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Bacchanalia-gorgeous-dinner

An Insider’s Guide to Atlanta, Georgia (20 Cool Things To Do)

February 3, 2024 by Molly Beauchemin 2 Comments

Dynamic neighborhoods, excellent food, mixed-use development, and a vibrant music scene make modern-day Atlanta, Georgia a city with its own unique flair. Sure, you’ve heard about the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Olympic Park, and the Atlanta Falcons Stadium Tour— but the best things to do in Atlanta are often unrelated to the biggest landmarks.

This bespoke guide to Atlanta, Georgia spotlights a handful of famous and up-n-coming things to do in the city– as well as where to eat, shop, and explore for the classic ATL experience.  

A new wave of hipster food halls, designer shopping, and hidden street art meccas like the Krog Street Tunnel are defining the latest iteration of the metropolis that once gave itself the slogan, “The City Too Busy To Hate.” 

People in Atlanta rep their city hard, and with good reason. Check out our rundown of the best things to do in Atlanta, below. 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Sun In My Belly

Brunch at Sun in My Belly

This is one of the best places to get brunch in the entire city! Sun in My Belly serves creative foodie breakfasts like poached eggs with chipotle hollandaise, roasted sweet potato, honey-glazed bacon hash with garlic-spinach sauté, and a house-made lavender biscuit that comes with homemade fruit preserves. 🍳🥓🥞 For a certain kind of breakfast lover, it just might be heaven on earth. (I certainly think so.)

The restaurant’s chic n’ funky space in the Kirkwood neighborhood features reclaimed furniture, paper lanterns, vintage mirrors, and the like. They also serve drinks in mason jars. You get the idea– the vibe here is rustic and eclectic.

The lavender biscuit– a staple on the restaurant’s menu– is an iconic local delicacy that I strongly recommend trying.

Otherwise, you can generally expect haute twists on Southern breakfast staples, like savory french toast with spinach + parmesan topped with béchamel cream and sunny-side-up eggs. Or, opt for an elevated french toast– it will pair beautifully with SIMB’s signature mimosa.

Related: These are the 9 Best Breakfast Spots in Atlanta.

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Chrome Yellow

Try Atlanta Coffee at Chrome Yellow Trading Co.

Chrome Yellow is one of the trendiest coffee shops in Atlanta. They serve great coffee and pastry in clean, minimalist digs. And because of the cafe’s proximity to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site (detailed below), I’d recommend going here either before or after your visit to this iconic landmark. It’s a good place to grab a quick coffee and snack.

Styled in an industrial-chic space, Chrome Yellow has some of the best coffee in Atlanta. They also stock a unique selection of locally-produced dry goods, from notebooks to cornmeal.

Plus, the brand’s signature coffee is sold in stylish-looking bags that make great souvenirs. The location isn’t super walkable, but the vibe is great.

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Dixon Rye

Dixon Rye for Epic Design Inspo

Dixon Rye‘s beautiful collection of home decor and statement pieces will have design lovers swooning. Located in the Howell Mill Road shopping area, the shop’s heirloom-quality assortment of everything from furniture and lighting to art pieces and silverware never fails to delight.

Homeowners will love the effortless, signature “quiet decency” of how the shop is arranged, and those looking for unique pieces to complete a concept room will have no shortage of inspiration.

Even if you don’t own a home or have any money to spare, Dixon Rye is just as much a design gallery as it is a store; the proprietor has excellent taste. It’s worth the visit even if you just go to look.

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Ponce City Market

Explore Ponce City Market

Ponce City Market is an open concept food court and marketplace that you see on every “Best of Atlanta” list. Going here is basically de rigueur. I recommend swinging by Citizen Supply, a lovely curated artisan market with perfectly priced local goods, from clothes and shoes to leather wallets, natural skincare products, plants, soap, handmade luggage, and beyond.

One of the brands to specifically look out for at CS is Community, a brand that repurposes vintage clothing to make stylish, sustainable modern pieces that I cannot recommend enough. (Sustainably made, small-batch clothing is the new atelier.) I got two incredible velvet crop tops here that were made from what appeared to be old, vintage dresses. They were $20 each. They don’t even make this fabric anymore.

Outdoorsy types should hit up Mountain High Outfitters, who specialize in Southern outdoor apparel perfect for hiking, camping, and active lifestyles.

There’s much more to explore, so I’ll leave the rest a surprise for when you get here. 🙂 

 

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Image: Molly Beauchemin for G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia 

…And Be Sure to Stop at Modern Mystic!

Modern Mystic is super cool and “woo-woo”, and even if you’re not into “woo-woo”, it’s still cool. Located in Ponce City Market (above), this crystal and tarot-filled mysticism shop has celebrity-inspired prayer candles featuring everyone from Beyoncé to Johnathan Van Ness of Netflix’s Queer Eye.

You could spend a while in here just reading, wandering, touching, and smelling things.

The first time I wandered in I saw a tarot card featuring André 3000’s face [representing ‘Temperance”] so I bought the whole deck. It was part of a pop-culture-inspired tarot deck called “The Illest Tarot,” which features people like Kurt Cobain, Björk, and Erykah Badu. That’s an image I took of my favorite cards, above. So cool, right?

Modern Mystic also offers 🔮Tarot Readings 💎Crystals 🌿Apothecary and 👁 Psychic Readings. I’d also recommend picking up some unique crystals and dried flower incense by Catherine Rising— but no matter what you buy, it’s sure to be unique.

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Upbeet 

Upbeet for Hip-Hop Inspired Salads

Salad bars aren’t exactly a sexy travel topic, but what’s not to love about Upbeet‘s organic, hip-hop-inspired vegetables?

Located smack dab in the middle of the Howell Mill Road shopping area, this place is PACKED for most afternoons throughout the week, as it is the healthy ATLiens’ lunch spot of choice. (And it’s conveniently located right next to Dixon Rye.)

They also do great smoothies, fresh juices, and hot and cold salads made to order. Plus, there are signs that say things like “Can I Kick It?” and “Yes, You Can” mounted side by side on the walls.

As you might expect, the playlist that bumps in the background is always on point. This place is popular with locals during lunch hours. How could it not be?

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Wish

Sneaker Shopping at Wish (Get Your Outkast On)

Move over, Kith– Wish is a sneakerhead’s dream store. Located in the stylish Little Five Points neighborhood, Wish sources sneakers from the world’s most iconic designers, which is why it has attracted a cult following from the likes of Atlanta’s own Big Boi and André 3000.

If you’re a sneakerhead, stopping by this ATL institution is a must. It’s easily the best sneaker shop in Atlanta. 

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Photo: Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party

Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party

Laid-back high tea service with strong Mad Hatter vibes. Come for tea and books, stay for wi-fi and fabulous pumpkin scones! Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party is a tea and book shop with lots of eccentricities– birdcages, upside-down umbrellas, paper cranes, and a litany of signage explaining the café’s charity work all hang from the ceiling. (Dr. Bombay’s charity, The Learning Tea, gives scholarships to underserved women in India.) 

The menu boasts an excellent variety of coffee, tea, pastries, sandwiches, scones, and ice cream. There’s a cluttered, old-timey feel to the space, and the owners welcome laptops, so it’s perfect for camping out on a rainy afternoon.

This is also a great place to kill time if you’re waiting for your name to be called off the waitlist at the nearby Flying Biscuit Café (more info further down on this list).

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Photo: Sculpthouse

Get a Kick-Ass Workout at Sculpthouse

Sculpthouse is one of the great Atlanta fitness institutions, combining sculpting work on the Megaformer with cardio bouts on Woodway Curve treadmills. 

Clients in their signature CardioSculpt Up class will rotate between Pilates-based exercises on the Megaformer and short running and walking segments on the treadmills.

The rotations are guided by skilled trainers who change it up so often you don’t have time to realize you’re tired. The result is a fun, full-body workout that feels unique to Atlanta because Sculpthouse hasn’t yet been mass-manufactured and replicated, like SoulCycle.

Plus, the fitness boutique stocks athleisure apparel and was recently recognized as having the best workout in Atlanta. 

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Krog Street Market

Food-ing at Krog Street Market

Krog Street Market was named one of America’s Best Food Halls by Travel + Leisure. Come to experience the best of Atlanta’s local international cuisine, from delicious bao buns and excellent sushi to local beer and surprisingly great pizza. 

Also, you can swing by the landmark Krog Street Tunnel on your way to or from the food hall; or walk, run, or bike there on the newly developed Atlanta BeltLine.

It’s bustling on the weekends! 

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Photo: dtox Juice

dtox Juice

Is it obnoxious to seek out the best green juice in every city you visit? It depends on who you ask, but if you ask me: No, it isn’t. After shopping around at 10 different juice-serving establishments, I’ve placed dtox Juice at the top of my list.

Their green juice is one of my favorites in the city, featuring an alkalizing blend of cucumber, apple, lemon, celery, kale, spinach, and parsley– healthful but not too sweet. It’s refreshing and light, which you’re going to need after all those biscuits and fried chicken. 😊

This place is also Gwyneth Paltrow approved, which I know is annoying, but that woman knows her juice.

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Photo: Le Jardin Francais Instagram

Le Jardin Francais (Get Some Magnolia Leaves!)

Le Jardin Francais is a cute little floral studio in the Westside Provisions District, and it’s definitely the best flower shop in Atlanta! I’d recommend going for the sole purpose of buying some branches of magnolia, the official tree of Georgia.

Because Magnolia leaves last forever, they look fabulous in bouquets, wreaths, and runners. They also make the perfect Georgia souvenir (along with biscuit dough and peach preserves, which you should smuggle home by any means necessary).

Plus, Magnolia leaves can travel safely on planes because they can go for extended periods of time without water. And once spent, they dry beautifully.

^ If you love plants, this is a charming thing to seek out during your visit. 

Related: The 9 Coolest Places to Buy Plants + Flowers in NYC. 

 

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Photo: Molly Beauchemin for G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia 

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site

You must visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site when visiting Atlanta– especially if you are an American, are interested in civil rights, or are a thinking, feeling human being.

The museum offers one of the most comprehensive, heart-wrenching, moving, and life-affirming civil rights exhibits in the world. (I had to take a moment of silence to recover myself before leaving.)

It’s also worth taking the time to visit MLK’s childhood home, just down the block. The property is managed by the National Park Service, which offers daily tours of the home that gives insight into King’s upbringing. (The house is furnished in the style of the era.) 

Check out the full visitation schedule here.

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Bacchanalia

Dinner at Bacchanalia

Bacchanalia serves Atlanta’s best farm-to-table food in a prix fixe format inside beautifully designed, chic modern digs. 🌿🙌

On a recent visit first course included items like Coddled Farm Egg with celery root, maple sourdough, and Perigord black truffle as well as the famous Crab Fritter with Thai essence, citrus, and avocado– the only item that has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 1993 (this dish is SO good). 🦀🥑

Next, there comes a fish, poultry, and meat courses, like Rohan Duck with lavender and winter citrus; Colorado Lamb with turnip greens and almonds; Summerland Farm Squash with shallots, curry, and Carolina golden rice, to give three recent examples.

There are many flavors that nod at new Southern and locavore palettes, but the third course, a micro gastronomic twist on the classic European cheese plate, is often the most memorable for guests. 🧀 (We recently had Red Cow Parmigiano-Reggiano paired with soft, pâté-like date cake and shaved raw maitake mushrooms. It’s wild stuff.)

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Star Provisions

Shop Cool Kitchenware Star Provisions

On your way out of Bacchanalia, stop by the adjacent Star Provisions for some shopping after your meal. The well-curated pantry goods shop has all kinds of cool kitchen items both locally-made and from all over the world, and they stay open as long as there are still people at the restaurant (and believe me, people WILL stay late).

Shop here for Atlanta’s best collection of ceramics, kitchenware, cutting boards, vases, culinary tools, and the like.

^ If you’re a foodie or someone who likes to cook, it’s one of the most fun places to shop in Atlanta.  

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image via Facebook/ Flying Biscuit Cafe

Have Breakfast at Flying Biscuit Café

Excellent comfort food breakfasts with a reliable line. As we wrote in our guide to Atlanta’s best brunch spots, Flying Biscuit Café has 10 locations around Atlanta, but the Candler Park location is the original. Go there for the quintessential experience.

The food here is so good that I got three breakfasts the first time I went because I couldn’t decide. Most dishes include the eponymous biscuit, but if yours doesn’t, order one on the side. (There’s a reason why most Atlanta Travel Guides recommend Flying Biscuit for a great brunch in the city, after all.)

Here, you can expect hearty, huge portions of no-frills, Southern-inspired breakfasts. I like the shrimp n’ grits, oatmeal peach pancakes, and spicy omelets with sausage and bacon.

But really, it’s all good. Plus it’s a great value, with zero pretenses.  

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Little Barn Apothecary

Capture All The Smells at Little Barn Apothecary + Co

I tend to seek out locally made, all-natural skincare products when I travel, and Little Barn Apothecary in the Westside Provisions District is a great place to do this in Atlanta.

They have a signature skincare line that is worth exploring– everything is small-batch, vegan, and cruelty-free.

They also stock other great natural brands like Reverie and Moon Juice, so you can get your fix if you’ve forgotten something in your travel bag.

Ultimately, if you want to get a thoughtful souvenir that you can use daily, this is a cute place to shop.  

 

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G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Hops Chicken

Experience Hop’s Chicken

From their outpost in Ponce City Market, Hop’s Chicken sells fried chicken by the piece (thighs, wings, breasts, drumstick, livers) and delicious chicken sandwiches (look out for the Original Chicken, $6 or the Chicken Biscuit, $4). It’s all so good! 

Chef Linton Hopkins has perfected the size, taste, and texture of the perfect chicken biscuit. Just be sure to ask for a generous dollop of Hop’s signature “frim fram” sauce on whatever you order! It’s an easy, cheap place to eat while you shop.  

 

G&L Guide to Atlanta, Georgia || Image: Yonder Yoga
 

Chill Out at Yonder Yoga

With convenient locations in Buckhead Court, Old Fourth Ward, and Westside Village, Yonder Yoga is a great hot power yoga studio for fitness travelers and zen-ed out yogis, alike. 

With its chic, minimalist style and inclusive approach, Yonder is one of the best yoga studios in Atlanta. It also has a great selection of yoga gear (above shown), as well.

Ultimately, this is a great final stop for out-of-towners looking to capture a final moment of zen before heading to the airport. ✈️     

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Related: 22 Charming Things to Do in Savannah, Georgia.

Want more bespoke city guides? Check out our American Cities travel index and our European Cities travel index, which features beautiful destinations from Pittsburgh to Portugal and beyond.

Filed Under: Travel Well Tagged With: american cities, Georgia, restaurants, Travel Guide

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