Things to do!

There are a wide variety of fun things to do with your time in Atlanta, here are a few ideas to get you started!

  • Zoo Atlanta

    • Childhood favorite of both Paul and Halie, always a classic. Likely to be quite crowded on the weekends, but timed ticketing helps if you can plan accordingly.

  • National Center for Civic and Human Rights

    • Incredible museum, absolutely worth a visit if you have the time. Very close to the aquarium and Centennial Park, as well.

  • Piedmont Park

    • Atlanta’s largest (and maybe best?) park. Great place to take a walk or a bike ride, or just relax and enjoy the outdoors. High on the list of Paul’s top recommended places to skip school.

  • Atlanta Botanical Garden

    • Really nice Botanical Garden, and they always have a cool seasonal exhibit going on.

  • Georgia Aquarium

    • The Atlanta aquarium is a fun visit with a ton of really good exhibits, almost more than you can see in one day! Also likely to be busy on Saturday/Sunday.

  • Atlanta United FC v. New York City FC

    • Enjoy a football match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, October 9th (time TBD)

  • The Beltline

    • The closest thing Atlanta has to New York’s High Line (but not really); a long path good for biking, scootering, running or walking with shops and restaurants the whole way. Bike tours are available as well if that’s your thing!

  • Centennial Park

    • The site of much of the ‘96 Olympics, a fun outdoor space to walk around. Yes, there is also some sort of ferris wheel tourist trap, ride at your own discretion.

  • Farmers Markets

  • Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

    • Really cool building, pretty decent museum, and if you’re one of those people who keeps a stamp booklet of every Presidential Library, you can tick this one off the list! Also the site of the Freedom Park Farmer’s Market.

 

Places to eat!

Some of our favorite restaurants in town

  • Breakfast

    • Home Grown

      • Atlanta classic. Super busy so only go if you’re willing to wait, but all the southern breakfast staples.

    • Folk Art

      • A little bit newer school style, but such good breakfast food. Killer pimento cheese. Either location is great.

    • Ria’s Bluebird

      • Good for breakfast/brunch or lunch, make sure to get some pancakes whenever you do go.

    • Sun in My Belly

      • A bit more up scale but still casual, another great breakfast spot.

    • Gato

      • The only good breakfast restaurant in Candler Park, don’t get trapped by Flying Biscuit across the street. They also do cool Italian or Taiwanese popups sometimes.

    • Emerald City Bagels

      • Great breakfast sandwiches, about the closest you can come in town to a New York bagel shop. Recommend ordering ahead, the line gets crazy on the weekends. They also make a pretty good egg cream soda.

  • Lunch

    • Eats

      • A meat and three with the best jerk chicken inside the perimeter, if you don’t count Dat Fire Jerk. The meatloaf is good too, and if you manage to catch them on Friday the Jerk Tilapia is great.

    • General Muir

      • “Emory Point” is not a real neighborhood, but General Muir gets a pass for being about the closest thing you can get to a NY-style deli in Atlanta. Really great. Take some pastrami home to your Airbnb for a late night snack.

    • Desta

      • If you like Ethiopian food, stop by. What more do you need to hear?

    • Glide Pizza

      • Really good thin-crust pizza sold by the slice through a window. Also on the Beltline, makes a good stop on a bike ride.

    • Varuni Napoli

      • If you want a whole pie or a sit-down experience, either Varuni location will do. Halie’s favorite is the Bastardo (red pizza with pepperoni and ndjua spread) while Paul loves the Spacca Napoli (white pizza with truffle oil, mushrooms and caramelized onions.)

    • Chai Pani

      • Go for lunch to get the buffet, or order of the menu for dinner. As crazy as it sounds, they have an incredible salad. Seriously.

    • Taqueria del Sol

      • Any of the locations around town get crowded but are worth the wait (or come early) for some really consistently good tacos and margaritas.

    • Arepa Mia

      • Venezuelan restaurant specializing in Arepas, Empanadas and Cachapas. So good and as a bonus almost everything is gluten free since it’s all made with corn meal.

  • Dinner

    • Banshee

      • Trust us, just go. And get the fry bread appetizer. You won’t regret it. Killer cocktails, too.

    • Delbar

      • Incredible Middle Eastern food, great drinks, really cool ambience. Recommend a reservation.

    • Gaja

      • Korean-fusion. Highly recommend the scallion pancake and the kimchi fried rice. Right around the corner from Halie and Paul’s house.

    • Bocca Lupo

      • Maybe Paul and Halie’s favorite Italian place. Incredible pasta and great cocktails. Get a reservation.

    • Kimball House

      • Some of the best cocktails in the city, amazing steak and great oysters. Not cheap, but excellent.

    • Wrecking Bar

      • Gastro pub spot with great food. Pretty casual, always a good time.

  • Late Night / Drinks

    • R Thomas

      • Go for the fresh squeezed juice, stay for the tropical birds. Some of them may be put away if it’s cold during your visit, but some get heaters and stay hanging out. Great food, super unique Atlanta experience. Lots of Vegan options, too.

    • Waffle House

      • If you’re coming from a state that doesn’t have Waffle House, do yourself a favor and go get an All Star breakfast. Doesn’t matter what time of day, doesn’t matter what location, just do it.

    • Octopus Bar

      • Very chill late-night spot in East Atlanta Village, serves food till super late as well.

    • Argosy

      • Near the location of the Saturday party and Halie and Paul’s place, Argosy has some good pizza and pub food, with great drinks and a million beers on tap.

    • EARL

      • One of Paul’s favorite dive bars. Usually a show in the back on Friday or Saturday nights. Pretty good food too, the nachos are a highlight.

    • Righteous Room

      • Another dive-y spot, if that’s what you’re into. Also pretty good food.

    • Beetlecat

      • Good food (Oysters not as good as Kimball House, but in general a lower-cost place) and fantastic drinks. Great downstairs patio.

    • Cypress Street

      • Open late, great patio, and Halie’s favorite chicken tenders in town.

    • The Local

      • Hands down the best smoked wings for miles, they also do karaoke some nights. Near a bunch of other fun stuff on Ponce (Claremont Lounge!) and just got bought by some developers so go enjoy it while you can. Not much food once they run out of wings, which usually happens by 8 or 9pm every day.

    • Euclid Avenue Yacht Club

      • “Yacht Club” is used ironically here, one of Paul’s favorite hole in the wall spots. Little Five is fun to walk around with plenty of other good bars and restaurants.

    • Elmyr

      • Solid burritos, tacos and quesadillas. Open late, but you really go to have a Grizz. Don’t ask questions, just trust us.