Summer in Atlanta can be kind of crazy, and the days range from beautiful and sunny to stifling and stormy. Despite the challenge of navigating the ever-changing weather forecast, there are so many fun outdoor activities to be enjoyed in Atlanta over the summer!
Since Atlanta has so many fantastic bloggers and influencers for all kinds of different niches, I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to get their expert opinions on the best outdoor activities that summer in Atlanta has to offer. Read on for outdoor summer favorites from 10 of Atlanta’s bloggers (including me)!
Riding bikes (you can rent them all over town) on a Saturday morning to Piedmont Park, stopping at the Saturday Farmers market, then hopping back on and riding the Beltline all the way down to Krog Street market for lunch! Maybe stopping at Ponce City Market along the Beltline for a popsicle 😉
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CallMeElaine
My favorite summer activity is to hike. I usually visit Stone Mountain or Kennesaw Mountain because of their close proximity to downtown.
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My favorite summer activity is to walk and explore the Beltline. It’s also fun to stop at PCM or Krog St. Market along the way.
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The Atlanta Botanical Garden is an absolute treasure in our city! Each season The Garden engages us with new events, installations and bursts of natural beauty; there’s always something fragrant in bloom. During the summer months, I prefer to arrive closer to sunset when it’s not as steamy and hot. The Garden regularly hosts outdoor concerts, artists, cocktails, theater and more. To me, The Garden’s meandering paths and lush greenery make it the perfect peaceful spot to reconnect with yourself and your dearest in the midst of our vibrant, bustling city.
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I like going to Serenbe Playhouse in Chattahoochee Hills. It’s a fun and fully immersive outdoor theater experience. Living OTP and south, everything fun seems so far away. Glad to have found a gem so close to home.
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My favorite summer activity is biking and branching somewhere on the Beltline.
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Favorites include picnicking in Piedmont Park, biking the Beltline, and shooting the ‘hooch.
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I love walking The BeltLine! We usually start at Ponce City Market and have a progressive lunch there and then we walk on The BeltLine to Krog Street Market and do a little shopping before having a progressive dinner. It is the perfect day to walk/exercise, eat great food and have a fun day with friends!
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I love to grab my favorite coffee and hit the outdoor shopping areas like the Shops at Buckhead, Ponce City Market, Atlantic Station, and Westside Provisions!
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Raine In The City
As you can probably guess if you frequent my blog, my absolute favorite thing to do is grab an iced coffee (usually from Blue Donkey in Piedmont Park) and go for a nice long walk. There are tons of outdoor festivals in the summer, so I usually try to keep up with what local friends are planning to check out.
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The Beltline, Krog Street Market, and Ponce City Market are clear favorites, especially for those who live within easy walking/biking distance!
If you’re going for a hike (or even a really long walk), make sure to bring a bottle of water and apply a good layer of sunscreen. Also remember to check that weather forecast- you don’t want to plan a fun outdoor adventure and end up getting caught in an afternoon thunderstorm!
Here are a few other suggestions for ways to get outside and active in Atlanta during the summer.
Participate in outdoor yoga. Colony Square hosts a free yoga class every Wednesday (which I’ve written more about here), and King of Pops hosts a yoga class on Sundays at the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park.
Visit a nearby state park. Located 15 miles from downtown, Sweetwater Creek is a beautiful state park with tons to do (including paddle boating)! Head an hour or so north and visit some beautiful mountains and waterfalls, and enjoy hiking, camping, tubing, and more! The Georgia State Parks website is a fantastic resource when you’re looking for something good to do outdoors.
Go for a swim. Whether it’s at your place, a friend’s, at the park, at the lake, etc., going for a swim is the perfect way to beat the summer heat! You can take lessons, participate in a water-aerobics class, or simply float around on a giant float (my personal favorite).
Check out summer festivals. It seems like there’s at least one festival happening every weekend here in Atlanta once the weather warms up, so there’s plenty of variety for everyone! A little searching and you’re sure to find a festival that’s perfect for you (ice cream, jazz, art, crafts… the list goes on)! I’ve found that searching through Facebook events is one of the easiest ways to find new outdoor festivals to check out.
Visit Centennial Olympic Park. The park itself is beautiful and home to Fountain of Rings, and it’s also surrounded by several indoor Atlanta tourist attractions if you find yourself wanting to escape into the A/C. World of Coke, the Center for Civil & Human Rights, Georgia Aquarium, and the College Football Hall of Fame are all nearby. The SkyView ferris wheel is also right across the street!
Watch an Atlanta United Game. You may be a lifelong fan of soccer, or a relatively new fan like me, but either way you’re sure to have fun watching the inaugural season of Atlanta United!
What are your favorite outdoor summer activities? Is there anything you think should be added to this list? Let me know in the comments!
I’d like to send another huge thank-you to all the amazing bloggers who participated in this post. Be sure to go check them out and send some love!
xoxo,
Raine
7 Comments
Your posts are always making me consider a move to Atlanta! Everything looks so fun! I love summer festivals but we don’t have very many in my area.
We visit Atlanta often and love all the outdoor activities. Stone Mountain is one of my favorites. I definitely recommend fall and spring visits since summer’s are brutal herein the south.
These are all great activities. Will definitely consider when I find myself in Atlanta.
These summer ideas looks so nice and peaceful. Next time I’m in Atlanta i’ll be sure to try some of these out.
Love all the suggestions! Good idea to showcase other local bloggers!
Oh how fun ! Atlanta is so awesome!
I’ve always wanted to visit Atlanta and now I want to visit even more! This is such a great list!