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A mural of a sad clown painted on a red brick wall.
Atlanta’s own Puddles Pity Party is immortalized at Old Fourth Ward’s Church bar.
Google Maps; mural: Chris Veal

Atlanta’s top 10 places for crying in public, mapped

There’s plenty to celebrate about Atlanta, but sometimes, you just gotta sob

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Atlanta’s own Puddles Pity Party is immortalized at Old Fourth Ward’s Church bar.
| Google Maps; mural: Chris Veal

Atlanta is generally a pretty nice place, with sunshine and friendly smiles everywhere, but because we’re all human, you know that sometimes, you just have to let it all out. And it’s not always feasible to get home and curl up on the couch with a vat of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

From gentle whimpering to full-on ugly weeping and hoarse moaning, a good cry is sometimes totally necessary in order to keep sane. But in a city that’s growing by the day, it can be tough to find spots for proper crying where 911 most likely won’t be called.

So like our good, emotionally honest friends at Curbed Philly, New York, D.C., Detroit, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and Seattle, editors have taken it upon ourselves to identify places around Atlanta for public sobbing.

And if you don’t see your favorite crying spot on the list, why don’t you just cry about it?

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The Gold Dome

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Whether you’re worried that recently passed legislation will ruin your life or frustrated that a thwarted bill could have saved humanity—or even just Georgia—there’s always a good reason to cry at Georgia’s statehouse.

An exterior photo of the Georgia Capitol Building with its gold dome. Karon Warren

The Atlanta Streetcar

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You’ll likely be one of just a few people—if not the only person—on board, so feel free to let those tears flow, especially if you’re an urban planning wonk lamenting the limitations of the sluggish transit option.

The Atlanta Streetcar passes through downtown Atlanta in 2015. Curbed Atlanta

Little Five Points

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Let’s face it: Little Five is weird enough that no one notices when things are mildly awry, especially some random pedestrian slouching through the neighborhood with swollen eyes and a fistful of tissues. Probably seven other people in L5P are crying right now, too.

A photo of The Vortex in L5P. A large skull with spirals for eyes acts as the entrance. Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta

Downtown’s The Gulch

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Because... well, look at it. It’s like the cemetery of urban infrastructure. Weep away!

A large parking lot and railroad tracks beneath street level with cars parking on it.
Where being in the pits is unavoidable.
Curbed Atlanta

The Beltline’s Southside Trail

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The Beltline’s yet-to-be-paved Southside Trail is hardly the bustling attraction its Eastside counterpart has become. So if you’re on the prowl for a relatively secluded walking trail, or just want to cry about not being able to stop the looming forces of gentrification yourself, you might as well put on comfy shoes and get some exercise while boo-hooing to your heart’s content.

The gravel Southside Trail, as seen from a former railroad tunnel. Curbed Atlanta

Just about any Fuqua development

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This one might apply mainly to advocates for good urbanism—those who don’t like seeing glorified strip malls in the middle of cities. But if you’re looking for an emotional trigger to get the teardrops a-flowin’, a visit to Midtown Promenade’s parking lot is calling your name.

An aerial rendering shows low commercial buildings ringing the site, with apartments beyond.
Madison Yards.
Vantage Realty Partners via Bisnow

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

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Win or lose, who wouldn’t want to sob beneath the largest video board in professional sports? Plus, The Benz’s drinks and concessions are cheaper than most other major arenas, so your tear-soaked soul could be lifted from the doldrums by overindulging on $1.50 hotdogs and giant $7 craft beers. (You ARE a winner, keep in mind.)

Looking up at the oculus of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Curbed Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta

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Maybe you get bummed out about the whole caging animals for the bemusement of humans thing, or maybe you just want to be in the presence of furry critters when you let it all out. If you’re looking for a spot to have a good cry in the Grant Park area, Zoo Atlanta is a strong bet. Plus, it’s loud anyway.

Clermont Lounge

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It’s tough to not be happy with shocked amazement in this basement strip club institution. But for true misanthropes, it’s dark and smoky enough in the bowels of the Hotel Clermont to bawl your eyes out without anyone noticing—or caring.

A view of the front and side of the classical brick building. Curbed Atlanta

Piedmont Park

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There’s something poetic about staring out at a lake, eyes glazed over with sadness, while the sun sets, pondering the existential travesties that are your personal problems. And there’s no better place for that than here, at Atlanta’s marquee park. It’s large enough for breaking down in relative solitude, and if that doesn’t work, a visit to the wildly happy dog parks will surely cheer you up.

A view of Piedmont Park’s Lake Clara Meer at sunset on the water, with two people in the foreground.
“Sniff, sniff...”
Josh Green, Curbed Atlanta

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The Gold Dome

Whether you’re worried that recently passed legislation will ruin your life or frustrated that a thwarted bill could have saved humanity—or even just Georgia—there’s always a good reason to cry at Georgia’s statehouse.

An exterior photo of the Georgia Capitol Building with its gold dome. Karon Warren

The Atlanta Streetcar

You’ll likely be one of just a few people—if not the only person—on board, so feel free to let those tears flow, especially if you’re an urban planning wonk lamenting the limitations of the sluggish transit option.

The Atlanta Streetcar passes through downtown Atlanta in 2015. Curbed Atlanta

Little Five Points

Let’s face it: Little Five is weird enough that no one notices when things are mildly awry, especially some random pedestrian slouching through the neighborhood with swollen eyes and a fistful of tissues. Probably seven other people in L5P are crying right now, too.

A photo of The Vortex in L5P. A large skull with spirals for eyes acts as the entrance. Jonathan Phillips, Curbed Atlanta

Downtown’s The Gulch

Because... well, look at it. It’s like the cemetery of urban infrastructure. Weep away!

A large parking lot and railroad tracks beneath street level with cars parking on it.
Where being in the pits is unavoidable.
Curbed Atlanta

The Beltline’s Southside Trail

The Beltline’s yet-to-be-paved Southside Trail is hardly the bustling attraction its Eastside counterpart has become. So if you’re on the prowl for a relatively secluded walking trail, or just want to cry about not being able to stop the looming forces of gentrification yourself, you might as well put on comfy shoes and get some exercise while boo-hooing to your heart’s content.

The gravel Southside Trail, as seen from a former railroad tunnel. Curbed Atlanta

Just about any Fuqua development

This one might apply mainly to advocates for good urbanism—those who don’t like seeing glorified strip malls in the middle of cities. But if you’re looking for an emotional trigger to get the teardrops a-flowin’, a visit to Midtown Promenade’s parking lot is calling your name.

An aerial rendering shows low commercial buildings ringing the site, with apartments beyond.
Madison Yards.
Vantage Realty Partners via Bisnow

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Win or lose, who wouldn’t want to sob beneath the largest video board in professional sports? Plus, The Benz’s drinks and concessions are cheaper than most other major arenas, so your tear-soaked soul could be lifted from the doldrums by overindulging on $1.50 hotdogs and giant $7 craft beers. (You ARE a winner, keep in mind.)

Looking up at the oculus of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Curbed Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta

Maybe you get bummed out about the whole caging animals for the bemusement of humans thing, or maybe you just want to be in the presence of furry critters when you let it all out. If you’re looking for a spot to have a good cry in the Grant Park area, Zoo Atlanta is a strong bet. Plus, it’s loud anyway.

Clermont Lounge

It’s tough to not be happy with shocked amazement in this basement strip club institution. But for true misanthropes, it’s dark and smoky enough in the bowels of the Hotel Clermont to bawl your eyes out without anyone noticing—or caring.

A view of the front and side of the classical brick building. Curbed Atlanta

Piedmont Park

There’s something poetic about staring out at a lake, eyes glazed over with sadness, while the sun sets, pondering the existential travesties that are your personal problems. And there’s no better place for that than here, at Atlanta’s marquee park. It’s large enough for breaking down in relative solitude, and if that doesn’t work, a visit to the wildly happy dog parks will surely cheer you up.

A view of Piedmont Park’s Lake Clara Meer at sunset on the water, with two people in the foreground.
“Sniff, sniff...”
Josh Green, Curbed Atlanta