With the traffic, the packed schedules, and the constant stream of events, you might start feeling like there’s no time for you to get in a good R&R groove. But underneath the city skyline and the intertwining trees in the different neighborhoods, there’s a lot in the big city that can help you slow it down and really take a rest.
Find Your Calm on the Atlanta Beltline
It’s not just for getting your bike out or meeting friends for a picnic. The BeltLine is also a great option for some surprisingly zen moments in an otherwise bustling city. Go early and find a quieter portion of the former railway and stroll leisurely amid fresh works of public art and shady trees. Then stop nearby to grab a fresh juice or coffee and relax on one of the benches. Sometimes, all it really takes for relaxation is for you to move your body at your own pace.
Reset in Piedmont Park
If you need some fresh air, Piedmont Park has got you. Set up a blanket under a tree and use that Midtown skyline as your screen saver. Take in the people-watching, play some tunes, or just close your eyes and listen to the cars race by on the perimeter. In the daytime on a work week, it starts to feel like your own secret escape in the city. Clock in a lap around Lake Clara Meer and you’ve got yourself a low-cost change of headspace.
Treat Yourself to a Day-Use Hotel Experience
For those times you’re craving more than a park bench or library nook, think about chilling out in a hotel for a day, minus the overnight expenses. Hotels for the day in Atlanta mean checking into comfortable rooms with a single reservation, complete with swanky amenities for a fraction of the nightly price.
Use dayuse.com to book a room for the day in Atlanta with a rooftop pool, spa, and fitness center (or just access to a cozy, quiet room) to relax and regroup. You could use an afternoon at a luxury hotel as a solo day of self-care, a productive change of scenery while you work, or an afternoon nap before a night out in the town. Sounds like a good deal when you realize staying just a few hours longer gets you into a whole different headspace.
Explore Atlanta’s Botanical Garden
If nothing relaxes you like greenery, spend some quality time at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Walk from themed garden to garden, rest by the koi pools, and enjoy the flowers in every season. You’re not going to get stressed out in those treetops either. The Canopy Walk is a lot less busy, desolate, and silent.
Slow Down with a Creative Escape
Atlanta’s creative scene isn’t all late nights and high energy. Head to a pottery class, sit in on a painting workshop, or find space for a guided meditation at one of the city’s creative hubs. Sit down and make something with your hands and mind. Creative thinking has a way of grounding you in the present moment — so when you leave, you’ll have more than just an experience.
In a city known for its drive and vitality, relaxation might have to be a conscious effort. It might mean time in green space. Or it could simply mean a few quiet hours in a quiet room in a hotel. It might mean making something. Whatever it is. Take a beat. And breathe.