Get your 10 thousand steps on the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail

14.06.2024 - 08:39 / lonelyplanet.com

Jun 13, 2024 • 4 min read

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.

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.

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.

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.

Take just a few