A full day of adventuring in Atlanta will put your stamina—and your scheduling skills—to the test. With so many options, you can fit in multiple workouts, check out renowned dining spots, and try coveted craft brews all around the city. Plus we’ve found two unique bed-and-breakfast options where you can rest your head after celebrating your triumph. Enjoy a full day in the city exploring the possibilities.
Fuel Up at Condesa Coffee
Start your journey with a jolt at Condesa Coffee’s flagship location in the Old Fourth Ward beneath the Tribute Lofts, at the corner of Freedom Parkway and Boulevard, where you'll be smack-dab in a stupendous city view of the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site and Jackson Street Bridge. If you've got a sweet tooth, don't miss the made-from-scratch syrups.
Hit the Trails
Enter Freedom Park near the iconic Homage to King steel sculpture and continue along the paved PATH trail, passing by stunning, towering sculptures—it's Atlanta's designated Art Park—until you hit North Highland Avenue, where you can connect to the Eastside BeltLine trail. The combined stretch serves up the epitome of an urban outdoor experience, running through several intown neighborhoods dotted with innovative street art, tree-lined bridges, industrial architecture, the Old Fourth Ward Skatepark and more.
Get Your Grub Along the BeltLine
Retrace your path back to mile marker 9.25 at John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, where you can hop off to fill up at Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall. Brunch kicks off right at your arrival time at this campsite-themed spot, which boasts a tasty selection of twists on the classics: There's the Fried Oyster Benedict, Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit and Fish-n-Grits, all of them top-notch choices to fill up on while taking a beat on Ladybird's expansive patio.
Conquer the Silver Comet Trail
Only about a half-hour drive northwest of your brunch bonanza is an ideal entry to the Silver Comet Trail, built on historic abandoned rail lines spanning a total of 61.5 miles from Smyrna to the Georgia-Alabama state line. While it's generally a leisurely 2 percent grade throughout, pedaling the whole stretch is a bit ambitious—but adventure-seeking cyclists will certainly love to test their stamina trying. Begin at the Floyd Road Trailhead, where Silver Comet Cycles is at your service for rentals, repairs and sales, and see just how far you can get.
Relax at Piedmont Park
With its more than 200 acres, Piedmont Park, Atlanta's legendary green space, is fully primed for a post-workout chill-out. Just south of the center is Lake Clara Meer, offering a picturesque view of the skyline from a calming, seemingly faraway vantage point. Find shade in the nearby gazebo or make your way to the rolling meadow, where you can stretch out for a relaxing bit of sunbathing. Either spot—and tons of others—make great locales for pop-up picnics while catching the setting sun. You can even go for an all-out barbecue using one of the numerous on-site grills located throughout the park.
Before you head out, try squeezing in a little more action. Walk or run the 2.5-mile Piedmont Park Loop circling the lake, take a self-guided woods and groves tree tour or head to the bocce ball court for competitive group fun.
Unwind at One of Atlanta's Best Brewpubs
The Wrecking Bar Brewpub stands out not only for its homebrewed selections and craft beer connoisseur favorites, but also for its architecture: The late-Victorian design of its restored historic building, with its grandiose circular entryway and tall white columns, makes for an extravagant jaw-dropper of a watering hole.
Dinner fare at the Inman Park staple is impressive, too: Count on the juiciest of strip steaks, plus creative sausages fused with kale or made with shrimp. Wrecking Bar is also a boon to vegetarians, offering up daily specials made with produce grown at their 63-acre Wrecking Bar Farm in Loganville. Wash it all down with one of the daily on-deck selections, from wood-aged brews to IPAs, stouts and everything in between.
Ready for Bed
Beautiful, opulent boutique hotels aren't hard to come by in Atlanta, but if you're looking for an outside-the-box overnight option, a few undeniable gems have popped up in recent years. The modern but colorfully kitschy Urban Oasis is one of those—aptly named, considering its outdoor hot tub and lap pool. With its super-close proximity to the BeltLine factored in, the four bedrooms at this Inman Park loft book up fast.
If you can't snag a stay there, no worries: Just look to historic Grant Park, where you'll find a cozy farm-style experience at The Social Goat Bed and Breakfast. In the main house—a Queen Anne Victorian homestead built in 1900—choose from several second-floor rooms, or opt for the spacious converted attic. For extra privacy, you can shack up in the adjacent one-bedroom, one-bath carriage house, or just across the street at the larger Hog Heaven House. Whichever snug-and-homey setting you choose, you won't be alone: The Social Goat is also home to actual goats, as well as fish and turkeys. Naturally, there's chickens also; they provide the fresh eggs you'll enjoy for breakfast.
Get a good night’s sleep—there’s plenty more to do tomorrow.
Written by Jhoni Jackson for RootsRated in partnership with Atlanta CVB and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.
