Atlanta’s Midtown: Neighborhood Guide

Explore the best things to do in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood with this local neighborhood guide.  The bustling Midtown neighborhood is Atlanta’s most urban and walkable neighborhood.  The Midtown Business District is home to Atlanta’s famous Peachtree Street, skyscrapers, Piedmont Park and three MARTA rail stations. 

Peachtree Street runs through the heart of Midtown. Located between downtown Atlanta and Buckhead, Midtown is a great place to visit, live, and work.  Midtown is Atlanta’s home of the arts – whether it be world class museums, art galleries or theaters.  The dining scene is incredible and there are plenty of theatres, bars, and clubs where you can spend the evening. 

History of Atlanta’s Midtown

Midtown in the Beginning

In 1871, Atlanta added streetcars to its transportation network.  By the mid-1890s, streetcar lines extended to today’s Midtown neighborhood.  Access to transportation pushed the city’s growth north of downtown.  By the beginning of the 20th century, mansions belonging to Atlanta’s wealthiest families lined Peachtree Street and West Peachtree.  Later, these families abandoned their mansion for more fashionable neighborhoods such as Druid Hills and Ansley Park.

Atlanta as a Growing City

Following the departure of Atlanta’s first families, elegant apartment buildings sprung up in Midtown – mostly on the Peachtree Street corridor and streetcar lines.  Following World War II, Midtown became a popular area for singles and students. They enjoyed reasonably-priced rent and the central location.  Many students attended the Atlanta College of Art – today SCAD Atlanta. 

Atlanta Declined as the Suburbs Grew

In the 1950s – coinciding with the rise of the automobile – Atlanta’s intown neighborhoods fell into a period of decline as they lost residents to the suburbs.  In the 1960s, Midtown and Piedmont Park were well-known as the center for Atlanta’s countercultural movement.  The neighborhood’s reputation for tolerance attracted the gay community.  In 1971 the Gay Liberation Front coordinated Atlanta’s first Gay Pride Parade.  Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood developed a reputation as the Haight-Asbury of the southeast. 

Atlanta’s Midtown: Rags to Riches Story

In the 1970s, Midtown neighbors began working together as the Midtown Neighborhood Association to revitalize their neighborhood.  They officially adopted the name Midtown once it became clear that Buckhead was Atlanta’s Uptown.  Midtown is naturally between downtown and uptown. 

Residents began restoring mansions on Piedmont Ave and created new zoning laws to limit density in what is now known as the Midtown Garden District. This area is south of Piedmont Park and east of Piedmont Ave.  Meanwhile the Midtown Alliance formed in 1978.  This group focused on urban planning for the Midtown Business District. 

In 1981, MARTA brought rail lines to the Midtown neighborhood when the public transportation authority opened its North Avenue Station.  Midtown and Arts Center Stations soon followed.  This investment in connectivity brought commercial developers to the neighborhood.  Companies relocated their offices to the newly built class A office space in the Midtown Business District.  Major development continued into the 1990s.  Then Georgia Tech moved across the interstate to Technology Square. 

Midtown Today

Today, Midtown is Atlanta’s most vibrant and walkable neighborhood.  The investment that residents made starting in the 1980s led to incredible street life with a mix of offices, restaurants, shops, homes, arts institutions and parks.  Midtown has a creative identity.  It is known as Atlanta’s home of the arts. 

The historic Fox Theatre immediately comes mind when I think of Midtown and Arts, but this institution is just the beginning.  The High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance Theatre, and the Museum of Design Atlanta are grouped closely together.  Midtown is an education hub focusing on STEAM. Creativity spreads from Georgia Tech on the south side to the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Atlanta Campus on the north end of the neighborhood. 

These art instructions are paired with a dense mix of office space, condo buildings, restaurants and retail.  Midtown is Atlanta’s most urban neighborhood, making it a wonderful place to visit, work, and live.

Notable Restaurants in Midtown

Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood is teeming with excellent places to eat.  I cannot possibly highlight them all here, but I will note a few favorites.

Fast Casual Restaurants – perfect for lunch or a quick dinner:

• Politan Row food hall in Colony Square – this chic food hall is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat before going to a concert, play or arts event in Midtown
• The Varsity – an iconic Atlanta drive in
• Willy’s at the 12th Street Entrance of Piedmont Park – one of Atlanta’s favorite local chain restaurants
• Shake Shack
• Henri’s Bakery – this local bakery has been serving up breakfast, sandwiches, cookies and pastries in Atlanta for almost 100 years.  They now have an outpost in Piedmont Park near the pool

 Restaurants:

• South City Kitchen – this is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta.  Make an effort to eat at one of its locations if you are visiting Atlanta.  The midtown location is the original.  Reservations are recommended.
• Holeman & Finch Public House – the burger is famous.  They used to serve it at limited times, but now it is available all the time
• JR Crickets – get the lemon pepper wings!
• Vortex Bar & Grill – this is a bar, but the burgers are AMAZING!
• Zocalo
• Café Agora – the gyros are incredible
• 5Church
• Pasta Da Pulcinella
• Rumi’s Kitchen at Colony Square – one of my favorite Mediterranean restuarants – everything is excellent!

Piedmont Park: Greenspace in Atlanta’s Midtown

Located in the heart of Midtown, Piedmont Park is Atlanta’s premiere outdoor space.  It is where Atlantans come to meet friends, gather to play athletic games, walk their dog, and picnic.  You can hang out at the dog park, visit the playground, or enjoy a seasonal festival here.  The skyline view of Midtown’s skyscrapers from Piedmont Park’s expansive greenspace is unmatched. 

History of Piedmont Park

Atlanta’s most iconic part began as the Piedmont Driving Club’s race track.  You can see the remnants of this track at today’s Active Oval.  The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition was held at Piedmont Park.  The goal of the fair was to showcase Southern industry and progress.  Most of the buildings were temporary but some stairs and infrastructure from this event are still visible in the park today. 

The City of Atlanta purchased the park following the fair and hired the Olmsted Brothers landscape architects to create a plan for a public park.  Their father Frederick Law Olmsted famously designed New York’s Central Park. 

Today, under the watchful eye of the Piedmont Conservancy, the park offers venues for sports and fitness including athletic fields, tennis courts, walking trails, and the Active Oval track.  Lake Clara Meer provides a bucolic setting to enjoy Midtown’s unique scenery. 

Playgrounds at Piedmont Park

Children love exploring the Piedmont Park’s two playgrounds.  The Mayors Grove Playground, located near the pool and Henri’s Bakery is a traditional play space.  The Noguchi Playscape, located near Willy’s and Shake Shack, is an artistic playground.  In the 1970s, the High Museum of Art commissioned Japanese American artist and sculptor Isamu Noguchi to create a special playground for Atlanta’s children.

Get Wet at Piedmont Park

The City of Atlanta runs a traditional Pool and Splash Pad at Piedmont Park.  This is one of Atlanta’s best public pools.  It is open in the summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.  You must pay a small fee to visit the pool.  This extremely popular pool is often crowded.  If the pool is at capacity, you will not be able to enter until someone leaves.  Plan to arrive early or purchase a seasonal pool pass to get access to members only extended hours.

When it is hot outside, your kids will love getting wet at Piedmont Park’s Legacy Fountain.  This free fountain is accessible year-round and it does not have capacity limits.   The fountain offers adjacent restrooms from 8am-6pm.  Bring a picnic blanket to sit on.  There is not much seating or shade around the fountain.  The fountain is an excellent alternative if the pool is full.  When my children were toddlers, we came to Piedmont Park to play at the Mayors Grove Playground and then we cooled off in the free fountain. 

Dogs at Piedmont Park

Piedmont Park is an excellent place to get out and enjoy nature with your dog.  As a bonus, the park offers off-leash dog parks, so your furry family members can stretch their legs at their own pace.  The Piedmont Park Dog Parks take up 3 acres within the larger park and offer separate spaces for large and small dogs.  Owners can enjoy benches and shaded areas plus a King of Pops cart often appears on the weekend with dog popsicles and human popsicles. 

Arts and Culture in Atlanta’s Midtown

The Midtown neighborhood is frequently referred to as Atlanta’s “Heart of the Arts.”  The neighborhood is home to world class museums, art galleries and theaters.  In a dense walkable area, you can enjoy the visual arts, performance arts such as theater, music, and dance, landscape design, and public art.  Piedmont Park often hosts arts festivals and other cultural events.

Rainbow Crosswalk

The famous rainbow crosswalk elevates the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue.  It first appeared as a temporary installation in 2015 during Atlanta Pride Week.  The city made it permanent in 2017.  The rainbow crosswalk celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and the historical support provided by Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a green escape from the interstates, skyscrapers. and the hard surfaces of Atlanta.  This beautiful green space is a collection of themed gardens including the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, the Upper Woodland, the Storza Woods, the Children’s Garden, the Fuqua Conservatory for tropical plants, the Fuqua Orchid Center, and the Cascades Garden featuring the famous Earth Goddess. 

On busy days, the garden sells cocktails near the main entrance that you can enjoy strolling around the grounds.  Plan to spend a relaxing time perusing the beautiful landscapes.  Every summer, the garden hosts incredible special exhibits.  Don’t worry about the heat.  There is plenty of shade in among the trees to make a warm day more comfortable.  The enormous variety of plants ensures that something is bound to be in bloom when you visit.  Camellias begin blooming in December and the winter is dominated by the indoor Orchid Daze exhibit.  There are restaurants available on the grounds too. 

High Museum of Art

The High Museum is Atlanta’s premiere visual art museum.  Locals simply call the museum, “The High.”  The High family donated their Peachtree Street mansion to the Atlanta Art Association as an art museum.  This current museum displays national and international rotating exhibitions in addition to its own impressive collections.  The High Museum’s collections focus on several areas including African Art, American Art, Decorative Arts & Design, European Art, Folk & Self-Taught Art, Modern & Contemporary Art, and Photography. 

Architecture as Art

I am an architect, and I love that the complex that houses the High’s artwork is just as outstanding as the pieces themselves.  In 1983, architect Richard Meier designed one of his signature white buildings as the new home to the museum on Peachtree Street.  The exterior façade of the building includes a blank canvas so that the museum can display huge banners advertising its traveling exhibitions.  The interior of the space includes an impressive, curved multi-level gallery with a ramp that takes you elegantly from floor to floor.  Today, the High’s permanent collection is housed in Richard Meier’s building, which is called the Stent Wing.

In 2003, Italian architect Renzo Piano added new buildings to create a museum complex.  His designed piggy-backed on Meier’s white enamel façade.  The new buildings include the Wieland Wing and the Anne Cox Chambers Wing.  A specialty roof system lights the interior of the galleries through filtered light scoops.

Center for Puppetry Arts

The Center for Puppetry Arts offers puppet shows all year to a range of audiences. Their website allows you to search shows and workshops by audience type and age ranges. Select a show on the website to learn about the storyline, puppetry style, the puppeteers, and the Create-a-Puppet Workshop project that accompanies it.  Every puppet show ticket includes admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum.

The Worlds of Puppetry Museum

Do you love the Muppets?  Be sure to visit the Worlds of Puppetry Museum at Atlanta’s Center for the Puppetry Arts.  Explore the Jim Henson Collection first.  The Henson Foundation donated their Muppet collection to the Center that Jim loved following his death.  The exhibits inside walk you through Jim Henson’s life, his career, his creative process, and how the Muppet characters evolved.  Inside, you will find all the characters you love from Sesame Street, the Muppet Show, and Fraggle Rock.  Plus, there are more Muppets from the films Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.

Don’t forget to visit the next gallery called The Global Collection.  The Center’s extensive historical puppet collection highlights the history of puppetry across the world including native American, European, African, and Asian puppet traditions.  Highlights in this gallery include the Stop Motion Puppetry exhibit, original masks from the Lion King on Broadway, and Pulcinella or Punch, the Puppet.  I especially enjoyed the Asian puppetry traditions including Vietnamese Water Puppets, Chinese Shadow Puppets, and Indian Puppetry traditions. 

MODA or Museum of Design Atlanta

Do you love design?  Check out the Museum of Design Atlanta – known as MODA.  This little museum dedicated to the art of designing all things is located conveniently across the street from the High Museum of Art.  The museum hosts rotating exhibits highlighting all aspects of design and illustrating how design impacts our daily lives.  In addition to the exhibits, check out MODA’s calendar of interactive events.

SCAD Fash Museum of Fashion + Film

Do you love fashion and cinema?  Be sure to visit the SCAD Fash Museum of Fashion + Film.  Inside, you will find glamorous gowns and costumes from the movies.  Have you visited this museum before?  Don’t hesitate to return because the exhibits rotate so there will always be something new to see.  In addition to the fabulous fashion on display, don’t miss the spectacular views of the Atlanta skyline. 

Margaret Mitchell House: Atlanta History Center Midtown

The Margaret Mitchell House is the home where the author wrote her remarkable novel, Gone with the Wind.  Today it is an outpost of the Atlanta History Center.  The famous author lived in a two-bedroom first floor apartment with her second husband John Marsh from 1925-1932.  She nicknamed this apartment, “the dump.”  She wrote most of her novel in this house. 

Gone with the Wind, the book and the film have been controversial since the beginning.  The Atlanta History Center’s exhibition paints a picture of Margaret Mitchell’s Atlanta, and explains how her personal experiences influenced the story.   The exhibition acknowledges the complex issues created by the famous novel and its author. 

William Bremen Jewish Heritage & Holocaust Museum

The Bremen is dedicated to Jewish history, culture, and art in Georgia and beyond.  Its permanent exhibit, Absence of Humanity, places a special focus on the Holocaust.  Rotating exhibits focus on Jewish values, customs and traditions.  Exhibits focus on topics close to home as well as Judaism around the world.

The Fox Theatre

There are a couple of ways you can see Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theatre.  You can purchase a ticket to a show.  Or you can simply book an Architecture & History Tour.  On the tour, you will learn about the history of the building, the Shriner Organization and William Fox, the movie mogul.  Atlanta almost lost this spectacular building in the 1970s.  Local residents successfully came together to save the Fox. 

Prepare to be impressed by the Ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern styling of this building.  On the interior, make sure that you take note of the starry sky on the ceiling.  The Architecture & History Tour takes about an hour.

Performance Arts Venues in Midtown

As Atlanta’s Center for the Arts, there are so many places to be entertained in Midtown.  Check out the calendars of the venues listed below to book a show for the evening – or maybe for the middle of the day.  From comedy to serious dramas and musicals.  You can see anything in Atlanta.

• The Fox Theatre
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at the Woodruff Arts Center
• Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff Arts Center
• Center Stage Theatre
• Whole World Improv Theatre Co
• Laughing Scull Lounge
• Shakespeare’s Tavern
• Center for Puppetry Arts – they offer adult shows too!

Signature Events in Atlanta’s Midtown

Dogwood Festival – April

The Dogwood Festival is a classic Midtown experience since 1936.  On a spring weekend, the entire park comes alive with an artist market, live music, food vendors, and a kids’ village with family friendly activities.  Enjoy the beautiful weather in April at this outdoor creative festival. 

Midtown Garden Stroll – May

Every spring, residents of the Midtown Garden District invite neighbors, friends, and visitors into their magnificent private gardens.  The Midtown Garden Stroll is one of my favorite Atlanta events of the year!  I tend to associate Midtown with its urban Business District, but the historic residential district south of Piedmont Park is a whole different side of Midtown.  The private gardenscapes you visit on this tour are an artform – in keeping with Midtown’s reputation as the center of Atlanta’s arts scene. 

Atlanta Jazz Festival – May

On Memorial Day weekend, enjoy one of Atlanta’s favorite traditions – the Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park.  This free festival brings incredible jazz talent from across the United States to Atlanta.  To enjoy the festival, bring your picnic blanket or foldable chairs and coolers so you can hang out in Piedmont Park and enjoy excellent music.

Atlanta Ice Cream Festival – July

Atlanta in July is hot, but you can cool of at the Atlanta Ice Cream Festival in Piedmont Park.  Bring a picnic blanket to hang out and enjoy live music while you cool down with frozen treats from a variety of vendors.  You will find classic ice cream scoops, popsicles, and even vegan options! 

Piedmont Park Arts Festival – August

At the end of the summer, Piedmont Park turns into an open-air art gallery.  The artist market at the Piedmont Park Arts Festival features paintings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, and other crafts from creators across the county.  Enjoy food from a variety of vendors and live music.  It is a great way to spend the afternoon enjoying this incredible greenspace at the heart of Atlanta. 

Parliament of Owls Lantern Parade – August

This parade is described as elegantly weird.  The Parliament of Owls Lantern Parade is a black and white owl-themed community parade led by a brass band that marches down Peachtree Street from Colony Square after dark.  Anyone can participate as long as they have an owl and dress in black and white.  Chatelle Rytter + Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons created the parade.  Visit the Lantern Parade Studio for photos and templates to make your own owl lantern.

Atlanta Pride Festival & Parade – October

Every October, the LGBTQ+ community comes together to celebrate the Atlanta Pride Festival in Midtown and Piedmont Park.  This free event coincides with National Coming Out Day.  The largest Pride event in the southeast celebrates diversity and community with a marketplace consisting of 200+ vendors plus restaurant and nightlife promotions.  The weekend event wraps up with the parade featuring incredible floats, costumes and music on Sunday.

Atlanta Botanical Garden: Garden Lights, Holiday Nights – November & December

The Atlanta Botanical Garden hosts the most spectacular holiday lights experience in Atlanta. Garden Lights, Holiday Nights enrobes the grounds of the garden in dazzling holiday light displays.  I love the opportunity to walk through the gardens with a hot chocolate (hopefully with a shot of Irish Cream) and enjoy the season. The first time we visited the garden during the holidays, my children were amazed. Plus, they had hot chocolate and s’mores. What is not to love?

How to get to Atlanta’s Midtown

Public Transportation: MARTA

Midtown is home to three MARTA Train Stations: North Avenue Station, Midtown Station and Arts Center Station.  The easiest way to get to this neighborhood is via public transportation.  Once you emerge from the station, Midtown is easily walkable.  Refer to the Midtown Walking Map for detailed information. 

There are two free circulator shuttles that will take you to key points in Midtown.  The first in the GA Tech Stinger Bus, which picks up at the Midtown MARTA Station.  The second is the Atlantic Station Shuttle that picks up at the Arts Center Station.

MARTA Bus Route 110 stops at the Amtrak Station in Buckhead and will take you to Midtown’s Arts Center Station.

Check out my guide about How to Get Around Atlanta without a Car. 

Driving

If you drive, then you must find a spot to park your car.  The Woodruff Arts Center Parking Garage is conveniently located in the same complex as the High Museum of Art, but it can be expensive.  Parking at the nearby Promenade Parking Garage may cost less.  You can also park for free (for less than 24-hours) at a MARTA station and ride the train to one of Midtown’s 3 stations.  Visit MARTA’s website for a list of stations with parking.

If you drive to the Midtown Garden District south of Piedmont Park, read the street signs carefully.  Street parking on the blocks closest to Piedmont Park is by residential permit only. 

As with any urban area, keep your car clean!  Do not leave anything within view inside your car when parking on the street, parking lot, or parking garage.  

Ride Share: Uber of Lyft

Rides shares are plentiful in Atlanta’s Midtown.  You can be dropped off at your destination and there should be plenty of ride shares available for your return drive. 

Visiting? Places to Stay in Atlanta’s Midtown

Midtown Hotels

There are plenty of Midtown hotels to choose from.  If you stay in Midtown, I recommend that you stay in a hotel close to a MARTA Station so that you can limit how much you need to drive your car. 

You can take MARTA directly from the airport to a Midtown hotel and eliminate the need to rent a car if you fly to Atlanta.  Please read my guide on How to Get Around Atlanta without a Car.  If you’ve personally stayed in a Midtown Atlanta hotel that you recommend, please let me know which one and why you recommend it in the comments!

Midtown Vacation Rentals: AirBnBs and VRBOs

To experience Atlanta like a local in a vacation rental is an excellent choice.  Please read my Guide to the Best Neighborhoods in Atlanta for Vacation Rentals to find out everything you need to know about the difference between Midtown’s Garden District and Midtown’s Business District.  Plus learn about the best grocery stores, breakfast restaurants and more.

Hanging out in Atlanta’s Midtown

Midtown is Atlanta’s cultural center.  This creative, urban and walkable neighborhood offers world class performances and exhibitions.  Enjoy excellent meals at Midtown’s restaurants.  You can escape from the urban jungle into the expansive greenspace of Piedmont Park, which is home to several local festivals.

Spending time in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood creatively recharges me.  I am sure it will do the same for you.  If you’ve explored Midtown, share your favorite spots, experiences or hidden gems in the comments!