Atlanta has been called many things—the City Too Busy to Hate, the Capital of the South, the Big Peach—but it could also be called "The City With Too Many Places to See."
Between Atlanta's many iconic landmarks and the new classics that regularly pop up, it can be overwhelming to decide which museum to visit, or what neighborhood is worth exploring, on any given day. Especially in spring, when consistently warm temps and explosively floral scenery beckons everyone outside.
That's where we come in: Curbed's editors have chosen 26 sites—cultural institutions, parks, neighborhoods, even houses—that you must see right now. Some are the latest and greatest things to hit the scene (hello, Ponce City Market), while others are always worth a look.
So grab your pastel-colored clothing, some hydrating (or intoxicating) liquids, and set out across the city.
Completed in 1889, the Georgia State Capitol sits on a hill at the southern edge of downtown. Though it's often called the "Gold Dome," gold leaf wasn’t added to the top of the building until a renovation in 1958. Liberty Plaza, a green new addition across the street that replaced a hideous parking garage, is worth a visit during the 100-plus events it hosts per year. Tip: bring your own shade in spring and summer.
This restored 1913 landmark in the heart of downtown is a fine example of yesteryear Atlanta that thrives today. Most guests are probably aware of its morbid history as the site of America’s worst hotel fire (to this day), which killed 119 people in 1946, back when the Ellis was the Winecoff. (Subsequent rumors paint the hotel as being haunted, which only makes it more cool). It finally earned a slot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. As the name implies, the hotel's Terrace on Peachtree restaurant is perfect for spring dining.
In 1967, the Hyatt on Peachtree opened its doors as the first atrium hotel on the planet. Designed by local architect John Portman, the hotel form would be imitated by architects the world over. Twenty years later, Portman would design the Marriott, a strikingly anthropomorphic tower that further expounded on the original form. (It recently underwent a $200-million renovation that modernized the property without marring it). Decades after opening, the buildings still have the power to drop jaws.
Among the many global powerhouse companies with Atlanta roots, Coca-Cola is undoubtedly the most universally known. While some may find the World of Coke an over-the-top ad for the company, approaching it with the understanding that it’s one big shrine to the hometown beverage maker allows for enjoyment. For many, watching vintage ads and sampling refreshments from around the globe is a great way to spend an afternoon around the Centennial Olympic Park cultural district, where the trees blossom dramatically this time of year.
Designed by Phil Freelon, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a prominent new feature in the cultural district surrounding Centennial Olympic Park. Architecturally stunning on its own, the museum houses comprehensive, educational and thought-provoking exhibits and artifacts. It’s a much headier visit than the fish tank next door.
Its soaring, iconic presence earns this other John Portman hotel its own slot on the list. At 73 stories, the Westin held the title of tallest building in the city for more than a decade and the tallest hotel in the world for a short time. The reflective cylindrical tower withstood a tornado in 2008 and still reigns as a downtown architectural titan. Hard to believe it celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.
Opened way back in 1911, this classy Midtown icon overlooks the Fox Theatre and is well-positioned for walking to restaurants and clubs, should the in-house Livingston Restaurant + Bar or the newer Proof and Provision not suffice. She hosted the Gone With The Wind premiere, and Walt Disney stayed here when his movie, Song of the South, premiered at the Fox Theatre in 1946.
Saved from the wrecking ball in the 1970s, this former Shriners hall and movie house from 1929 is an architectural gem on Peachtree. Home to everything from Broadway to rock concerts, the Fox is the epitome of pre-Depression opulence, rendered in a Moorish Revival style. An ongoing renovation is adding rooftop bars, which should be a dynamite touch.
This sky-rise goliath might be anti-pedestrian, but its grounds look lovely in spring. The tallest building in the city (and the tallest in the country outside of New York and Chicago), Bank of America Plaza is capped with an iconic gold obelisk-shaped spire. Finished in 1992, this modern interpretation of art deco style soars 1,023 feet. It’s a beacon in Atlanta’s nighttime sky, visible for miles across myriad neighborhoods.
Years in the making, the largest adaptive-reuse project in Atlanta history — which consumed the South’s largest brick building — became a local sensation and tourist attraction overnight. The 1926 building, which has seen its ups and downs, serves as Atlanta’s ultimate example of inspired preservation. The crowning entertainment piece that is the rooftop's Skyline Park finally opened last July, and the new 9 Mile Station restaurant just might boast ATL's most view-rific, springtime-friendly rooftop patio. Also worth checking out: The Shed's Farmers Market along the Beltline on Tuesdays.
Kids across the world can rejoice: Atlanta's puppetry mecca has added locally born Pete the Cat this spring! As the largest organization in the United States devoted to the art of puppetry, the Center for Puppetry Arts is a unique Atlanta attraction for both kids and adults. A recent renovation and addition has allowed for the display of a treasure trove of puppet paraphernalia. And as home to Jim Henson’s collections, the museum allows visitors to get up close and personal with Kermit and his Muppet friends.
Just a fraction of the greater Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown, the High Museum is the premier art facility in the Southeast. The world-class museum features an extensive permanent collection and plays host to an array of travelling exhibitions from around the globe. The collections are housed in two remarkable buildings designed by architects Richard Meier and Renzo Piano.
As Atlanta’s backyard and one of America's great urban greenspaces, Piedmont Park offers city dwellers a place to stretch their legs, enjoy the great outdoors, and scarf barbecue at summer picnics. Located in the heart of Midtown and tied to a range of neighborhoods by the Beltline, the park and adjoining Atlanta Botanical Garden are a breath of fresh air among the hustle and high-rises of the city. The Garden's whimsical "The Curious Garden" exhibit runs between May 6 and Oct. 29.
First envisioned in Ryan Gravel’s Georgia Tech masters thesis, the Beltline has grown to be one of the most transformative urban initiatives in the country. It pulses with activity (and great people-watching) all spring long, with plenty of pitstops for hydration. The trail and transit corridor has already profoundly impacted many neighborhoods, and construction is finishing that will make the 2.25-mile Eastside Trail longer, while a three-mile Westside Trail segment should open this summer, too. Beware the pollen.
Think this famed graveyard is exclusively an autumn destination? Think again. For spooky spring nights, head to the final resting place of many famous Georgians, Oakland Cemetery, founded in 1850. Encompassing 150 acres just east of downtown, the cemetery offers fantastic views of the city’s skyline from among the shade of numerous large oak and magnolia trees. Tours and events abound all spring, including "Malts & Vaults of Oakland: Where Beer Meets History" on April 15.
Built in 1856, the Lemuel P. Grant Mansion is one of only two surviving antebellum homes in Atlanta. (Thanks, Sherman!) Constructed as a three-story Italianate mansion for Grant—a railroad magnate and philanthropist in early Atlanta—the mansion survived the Civil War, numerous fires, and a lot of neglect. The site of golf legend Bobby Jones’s birth, the home now serves as the headquarters of the Atlanta Preservation Center. It breathes history.
Ah, springtime in the urban forest. Owned by Emory University, this heavily canopied 154-acre preserve features a massive suspension bridge over a creek, plus trails and plenty of opportunity to see wildlife. The stoic heron(s) are a particular delight, as are the graffiti-marked, stoney ruins. Amid so much traffic and urban noise, Lullwater transports.
Predating the founding of the City of Atlanta, Decatur has managed to retain its small-town feel despite the urban explosion around it. It's worth a visit (or two) even after the dogwoods stop blooming. A short ride on MARTA from the core of the city, the Square features a vibrant restaurant and arts scene. Characterized (questionably) as the Brooklyn of Atlanta by the New York Times, there’s no shortage of things to see and do around Decatur Square.
This award-winning structure by lauded local firm Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects was finished in 1989 but still feels cutting-edge. The linear building is an artful confluence of structural steel frames, painted metal roofing, slate siding and cast-in-place concrete foundation walls. The site is a hillcrest that commands pristine views of Midtown and downtown. Luckily, the developer behind the failed Streets of Buckhead project wasn’t able to relocate the library as once planned.
The tallest building in Buckhead is arguably the most architecturally interesting, too, at least in terms of modern-era builds. Rising 50 stories over Peachtree Street, the Sovereign's distinctive curving glass facade stands out among the neighborhood's ever-growing skyline. Naysayers who bemoan the state of recent high-rise architecture in Atlanta too often overlook this tower, which opened in 2008. A slightly shorter Sovereign twin is expect to break ground nearby as early as 2018.
Curious where Atlanta's famous Cyclorama scampered off to? It migrated recently from Grant Park to Buckhead. More than just a storage facility for artifacts, the Atlanta History Center features a museum, library, research center, and range of historic structures in its Buckhead complex. A great place to learn about the history of the city and its citizens, the facility is being expanded to house the aforementioned Cyclorama painting. With satellite locations such as the Margaret Mitchell House in Midtown, the Atlanta History Center offers a comprehensive look at the growth of the Capital of the South.
The Swan House’s beautiful grounds, shaded pathways, and gardens are themselves worthy of a visit all year—and especially in floral spring months. Since it was prominently featured in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Mockingjay: Part 1, and Mockingjay: Part 2, Buckhead’s elegant Swan House has gained new magnetism as a tourist attraction apart from the historical repository next door. The classical mansion was designed by storied Atlanta architect Philip Trammell Shutze and built in 1928 for the Edward H. Inman family, who were heirs to a cotton brokerage fortune.
Looking for a springtime exercise alternative to the Beltline? Look no further. The future of Buckhead’s greenway answer to the famed Beltline is as bright as progress has been rapid thus far. The first phase, connecting Old Ivy Road to Tower Place, opened in early 2015, and the network is said to be more than half-completed already. Once finished, this 5.2-mile spine will connect to the Beltline’s Peachtree Creek spur trail, offering a 10- to 14-foot-wide multi-use path for cyclists, skaters, walkers, and runners.
Like a hulking (and cheaper) alternative to Florida beaches, Stone Mountain has evolved into a destination wonderland for pint-sized adventurers and their families. (Its latest big attraction, Dinosaur Explorer, just launched). The centerpiece rock looms more than 800 feet above the surrounding landscape, but the monumental hunk of granite is likely best known for its carving of Confederate figures—the largest bas-relief in the world—on its northern face. While the mountain has been at the center of controversies recently, it's still a great place to spend an afternoon taking in nature. Hike to the top for great panoramic views of the city and stick around in the evening for an entertaining fireworks. The 45-minute Lasershows (now with pyrotechnics!) run until late October.
For fans of artfully displayed aquatic life, the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere (damn you, Singapore!) is a soothing respite from the Georgia springtime heat. Tip: buy tickets online beforehand. And unless you enjoy that sardines-in-a-tin sensation, avoid visiting on late-spring and summer weekend afternoons.
Thousands of intown Braves diehards remain bitter about the team's suburban exodus, but it's hard to argue the more intimate stadium and entertainment complex isn't a homerun, as a recent visit suggested. Sure, it's not organic like Wrigleyville, and getting there could be nightmarish on weekdays, but this place has good times written all over it, from the tri-level Chop House and upper-deck Waffle House to the onsite brewery and nightclub with bull-riding. Oh, and there's baseball.
Completed in 1889, the Georgia State Capitol sits on a hill at the southern edge of downtown. Though it's often called the "Gold Dome," gold leaf wasn’t added to the top of the building until a renovation in 1958. Liberty Plaza, a green new addition across the street that replaced a hideous parking garage, is worth a visit during the 100-plus events it hosts per year. Tip: bring your own shade in spring and summer.
This restored 1913 landmark in the heart of downtown is a fine example of yesteryear Atlanta that thrives today. Most guests are probably aware of its morbid history as the site of America’s worst hotel fire (to this day), which killed 119 people in 1946, back when the Ellis was the Winecoff. (Subsequent rumors paint the hotel as being haunted, which only makes it more cool). It finally earned a slot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. As the name implies, the hotel's Terrace on Peachtree restaurant is perfect for spring dining.
In 1967, the Hyatt on Peachtree opened its doors as the first atrium hotel on the planet. Designed by local architect John Portman, the hotel form would be imitated by architects the world over. Twenty years later, Portman would design the Marriott, a strikingly anthropomorphic tower that further expounded on the original form. (It recently underwent a $200-million renovation that modernized the property without marring it). Decades after opening, the buildings still have the power to drop jaws.
Among the many global powerhouse companies with Atlanta roots, Coca-Cola is undoubtedly the most universally known. While some may find the World of Coke an over-the-top ad for the company, approaching it with the understanding that it’s one big shrine to the hometown beverage maker allows for enjoyment. For many, watching vintage ads and sampling refreshments from around the globe is a great way to spend an afternoon around the Centennial Olympic Park cultural district, where the trees blossom dramatically this time of year.
Designed by Phil Freelon, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a prominent new feature in the cultural district surrounding Centennial Olympic Park. Architecturally stunning on its own, the museum houses comprehensive, educational and thought-provoking exhibits and artifacts. It’s a much headier visit than the fish tank next door.
Its soaring, iconic presence earns this other John Portman hotel its own slot on the list. At 73 stories, the Westin held the title of tallest building in the city for more than a decade and the tallest hotel in the world for a short time. The reflective cylindrical tower withstood a tornado in 2008 and still reigns as a downtown architectural titan. Hard to believe it celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.
Opened way back in 1911, this classy Midtown icon overlooks the Fox Theatre and is well-positioned for walking to restaurants and clubs, should the in-house Livingston Restaurant + Bar or the newer Proof and Provision not suffice. She hosted the Gone With The Wind premiere, and Walt Disney stayed here when his movie, Song of the South, premiered at the Fox Theatre in 1946.
Saved from the wrecking ball in the 1970s, this former Shriners hall and movie house from 1929 is an architectural gem on Peachtree. Home to everything from Broadway to rock concerts, the Fox is the epitome of pre-Depression opulence, rendered in a Moorish Revival style. An ongoing renovation is adding rooftop bars, which should be a dynamite touch.
This sky-rise goliath might be anti-pedestrian, but its grounds look lovely in spring. The tallest building in the city (and the tallest in the country outside of New York and Chicago), Bank of America Plaza is capped with an iconic gold obelisk-shaped spire. Finished in 1992, this modern interpretation of art deco style soars 1,023 feet. It’s a beacon in Atlanta’s nighttime sky, visible for miles across myriad neighborhoods.
Years in the making, the largest adaptive-reuse project in Atlanta history — which consumed the South’s largest brick building — became a local sensation and tourist attraction overnight. The 1926 building, which has seen its ups and downs, serves as Atlanta’s ultimate example of inspired preservation. The crowning entertainment piece that is the rooftop's Skyline Park finally opened last July, and the new 9 Mile Station restaurant just might boast ATL's most view-rific, springtime-friendly rooftop patio. Also worth checking out: The Shed's Farmers Market along the Beltline on Tuesdays.
Kids across the world can rejoice: Atlanta's puppetry mecca has added locally born Pete the Cat this spring! As the largest organization in the United States devoted to the art of puppetry, the Center for Puppetry Arts is a unique Atlanta attraction for both kids and adults. A recent renovation and addition has allowed for the display of a treasure trove of puppet paraphernalia. And as home to Jim Henson’s collections, the museum allows visitors to get up close and personal with Kermit and his Muppet friends.
Just a fraction of the greater Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown, the High Museum is the premier art facility in the Southeast. The world-class museum features an extensive permanent collection and plays host to an array of travelling exhibitions from around the globe. The collections are housed in two remarkable buildings designed by architects Richard Meier and Renzo Piano.
As Atlanta’s backyard and one of America's great urban greenspaces, Piedmont Park offers city dwellers a place to stretch their legs, enjoy the great outdoors, and scarf barbecue at summer picnics. Located in the heart of Midtown and tied to a range of neighborhoods by the Beltline, the park and adjoining Atlanta Botanical Garden are a breath of fresh air among the hustle and high-rises of the city. The Garden's whimsical "The Curious Garden" exhibit runs between May 6 and Oct. 29.
First envisioned in Ryan Gravel’s Georgia Tech masters thesis, the Beltline has grown to be one of the most transformative urban initiatives in the country. It pulses with activity (and great people-watching) all spring long, with plenty of pitstops for hydration. The trail and transit corridor has already profoundly impacted many neighborhoods, and construction is finishing that will make the 2.25-mile Eastside Trail longer, while a three-mile Westside Trail segment should open this summer, too. Beware the pollen.
Think this famed graveyard is exclusively an autumn destination? Think again. For spooky spring nights, head to the final resting place of many famous Georgians, Oakland Cemetery, founded in 1850. Encompassing 150 acres just east of downtown, the cemetery offers fantastic views of the city’s skyline from among the shade of numerous large oak and magnolia trees. Tours and events abound all spring, including "Malts & Vaults of Oakland: Where Beer Meets History" on April 15.
Built in 1856, the Lemuel P. Grant Mansion is one of only two surviving antebellum homes in Atlanta. (Thanks, Sherman!) Constructed as a three-story Italianate mansion for Grant—a railroad magnate and philanthropist in early Atlanta—the mansion survived the Civil War, numerous fires, and a lot of neglect. The site of golf legend Bobby Jones’s birth, the home now serves as the headquarters of the Atlanta Preservation Center. It breathes history.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48904911/unspecified.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525019/capitol.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525020/The_Ellis_Hotel_usn_1.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65583685/58384556_10156471427804007_6134262653687693312_n.8.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48740115/curbed_placeholder.54.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525021/maxresdefault.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525022/Exterior.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55702977/160212_snow_mtn_269.32.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55555353/DSC_0987.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525023/National_Center_for_Civil_and_Human_Rights_01.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525024/Westin_Peachtree_Plaza__191_Peachtree_Tower__Georgia_Pacific_Tower.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62734377/gettyimages_1153800600_594x594.6.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54482703/DSC_0185.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525025/georgian_terrace_1jpg.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525026/Screen_Shot_2015-06-25_at_9.45.52_AM.png.0.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66631772/ATL_Midtown_FoxTheater017_medium.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525027/bank-of-america-plaza-atlanta-brian-young.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525028/JTP_6268.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59856461/340988586_991873401806564_9128906751472455897_n.40.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71546711/SakuraRamen_2.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525029/Untitled_11.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525030/cid_1248213149_2919711163.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58625131/DSC_0389.19.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525031/dsc00961.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525032/JTP_8619.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525033/CSastxaW0AI91v8.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525034/1280px-Front_of_the_LP_Grant_mansion.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525035/927ff89ecde61f9c2f27a2d69d129a4c.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525036/JTP_3922.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525037/8601-80165-d.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525038/3050630361_0994ffd387.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525039/Atlanta-History-Center-1024x768.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525040/maxresdefault.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525041/JTP_2526.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525042/atleg_main01.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525043/c955ab889ab75b4a822caba2d0b6f389.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62525044/flythrough-rendering3_2x.0.0.0.jpg)
Loading comments...