10 Best Non-Touristy Things To Do In Atlanta, Georgia

Demos
Demos 
Updated
| 4 min read

Atlanta is a historically important and vibrant city in Georgia, USA. It’s renowned for its monumental role in the Civic Rights Movement of the 1960s and for hosting the Olympics in 1996. However, there are many good reasons for one to visit the city unrelated to its notable past. After all, Atlanta is home to the Cascade Spring Nature Reserve, which is a natural wonderland with numerous walking trails. Then, there’s the BeltLine Art Tour that features a wide range of tours and events, and Cator Woolford Gardens that’s something of a hidden gem. Check out our amazing list of non-touristy things to do in Atlanta, Georgia, and plan your trip accordingly!

1. Connect with nature at Cascade Springs Nature Preserve

Posted by MiMi Q. Atkins on Sunday, 30 June 2019

Let’s face it, Atlanta is a big and noisy city! While that’s not altogether a bad thing, it does become overwhelming at times. Get away from it all and explore the city’s nearby natural paradise, which will both impress and surprise you. Here, you’ll find a diverse range of beautiful natural attractions such as a cascading waterfall, stream, and plenty of trees. It’s easy to navigate the area due to the many walking trails, and there are also several convenient picnic spots.

Cascade Springs Nature Preserve

Address: 2852 Cascade Rd SW, Atlanta, GA 30311, USA

Website: Cascade Springs Nature Preserve

Opening hours: 8am - 11pm (daily)

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2. Train to become a superhero

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account


Escape rooms and superhero movies have been all the rage in recent years. Now, this escape room draws inspiration from the superhero craze and allows visitors to immerse themselves in a world straight from the comic book world. You’ll work together with a team and tasked to complete a unique mission that will test everyone’s heroism, intelligence, and skills. If you overcome the various challenging obstacles within the one-hour duration, then you know that you’ve got what it takes to take on Spiderman and Superman!

Room Escape Atlanta

Address: 306 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States

Website: Room Escape Atlanta

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3. Admire local art at BeltLine Art Tour

From the artist Austin Blue Art: “The BeltLine: A cultural melting pot symbolized by the shapes of Pyrite, with the ...

Posted by Atlanta BeltLine on Tuesday, 30 April 2019

Atlanta boasts many amazing artists that push the boundaries of modern art. If you’re a culture vulture, then you’ll love the BeltLine Art Tour, which will expose you to the city’s contemporary art movements. This tour encompasses a wide range of tours and events that cover freestyle rap, music, murals, performance word, photography, spoken word, and sculptures. Before partaking in a tour or event do check their website for the latest schedule and booking info.

BeltLine Art Tour

Address: 100 Peachtree St, Ste 2300, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA

Website: BeltLine Art Tour

Opening hours: 6am - 11pm (daily)

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4. Check out the street art at the Krog Street Tunnel

Posted by Rossi Jay's Studio on Saturday, 29 June 2019

If you enjoy graffiti and gritty urban environments, then you should head over to Atlanta’s famous Krog Street Tunnel. This tunnel links up neighborhoods such as Cabbagetown, Inman Park, and Reynoldstown, and regularly used by cyclists and pedestrians. Moreover, bold, colorful, and unique street art adorn the walls of the tunnel, which will give you plenty of photo opportunities.

The Krog Street Tunnel

Address: 1 Krog St NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA

Opening hours: 12pm - 12pm (daily)

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5. Explore the David J. Sencer CDC Museum


Life-threatening diseases and major outbreaks don’t sound like fun. However, this museum helps educate the public about human anatomy, diseases, biotechnology, and microbiology through abstract art and a wide range of exhibitions. The CDC boasts advanced research facilities that have been instrumental in dealing with dangerous viruses over the past 50 years. Learn about these successes and why we should remain vigilant against diseases by visiting this remarkable museum.

David J. Sencer CDC Museum

Address: 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA

Website: David J. Sencer CDC Museum

Opening hours: Mon - Wed: 9am - 5pm; Thu: 9am - 7pm; Fri: 9am - 5pm (closed on Sat & Sun)

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6. Stroll through the Cator Woolford Gardens

Posted by Cator Woolford Gardens on Thursday, 18 April 2019

The stunning Cator Woolford Garden will amaze you with its vast and well-maintained gardens and Italian inspired pavilion. A walking tour through the gardens will reveal its diverse plant life such as its azaleas, daffodils, and roses, to name a few. The Frazer Center overlooks the gardens and is the ideal venue for special events such as weddings. Make sure to book ahead of time so that you can enjoy a tour when visiting Atlanta.

Cator Woolford Gardens

Address: 1815 S Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA

Website: Cator Woolford Gardens

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7. Visit Margaret Mitchell House

Margaret Mitchell House & Museum 01
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Elisa.rolle used under CC BY-SA 4.0

If you’re a fan of “Gone With the Wind”, particularly the book that was written by Margaret Mitchell aka Peggy March, then you should visit her home. This notable author stayed at the apartment on the bottom floor of Margaret Mitchell House, and was named “The Dump.” This tiny apartment may not have been impressive, but it’s where one of the biggest-selling books was conceived. Moreover, you’ll learn about Peggy March’s fascinating life and her long-lasting impact on Atlanta.

Margaret Mitchell House

Address: 979 Crescent Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

Website: Margaret Mitchell House

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 5:30pm; Sun: 12pm - 5:30pm

Price: 55 USD

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8. Head to the Center for Puppetry Arts


Treat the little ones to a memorable experience by taking them to the Center for Puppetry Arts. Here, they’ll have an opportunity to take a tour of the museum that features puppets created by Jim Henson. They’ll get close and personal with famous characters such as Fozzie Bear, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and many more. There’s also interactive programs and puppet creation programs that should ignite their interest in puppetry.

Center for Puppetry Arts

Address: 1404 Spring St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

Website: Center for Puppetry Arts

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 9am - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 5pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Mon)

Price: 12.50 - 16.50 USD

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9. Fly high indoors (from USD 111.0)

iFly is a popular indoor skydiving brand that offers visitors a thrilling experience in a safe and controlled environment. This should appeal to those who want to skydive but too scared of jumping out of an aircraft. Instead of putting themselves at risk, visitors can fly and free-fall inside iFly’s concealed wind-tunnel that gives a similar sensation of flight. Furthermore, there’s an accredited instructor on-site to help visitors, especially children, get to grips with flying inside the wind tunnel.

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Atlanta Indoor Skydiving Experience with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

53 reviews

10. Throw an axe with your mates


Are you looking for a fun activity that’s different from the norm? Then, we recommend this wonderful axe-throwing excursion that will test your mettle. Head over to Bad Axe Throwing Atlanta with your friends and family, and show them how it’s done in a fun and safe environment. Keep an eye out for celebrities that frequent this venue such as Charles Barkley, Charlie Hunnam, and Hugh Jackman. Also, you may bring along your own food and snacks and hold a party with your entourage for maximum enjoyment.

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Fun times in Atlanta

There’s no denying that Atlanta’s a fun and interesting city that has much to offer visitors. More importantly, there’s something here for everyone. Nature lovers will have a blast visiting Cascade Springs Nature Preserve and Cator Woolford Gardens. Art lovers will discover a plethora of striking art and music during the BeltLine Art Tour. And, children will be in awe of Jim Henson’s creations at the Center of Puppetry Arts.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Demos, a freelance writer, boasts an entrepreneurial background that informs his diverse writing portfolio. His articles span across various topics, encompassing travel, business, technology,...Read more

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