Atlanta, GA

A self-guided tour of the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2024

A self-guided tour of the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail

In our 10K steps series, we’ve asked writers for the best places to get in your steps while enjoying city sights, favorite routes and some secret detours. In this one Sheeka Sanahori takes us through some of Atlanta’s neighborhoods via the BeltLine Eastside Trail.

It doesn’t have to be rush hour for Atlanta visitors to witness the city’s notorious traffic. With people moving to Georgia’s capital in droves, and the city’s overdependence on cars, slow traffic is a regular occurrence.

The beautiful thing about the Atlanta BeltLine – a 22-mile outdoor trail that makes a loop around Atlanta’s neighborhoods – is it’s removed some of the dependence on cars and brought joy back to neighborhood strolls. Before construction began on the BeltLine in 2005, many Atlanta neighborhoods weren’t closely connected to each other.

Today, the BeltLine has residents enjoying the outdoors more than ever. This trail gets busy, especially on the weekends, and cyclists may have to navigate between a lot of pedestrians. My favorite stretch is along the Eastside Trail, which is a 4.6-mile stretch from Piedmont Park to Reynoldstown. Along the way, you’ll encounter a skatepark, renovated shopping districts, and some of the city’s best eateries. Here’s how to take my favorite stroll through Atlanta’s east-side neighborhoods.

Where to start: Piedmont Park

You’ll start your stroll in Atlanta’s most popular park. Piedmont Park is home to several of Atlanta’s biggest festivals, but even on regular days, you’ll find this midtown park full of joggers, bikers and picnickers. Make your way to the southeast corner, where you’ll find the intersection of 10th Street and Monroe Drive. Wander under the colorful Virginia Avenue bridge and you’ll be on your way.

The walk: The Eastside trail is fully paved and wide enough to fit several joggers, walkers and bikers going at different speeds. On the weekends, the path starts getting busy by about 8:30am.

A stroll through Ponce City Market is worth the detour © silkfactory / Getty Images

Stop for shopping at Ponce City Market

About one mile into your stroll, look for the scooter-lined sidewalk on your right that leads to Ponce City Market. This is where the trail connects to one of Atlanta’s hottest shopping districts. Take your first off-trail adventure to walk through the market and get your fill of local designers, food stalls, and beautiful rooftop views of Atlanta.

Enjoy a patio drink and take in some city views

Now you’ve had your fix of retail therapy, get back on the trail and head south for another half mile until you reach the back patio of a smaller shopping center, on your left. Grab a seat on said patio at New Realm Brewing Co for craft brews and pub grub. Or head next door to TWO Urban Licks for wood-fired American food and live blues music. If you’re looking for entertainment, check out the immersive VR exhibits at Illuminarium Experiences Atlanta.

People skating at the Old Fourth Ward Skate Park in Atlanta, Georgia — Relax in the Historic Fourth Ward Park as you watch the skaters perform tricks and flips © Christopher V Jones / Shutterstock

Hang out (or skate!) at the Historic Fourth Ward SkatePark

Take just a few more steps south on the trail to stumble upon the Historic Fourth Ward Park, on your right. Here, you’ll find skaters of all ages enjoying the city’s first designated skatepark. Adjacent to the park is a field for everyone to use. On any given day, you’ll see people working out, or simply hanging out, in this multipurpose urban oasis.

Grab a bite in the Inman Park neighborhood

Go under the Freedom Parkway underpass, which is lined with street art. On your right, you’ll see the BeltLine Marketplace, which is a couple of converted shipping containers that serve as incubators for new businesses. Once you’re on the other side of the underpass, look for the rhino sculpture on your left next to a sidewalk that will temporarily take you off the trail and deeper into the Inman Park neighborhood.

You’re now in one of Atlanta’s best neighborhoods for dining. This community has everything from coffee shops and wine tasting rooms to gastropubs and fine dining. Once you grab something to eat, you’ll have to retrace your steps to get back on the BeltLine and continue your stroll.

Graffiti inside the Krog Street Tunnel in Atlanta. — My favorite stretch of street art is near the Krog Street Tunnel © Jon Bilous / Shutterstock

Stop to admire the street art

By now, you’ve seen plenty of street art along the way, but my favorite stretch of art is in the Reynoldstown/Cabbagetown neighborhoods near Krog Street tunnel. There’s a beautiful mix of graffiti and ever-changing murals inside the tunnel, as well as more permanent street art (and an Atlanta Tiny Door) on the MARTA train wall along Wylie Street. Look for the vibrant, open-mouth characters created by Atlanta artist Greg Mike – his murals are all over the city and loved by ATLiens.

The walk: Once you reach the intersection with Memorial Drive, you’ve officially walked the entire Eastside Trail! If you want to see more of the city’s, head west to go to Atlanta’s Grant Park neighborhood or head east to hang out in East Atlanta Village. Or explore more of the trail by crossing over Memorial Drive and continuing south to start your jaunt on the Southside Trail.

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Atlanta, GA

Former Alabama prep star, Atlanta Braves outfielder dead at age 67

Published

3 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Former Alabama prep star, Atlanta Braves outfielder dead at age 67

The funeral service for former Atlanta Braves outfielder Albert Hall is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST Monday at New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Hall died on Tuesday at age 67.

On Sept. 23, 1987, Hall became the first player to hit for the cycle in an Atlanta Braves uniform and the first for the franchise since Bill Collins did so for the Boston Braves on Oct. 6, 1910. Twenty-one years after Hall’s feat, Mark Kotsay became the second Atlanta player to hit for the cycle on Aug. 14, 2008.

In Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros, Hall led off the bottom of the first with a single and the bottom of the fifth with a double off Jim Deshaies. In the sixth, Hall hit a solo home run off Deshaies to tie the score at 4-4. Hall started the bottom of the ninth with a triple off reliever Dave Smith and ended the game by scoring on a wild pitch.

A speedy outfielder who stole 455 bases in the minor leagues, Hall went from Jones Valley High School in Birmingham to professional baseball when Atlanta selected him in the sixth round of the 1977 draft.

After hitting .308 and stealing 60 bases for the Southern League’s Savannah Braves in 1981, Hall made his MLB debut on Sept. 12, 1981, as a pinch-runner for catcher Bruce Benedict in the 10^th inning of Atlanta’s 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres.

From 1981 through 1988, Hall played in 375 games for the Braves before completing his MLB career with 20 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989.

Hall posted a career batting average of .251 with a .328 on-base average and .335 slugging percentage. He had 125 runs, 202 hits, 37 doubles, eight triples, five home runs, 53 RBIs and 67 stolen bases in the big leagues.

Hall’s best season game in 1987, when he hit .284 and stole 33 bases in 92 games for Atlanta.

Hall appeared in minor-league games each season from 1977 through 1989, except in 1984 and 1987, when he spent the campaigns completely with Atlanta.

In 946 minor-league games, Hall hit .282 with a .376 on-base average and .372 slugging percentage. In 1980, Hall stole 100 bases for the Carolina League’s Durham Bulls.

After Monday’s service, burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum in Birmingham.

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Atlanta, GA

College football player found dead in Atlanta house fire

Published

15 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

College football player found dead in Atlanta house fire

A college football player from Georgia was found dead in a house fire in suburban Atlanta, authorities confirmed earlier this week.

Izaiah Taylor, an offensive lineman for Georgia Military College, was staying at his grandfather’s house in Stone Mountain when the home erupted into flames around 1 p.m. EST on Monday, per WAGA-TV.

Taylor’s grandfather, Gregory Edwards, said that he was not at the home when he was notified about the blaze.

“Well, I got a call from my neighbor. Said there was smoke coming out of the home, and I immediately left work and headed to the house,” Edwards said.

According to WXIA-TV, flames had already engulfed the residence by the time first responders arrived, and Taylor, 21, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“There was no hesitation in going in and searching for the victim,” DeKalb County Fire Captain Jaeson Daniels said. “We got here, and we were able to establish a water supply. And again, receiving that information from one of the nearby residents stating that there was some water inside, we actually went right in and performed a search and luckily found him pretty quick, but unfortunately he was deceased. Once we found him.”

Taylor transferred to the junior college, located in Milledgeville, ahead of this past season after playing for Liberty University in 2024.

“Georgia Military College is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students, Izaiah Taylor,” the college said in a statement on Tuesday. “Our hearts are with Izaiah’s family, friends, classmates, and all those who knew and loved him.”

Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire, WRDW-TV reported.

Edwards got emotional when talking about his grandson, calling him “a gentle giant.”

“He was one of the kindest people you would have ever known. He wasn’t a bully,” Edwards said. “He was a good boy. He didn’t deserve this.”

“What can I say? I mean, that’s not an easy pill to swallow. You know, you don’t bury your grandchildren,” he added.

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Atlanta, GA

Christmas 2025 Best Spent In This GA Town, Analysts Say

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Christmas 2025 Best Spent In This GA Town, Analysts Say

ATLANTA, GA — Metro Atlanta residents may have a merry time celebrating Christmas this year as a new survey has named the Georgia town the best place to observe the jolly holiday across the U.S.

WalletHub awarded Atlanta with the moniker in a ranking released Tuesday after analysts examined 100 cities to determine the best places to celebrate Christmas.

With an overall score of 63.36, Atlanta beat out major national cities, including Las Vegas and New York City.

At No. 1, here’s how Atlanta’s ranking broke down:

Traditions and Fun: 8
Observance: 30
Generosity: 16
Shopping: 6
Costs: 39

No other Georgia cities made the U.S. ranking.

“Atlanta is the best city for Christmas celebrations this year, with plenty of stores to help you prepare for the holiday, including an extremely high number of bakeries, holiday decoration shops and card shops per capita,” WalletHub experts said.

“Atlanta is also one of the best cities when it comes to the prevalence of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars if you want to eat out for the holiday (or want a break from cooking afterward). It has the 10th-most Christmas tree farms per capita, too. In addition, Atlanta residents get very excited about Christmas, searching Google for terms relating to the holiday more frequently than people in most other cities. The giving spirit can also be felt by Atlanta residents and visitors alike, as the city has the ninth-highest percentage of people who donate clothing to charity, along with the 13th-most online donations per capita.”

There are a plethora of options in Atlanta to celebrate Christmas, which is observed annually on Dec. 25.

Patch has compiled a few you may want to add to your calendar:

Here are the top 10 best Christmas towns, per WalletHub: