Atlanta Walking Routes: Downtown to BeltLine
Atlanta is spread out, but four areas reward walking: the downtown attraction cluster, Sweet Auburn, the BeltLine Eastside Trail and Midtown. These are self-guided routes, and the stops are connected by MARTA rail or the Atlanta Streetcar when the distances grow. Summer heat indexes often pass 100 F, so walk before 11 a.m. or after 5 p.m. between June and August, wear sun protection and carry water.
Route 1: downtown around Centennial Olympic Park
Start at the Georgia Aquarium and walk to World of Coca-Cola, which stands beside it. Cross Centennial Olympic Park, passing the Fountain of Rings, and continue to the SkyView Atlanta Ferris wheel and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The College Football Hall of Fame, at 250 Marietta Street NW, is a few blocks away. Allow a full day if you go inside the attractions, or a morning for the exteriors and the park. The Center, the redeveloped former CNN Center, has a food hall in its atrium for lunch.
Route 2: Sweet Auburn
This route is a pilgrimage as much as a walk, so keep a quiet pace. Begin at Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where rangers give daily talks. Visit the King Center and its reflecting pool, then walk to the Birth Home at 501 Auburn Avenue, which reopened in July 2026, and the nearby Historic Fire Station No. 6, which serves as a temporary visitor center. Birth Home tours are free and ranger-led, with 15 people per tour, filled on the day. The district lies about a mile east of downtown, and the Atlanta Streetcar runs there for $1 each way. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and rangers can suggest the day’s schedule. Details are on the park’s Birth Home page .
Morehouse College lies in the West End, about 3.5 miles southwest, and takes a separate trip.
Route 3: BeltLine Eastside Trail
Enter near Piedmont Park at Monroe Drive and walk south on the paved trail for about 2.4 miles to the Krog Street Tunnel at DeKalb Avenue. On the way you pass Historic Fourth Ward Park and its skate park, Ponce City Market and its food hall, murals and Krog Street Market. The trail is free and open all day. By June 2026 nearly 17 miles of the 22-mile BeltLine loop were open. See the BeltLine’s visit page for maps and closures.
Route 4: Midtown arts
Begin at the High Museum of Art, which is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. and Sunday from noon, and is closed on Mondays. The Woodruff Arts Center shares the campus. Walk along Peachtree Street to the Fox Theatre, the 1929 movie palace, and then toward Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden, which is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. The museum’s visit page has hours.
Practical notes
MARTA rail is $2.50 per trip, with up to four free transfers in three hours, and tap-to-pay works at the gates. Use the same card or phone each time to keep the transfer. A one-day pass costs $9. See MARTA’s fares . Keep luggage and bags out of sight in parked cars. If you want a guide, search Atlanta walking tours on GetYourGuide .
Read more: Atlanta sightseeing and Atlanta day trips .