The best things to do in Atlanta right now

“The Benz” is an architectural icon, home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC. The multipurpose stadium hosts a variety of events and is equipped with all the bells and whistles a fan (whether sports or music) could want: massive screens, a retractable roof, an art collection and great food offerings. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour will make a stop here in July, so come prepared with your cowboy boots and yeehaw hat. In the meantime, if soccer is your thing, catch some of Atlanta United’s games throughout May. Before that, Mercedes-Benz plays host to one of the biggest sports competitions in the world this June with four FIFA Club World Cup matches (a championship between regional clubs, as opposed to next year’s competition between national teams at the regular FIFA World Cup). Soccer fans can catch international favorites like Chelsea and Manchester City, or see the goat, Lionel Messi play when Inter Miami takes on FC Porto. Check out our best Atlanta bars guide for a recommended stop before or after the game.

Some people may consider Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start of summer, but around here, we kick it off with Summerfest. This weekend-long festival, which is June 6 to 8 this year, not only embraces the pure heat that is a June weekend in Atlanta, but does it while honoring one of ATL’s most storied entertainment neighborhoods, Virginia Highland. For the festival’s 40th anniversary this year, Summerfest will celebrate local and regional bands, with performances from Atlanta’s own Magnolia Revival, Frute, Improvement Movement and Eddie 9V. There will also be an area for kids to play games, and vendors selling arts and crafts.

Years ago, Ricci deForest stumbled upon a closed beauty shop just off Auburn Ave. He realized his discovery was no other than Madame CJ Walker’s beauty salon, which was opened by America’s first self-made millionaire herself. The space now houses an intimate and exuberant museum. Visitors can inspect some of the tools hair stylists used in the original salon and a living tribute to WERD radio, Atlanta’s first Black-owned radio station, which operated in the space above the salon during the Civil Rights Movement. 

This neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta is a thrifter’s paradise. Walk along Moreland Avenue with your eyes set on local gems like The Clothing Warehouse, Psycho Sisters and Junkman’s Daughter for a curated selection of vintage and thrifted pieces, plus oddities from all decades. Keep exploring this artist-driven hood by checking out tattoo shops, metaphysical stores and health food grocers. If everyone in your crew is 21+, the Vortex is a popular burger joint with an epic skull entrance.

This gleaming museum chronicles the history of Coca-Cola, as well as the soda industry itself. Coke is king—and ubiquitous—in the city that saw its invention in 1886 (and also houses the brand’s global corporate headquarters). True to the name, when it comes to total soda universe domination, the World of Coca-Cola is totally overwhelming in a fun, fizzy, hyper-commercialized sort of way. Check out replica soda fountains, the pop-culture museum, 4-D theater displays and DIY beverage fountains dispensing flavors from around the world. Feeling thirsty? Pick from over 100 beverages, including all the classics and limited editions.

The massive former Sears & Roebuck building, erected in 1926, has been repurposed into one of Atlanta’s most exciting mixed-use developments. Located right along the Beltline’s popular Eastside trail, Ponce City Market is packed with activities worth spending the whole day exploring. Browse handmade candles, clothing and home goods at the artisan boutiques inside Citizen Supply; grab a bite from one of many buzzy restaurants, including delicious Spanish tapas from La Metro, or a brisket and lamb sandwich from Bibi; catch a show at the RoleCall Theater; or hang out at the rooftop bar that made our best bars in Atlanta list. The options are endless. 

The largest indoor aquarium in the Western hemisphere doubles as a teaching hospital with over 100,000 water-loving residents. This attraction, adjacent to Centennial Park, boasts enough fresh and saltwater habitats to keep even the most attention-challenged visitor happy for hours. The aquarium’s big stars include the massive whale sharks, Beluga whales, dolphins and penguins. There’s a free self-guided tour app available for download that will help you navigate through the exhibits—one of which dives deeper (pun intended) into the vital role that sharks play in the ocean. Throughout the spring, don’t forget to check out the once-a-month Wellness by the Water events, ranging from yoga to sound bath experiences. 

This historical park is a must-see tourist attraction in Atlanta. Once ‘The King Center,’ it is now a nonprofit organization championing for education and social change in the heart of the city. There’s plenty to do here—get a guided tour through Dr. King’s birth home, where you can still see actual furniture from his childhood, and check out exhibitions on offer about Dr. King, Mahatma Gandhi and Coretta Scott King. There are also guided sermons a little further down at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the exact spot where Dr. King preached since 1947. 

A former railway corridor around the core of Atlanta has been revitalized into a vibrant, multi-use path lined with art, native plants and attractions. While not all sections are paved yet, the Beltline loop is fully accessible. When completed sometime around 2030, it will ultimately connect 45 neighborhoods within the city. Walk between stops like Ponce City Market and Piedmont Park, or enjoy events along the Beltline like run club on Thursday evenings and weekly free skate classes.

Atlanta’s answer to Central Park, Piedmont Park is a haven for joggers, bocce players and picnic lovers. With flourishing greenery, rippling waters and bustling wildlife, it’s a world away from the concrete metropolis of the city. On June 14 and 15, celebrate Freedom Day with one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the country. The annual parade on June 14 will start near the MLK National Historic Park and travel north on Boulevard and Monroe to Piedmont Park. There will also be a pageant, car show and festival inside the park.

To understand where Atlanta is going, take a step back to learn where it’s been at the Atlanta History Center. Collect and interpret all things historical about the city through thoughtful exhibits and displays about politics, culture, sports and more. When you’re done, step outside to enjoy acres of curated gardens, divided into nine different themes, including native plants, an Asian garden and a garden dedicated to rhododendrons. Before you go, make your way downstairs to see the Battle of Atlanta cyclorama, which is a historic painting that wraps around the room to depict an immersive scene from the Civil War. There’s only one other cyclorama in the U.S., so seeing this one feels like accomplishing a historical feat. 

Featuring a suspended life-scale brontosaurus skeleton and swank after-hours events, Fernbank isn’t just a school trip destination. Walk through swampland and foothill dioramas populated with prehistoric, Mesozoic and modern-day flora and fauna in the crowd-pleasing exhibit “A Walk Through Time in Georgia” or take in a larger-than-life educational 3-D IMAX film.

Atlanta has a stunning skyline, with some equally stunning rooftop bars that offer amazing views. But for one of the best views of the city, the SkyView Ferris wheel in Centennial Park is hard to beat. You’ll enjoy unobstructed, panoramic views of Downtown Atlanta and beyond.

Green spaces and beautifully maintained stones and statues make Oakland Cemetery one of the most popular picnic spots in the city (yes, really). Strike out on a self-guided tour to view the final resting place of Atlanta notables, including Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell and Atlanta’s first African-American mayor Maynard Jackson. Guided tours explore various strands of city history through its late inhabitants, from local scandals to brewing. Oakland cemetery hosts daily tours to teach visitors about the historic architecture and art found throughout the grounds.

World-renowned and captivating, the High Museum of Art houses a cross-era, international scope of work. And the building isn’t shabby either: The white, concrete glass and steel art behemoth is striking inside and out. Designed by starchitect Richard Meier and featuring a 2005 expansion by Renzo Piano, the High Museum’s collection includes everything from African art to modern and contemporary works by Ellsworth Kelly and Spencer Finch.

On June 6 from 6 to 10 pm, the High will host its popular HIGH Frequency Friday event, where art meets a lounge vibe. DJs play music, and cocktails or mocktails are available to sip while taking in the High’s art collection. On June 8, the High will have its monthly free admission day, which occurs on the second Sunday of each month.

Who doesn’t like checking out a local market in a new city? As soon as you walk through the doors of this staple on the east side of metro Atlanta, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled much farther than that. This international market displays the flags of countries around the world, and it also represents a multitude of cuisines with ingredients for every taste. Here are a few tips for first timers: bring a jacket—this warehouse-style grocery store is always cold—then head to the vast spice section, a local favorite. Finally, make sure you have a debit card or cash to pay for your wares. There are ATMs on-site because this store famously doesn’t accept credit cards.

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Rapper T.I. opened this physical salute to Atlanta’s street hip-hop sounds in 2018. Since then, thousands of visitors have come by to see the Trap Museum’s walk-through exhibits dedicated to pioneers of the now-world-famous “trap” genre, including an all-pink area (featuring a matching old-school Chevrolet) for 2 Chainz, a kitchen with scattered drug paraphernalia for Gucci Mane, a jail cell replica outlined with paintings of rappers who’ve served time and even an escape room where you have to navigate your way out of a “trap house.”

Home to Atlanta Braves stadium, The Battery is an entertainment complex with everything you need for a night out. This buzzy destination is a vibe whether there’s a game on or not. With dozens of boutiques, restaurants and bars, you can shop, dine, bowl and even challenge your friends to some bull riding. The Battery boasts a Roxy Theater for live music as well as a state-of-the-art movie theater. Check the calendar for events like jazz brunch and trivia nights.

Pretty flowers are just the beginning at this 30-acre botanical center bordering the northeast side of the city’s largest public park. Traipse through oak, hickory and popular treetops on the 600-foot Canopy Walk footbridge suspended 40 feet above the blooming hydrangeas, perennials and bulbs below. Afraid of heights? Go zen in an authentic Japanese garden dating back to the 1960s and featuring a 300-year-old lantern, a gurgling waterfall and a seasonal rotation of irises, azaleas and maples.

The Botanical Garden brought back its popular “Alice’s Wonderland” exhibit, which will put visitors among book favorites like the Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat. The exhibit is open now through mid-September.

The life and presidency of Georgia native Jimmy Carter are celebrated throughout the 24,000 square feet of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. The grounds and modernist building are impressive, and within the museum, you’ll find interactive exhibits covering President Carter’s life before, during and after his time in the White House. His Nobel Peace Prize is on display, with exhibitions dedicated to his charitable work. Harkening back to Carter’s peanut farmer roots, a year-round farmer’s market takes place every Saturday from 8:30am to noon. In the spring and summer, the market livens up with fresh produce, meats and farm-fresh eggs from local farmers.

A handful of the city’s most buzzed-about food makers and restaurateurs have put down roots in a former cast-iron stove factory. The network of tempting stalls sells everything from bacon cheeseburgers at Fred's Meat and Bread and fresh scoops at Jeni’s Ice Cream to craft beer at Hop City Store and Bar.

This Art Deco drive-in that first opened in 1949 is still a beloved date spot for loved-up locals. Grab some wheels to check out the nightly double features and snack bar serving Mexican food at this old-school drive-in theater. On weekends, head to Starlight between 6am and 3pm for a swap meet (with the equally retro admission price of 50 cents) chock full of Americana goods, vintage clothes, records and some good ol' people-watching.