The Most Instagrammable Spots in Atlanta
From an Atlanta local, born and raised.
The capital of the peach state is a world apart from the rest of Georgia. Outside of Atlanta, you’ll find suburbs, farmland, rolling hills, and as much of the southern accent as you could possibly want. But in the city center, you’ll find a much more racially and ethnically diverse population, as well as a huge southern hub for all things modern, chic, and street.
I grew up here, in the greater Atlanta area. I never thought of it as a beautiful place, or one that was very Instagrammable. The city of Atlanta isn’t a walking city like New York, and it’s mostly comprised of office buildings instead of small businesses or cool shops and restaurants. We don’t have many nature spots close by, and you’ll have to drive an hour or so out to get to most forests or mountains. We’re also a landlocked city, so don’t expect beautiful natural lakes or beaches here, either.
Still, anywhere is full of beauty if you look hard enough! And believe me, I’m always on the lookout for more beautiful spots in my home city.
This is my master list of Instagrammable spots in Atlanta. I update this list whenever I find new spots, so bookmark this one for future reference!
Ponce City Market
Tap into your inner hipster by exploring Ponce City Market, which is beautiful in a rustic-meets-chic and admittedly slightly gentrified way. The market is crammed full of delightfully arranged beautiful shops from various businesses, many of them small and sustainably owned, while the bottom floor boasts an array of restaurants and cafes. You could probably simply stand in the middle of the floor and get a great Instagram shot, but I think the shops have the best interior setups — as long as you get permission, of course!
Atlanta Beltline
The Atlanta Beltline is an urban paved trail built on one of Atlanta’s historical railroads. Think of the Highline in New York City, combine it with Atlanta’s famous street art scene, and you have the Beltline — a perfect place for running, biking, and exploring new murals. I love the Beltline because it’s such a breath of fresh air in the middle of the city (literally!) and is constantly evolving and changing. Best of all, it’s connected to Ponce City Market, so you can do both in one day! Here are a couple of my favorite art pieces, but by no means let this limit you from exploring the rest.
- Blue Flower Murals
This wall mural is slightly elevated and has a little coffee shop window built into it, but I’ve never actually seen anyone at the window. The first time I saw this one, I fell in love! There is a large wooden telephone wire pole right in the middle of this mural, so I would recommend either shooting from the side at an angle or doing a close-up.
- Soon Barrels
This is an interesting art piece located at the same complex as the blue flowers. Honestly, I have no idea what it is supposed to mean, and unfortunately there’s no description from the artist on location, but you could take this plenty of ways. I chose to shoot a happy and hopeful shot, naturally, but I could totally see this being a grunge or post-apocalyptic shoot, too!
- Koi Fish Mural
This one is my absolute favorite. Located under a bridge, this mural spans the entire width of the underpass — and has a mural on both sides! On one face, you’ll find these beautiful koi fish (you can also find them scattered through the Old Fourth Ward), and on the other, you’ll find a bright and colorful dotted mural.
Georgia Aquarium
Did you know that the Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United States? For some reason, despite that fact that we’re entirely landlocked, we boast the biggest aquarium title! This place is fun to visit even if you aren’t looking for an Instagram photo, but with beluga whales, moon jellyfish, whale sharks, and a massive glass tunnel under the water, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to find a perfect shot. However, it can be quite dim here (for the animals’ sake), so I would recommend bringing a low light lens if you can.
Piedmont Park
Piedmont Park is a large green space in downtown Atlanta. As you might expect, there are several walking trails, but there’s also a small lake, a playing field, a swimming pool, a dog park, and picnic tables. The park makes a fantastic backdrop no matter what season you’re there, and you’re sure to spot some cute dogs!
- Skyline View Pond
This reflective pond has the perfect view of the famous Atlanta skyline, encapsulating all the best things in a viewpoint: mirror-image water, lush trees, and soaring skyscrapers. In my opinion, I think fall is best time to be here, because the rust and gold trees look amazing against the blue sky! But don’t fret if you’re not here in autumn — regardless of season, it’s sure to make your day. If you want to take a shot with you in it here, you might want to try using a zoom lens to see more detail in the background.
- Lake Gazebo
The small lake in Piedmont Park is home to a huge gazebo that sits out on a small jetty. I’ve never been able to get a shot here as there’s always someone sitting inside — which is a testament to the loveliness of the structure, and its popularity! It’s also one of the largest pond gazebos I’ve ever seen, making it great place for a little picnic as well.
- Flower Trees in Spring
To be fair, this isn’t exactly a “spot,” but Piedmont Park is full of pink Japanese Magnolias that bloom in spring and shed their petals in a scene straight out of an anime. You can find them anywhere, so I would suggest just walking around a bit and getting some fresh air — you’re bound to find some lovely pink blossoms.
High Museum of Art
I may be slightly biased because I love art museums, but Atlanta’s High Museum of Art never disappoints when it comes to interesting (and Instagrammable!) exhibits. From the giant fruit installation in the outside courtyard to the optical illusion house, you’re sure to find plenty of curious artwork in their home collection that fits your aesthetic.
Not to mention, they often host incredible temporary installations from guest artists or collections. For example, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror rooms were hosted here for a few months, and we’ve all seen how Instagrammable those are!
Krog Street Tunnel
If you like street art styles or the grunge aesthetic, this place is for you. An underpass tunnel, completely — and I meant completely — painted over with graffiti, street art installations, and murals. New artists are constantly coming to try their own hand at adding to Krog Street Tunnel, and don’t be surprised if you see some street artists with their spray paint cans here if you visit!
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
The Atlanta Botanical Gardens is lovely at any time of year. With huge flower exhibits, a greenhouse, ponds, and sculptures from renowned artist Dale Chihuly, it’s a treat to walk around these gardens. Their seasonal exhibits are even more interesting, decking the gardens out in hundreds of thousands of multicolored lights for the Christmas season, orchids in the summer, and multiple temporary exhibits such as Alice in Wonderland. It’s a bit pricey to visit, but I think it’s definitely worth it.
Old Fourth Ward Pond
Atlanta doesn’t have much in the way of bodies of water, but the small pieces that we do are always lovely. The pond at the historic Old Fourth Ward is one such structure. With a crisscross of boardwalks, and often featuring performances and musicians, this is also a great place to just come out and people watch as well.
Midtown Rainbow Crosswalks
Compared to the rest of Georgia, Atlanta is a huge liberal hub. Our 4-way rainbow crosswalk intersection, a symbol of Pride, was made a permanent installation in 2017. It’s definitely a wonderful and happy place to take a photo! The only recommendation here is, obviously, to not expect to have the crosswalk to yourself during Pride, and to always remember to allow our gay brothers and sisters’ voices to be heard.
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain is a massive granite mound just east of Atlanta. It’s complete with a charming old-fashioned village that’s certainly fantastic for photo-taking, but my favorite spot is at the apex of the mountain at sunrise — you get really wonderful views, and it’s not too strenuous of a climb to begin with. You can choose to hike up the short half an hour trail to catch views from the top, or hop on the cable car if you’re feeling too lazy. The views from the expansive lawn are also not to be missed, as it shows the massive granite face of the mountain — and also features a laser show nightly in the summer.
Krog Street Market
Close to the Krog Street Tunnel and also adjacent to the Atlanta Beltline, Krog Street Market is a smaller version of Ponce City Market. It’s a bit more intimate, and can become very crowded, but I think we all know that the most crowded food spots are often the best.
Arabia Mountain
Arabia Mountain features a very gentle and short hike that’s best taken in the spring. It’s one of the most unique hikes in Georgia, with pools of water that form in the rock, and these alien-like pink flowers that grow straight out of the stone face. We came for a sunrise hike and it was wonderful seeing the light rays in the reflective pools! Tip: come here the day after it’s rained if you can.
East Palisades Trail
The Chattahoochee River area is incredibly photogenic, and not just for the water — there’s also miles of trails in quaint little forests that are a breath of fresh air from the hustle and bustle of the city. The East Palisades Trail boasts an incredible bamboo forest at the end of a relaxing 2-mile hike. Walk your way over to EP26, and snap away!
Cafés
Here’s a separate section for the most Instagrammable cafés in Atlanta…because let’s be honest, we all LOVE cafes. They’re cute, stylish, and always smell good.
Cultivate
This café was recently opened (as of 2020) and has a great airy feel with the natural lighting, fun patterns, and wonderful brunch. For a café very close to some of the more affluent greater Atlanta neighborhoods, it’s also surprisingly not too expensive. There’s also a very pretty mural in the back near the restroom that you won’t want to miss.
Amelie’s
Amelie’s is a kitschy, uniquely decorated café that looks straight out of a vintage Alice in Wonderland. The walls are full of cute artwork, the tables and chairs are all mismatched in an endearing way, and they boast a giant Mona Lisa with a curly mustache. If that’s not enough to convince you, their baked goods are as good as French pastries get in the South. Oh — and they have a massive, gorgeous mural splashed on the wall outside.
Onezo
The popular bubble tea chain finally has opened up a location in Georgia and it couldn’t be any cuter. The inside is completely pink — aka the official color of Instagrammers — and they make their tapioca pearls in-house! Grab one of the most popular Asian drinks in the world, take a seat in a pink wonderland, and snap away.
Mac Lab
This small, minimalist café runs under the premise of being a macaron laboratory. Their pâtissiers are award-winning, and they consistently churn out unique and delicious Instgrammable macaron flavors. Their unicorn macarons went viral a few years back, and they’re not showing any signs of stopping with sparkly gold patterns and crystal geode macaron themes, to name a few.
Ding Tea
Ding Tea has two locations in greater Atlanta — Duluth and Doraville. Both locations are Instagrammable purely because of the huge pink and white flower wall that’s visible as soon as you walk in, and that should speak for itself! Take a seat in front of the flower wall with its white-gold brushscript lettering and you’ll have yourself a lovely shot.
Jeni’s
Jeni’s is first and foremost, the best ice cream spot in all of Georgia. But it’s also a great Instagram spot! They also have two locations — one in midtown Atlanta and one in Alpharetta. The Alpharetta location feels a bit more upscale and has more greenery and a little courtyard with benches, but the Atlanta one has a big Jeni’s wall and a bridge behind it with some string lights, so it’s really up to your aesthetic. While you’re there, PLEASE try some ice cream! You won’t regret it. (My personal recommendation is the brambleberry crisp!)
A Little Further Out and/or Seasonal…
Burt’s Farms
When fall is in the air, a pumpkin patch is an absolute must! Burt’s Farms has all kinds of varieties of pumpkins and squash, corn, hay rides, photo opportunities, and pumpkin-related food products galore. Best of all, it’s completely free to visit — just bring along a bit of money regardless, because you’ll certainly be wanting to purchase something here.
BAPS Shri Swaminirayan Mandir Lilburn
This traditional Hindu temple is absolutely breathtaking. Dropped in the middle of suburban greater Atlanta, it stands out in its pure white construction. Despite being a Hindu temple, you don’t have to be Hindu to visit, but please don’t forget to be respectful if you are going. Also, it should be noted that you cannot take pictures past a certain point, so limit your photos to when you’re outside. Despite this, it’s a marvel in white stone and certainly amazing to take in with just your eyes.
Fausett Farms Sunflowers
Who doesn’t enjoy a huge field of sunflowers? Because the weather is so warm in Georgia, sunflower season lasts longer here than in many other areas. Fausett Farms’ amazing sunflower fields are no exception — in fact, their field only opens to the public in September! To add to the Southern charm, you can even BYOH — bring your own horse! — and ride it among the fields and trails. How crazy is that?
Ellijay Apple Farms
Ellijay is known as the apple capital of the south, and the season runs from August to October. If you’ve ever wanted to pick your own apples from an organic fruit tree, this is the place to do it! Depending on when you visit, you’ll have different varieties of apples to choose from, and many of the farms and orchards here also offer things like hog rides and tractor rides. The one pictured above is B.J. Reece Orchards, but you’ll find plenty of other options as well!
Tallulah Falls Suspension Bridge
Tallulah Falls Gorge is a Georgia State Park with a namesake waterfall. The hike is considered “strenuous,” but I didn’t think it was very hard, and it’s fairly short. You’ll want to take the trail that descends downwards towards the base of the waterfall, and about five minutes in you’ll have to cross a large suspension bridge! Personally, I think the viewpoint of the falls itself is kind of at an awkward angle, and it’s not that nice, so I firmly place the suspension bridge as the place to snap a photo in Tallulah Falls Gorge.
Atlantic Station Christmas Tree
If you’re lucky enough to be in Atlanta during Christmas season, definitely go check out the massive Christmas tree at Atlantic Station! I’m not sure of its exact height, but I think it’s the largest Christmas tree I’ve ever seen before in my life. My friends and I used to come here around Christmastime when I was in university to hang out, take pictures, watch movies, and explore the Christkindl market that occasionally pops up in the Atlantic Station square. It’s a beautiful place!
And that about wraps it up for all my favorite Instagrammable spots in Atlanta! I’ll be updating this list as I discover new spots, so file this one away for that perfect Atlanta trip on your visit to the South in the future!
Have questions? Hit a sis up then! :) You can reach me by email at angelina.suwoto@gmail.com or on Instagram DM with the handle @angi.susu — I check both of them every day!
