Explore the Best Things to Do in Atlanta’s Westside

Over the past decade, Atlanta’s Westside has really come into its own, reinventing itself from an industrial area to a hip, spacious, and distinctly modern culture. From Westside Provisions District to Atlantic Station, old buildings and businesses in West Midtown are getting a makeover and new life. 

Goat Farm Arts Center

Turning an unproductive 19th century factory into one of Atlanta’s largest centers for arts and performance, Goat Farm Arts Center produces and presents more than 150 programs annually, specializing in experimental and innovative works. Utilizing non-traditional rustic auditoriums and outdoor venues, a show at Goat Farm is certainly one that will leave a lasting memory.

Terminal West

Dance the night away with national touring acts at Terminal West, which has played host to all genres of live music with performances from The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Netsky, Zeds Dead, Leon Russell, Sturgill Simpson, Alessia Cara, Charlie Puth, The Disco Biscuits, T.I., Two Chainz, Disclosure, and many more. Housed in King Plow Arts Center, Terminal West boasts hip crowds, high-tech lighting and sound, and an outdoor roof deck overlooking the historic train tracks of Westside.

Atlantic Station

Atlantic Station is an outdoor shopping and dining hot spot featuring a walkable streetscape-style setting with brick paved streets surrounding Central Park. The compact plaza features great boutiques, sidewalk cafes, hip restaurants and a boutique hotel, making it the perfect destination for visitors.

Central park hosts numerous popular events throughout the year – everything from the annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival in May to holiday performances, fireworks and the lighting of a Christmas tree in December. There’s never a bad time to visit Atlantic Station!

Herndon Home Museum

Founded in the 1830s during the height of railway expansion, this community is no stranger to history. Fully restored period homes and Victorian cottages fill the district and paint a picture of a different time in Atlanta’s heritage. Drive through Cascade Heights, and explore one of Atlanta’s most affluent communities. At The Herndon Home Museum, guests can tour the house of Alonzo Franklin Herndon, a former slave who became Atlanta’s first-ever Black millionaire. The Herndon Home now serves as an educational and charitable hub for Atlanta and the greater communities of Georgia. 

Westside Provisions District

Westside Provisions District is a walkable environment with trendy restaurants, eateries and boutiques. Find everything from high-quality, handmade goods from Atlanta’s most talented artisans to the world’s largest selection of authentic modern furniture. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, take a seat at a fine dining restaurant or unwind at Ormsby’s with a game or two of bocce, shuffleboard, or darts. 

Atlanta University Center

Take some time on your trip to visit the many quintessentially Atlantan studios and museums. Now home to the Atlanta University Center — the world’s largest association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities — the Westside honors Atlanta’s heritage and history by striving to transform communities both locally and globally. Clark Atlanta University Art Museum offers programs and exhibits focusing on African and African diaspora art. Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is the only museum in the nation emphasizing art by women of the African Diaspora.

Washington Park

Located at the tip of Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail, the 20-acre Washington Park is home to one of only five city of Atlanta natatoriums, a state-of-the-art tennis center, baseball diamonds that host area adult leagues, and two playgrounds for the kids.

Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail

Part of the much larger Atlanta BeltLine, the three-mile Westside Trail and two-mile West End Trail stitch together some of Atlanta’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods. As you walk or bike along the trails, check out the cool street art, including the first permanent mural along the BeltLine called “West End Remembers.” The very first segment of the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum was planted on the West End Trail, and it’s worth it to see how the native plants have grown to provide food and homes to our birds, bees and butterflies.

The Westside will feed all of your senses. It’s where artists come together to create a rich and diverse tapestry of experiential opportunities, and where you can savor some of the best dining in the south. Explore this neighborhood, and you’ll discover a community deeply proud of its heritage, arts and cuisine, and happy to share it with the world.