“Mommy, is this where fairies live?” the curious pig-tailed little girl asked from her crouched position in front of a door the height of a pencil. “They may! Let’s go look at and see if we can find others,” her mom, clad in athlesiure wear, replied as she grasped the handle of her now-empty jogging stroller. A look of horror crossed the child’s face as she shrieked, “No! We can’t leave! We have to wait and see if the fairies come out!” With one determined motion, she sank to the ground, arms and legs crossed, staring at the tiny door almost willing a fairy to magically appear. I gave the mom a grin that conveyed empathy that her jogging plans had just been overtaken by fairies, and appreciation that I had just witnessed this adorable moment of wonder. As I hopped on my bike, I turned to the little girl and said, “If I see any fairies ahead, I’ll let them know you’re on your way!”
Twenty years ago, a Georgia Tech student, frustrated with the transportation options in Atlanta had his own moment of wonder. What if the city converted the existing railway path that circled it into a light rail system that could ease the city’s transportation burden, spur urban development and create economic growth? It was this masters thesis by Ryan Gravel that turned into today’s Atlanta BeltLine, a 22-mile loop of multi-use trails, parks, transportation options, restaurants, shops and what amounts to an outdoor museum. It’s slated to be completed in 2030, and bring $10-20 billion in economic development to the city of Atlanta. I spent the day hitting some of the highlights on the Eastside (a three-mile stretch from Piedmont Park to Reynoldstown) to see how one person’s idea has come to life 20 years later.
About mid-way along the Eastside BeltLine is a kickboxing gym that has a reputation for embodying the vibe of the in-town Atlanta community, so I decide to make Vesta Movement my first stop. The exterior of the building is covered with a colorful mural created and as I step inside, the artwork continues, both on the walls and on the staff themselves. Girls with some of the most intricate tattoo work I’ve ever seen welcome me while high-energy music thumps in the next room. As I take my spot on a bag, I notice that in the midst of all the 20- and 30-somethings is a woman who has to be in her 60s. It gives me confidence that I will survive the class. It is a false sense of security, however, as I spend the next hour trying not to die. Surprisingly, the time flies by and before I know it I feel like a million bucks and a rag doll all at once. Need. Sustenance.
Luckily just across the way is the impressive Ponce City Market, a two-million-square foot, multi-use complex that has climbed to the top of must-see lists around the U.S. since its 2014 opening. I pop into the very first business to open in PCM, The Dancing Goats Coffee Bar. As the ninth century legend goes, a goat herder noticed that his goats were dancing and full of energy after eating a small red fruit. He followed suit and thus the discovery of coffee cherry (the fruit whose seeds produce coffee beans). Thank goodness for goats! I order up the largest cup of single-origin blend they offer and take a seat in the spacious deck, people watching and waiting for the urge to dance to kick in. Once I finish my delicious liquid fuel, I take a friend’s recommendation and head just across the street to 8ARM (look for the colorful tiger roaring at you from the white brick wall by famed local artist Greg Mike) for some avocado toast with rock crab. It may be the best decision of the day. Open for brunch Tuesday- Sunday, 8ARM is small on menu items but big on atmosphere and taste.
Fed and caffeinated I’m ready to go. The BeltLine is almost always bustling with walkers, runners, bikers, skateboarders and strollers of all shapes, sizes and ages. Stay to the right and pass on the left to avoid being widely unpopular. I decide that renting a bike is the best way to cover the most ground so I head just next door from 8ARM to Paris on Ponce–a warehouse of sorts with an eclectic collection of art, furniture and various odds and ends you never knew you always needed. Inside is the home of Caravan Bicycles, where for $30 per day you can rent a bike, basket, lock and helmet. Call ahead and reserve their entire fleet for a fun group outing!
I start out going north on the BeltLine to Atlanta’s iconic Piedmont Park. It’s only about a mile up the path, but along the way I have several stops lined up, including one of Atlanta’s coolest outdoor art exhibits–Tiny Doors. Started in 2014 as a way to make art accessible in all shapes, sizes and spaces, Tiny Doors strategically places hand-painted, seven-inch doors throughout the city. Each door is created to emulate the look and feel of the neighborhood it is housed in. Honestly, if you didn’t know to look for them, you would likely never even notice, which would be more than a tiny shame. Luckily there is a Tiny Doors map (tinydoors.atl.com) to ensure that no door is left un-knocked. Doors #2, #6, #9 and #13 are all on the East Side BeltLine path. And rumor has it there may be fairies inside.
After a few quick photos of Tiny Doors #6 and #13 and a few near misses with pedestrians, I arrive at the 185-acre Piedmont Park. Prior to the BeltLine’s existence, Piedmont Park was Atlanta’s primary outdoor gathering space. With everything from picnics, playgrounds and tennis courts to bubble ball soccer (soccer played while inside inflatable bubbles ala Bubble Boy, yes–it’s a thing) it’s worth taking a loop around the park’s bike paths to see the Atlanta community in action. While you can spend an entire day in and around the park eating, shopping and taking in sites, I want to check out the southern part of the BeltLine so I get back on my bike and cruise back past Ponce City Market to Historic Fourth Ward Park.
Historic Fourth Ward Park is the industrial to Piedmont Park’s classic. Where a dilapidated amusement park once stood is now a two-phase urban oasis complete with a two-acre pond, a splash pad, and perhaps its most well known feature, an epic skate park. Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk helped fund the skate park in 2011 and has even been spotted catching some air when he’s in town. From sun up to sun down boarders of all levels can be seen grinding and riding. I hold my breath as a boarder propels himself into the air and spins 360 degrees. It’s almost enough to distract me from the rumble in my stomach…but not quite. Krog Street Market is a five-minute bike ride away so I grab my wheels, making a quick pit stop at Tiny Doors #2 and #9 along the way.
The former site of Atlanta Stove Works-turned Tyler Perry Studios, Krog Street Market is one of “The World’s Best Food Halls” according to Travel + Leisure and is also a member of the Travel Channel’s Food Hall of Fame. With 16 restaurants to choose from, this epicurean center is just the ticket after an active morning. Tex-Mex is calling my name so I head to Superica. Urban industrial decor with a Mexican flare and a friendly waitress greet me as I settle in. When I ask the waitress her favorites there is no hesitation– the nachos and the taco al Carbone. Sold. Lucky for me lunch specials are pick two for $11.99 so I order both and am not disappointed.
One perhaps unexpected outcome of the BeltLine project has been the emergence of street art. What started as a few old buildings being brought to life with murals from local artists has quickly turned into a citywide phenomenon and spurred the development of national artist conferences including Living Walls and Outer Space. While the artwork is spread throughout the city, Krog Street Tunnel is considered the original birthplace. It also just so happens to be at the southern end of the Eastside BeltLine, so I head in that direction and quickly find that if I don’t get off and walk my bike I am going to get into an accident. From cartoon-like animals riding bicycles to detailed human portraits, there is no common thread to the murals, yet they all seem to capture the energy and community that this BeltLine project has created. If you’re in search of certain pieces or artists or just want to know where the heck to go, streetartmap.org offers a real-time map of art installations throughout the city.
My last stop is a well-deserved one at New Realm Brewery where famed brewmaster Mitch Steele has concocted some particularly delicious craft beers (the guy even wrote a book on it). I cozy on up to industrial-chic bar and order a Hoptropolis–its citrusy flavors transport me to a tropical island despite the fact that I’m in the middle of the largest city in the South. In addition to the great beer, New Realm is also one of the only breweries around to offer a full-service restaurant. My favorite part about this brewery is the beer garden that opened just last Fall. Now, in addition to taking in views from New Realm’s rooftop bar, you can also opt to sit outside near the waterfall and watch the BeltLine in action.
Bikes are due back to Caravan Bicycles by 6 p.m. so I begrudgingly start my journey back to my starting point. As I ride along, I reflect on all I’ve been able to see and do in one short day. Perhaps what stands out most—beyond the restaurants and the shops and the businesses—are the people I’ve encountered along the way. From the skater dude stoked to have landed his trick, to the artist with spectators hovering behind him as he finished his mural, the 60 year old grandma kicking my butt at the gym or the little girl waiting for the fairies, the Atlanta BeltLine has transcended finances and logistics and created something no thesis could predict–a true sense of community.
The man behind the Atlanta BeltLine idea would agree, “Its big vision is even better than I ever imagined,” noted Ryan Gravel. “Every time I see my kids out enjoying life on the BeltLine, I see it doing everything we said it would do – it’s changing the way we think about Atlanta. I wish we were further along building – especially the transit component, because without transit it won’t live up to its promise. But it’s a work in progress and its already working. It’s making a way of life possible that just wasn’t possible before.”
