Destinations

3 Best Day Trips from Atlanta

Leave the city in the rearview mirror for a day.

July 6, 2020

Atlanta is one of the cultural capitals of the South, rich with world-class food, art, and hotels. But it's also home to one of the busiest airports in the world and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, which means traffic and crowds can be common. Fortunately, if you find yourself in need of a day or two at a slower pace, you'll find beautiful small cities and mountain towns all within easy driving distance. When you're ready for a break, these are the best day trips from Atlanta.

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ATHENS, GA
Often called “The Classic City,” Athens is a little more than an hour northeast of Atlanta. It’s home to the University of Georgia, the first state-chartered university and the birthplace of modern public education in the United States, and it offers a mix of rich history and new things to do. As the town that spawned R.E.M., Widespread Panic, and the B52s, Athens is also famous for its dynamic music scene. Whether you want to cheer for your favorite college sports team, sing at the top of your lungs at a live music show, taste locally brewed beer, see some of Georgia’s best art, or eat at an award-winning restaurant, Athens has something for everyone.
Courtesy the Georgia Museum of Art
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Georgia Museum of Art
This free attraction is the official state museum of Georgia, housing more than 10,000 individual pieces. It originally opened in 1948 in the University of Georgia’s library basement and has since moved to the mammoth Visual Arts Complex on the south campus. The state-funded museum has a vast permanent collection of American paintings (most from the 19th and 20th centuries), Italian Renaissance paintings, Asian art, and Southern decorative arts. Additionally, it hosts up to 25 temporary exhibits every year, some of which include works by students.

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Georgia Theatre
The Georgia Theatre is one of the most iconic music venues in the state and one of the places that made Athens a music hub. The downtown building dates to 1889 when it was a YMCA, and has since morphed into a Methodist Church, music store, and Masonic Temple before becoming a music venue in 1977. Come for a live show on the main stage and you'll likely see an up-and-coming musician or an already big name at a value price in an intimate venue—it only holds 1,000 people.
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The National
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Athens may be a college town, but the food here is first-class, so The National didn't get to be one of The Classic City's most revered spots by slacking. Inside you'll feel you've stumbled into a European café. The menu draws heavy inspiration from the continent, but dishes are executed using as many hyper-local ingredients as possible. Plan to meander through the menu: share some Manchego-stuffed Medjool dates, then move on to a hearty entree of your own like scallops with saffron calasparra rice and orange-brown butter vinaigrette, and finish with Basque cake and local peaches.

Courtesy Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
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Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
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There are plenty of reasons to visit Creature Comforts Brewing Co. in downtown Athens. First, beer aficionados will likely know it for its Tropicália IPA, which has had a cult following since it was released in 2014. Secondly, you can’t miss the massive brewery and tasting room, built into a refurbished Chevy dealership and auto shop, built in the 1940s. The founders kept everything they could from the old building, including garage doors that create an indoor/outdoor bar and tasting room, exposed beams, concrete floors, and reclaimed wood (after which they named one of their signature beers, Reclaimed Rye). And, though this is a brewery, it's also become a favorite local bar.
Courtesy State Botanical Gardens of Georgia
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State Botanical Gardens of Georgia
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This lush park has something for just about every kind of nature lover or plant enthusiast. The 313-acre park has five miles of nature trails and habitats constructed to encourage the proliferation of native pollinators. More than 230,000 guests visit each year to explore the heritage garden, horticulture greenhouses, children’s garden and native garden, filled with familiar Southern blooms like dogwoods, azaleas, and magnolias. Runners and walkers are welcome to stroll or hustle through the gardens, too.

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The Grit
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Housed in a weathered brick building on the outskirts of downtown, The Grit feels lived-in and comfortable. It’s been an Athens institution since the 1990s, when non-vegetarians were a little wary of an all-vegetarian restaurant. It still sports the faded brick, turquoise trim, and a chalkboard of rotating specials, but it’s won a voracious following of carnivores as well as non-meat eaters. With seating in two indoor rooms and a few outdoor tables, there’s almost always a wait, whether you come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but it's worth it. The black bean chili makes appearances in several dishes, including an overstuffed burrito and the loaded nachos with melted cheese and homemade salsa. The tofu Reuben is so well seasoned you might forget it doesn’t actually contain pastrami.
CHATTANOOGA, TN
Just an hour and a half northwest of Atlanta, Chattanooga is a city on the rise. The once primarily industrial city has done an about-face and is now one of the tech-savviest and greenest cities in the South (there’s even a free electric shuttle to get around downtown). Set next to the Appalachian Mountains and with the sparkling Tennessee River running right through town, there are plenty of outdoor activities to draw visitors, plus cool new restaurants, boutiques, and museums to keep them coming back.

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Coolidge Park
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Coolidge Park is a charming seven-acre plot of green on the north shore of the Tennessee River—small enough to fully explore, but big enough that it rarely feels crowded. The restored Walnut Street pedestrian bridge connects the park with downtown’s main drag (where you’ll find the Hunter Museum of American Art and the massive Tennessee Aquarium) and at its western border, bisected by the John Ross Bridge, neighboring Renaissance Park adds 23 more acres to explore. The manicured, tree-shaded pathways are a popular destination for runners and walkers. And no matter your age, a ride on the park's antique carousel is worth the time. Local Chattanoogan and well-known woodcarver Bud Ellis had the carousel brought in from Atlanta.
Courtesy The Read Hotel
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The Read House
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It’s impossible not to be dazzled by The Read House hotel, with its Georgian-style bones and a top-to-bottom $25 million-plus renovation. The structure was built in 1872 and has survived through floods and epidemics of years past. Now, the fully renovated 241-room hotel’s design harkens to the 1920s with soaring lobby ceilings, dramatic chandeliers, black and white checkered floors, and wood-clad walls polished to a high shine. Noteworthy past guests have included Bing Crosby, Ronald Regan, Oprah Winfrey, and Winston Churchill. Al Capone's stay in room 311 is legendary—he was at the hotel during his federal trial in the 1930s (custom bars were fitted to the window).
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Courtesy Songbirds Guitar Museum
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Songbirds Guitar Museum
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If you like guitars or any kind of music, Songbirds is a treasure trove. The world’s largest display of rare vintage guitars is estimated to be worth more than $200 million and belongs to a group of anonymous collectors. The 14,000-square-foot space includes a z-shaped museum upstairs and Songbirds South, a music venue downstairs, so there's more than one way to experience it all. Part of what makes it so cool is that the installations go beyond just the instruments themselves. On any given visit, you’ll see around 500 guitars on display—but that’s only about 25 percent of the entire collection, which rotates through an ever-changing line-up. You’ll see Gretsches, Fenders, Les Pauls, and instruments from just about every genre imaginable.
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Lookout Mountain Flight Park
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Lookout Mountain Flight Park is one of the premier spots for hang gliding and paragliding in the country. There are two ways to fly: pros can take a running leap off of the 1,300 foot Lookout Mountain ridge, while novices fly tandem with a flight instructor. Down in the valley, “students” (legally, you’re not permitted to take a ride, but a lesson) are outfitted with a harness before being strapped close to an experienced instructor and into a feather-light winged glider. You only have to be 10 years old to participate in a tandem flight, so even children can get in on the action. In general, anyone who wants a thrill (and who won't freak out at the prospect of flying) will love this. It's well worth the price tag (starting at $249).

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St. John's Restaurant
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It’s not surprising that every dish at this multi-James Beard Award-nominated restaurant is as beautifully presented as it is flavorful. This place screams fine dining but not in a stuffy, pretentious way. The chefs here are so committed to freshness that seafood is flown in daily (try the lobster soup), small batches of limited crops are sourced from local farmers, and the menu changes every day to accommodate. St. John's is the kind of place where you walk in and it feels like a special occasion, even if it's just a celebration of successfully completing a Tuesday at work.
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River Gallery
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River Gallery is a perfect starting point to explore the Bluff View Art District, a historic walkable area with restaurants, a coffee house, and a charming bed & breakfast. River Gallery and Bluff View are rarely overrun with people, so you’re in the clear if you don’t want to fight crowds. The whole district’s vibe is historic, elegant and quaint. In River Gallery, the rooms are curated according to style or theme, with unobtrusive lights to showcase the art, and the whole gallery still feels like a home. Blown glass pieces hang in front of windows to catch sunlight streaming in, and there’s enough variety in price points that even entry-level collectors can find something in their budget.

BLUE RIDGE, GA
Blue Ridge, in the mountains of the same name in north Georgia, is a perfect antidote to Atlanta’s crowds. It’s close enough to feel easy, but far enough away to feel like a true getaway. The area is famous for terrific hikes, acres of apple farms, and the state's best trout fishing. Plus, with an elevation of 1,762 feet above sea level, it can be as much as ten degrees cooler during Atlanta’s steamy summers.
Courtesy Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
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Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
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This historic train leaves from the 1905-built depot in downtown Blue Ridge. The bright blue engine pulls a line of open-air and climate-controlled rail cars through the Chattahoochee National Forest for a two-hour “layover” in Copperhill, Tennessee. The 26-mile round trip overlooks the Toccoa River for most of the way. Guests can typically walk up to the depot counter to purchase a ticket on the spot, but themed rides (like the popular Santa Express) sell out early, so advanced tickets are a good idea. The scenery along the Toccoa River is beautiful, so anywhere you look (no matter the season), you’re likely to have a great view.

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Cohutta Fishing Company
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Blue Ridge is known as the “Trout Capital of Georgia,” and for good reason: it’s fly fishing heaven. For would-be fishermen (and women) who don’t know where to start, Cohutta Fishing Company is the place. This bright, independently owned shop on the end of downtown’s main drag has everything you need to catch your first fish—from gear and apparel to poles and flies. Score a fishing license and ask the experts about lures and guides. The friendly staff is likely to tell you what the trout (rainbow, brook, and brown) are biting. If you’re really nice, they might share their favorite fishing hole locations.
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Wrapsody in Blue
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It might be surprising to find a shopping haven in the North Georgia mountains, but quaint downtown Blue Ridge has become a destination for artists and curators, with wares ranging from rustic to high-end. There are only two main downtown streets with shops, and a good place to start is Wrapsody in Blue, housed in a two-story cabin-style building on the upper street. It stocks home decor items, hostess gifts, art, candles, and jewelry, both from national brands and local artisans. The small town charm is evident, since it’s not uncommon to meet one of the owners while you shop.

Courtesy Mercier Orchards
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Mercier Orchards
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North Georgia's mountains are peppered with pick-your-own apple farms, and Mercier Orchards is one of the most popular. The farm sits on 300 acres of rolling hills, dotted with almost 50 types of apples, including Crimson Crisp, Empire, Ginger Gold, Cameo, Yates, and Gold Rush. While there’s a pick-your-own apple experience, the giant country store is the main attraction. The green barn-style building isn’t anything fancy, with concrete and wood floors and supermarket-style baskets, but it sells all manner of gourmet goods, fresh produce, baked goods, and has a cider tasting room.
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Toccoa River Swinging Bridge
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One of the beauties of visiting Blue Ridge is that you don’t have to travel far out of town to get off the beaten path and connect with nature. Case in point: the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge. A 15-minute drive outside of town will get you to a gravel National Forest Service road (it’s easier with a four-wheel drive vehicle). Soon after, you’ll find the 270-foot long bridge, the longest suspension bridge east of the Mississippi River. Pack a picnic and find a spot overlooking the rushing Toccoa River.

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Amicalola Falls State Park
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This lush 829-acre state park is set in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The star attraction is the 729-foot waterfall—third highest east of the Mississippi River—named for the Cherokee Indian word for “tumbling waters.” If you’re feeling hearty, climb the 604 steps from the base of the falls to the top, where you’ll be rewarded with views of mountains, the valley beyond and, of course, the falls. If you're just passing through and still want the experience, drive straight to the top, park, and see the falls from the plunge point. Your friends and social media followers don't need to know that you didn't climb up from the bottom.