Atlanta – a visit to the City in a Forest

Atlanta is known as the ‘City in a Forest’ due to an abundance of greenery.

Most major urban areas tend to lack greenery, but Atlanta is a wonderful exception to this rule. Here, the trees cover as much as 47% of the city’s urban area, so it should come as no surprise that one of Atlanta’s nicknames is “The City in a Forest.”

So, in honor of this city’s deep connection with nature, we’ll be looking at some of the most awesome outdoor activities in and around Atlanta – that way you can properly enjoy its natural beauty.

Now, before we begin, it’s important that you have a reliable way of getting around if you want to visit all of the sites mentioned in this blog. This is because sites are not in Atlanta proper, but in places near to the city, accessible via a short drive. A great option for visiting all these natural beauties is to find a rental car as it offers a practical way to explore both the city and its surroundings with comfort and ease.

Without further ado, here’s where you can go in and around Atlanta to make the most of the region’s scenery.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

One of the sculptures at Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Located adjacent to Piedmont Park, you’ll find Atlanta’s impressive botanical garden, which is one of the prettiest in the country.  Here there are huge sculptures made out of living plants arranged in very creative ways including dogs and camels!

Along with the plant sculptures, you can also find amazing light displays at night and good restaurants as well, making this garden the perfect starting point for a visit to the city.

But if green spaces aren’t necessarily your thing, you can’t miss the other inspiring experiences at Piedmont Park. There you’ll find a pleasant lake andsporting facilities including a football field, tennis courts, and even an aquatics centre.

Piedmont Park is also a great place for photographers, as you can see both Atlanta’s skyline and its canopy in the same place. Plus, if you time your visit right, you can attend the Dogwood Festival, a festive tradition that celebrates the blooming of the Dogwood Trees. At the time of the festival, the area fills with events such as art installations, dog shows, and even an international stage where you’ll see performances from all over the world.

Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain is one of Georgia’s most impressive sights.

This is one of the oddest outdoors attractions you can find in the Atlanta area. Stone Mountain is a combination of a hiking trail, theme park and festival grounds, and offers all sorts of family fun including laser shows, to challenging walks and even 4D movies!

Now, this attraction is not in the city centre, so you’ll need some wheels to get there. Don’t forget to book your rental car as it offers an easy, comfortable and reliable way to explore the green marvels of this city.

Sope Creek

Sope Creek is a 30-minute drive away from Atlanta and features plenty of things to see and do for those who love the great outdoors. It’s most prominent attractions is its ruins, which used to be a civil-war-era paper mill that fell into disuse during the war and was then abandoned. There’s a great hiking trail which runs along the creek, and on the trail you’ll find a pond and some sections of the Chattahoochee River.

Shoot the Hooch

The quintessential Atlantan outdoor activity, Shooting the Hooch is something you must do in summer. This means floating down the Chattahoochee River on a tube, raft, canoe or kayak. It’s as relaxing as it gets and you can see some amazing views of the river and the forest that surrounds it, all while you lazily float and possibly even enjoy a drink.

There are a couple of companies that will help you with the necessary equipment and will even provide a shuttle service so that you can get back to your car after the adventure. However, if you’re feeling very adventurous and have the equipment, you can even do it on your own.

Do you have any recommendations for outdoor activities in and around Atlanta? Let me know in the comments! 👇