What Can You Do In Atlanta For A Day?

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When you think about it, 24 hours is a long time to be in one place. If you happen to be in Atlanta, Georgia, there’s a lot you can do in that time period. But where should you start — and end?

In this article, we’re going to show you what you can get into in one day in Atlanta. You could be coming to town on business or pleasure or you might even be a native. It doesn’t matter!

What To Do In Atlanta For A Day

If you’re situated in downtown Atlanta, the city is designed to get you around quickly. Make sure you’re dressed for the weather though. Here’s your itinerary for Atlanta in a day.

You’re in Atlanta for the day, what are some things to do? We want to get into some things, but not spend too much money. In fact, we want to do cheap things to do in Atlanta.

First off, you may want to ride a scooter to get from Point A to B in downtown Atlanta. Your main options are a Lime scooter or a Bird scooter. Let’s get started at 6 a.m. and see what we can do:

Ride MARTA

Find a MARTA station and get on the train. If you’re downtown, you can take the train to either 5 Points or Peachtree Center. Here’s a MARTA map to help you see where you are.

Once you get off the train, time to go to one of the most recognizable places in Atlanta…

Go To Waffle House In Atlanta (Any Waffle House)

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Waffle House is the unofficial start of the day for thousands of people around metro Atlanta. Here’s how many Waffle Houses are in Atlanta.

Once you get something Scattered, Covered and Chunked, you should be ready to tackle Atlanta with confidence.

You’re going to want to walk off some of those grits and eggs. Why don’t you go to Woodruff Park.

Visit Woodruff Park

If the greenery at Woodruff Park doesn’t do it for you, the daily chess game will. You can be a spectator of a wonderful chess game between strangers and the regulars that show up at the park.

Ride The Peachtree Trolley

Take a ride on the Peachtree Trolley in downtown Atlanta. The trolley will take you around the downtown district for 90 minutes and give you stories for all the monuments and landmarks. Book a tour here.

Tickets are $31 for an adult and $16 for a child.

After the tour, you’re going to be hungry. Now, it’s time to eat…

Lunchtime in Atlanta

A lot of factors are at play when it comes to where to eat in Atlanta for lunchtime. For instance, if a restaurant is jam-packed at noon, then it’s not going to work: You’re on the clock. 

You need a place that can get you in and out, and that place changes everyday, actually every hour. Here are some options:

You could opt to check out one of the spots in Peachtree Center or along the corridor behind the Healey Building.

Once you enjoy your meal, you’ll want to slow it down a bit. Rest up in a stationery place to catch your breath, so to speak. Time for a matinee.

Watch a Movie

Atlanta has some start-of-the-art cinemas in the middle of the city. If you want to eat or drink with your film, you can venture up to Buckhead or Brookhaven. 

If you’re good watching a flick without libations you can go to any one of several good movie theaters in Atlanta.

Tip: All-day Tuesdays, Regal Cinemas lets you enjoy $6.45 tickets in Atlanta.

Here are some of the best movie theaters:

After you’ve taken in a movie, it’s time to get active again…

Time For The Beltline

Now, it’s time to get active again: A pretty cool outing would be to go for a free guided bike tour of the Atlanta Beltline.

Visit The MLK Center

Photo credit: YouTube.com
Ebenezer Baptist Church, continues to thrive. 450 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312.

Visit Krog Street Market

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Conveniently situated just feet from the Beltline in Inman Park, Krog Street Market is the city’s second-most successful project. The market sits on nine acres and feagures 12,000 square feet of anchor restaurants like Superica, a renown beer and wine store and all kinds of cool restaurants and pop-up shops.
Cost: Free to enter; restaurant prices vary.

Walk through Atlantic Station

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The most high-profile mixed-use development project in Midtown is Atlantic Station. Comprised of a retail district, office space, condominiums, townhomes and apartment buildings, Atlantic Station is credited with heralding the post-mall era for metro Atlanta as well as helping city leaders envision transit without vehicles.
 
But you don’t just want to go to Atlantic Station just to go: You want to try something new… and sweet.

Go to Kilwins

Kilwins is the spot for all kinds of hand-crafted chocolates, fudge and caramel ice cream. Do yourself a favor and get you a treat. This shouldn’t ruin your lunch. You want to eat just a bit to get the taste. Here is the address.
 

Walk the Atlanta Beltline

Walking the Beltline has become one of the city’s most fun activities.  It offers so much access to the most beautiful things about the city, cool buildings, greenspaces and elite dining and more.

Where To Eat For Dinner In Atlanta

If you want to know where to eat in downtown Atlanta, there are plenty of options. Here are some lists that you can use to influence your decision:

Here are the best new restaurants in Atlanta

After dinner, if you’re ready for a nightcap, you can venture to some places that have live music or spoken word.

If you want to really get down, Atlanta’s clubs always turn up. See the hottest ATL nightclubs this week and what’s going on.

Explore Atlanta at your own pace

The truth is, exploring Atlanta in a 24-hour period can be a lot. Take your time and it’s OK if you don’t get it all in. You can always come back.

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Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the co-founder of AtlantaFi.com and as an unofficial ambassador of the city, she's a lover of all things Atlanta. She writes about Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care (Wigs!) and Money.