Atlanta is one of those cities that I’ve always wanted to visit, but I’ll be honest I had no real idea what there was to do or see. When I moved to Athens, GA for school, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to plan some local trips and explore my own state and see what Atlanta was all about. Over time, I’ve been able to visit a bunch of landmarks around the city so here’s my recommendation on how to spend one day in Atlanta, whether you’re here for a conference, long layover, or just passing through!

One Day in Atlanta Itinerary

Morning Noms

It’s no secret that I like to plan my travel itineraries around food. So when I recently spent one day in Atlanta, it was no different.

Start your morning with the best donuts at Simply Done Donuts in Duluth. They make the best donuts I’ve ever had! This is a bold claim considering I’ve done full reviews of donuts of travel destinations like where I found the best donuts in Dublin. I suggest getting to Simply Done Donuts near their opening time to get the donuts hot and fresh! The best part is that these donuts are minis so you can try a few with less chance of overeating. My favorites were the French toast, apple pie, and Snickers donuts. They also have coffee and tea. For an Instagram idea, try their donut milkshake that’s a combo of plain donuts blended with ice cream and milk, topped with a mini donut of your choice!

If you want, take a walk around downtown Duluth (the surrounding blocks). If Duluth is too far from Atlanta’s city center, try Sublime Donuts, which are also amazing, or Ria’s Bluebird, open Thursday through Sunday, or Flying Biscuit Cafe at the southwest corner of Piedmont Park.

Late Morning Itinerary

After, head to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Piedmont Park shared parking deck at 1345 Piedmont Ave NE. Guests of the gardens park on levels 4, 5, and 6, while guests of Piedmont Park take levels 1, 2, and 3. Parking is free for the first 30 minutes, $2 for one hour, and $1 for every additional 30 minutes up to a maximum of $15.

If you have wiggle room in your budget ($22 per person), I would spend some time at the botanical gardens. They feature large topiary sculptures – they’re famous for their past Alice in Wonderland exhibit and annual holiday lights. Be sure to visit the orchid garden too, it’s beautiful!

Eventually make your way to Piedmont Park for the ultimate views of the city! If your budget is tight, I would skip the botanical gardens and go straight to Piedmont Park.

For another way to save money, you can also take MARTA (the public transportation system) to Midtown Station and walk east to Piedmont Park. It costs $2.50 for one way, which can be a good option if you plan to stay for a longer period of time or you want to hop back onto MARTA at a different point.

You’ll find the picturesque view of the city at the southeast corner of the lake. There’s also an “active oval” with ball fields, soccer fields, volleyball courts. Toward the north (by the parking deck), there is a tennis center, basketball court, aquatic center, bocce courts, and even a dog park!

Once you take it all in, exit the park to the southeast corner to begin your journey on the Atlanta Beltline. This paved pathway circles Atlanta and you can walk, run, or bike along the path for as long or as little as you like.

For this itinerary for one day in Atlanta, I recommend starting at Piedmont Park and walking along the Beltline to Ponce City Market.

When you exit the park at the corner of 10^th St NE and Monroe Dr NE, you’ll see the entrance to the Beltline across the street from the park. Chances are a bunch of people will be entering and exiting the path here so it should be easy to spot. The distance from the park to Ponce City Market is 0.7 miles. You can also rent bikes from Relay Bike Share here.

Aside from enjoying the outdoors, the Beltline is really great because it lets you see little corners of the city like locals. You’ll see beautiful murals along the path as well as fun art installations like the Tiny Doors of Atlanta.

Lunch and Early Afternoon Activities

At Ponce City Market, head inside to grab some lunch. There are a ton of great options including Botiwalla, which serves Indian street food, Hop’s Fried Chicken, El Super Pan Latino Sandwiches, Italian food at Bellina Alimentari, or W.H. Stiles Fish Camp. I also recommend checking out the dessert options as there is a location of Five Daughters Bakery serving 100 layer donuts (do we sense a donut theme here), Batter Cookie Dough Counter, and Honeysuckle Gelato.

The Roof of Ponce City Market has vintage midway games, rides, and mini golf. It costs $10 for entry and $15 for unlimited gameplay. If you’re looking for an unconventional night on the town for 21+ adults, visit The Roof Friday or Saturday after 5pm. There is a bar up there!

Alright, if you’re loving the Beltline, you can keep going 1.4 miles to the Krog Street Market exit. You’ll pass by Historic Fourth Ward Park where you can stop in to see a fountain and later pass Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. Just remember that no matter how far you go, if you parked in the parking deck, you’ll need to venture all the way back either by walking/biking or via Uber. If you want to return to your car at this point instead, that’s totally fine! (that’s what I did)

Dinner and Free Evening Activities

If you’re feeling burnt out, you can absolutely call it here. I’ve done this on a hot, summer’s day (Piedmont Park to Ponce City Market) and it can be plenty. However if you’re raring to go, here’s what I recommend for dinner.

Take your car to Krog Street Market and choose a spot for dinner. I love Richard’s Southern Fried, Gu’s Dumplings, or Pho Nam. Now, I’m not only sending you this direction for food, but there’s a cool local attraction nearby called Krog Street Tunnel.

Walk a couple blocks south from Krog Street Market down Krog St NE until you reach DeKalb Ave NE where you’ll run into the tunnel. Take a walk through the tunnel being careful of pedestrian traffic.

Krog Street Tunnel is so cool because it’s a constantly changing art piece of people’s street art. It’s totally legal and encouraged! You might even catch an artist at work.

I personally think the tunnel is better at night because it is lit up. However, if you’re visiting solo or with a family and feel uncomfortable, you can definitely go in the day time. I went at night with my female cousin and we never felt unsafe.

For one final stop, head back to your car and drive to the Jackson Street Bridge. This is the iconic Atlanta skyline view that you probably recognize from Walking Dead posters. It’s a beautiful spot at night and you’ll probably run into some photographers.

This concludes my itinerary for one day in Atlanta. I hope this gives you some ideas for what you can do in a day and all that you can see (and eat) even if you’re short on time!

More time in Georgia? Check out these posts:

Weekend getaway guide to Helen, Georgia

Things to do in Jekyll Island, Georgia

10 Things to do in Athens, Georgia

60 Places to eat & drink in Athens, Georgia

Travel guide for a day trip to North Georgia waterfalls

Ultimate guide to Taste of Atlanta

How to spend fall in Georgia

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