The Eastside encompasses Atlanta’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods as well as many newly redeveloped urban areas. Nowadays, many of these areas are connected by the Eastside Trail of the Beltline–Atlanta’s signature project to re-purpose the old railroad tracks encircling the city into a walkable trail along which lie parks, shops, and new developments.
OLD FOURTH WARD
The Old Fourth Ward is one of contrasts in that it probably has some of the most prominent revitalization and gentrification of any area of the city (as typified by Ponce City Market where you have the kinds of high-end stores that have DJs spinning records as you shop) and yet tries to preserve both the lower income housing and historic black neighborhoods that were there first.
GRANT PARK
The silverback gorillas have long been a signature part of Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park
The Cyclorama offers a dynamic presentation of the Civil War ‘Battle of Atlanta’ through a view of a gigantic 360 degree oil painting of the event.
Oakland Cemetery is the resting place for many of Atlanta’s historic figures like Margaret Mitchell and Bobby Jones as well as memorials to fallen soldiers.
INMAN PARK
Inman Park was Atlanta’s first suburb and still boasts many old Victorian style homes.
Today Inman Park is more known for the very popular Krog Street Market, an old factory turned into a food and beverage hub, and the other mixed use shops and lofts of the Krog District.
The Krog Street Tunnel is a famous passageway between Inman Park and Cabbagetown–once dangerous now a largely tamed part of the walkable area most recognized for its graffiti
CABBAGETOWN
Cabbagetown was historically a town of workers in small shambles of home in the shadow of the big factory employing them. It’s now an artsy neighborhood with the factory turned into lofts and the small Reconstruction era homes selling for premium prices.
An increasingly recognized part of Cabbagetown is the long stretch of wall mural painted yearly by artists participating in Freedom Warrior project
SWEET AUBURN
Sweet Auburn is the historic African-American neighborhood of Atlanta where, despite segregation, people opened successful shops and businesses. Sweet Auburn Curb Market is one that continues today.
Martin Luther King Jr was born and raised in Sweet Auburn. His birth home can be visited today and is part of a the wider MLK Jr. Historic Park
LITTLE FIVE POINTS
An interestingly different corner of the Eastside is bohemian Little Five Points where you can find an array of punkster bars, piercing parlors, and vintage clothing shops as well as odd restaurants such as the Vortex.
VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND
Named for its cross streets, the district known as Virginia-Highland is full of specialty shops (like below) and popular bars like Blind Willie’s where people have been coming for blues music for years.
DRUID HILLS
Though a larger unincorporated metro district over all, one section of the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta was specifically annexed by the city to incorporate the prestigious Emory University. On campus there is the lovely MC Carlos museum, full of ancient treasures like this sarcophagus
Also in the same area nearby is the Fernbank Natural History museum with lots of dinosaur and cultural displays as well as a set of linear parks and greenspaces along E Ponce de Leon that were designed in the 19th century by Olmstead, who also designed Central Park in New York.
