Things to Do in Downtown Atlanta this Summer
Published June 23, 2026
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Downtown Atlanta offers balconies and rooftops complete with views, amazing attractions, a really big park right in the heart of everything, restaurants — and plenty more. Put on your walking shows and add these new adventures to your list of things to do in downtown Atlanta this summer.
Centennial Yards
Centennial Yards is a new 50-acre development in downtown Atlanta that includes 2,000 apartments, 900,000 square feet of retail and 1.2 million square feet of office space. Wild Leap Brewery on Ted Turner Drive serves craft beer, wine and spirits along with plenty to eat. The brewery occupies a multi-level, 15,340-square-foot space near both Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena. It is a six-minute walk from Garnett MARTA station.
Another spot to try: Zephyr Southern Brasserie, a French restaurant inside the new Hotel Phoenix. History buffs will love knowing that the hotel stands on the very ground where the city began: Mile 0, the historic terminus of the Western & Atlantic Railway.
More new places to visit: The Irish Exit, an Irish bar concept; Thai Isan, a Thai tapas concept; and Shake Shack for burgers and fries. For a soul food fix, stop at Busy Bee Cafe. Get your groove on at Live Nation’s concert venue and dine on a classic meal at Chops Lobster Bar.
While you’re there, don’t forget the ever-popular World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park.
COSM
COSM, a 70,000-square-foot sports and entertainment experience, offers sports, movies, concerts and special events. It features an 87-foot-diameter LED dome screen that delivers an immersive 12K+ visual experience, putting audiences right in the center of the action. Read all about COSM.
South Downtown
A few blocks south of Centennial Yards sits South Downtown, once home to Terminal Station and Union Station, and the hotels where train passengers stayed. The area began to decline with the rise of automobile transportation and the construction of a viaduct that made it easier for travelers to reach hotels farther north. Today, South Downtown is back. Yes, it is a work in progress, but the area already has become a buzzing community.
Restaurants open in South Downtown include Tyde Tate Kitchen (Thai), El Tesoro (Mexican), Kitchen Counter (breakfast and lunch), Brewhouse Cafe (pints and plates), Spiller Park Coffee (caffeine), Bottlerocket Sushi (Japanese-American fusion), Broad Street BBQ (wings, sandwiches) and Delilah’s Everyday Soul (comfort food).
Smorgasburg Atlanta has returned for another season, bringing more than 40 vendors to the area every Saturday through November. Hungry Atlantans flock to South Downtown to try Astros Corn Dogs, Argentina Eats, Saffron Wok and so many more.
Non-restaurant businesses open in South Downtown include Cat Eye Creative gallery, vinyl records store Crates, co-working space Terminus Hub and more. Perhaps best of all, developers are working hard to keep South Downtown walkable.
Every Atlanta neighborhood has a distinct personality from upscale Buckhead to funky Little 5 Points and artsy Midtown. Head to downtown Atlanta for endless entertainment.
For more things to do in Atlanta, always check our calendar of events.
Carol Carter was a founding staff member of Atlanta Business Chronicle where she later served as editor. She served as editor of seven magazines including a 150-year business history of Atlanta. She worked as a reporter for WXIA TV’s Noonday Show, has written for the New York Times and is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Carol is author of “Junior Dragster Dreams: How Sam Found His Own Ride,” a children’s book.
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