Updated July 2022, because things on the Atlanta BeltLine change that fast
On a nice day, it seems like half of metro Atlanta is out on the Atlanta BeltLine - walking, biking, jogging, skating, surfing...crashing into each other, LOL...It is a place to see and be seen. Lined with restaurants and wallpapered with street art, the Atlanta BeltLine is the new heartbeat of Atlanta. It has an energy you can't find anywhere else.
Maybe you've been on the BeltLine once or twice, probably by Ponce City Market, am I right? There is so much more to explore - from restaurants to murals to sculptures to street performers - that I guarantee you'll want to come back.
Here are 7 offbeat and fun things to do.
1. Rent a scooter. People make their way down the Atlanta BeltLine on virtually anything - bikes, e-bikes, electric scooters, skateboards, hover boards, 1800s bicycles, horses, even a shopping cart. Reclaim your inner child and join the fun of whizzing by on a scooter.
First, find a scooter. You can find clusters of them at Ponce City Market, Old Fourth Ward Skate Park, the BeltLine at Irwin Street and other places. But people also just drop them wherever, so if you come across one, you can pick it up. Once you find your scooter, download the app for that company - Bird and Lime are popular ones - and enter your payment info. Use the app to scan the QR code on the scooter, and it comes to life. You are charged by the minute or mile, depending on the company. When you’re done, you can leave it anywhere. Just make sure to park it off the BeltLine.
2. Show your Atlanta pride with some merch
Buy an “Atlanta Influences Everything” shirt at Bombchel or “Atlannuh” sweatshirt or hat at Citizen Supply, both located on the second floor of Ponce City Market. Bombchel sells colorful clothing made in Liberia, as well as fun gifts (such as a Stacey Abrams candle). Citizen Supply is divided into stalls of locally crafted artisan goods, and their Atlanta collection boasts clothing, mugs, prints of neighborhoods, as well as a scavenger hunt guide of the BeltLine. (Another quirky thing to do). And for some nostalgia, Good Times Atlanta, in Inman Park, sells vintage Atlanta 1996 Olympics shirts.
Below, Bombchel at Ponce City Market
3. Find four Tiny Doors.
The Tiny Doors ATL art project was started by Atlanta artist Karen Anderson Singer. She creates 7-inch doors and installs them in public places, at the invitation of the neighborhood. They don't open, but several have QR codes you scan for a virtual reality experience. These creations have sparked a worldwide movement, reaching as far as Australia, and featured in Oprah Magazine, Lonely Planet and Travel Channel. Karen recently updated the doors on the BeltLine - you can find 6 of them on the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, plus a couple just off the BeltLine. Hint: One of them is actually oversized, with the claim “It’s so big that it will make YOU feel tiny!” (Check out this door when you come on a BiteLines Food and Art Tour of the Atlanta BeltLine).
4. Join a Food and Art Tour of the Atlanta BeltLine
The best way to experience the Atlanta BeltLine is with a BiteLines Food and Art Tour of the Atlanta BeltLine. Starting at Krog Street Market, named "one of the world's best food halls" by Travel & Leisure, you eat your way down the BeltLine, stopping to sample food at some of Atlanta's best restaurants, from Mexican to Southern to pizza and more. A tasting of 3 margarita flavors is included! Along the way, explore Atlanta’s embrace of vibrant street art, learning the stories behind the artists who earn the Atlanta BeltLine’s reputation as the South’s largest temporary outdoor art exhibit, including some ties to Hollywood. This is an interactive experience - you can even try being a street artist on the tour!
5. Feed the fish & ducks in Historic Fourth Ward Park
With 17 acres, including an amphitheater, playground, splash pad, pond and picnic areas - Historic Fourth Ward Park is worth checking out. On any given day, you may find groups of dogs on a playdate at the top of the park next to Anthem apartments or below at North & Line apartments. Post-COVID, the park is again hosting festivals and concerts. An elevator and stairs across from New Realm Brewing connect the BeltLine to the park, or you can cross North Avenue from Ponce City Market. Make your way down to the pond, stocked with fish, turtles, Mallards, and an occasional Blue Heron. For a fun kid activity, bring bread to feed the fish and birds.
6. Drink cheaply at Murder Kroger
Yes, Kroger offers wine and beer starting at $4/glass from its takeout window. The infamous Murder Kroger was rebuilt and revamped (call it BeltLine Kroger now), and their patio overlooking the BeltLine has become a hot gathering spot. While the wine is budget, you’d be hard pressed to tell. If you don't feel like alcohol, grab a coffee from the Starbucks inside the store. The Kroger patio is a great vantage point to watch the comings and goings on the BeltLine.
7. Make a meal of chips and salsa (and margaritas)!
When you go to a Mexican restaurant, do you wish you could just keep eating the chips and salsa? Then Guac y Margys is your place. Their menu is primarily guacamole, cheese dip and salsa - with some daily tacos and bowls - and a massive array of margaritas. It was started by three friends - one with an amazing guacamole recipe, one with a margarita recipe and the other with a movie set design background. They hold themed Trivia Nights (The Office, Schitt's Creek and more) and have been known to serve Harry-Potter themed cocktails. The best part: They have patio seating with “beachfront” access to the BeltLine.
We love Guac y Margys so much that we included them on our BiteLines Food and Art Tour of the Atlanta BeltLine. Join our tour to get a sampling of 3 flavors of their legendary margaritas.
To get a curated experience of some of Atlanta's best restaurants and vibrant street art scene, join a BiteLines Food and Art Tour of the Atlanta BeltLine.
An Atlanta native, Nicole Gustin is the Founder and CEO of BiteLines, which offers walking Food and Art Tours on the Atlanta BeltLine. She considers the BeltLine her backyard, and is excited to see how Atlanta is reinventing itself. To sample some of Atlanta's best restaurants and street art, come join us on a Food and Art Tour of the Atlanta BeltLine. Book at bitelinesatl.com, and follow on TikTok and Instagram @bitelinesatl.