The Best Things To Do In Spring In Atlanta

Many Atlanta locals love spring. Because of Atlanta’s southern location, spring usually reaches the city earlier than other popular destinations in the country, which makes this season one of the best times to visit Atlanta. Springtime means flowers blooming, warmer weather, and packing up your winter wardrobe. From brunching on patios to discovering new trails to hike, here are the best things to do in Atlanta during the spring.

Patio dining

Atlanta boasts world-class cuisine that not only includes great southern food, but other tasty options as well. The patios at Atlanta restaurants open early and that is where you’ll find many Atlanta foodies. Various restaurants change their seasonal menus to lighter dishes and the bartenders mix up new libation options. Many Atlanta neighborhoods, including Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Grant Park, Virginia Highlands, and Midtown feature restaurants, pubs, and wine bars with great patios for relaxed spring dining.

Outside dinning at Moe Joes Bar, Atlanta, Georgia.

Neighborhood art strolls

The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia.

Picnics in parks

With several large parks to choose from, spring weekends are the perfect time to grab a basket and load it with your favorite snacks, wine, and blankets for a picnic in the park. From Atlanta’s premiere greenspace, Piedmont Park, to Grant Park and Old Fourth Ward Park, you have quite a range of options. Many of the parks have paths, as well as breathtaking ponds and lakes where you can take a quiet stroll with your family or significant other.

Bike rides on trails

Taking a bike ride is not only great exercise, its a fun environmentally-conscious way to explore the city. The city and surrounding areas offer paved trails with scenic views, forests, rocky landscapes, and greenspace to explore. Two local favorites are a converted passenger train trail named the Silver Comet Trail and the paved, hilly trail through Arabia Mountain Path.

Silver Comet Trail, outside Atlanta, Georgia

Take a hike

Hiking is one of the best ways to explore breathtaking mountaintop views, forest trails, rolling rivers, historical sites, and cascading waterfalls. There are a couple of hiking trails, including the paths at Sweetwater Creek. But most hiking paths are nestled in the surrounding areas of Atlanta. Catching views of Arabia Lake after hiking up Arabia Mountain makes an ideal spring day. Another popular trail, nestled in one of the most popular parks in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, is Sope Creek Trail at Sope Creek Park.

Jog on the BeltLine

Spring is the perfect opportunity to take your exercise routine out of the gym and get some sunshine. Connecting 45 city Intown neighborhoods, the Atlanta BeltLine sees hundreds of joggers and walkers every weekend. The urban trailway boasts creative graffiti street art, art installations, dining options, and coffee shops to indulge in, after your outdoor workout.

People walk, run and bike along the Atlanta Beltline

Attend a festival

Atlanta is home to many outdoor festivals and the festival season revs up in the spring. In April, Atlanta pays homage to its native dogwood trees with the Atlanta Dogwood Festival. Held at Piedmont Park, the free festival brings out thousands to enjoy crafts, music, art, and of course, the dogwood bloom. In May, locals celebrate one of their favorite microbrews at the Sweetwater 420 Festival. Atlanta’s southern history is highlighted with the largest free festival in the southeast, Sweet Auburn Festival. Offering a mix of live music, food, crafts, vendors, and history of the Sweet Auburn District, the festival attracts tens of thousands of people.

Visit the Botanical Gardens

Spring is the blooming season. What better way to enjoy spring than to visit and learn about Georgia’s botanical grounds? Atlanta and its surrounding neighborhoods happen to be a hotspot for botanical gardens. Locals first check out the 30-acre garden next to Piedmont Park, Atlanta Botanical Gardens. But you can’t miss the 20,000 gorgeous azaleas at Callaway Gardens.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

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