10 Cool Urban Adventures in Atlanta

By Beth Clark

Published January 11, 2019
Last Updated September 18, 2020

Ready for an urban adventure in Atlanta? Read on for a few ideas.

1. Explore with Atlanta CityPASS. If you plan to check out Atlanta’s top attractions, grab this bundled ticket deal which offers a whopping 43-percent discount on admission. Several adventures for one low price? Winning!
2. Peel rubber in a Porsche. Was the last time you “drove” a sports car (actually you playing that arcade game with the yellow-haired girl in the passenger seat as you zoomed through California)? Redeem yourself on the Porsche Experience Center’s test tracks, specially designed to exhibit the elegance and engineering of the Porsche of your choice. Not only that, there are dining options, tours of Porsche history and even a simulator lab. The only thing not included is the yellow-haired girl.
3. Meander through charming markets. Tucked away in different neighborhoods in Atlanta are markets, each with its own charm, wares and pride in its origins. A fun way to explore the likes of Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market and the Sweet Auburn Curb Market might be to take yourself on a scavenger hunt through each. Look for new and vintage gift ideas, taste five new foods and spot architectural treasures from a century ago.
4. Tour the metro area on two wheels. Maneuver the city using your own leg power by biking popular trails like the Silver Comet Trail, the Freedom Park Trail, the Morningside Nature Preserve, Tanyard Creek and the Atlanta Beltline. Don’t own a bike? Rent one.
5. Munch your way around the Atlanta Beltline. The Beltline’s loop through Atlanta’s in-town neighborhoods has revitalized the city in many ways, and one of the happiest outcomes has been how easy it is to discover new eateries in multiples areas of town. Work up an appetite by roaming the Beltline, and then pop into a new-to-you restaurant along the path to refuel.
6. Shoot the ‘hooch. That may seem like a typo, but “shooting the ‘hooch” refers to navigating three to six miles of the Chattahoochee River via raft, tube, canoe or kayak. The river, which stretches from Northeast Georgia down through metro suburbs like Sandy Springs and Roswell, attracts thousands of people who rent equipment (or bring their own) and have a sun-soaked day on the water amid North Atlanta’s beautiful natural scenery.
7. Dive into Atlanta’s history. Think you know Atlanta? Places like the Atlanta History Center, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, APEX Museum, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, Wren’s Nest and the Breman Museum will have you thinking again, not to mention the slew of locations on the National Register of Historic Places. You can get a big dose of these locations at the annual, month-long Phoenix Flies Celebration that takes place throughout the city, hosted by the Atlanta Preservation Center.
8. Get ready for your close-up in ATLwood! Weeelllllll, maybe not your close-up, but chances are good that someone recently had a close-up in any given neighborhood of Atlanta. The city’s bustling television and film industry keeps bringing celebs to Atlanta, so if you want to see where the stars make movie magic, take a tour of prime locations for productions with Atlanta Movie Tours.
9. Feed your inner foodie. Indulge in one of Atlanta’s awesome food tours (with everything from walking tours to tours only on certain streets or highlighting specific cuisine). Or create your own: Look up the top five XYZ type of restaurants in Atlanta (let’s say BBQ) and visit them all to discover a new favorite. (If you’re going to do the BBQ idea, start with places like Fat Matt’s, Daddy D’z, Bone Lick and Fox Bros., to name a few.)
10. Spend an evening at the theater. If you read the previous sentence aloud with a fancy accent, preferably while wearing a monocle and top hat, you’re doing it right. And thankfully, there is no shortage of arts and culture centers in Atlanta at which to soak up productions big and small, so if a live-action movie (also known as theater) piques your interest, check out the lineup at the Alliance Theatre, the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Theatrical Outfit and 7 Stages Theatre, to name a few venues.

Happy adventures!

Beth Clark is a writer and foodie who loves to roam around Atlanta, uncovering the city’s quirky, glam, upscale and down-home character. Curiosity is her compass, and you’ll find her writing on www.thecitydweller.me.