During the pandemic, everyone needs to get out a little bit. Luckily, many places in Atlanta are open to the public with social distancing policies and mask requirements. This list contains ten fun and safe activities around our city of Atlanta.

1. The Georgia Aquarium

Right in the heart of Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium is easily one of the best places to go with family or friends. The aquarium contains many fascinating exhibits including Cold Water Quest, Dolphin Coast, Ocean Voyager, River Scout, and more. They continue to have their encounter programs, which allow visitors to swim with whale sharks, help train seals and sea lions, and visit with animals like dolphins, penguins, and sea otters.

2. High Museum of Art

Another attraction in the heart of Atlanta is the High Museum of Art. This museum contains many incredible exhibits showcasing beautiful pieces of art. Some of their exhibits include Bestowing Beauty, which highlights works from Persia, Pioneers, Influencers and Rising Voices, which displays the work of women inspired by feminist struggles and ideals, and several more. The museum also offers various classes for children of all ages, including outdoor painting classes for teenagers. 

3. Zoo Atlanta

The Atlanta Zoo is a wonderful outdoor activity for families and children of all ages. The various animal exhibits are still full of life for every patron to see. Animals like flamingos, lions, alligators, and pandas (my personal favorite) are still in their habitats and can be viewed by patrons of the zoo. The zoo just brought back their giraffe feeding program for kids and adults, too! The Atlanta zoo is a fantastic way to get outside and walk around a beautiful property while observing fascinating animals and other creatures.

4. Hiking Trails Throughout Atlanta

Throughout Atlanta, there are beautiful nature spots to hike through with family and friends. Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain, Vickery Creek, Kennesaw State Mountain, and Dunwoody Nature Center are just a few of the beautiful spots to walk or hike. Taking a hike among nature is the perfect way to destress after a long week at school or work.

5. Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Another fun outdoor activity to go to is the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, which offers beautiful scenery and exercise for you as well as your family and friends. With spring and nice weather upon us, the gardens will look exquisite this time of year. This is an activity to just enjoy Atlanta’s beautiful scenery as well as the artistry and creativity of the gardens.

6. Parks Throughout Atlanta

In Atlanta, there are various public parks such as Brook Run Park in Dunwoody, Chastain Park in Buckhead, Piedmont Park in the heart of Atlanta, and various others. Public parks are the perfect spots to have picnics with friends and family or just walk around and enjoy nature and each other’s company. Especially this past year, many birthday parties, gatherings, and other events have been held at parks.

7. Atlanta Beltline

The Atlanta Beltline is a great outdoor activity to explore downtown by walking, biking, going for a jog, or even skating. There are various trails that lead all around different parts of Atlanta with fascinating stops along the way such as Ponce City Market, Piedmont Park, Historic Fourth Ward Park, and Krog Street Tunnel. They are great places to explore while getting exercise, enjoying the sunshine, and stopping to shop or for food and drinks.

8. The Springs Cinema and Taphouse Drive-In

During the pandemic, this Sandy Springs movie theater has not only given people a sense of nostalgia, but has made a safe place to entertain audiences with classic films and new additions. Throughout the summer, the cinema has played classics like “ET,” “Mean Girls,” “Jaws,” and “Ferris Bueller,” while also treating audiences to films that recently have premiered.

9. TopGolf

This is a great activity to do with family or friends and is a source of some friendly competition. TopGolf has a variety of locations, such as Alpharetta and Midtown. It is similar to regular golf except you are aiming at bigger holes for points, and you want to score the most points, not the least amount of points like a typical round of golf. I have gone to TopGolf with my friends and can say that we all had a great time over incredible food and snacks. 

10. Ponce City Market

Ponce City Market is a fun and scenic attraction in the heart of Atlanta with great restaurants and fun rooftop activities for all ages. There’s even an edible cookie dough bar! The roof has fun restaurants as well as amusement park activities and games for all ages such as ski-ball and mini-golf. There are also various shops in Ponce such as Anthropologie and Lululemon.