How to Plan the Perfect Nature-Focused Atlanta Getaway

While Atlanta attracts many tourists each year with its world-class museums and thriving food scene, this sprawling city also has its fair share of must-see attractions for nature lovers, with no shortage of picturesque parks and ecotourism hotspots for visitors. appreciate. From prestigious natural history museums to lush parks teeming with native birds, this picturesque city is one of the South’s most underrated urban ecotourism destinations, offering visiting nature lovers a wealth of activities interesting to practice during their visit. When planning your next visit to the Peach State’s capital, be sure to save some room on the itinerary for these can’t-miss attractions.

Where to stay

While Atlanta is full of top-rated hotels spread across the city limits, few properties offer as seamless a blend of outdoor adventure and fitness-focused activities as Loews Atlanta. Located in refined Midtown, this dazzling property has 414 rooms, with the Grand Luxury Suites offering 87 square meters of space, a bath, a dining area and floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the surrounding city, but of course, the property offers much more than just comfortable accommodations. During a stay, guests are invited to head to Saltwood Bar & Lounge to enjoy fried chicken sandwiches and seared scallops, while midweek visitors should be sure to take full advantage of the salad bar, an offering popular equipped with around 100 different ingredients. to be won to prepare a truly impressive salad.

In addition to tasty food and drinks, the venue also offers plenty of opportunities for wildlife lovers in the form of the nearby Piedmont Park. Measuring 76 hectares, this green public space has been a major draw for ecotourism and outdoor recreation for over a century. And humans aren’t the only ones thriving within the park’s boundaries. On a birding tour, guests can wander the Six Springs wetlands in search of colorful passerines like the red-bellied woodpecker and indigo bunting, with no shortage of waterfowl to encounter along the way.

After the tour, those in need of a little extra exercise are welcome to use the expansive fitness center at Loews Atlanta, while all serious exercise enthusiasts should be sure to sign up for a session with Studio 16. First launched in New York, this fitness-focused company has made its way to the Peach State, offering clients personalized workout plans specifically designed to achieve fitness goals. unique fitness of each person.

Drink and eat

With more than six million people living in the metro area, Atlanta has developed a truly impressive culinary scene over the past few decades, with plenty of upscale and casual restaurants to discover during a visit. To maximize time spent outdoors, visitors should incorporate a cruise along the Atlanta BeltLine into their itinerary, with scenic walking and biking trails integrated throughout the system. For a particularly leisurely experience, guests can bike about fifteen minutes from Piedmont Park to Krog Street Market, a sprawling development that’s full of top-notch drinking and dining destinations.

Upon arrival, plant-based diners can enjoy fried mushroom bao sliders, tempeh-infused spaghettini carbonara, and a host of other upscale dishes at Planta, while other dining options range from the center-centric Superica on Tex-Mex at Jai Ho Indian Kitchen, an upscale restaurant. place for biryani and samosas, but for any visiting beer lovers, Pour Taproom is a must-visit, with over 80 craft beers, wines and cocktails on tap. And when it comes to beer, nature lovers who want to enjoy their beverage in a particularly outdoor-friendly environment can head north to Bold Monk Brewing, a beloved Upper Westside spot that debuted in 2019.

In addition to beautiful murals and an on-site bookstore, this stunning property also comes equipped with a huge patio ideal for bird watching. And to sweeten the deal, the beers here are also top-notch. Belgian-style boozy beers can be found in abundance, with The Way Tripel and Indominous Quadrupel being two particularly tasty options, while Shared Spirit is a must-have for IPA fans thanks to its light tropical fruit notes.

Main activities

Atlanta is full of world-class museums, but for those looking for an institution renowned for wildlife in particular, there’s no better place than the Georgia Aquarium. Officially opened in 2005, this venue is home to over five hundred different species, with the Ocean Voyager exhibit boasting a truly impressive capacity of 24 million liters of water to house them. During a tour, guests can marvel at enormous whale sharks and manta rays. , then hop on the conveyor belt to spot gray sharks, longcrested sawfish, and goliath groupers from the exhibit’s 30-meter tunnel. And to sweeten the deal, there’s a lot more to discover at the Georgia Aquarium than just fish. Birds like the African penguin and common murre can be found in abundance in the Cold Water Quest wing of the site, while River Scout is a great place to watch the aquarium’s Asian small-clawed otters splashing through the water .

While the Georgia Aquarium offers a glimpse of the fascinating marine biodiversity found both in the Peach State and far beyond, those hoping to get a glimpse of the region’s rich past should be sure to visit the Fernbank Natural History Museum. Located on Atlanta’s far east side, this renowned institution is perfect for delving deep into the prehistoric world, with towering dinosaur skeletons and stuffed animals on display.

On a balmy day, the ten-acre WildWoods exhibit offers visitors the perfect opportunity to explore the outdoors in search of native flora and fauna, but no visit is complete without checking out the Walk Wing Through Time in Georgia. Stretching from the hills of northern Georgia to the Atlantic coast, this exhibit highlights the diversity of biomes found across the state, with dinosaur statues and wonderfully designed murals to admire as well.