While we love to travel, we also love a good weekend at home. They’re sometimes rare in the busy seasons like spring and summer, but we’re always thankful for time relaxing at home.  We hope you enjoy this guide on how to spend a summer weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. Feel free to comment below if you go to any of our favorite spots!

The Perfect Summer Weekend Itinerary for Atlanta, Georgia

Day 1: Thursday

Evening: Grab a drink & dinner in Inman Park

If you’re like us, your weekends tend to (maybe only mentally) kick off on Thursday nights. There’s just something about kicking off your shoes after a long day of work and knowing that Friday is near! We love a Thursday night cocktail night or date night out to start the weekend off right. One of our favorite areas to have a weeknight date night is Inman Park. It’s such a walk-able area so we love to grab dinner and a drink there. Our favorite drink spots are:

• Little Spirit (299 North Highland Avenue NE) – This spot is such a cool and swanky drink spot. Their menu changes quite a bit, and they always have something you’ll love. The bar tenders are friendly and helpful!
• Hampton & Hudson (299 North Highland Avenue NE) – Featuring happy hour from 4-7 and Sweetwater 420 as the house beer, Hampton & Hudson is the perfect, slightly up-scale spot for drinks! Grab dinner here if you want something easy, or venture on to one of the other spots in Inman Park.
• VinoTeca (299 North Highland Avenue NE) – Part of Barcelona (but not connected to it) is VinoTeca. This hip new spot is a great place to enjoy some wine with a group. You buy the wine there (it’s a retail store) and then you can open and drink right there!

Some of our favorite spots for dinner within walking distance of the spots mentioned above:

• Pure Taqueria (300 North Highland Avenue NE) – A slightly upscale, yummy Mexican food in a neat atmosphere! Enjoy delicious margaritas and queso.
• Soto Soto (313 North Highland Avenue NE) – Quite possibly the best Italian food in Atlanta! Be sure to grab reservations before going, but there’s also a great bar you can wait at inside.
• BeetleCat (299 North Highland Avenue NE) – This upscale oyster bar has outstanding seafood and drinks. We’d highly recommend for a nice date spot!
• Il Localino (467 N Highland Avenue Northeast) – One of our absolute favorite restaurants in Atlanta! This is a go to and it’s perfect for a date night or spot to take visitors. Be sure to grab reservations on OpenTable.

Night: Enjoy Inman Park’s night life

Since you’re already in the area, we recommend staying for a nightcap! Any of the spots we mentioned above are great for dessert and a final drink (or drinks!). A few additional ones that we didn’t mention yet:

• Barcelona Wine Bar (240 North Highland Avenue NE) – Grab some churos and a glass of bubbles for the perfect end to the night!
• BeetleCat (299 North Highland Avenue NE) – Some may not know it, but BeetleCat has a downstairs area that turns into a bumping bar at nighttime.

Day 2: Friday

Morning: Grab coffee + relax/work at a coffee shop

I typically work from home on Fridays, so I love exploring local gems of coffee shops. Now that we live in Midtown, I find myself frequenting the ones I can walk to (like Dancing Goats), but one of our favorite past-times is exploring coffee shops across Atlanta. We have a post up of the 10 best coffee shops in Atlanta (linked here), but some of our Friday morning favorites are:

• Dancing Goats – There are multiple locations across Atlanta. All have decent parking options and delicious coffee and pastries.
• Dairies Coffee House and Cold Brew Bar ( 777 Memorial Dr SE) – If you’re a cold brew fanatic like us, be sure to check out this new gem.
• Octane (1009 West Marietta St NW) – This was one of my go to study spots in college. It’s great for meet ups or solo work days.
• Inman Perk (240 North Highland Avenue NE) – Located in Inman Park, this was another one of my college favorites. It’s along the beltline and near some good restaurants/bars.

Lunch: Grab lunch at Krog Street Market

Krog Street Market is one of our go-to meal stops. It’s great because there are roughly 20 vendors with different types of options like Pho, authentic Italian pizza, Jeni’s ice cream, and much more. Be sure to check out all of your options before deciding! And pro tip: order food from multiple places to get the best of both worlds.

Afternoon: Explore the Beltline and Ponce City Market

The Atlanta Beltline is a multi-use trail that runs throughout the city. Formerly railroad tracks, this development connects many parts of Atlanta and provides a great space for Atlantians to bike, walk or jog. One of the many things located along the Beltline is Ponce City Market. Ponce City Market is similar to Krog Street Market and boasts many meal and dessert options. Additionally, it has many shops like Crate & Barrel, J Crew, Lululemon, and more! Spend time exploring and shopping, and be sure to grab Batter cookie dough while you explore.

Evening: Grab a beer at a local brewery

We love brewery hopping in Atlanta and enjoy exploring all of the local spots. We’re working on a full post of our favorites, but for now check out some of these:

• Orpheus – Our go to brewery because of it’s close proximity to Piedmont Park. Known for its sours, but branching out to stouts and IPAs as of late.
• Second Self – A lesser known spot with great beer and ample space to hang out.
• Scofflaw – Known for it’s high gravity beers, this new-ish brewery is a hit in Atlanta. Close to Second Self & Atlanta Brewing.
• Atlanta Brewing – Perhaps our all time favorite brewery in Atlanta. There are so many good options to choose from! A short Uber from Second Self.
• Monday Night Brewing – Great spot for different beer types. Both indoor and outdoor areas for hang out. Don’t be confused with the “Monday Night Garage,” which is known for its sours and is amazing, but a bit out of the city.
• Urban Tree Cidery – Great for someone who doesn’t like beer! Walking distance from Monday Night.

If you’re looking to make a night out of it, we highly recommend the Atlanta Beer Bus. It takes you to many breweries across Atlanta and is ultimately much cheaper than Ubering all over town. Grab a buddy or two and use the code TIMEOFF for 10% off your tickets.

Night: Dinner at one of Ford Fry’s restaurants

An Atlanta staple, Ford Fry restaurants are extremely popular across the city. You really can’t go wrong with any of these options! We recommend calling and making reservations in advance. Also, ask about their specials because many have happy hour deals.

• Little Rey – Casual tex-mex in Midtown
• The Optimist – Classy upscale seafood restaurant in West Midtown
• JCT Kitchen – Upscale American restaurant in West Midtown
• Superica – Slightly upscale Mexican fare served at multiple locations in Atlanta
• King & Duke – Upscale American restaurant in Buckhead

Other honorable mentions that aren’t Ford Fry are Marcel (extremely upscale French) Cooks & Soldiers (upscale tapas), Taqueria del Sol (casual Mexican), Gypsy Kitchen (tapas in Buckhead), and Storicio Fresco & Forza Storico (Italian in Buckhead & West Midtown, respectively).

Late night: West Midtown hang out

If you ate at The Optimist, JCT Kitchen, Cooks & Soldiers, Taqueria del Sol, or  you’ll be right near some fun nightlife in the city. West Midtown is home to some enjoyable bars and restaurants. From Marcel’s late night menu to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams to Little Trouble, you’re sure to find something that interests you. Our top West Midtown nighttime recommendations are as follows:

• Ormsby’s – A “neighborhood tavern” with fun bar games and great beer selection.
• Little Trouble – Modern bar with Asian street food
• Jeni’s – The most delicious ice cream! Don’t let the line scare you; it moves quickly. Gooey Butter Cake is my go to!
• Marcel – Grab a late night bite to eat from 11:30 PM to 2:00 AM at one of Atlanta’s most upscale restaurants. If you don’t want to pay $100+ for 2 people, visit during this time. Be sure to make reservations!

Day 3: Saturday

Morning: Explore the Piedmont Park farmer’s market

Perhaps one of our favorite Saturday morning rituals is the Piedmont Park farmer’s market. It operates rain or shine from April 11 (pending COVID-19 clearing up!) to November 28 on Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM and features dozens of food vendors. It’s a great spot to grab an authentic French pastry, a cup of coffee, and some local eggs and honey. Grab your bites and take a walk around the park for a relaxing morning.

Lunch: Grab tot-chos at The Nook

If you’ve been to the Piedmont Park farmer’s market, you’ll be close to The Nook, one of our go-to casual restaurants. It’s close proximity to the park and it’s fun drink & food menu make it one of our favorites. From “fishbowls” full of alcohol to loaded tater tots (called tot-chos like nachos!), you are sure to be satisfied with your time at The Nook.

Afternoon: Explore The Battery

Another fun part of Atlanta is The Battery. You’ll find shops, bars and restaurants all just outside of Suntrust Park, home of the Atlanta Braves MLB team. This area is fun anytime, but it’s especially enjoyable on Brave’s game days. Whether you have tickets or not, it’s a fun environment to be surrounded by Braves fans in their home stadium!

Evening: See the Braves play at Suntrust Park

If you’re lucky, the Braves will have a home game while you’re in town. Grab tickets and enjoy a hot dog and beer in the stadium! Pro tip: you can go into and out of the Terrapin Tap Room (on the outskirts of the stadium) and beers tend to be cheaper there. We prefer it! Plan to stay for some drinks and fun in The Battery after the game.

Day 4: Sunday

Morning: Breakfast diner

If you’re looking for a unique experience, we highly recommend eating at the Silver Skillet, an authentic diner built in the 1950s. With only 2 owners since then, the Silver Skillet is home to delicious food and coffee, and a really neat atmosphere. There may be a line out the door depending on what time you get there, but we’ve never waited more than 10-15 minutes. It’s totally worth it, and plus, you may even spot some celebs while eating there!

Afternoon: Tourist attractions

Midtown is a fun area to explore! It’s home to several Atlanta attractions like the following:

• College Football Hall of Fame
• Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
• Margaret Mitchell house
• High Museum
• World of Coke
• Georgia Aquarium

Odds are if you’ve followed this itinerary up until now, you will have seen some of these, but taking time to actually explore is a great idea. Our favorites are World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them!

We hope this Atlanta itinerary helps you plan the perfect weekend visiting Atlanta. We look forward to hearing about your time in our hometown! Leave us a message in the comments below.