Center, which includes the Swan House and extensive grounds and exhibits

If your priority is shopping and more upscale dining, Buckhead is the obvious stop.

Outdoor Things To Do Around Atlanta

Even though traffic and skyscrapers get a lot of attention, Atlanta is known for its trees and green spaces. You don’t need to leave the metro area to get outdoors—though you can, if you’re up for a short drive.

Urban Parks & Trails

• Piedmont Park (Midtown)
  Good for picnics, running, festivals, volleyball, and dog walking.

• Atlanta BeltLine (various segments)
  The Eastside Trail is the best known, but there are also Westside and Southside segments. The BeltLine connects multiple neighborhoods and is ideal for car-free exploring.

• Historic Fourth Ward Park (near Ponce City Market)
  A smaller park with a lake, green spaces, and walking paths.

• Grant Park
  Atlanta’s oldest city park, home to Zoo Atlanta and plenty of open space.

Chattahoochee River & Nature Areas

If you’re willing to drive 20–40 minutes from central Atlanta, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area offers:

• Riverside trails
• Kayaking and tubing (seasonally, via local outfitters)
• Picnic areas and fishing spots

Popular units near Atlanta include areas in Sandy Springs and Vinings.

Stone Mountain Park (East of Atlanta)

Stone Mountain Park is a widely known outdoor destination outside I‑285:

• Network of hiking trails, including a summit trail with broad views of the region
• Lake, picnic areas, and seasonal attractions
• A mix of free and paid activities, so it helps to review options in advance

This works well as a half-day or full-day outing, especially with kids or groups.

Arts, History, and Culture in Atlanta

Atlanta’s history includes the Civil War, the civil rights movement, and major cultural and business growth in the 20th century. If you want to understand the city beyond the skyline, build in time for these stops.

Civil Rights & Local History

• National Center for Civil and Human Rights (near Centennial Olympic Park)
  Focused on the U.S. civil rights movement and modern global human rights issues.

• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park (Sweet Auburn district)
  Includes Dr. King’s birth home area, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and a visitor center. This is an important stop for understanding Atlanta’s role in the civil rights era.

• Atlanta History Center (Buckhead)
  Covers local history from the Civil War through modern times, with indoor exhibits and outdoor historic homes and gardens.

Performing Arts & Live Entertainment

• Fox Theatre (Midtown)
  A historic theater on Peachtree Street that hosts Broadway tours, concerts, comedy shows, and film events. The interior is elaborate and worth seeing even if you’re primarily going for a performance.

• Alliance Theatre (Midtown, near High Museum)
  Regional theater known for a mix of new works and classic productions.

• Smaller venues across the city host everything from live music to comedy, with a notable concentration in Little Five Points, East Atlanta Village, and Edgewood.

Family-Friendly Things To Do Around Atlanta

Atlanta is especially good for families with kids, thanks to its mix of cultural attractions and hands-on activities.

Downtown & Midtown with Kids

• Georgia Aquarium
  Engaging for children of most ages, with large viewing windows and interactive areas.

• Children’s Museum of Atlanta (near Centennial Olympic Park)
  Aimed at younger children, with themed play areas and educational exhibits.

• College Football Hall of Fame
  Interactive exhibits that tend to hold kids’ attention, especially those interested in sports.

• Piedmont Park
  Easy to navigate with strollers, plus playgrounds and open lawns.

Zoo, Science, and Nature

• Zoo Atlanta (Grant Park)
  Features a variety of animals and a kid-friendly layout. Pair with time in Grant Park’s playgrounds and walkways.

• Fernbank Museum of Natural History (near Druid Hills)
  Known for dinosaur exhibits, natural history displays, and an outdoor forest area that encourages exploration.

• Atlanta Botanical Garden (Midtown)
  The children’s garden and interactive elements make it enjoyable for families, especially in milder months.

Food & Drink: Where to Eat and Hang Out

Atlanta’s food scene is diverse, drawing from Southern traditions and a wide range of global influences.

Classic “Atlanta” Food Experiences

• Southern and soul food in neighborhoods like West End, Cascade, and around Downtown and Westside
• Barbecue spots scattered across the metro area
• Fried chicken and meat-and-three style restaurants that highlight regional comfort food

Ask locals or check neighborhood favorites in places like College Park, Decatur, and East Atlanta for smaller, well-loved spots.

Food Halls & Walkable Eating Areas

• Ponce City Market (Old Fourth Ward)
  Multiple food stalls and sit-down restaurants, coffee, dessert, and rooftop entertainment.

• Krog Street Market (Inman Park)
  A smaller food hall packed with good options and easy access to the BeltLine.

• Midtown & Westside
  Dense clusters of restaurants and bars within blocks of each other, making it easy to try multiple places in a single outing.

Sports, Events, and Seasonal Activities

Atlanta is a major sports town and hosts events throughout the year.

Professional Sports

Around Downtown and the Westside, you’ll find:

• Mercedes‑Benz Stadium (football and soccer)
• State Farm Arena (basketball and major concerts)
• Seasonal college football games, bowl games, and other events downtown

On the northwest side, Truist Park and the surrounding mixed-use development host baseball games and year-round events.

Festivals and Seasonal Events

Depending on the time of year, you might find:

• Food and music festivals in Piedmont Park, Grant Park, and surrounding neighborhoods
• Holiday light displays at places like the Atlanta Botanical Garden and other major venues
• Neighborhood-specific events, such as tours of homes, art strolls, and street festivals

Many locals build their schedules around these recurring events, especially in spring and fall when the weather is most comfortable.

Easy Day Trips From Atlanta

If you have a car and a full day, you can leave the city but still stay close to metro Atlanta.

• Stone Mountain Park (east of I‑285)
  Hiking, scenic views, and outdoor activities.

• Serenbe / Chattahoochee Hills (southwest of the city)
  A planned community and rural-feeling area with farm-to-table dining, trails, and small shops.

• Lake Lanier area (north of Atlanta)
  Boating, swimming, and lakeside activities in warmer months.

• North Georgia Mountains (further north)
  Towns like Dahlonega, Helen, and Blue Ridge for hiking, waterfalls, small-town main streets, and cabin stays.

These trips work well if you want a break from traffic and tall buildings while still basing yourself in Atlanta.

Practical Tips for Enjoying Atlanta Activities

• 🚆 Transit: MARTA rail is especially useful for getting between the airport, Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead without dealing with parking.
• 🚗 Driving & Parking: Traffic can be heavy at rush hours. Many attractions have nearby decks; allow extra time to park and walk.
• 🌦️ Weather: Summers are hot and humid. Outdoor walking areas like the BeltLine and parks are most comfortable in the morning, evening, spring, and fall.
• 🕒 Plan Clusters: Group activities by area—Downtown one day, BeltLine/Ponce/Inman Park another, Midtown/Buckhead on a different day—to minimize driving.

With a mix of big-name attractions, neighborhood exploring, outdoor spaces, and food, there’s no shortage of things to do around Atlanta—whether you’re here for a few hours or you’ve lived inside the Perimeter for years and just want new ideas.