Travel Guide: Athens, GA

When T and I moved to Atlanta, I was excited for all the weekend destinations that were just a short drive away. We made a list of all of the cities we wanted to visit and Athens, GA was at the top of our list. I had always heard great things about Athens and wanted to visit since T’s brother went to school at UGA. We finally made the trip up last weekend and had the best time. Here are some of my Athens favorites:

Where to Stay

Graduate Athens – We stayed at Graduate Athens and it was the cutest hotel I’ve ever stayed at. When we checked in we were given room keys that looked like vintage UGA student IDs. We were then led to our room which included a vintage Pac-Man/Galaga machine and a record player. The attention to detail made our experience staying there fun and memorable!

Where to Eat

The Foundry – T and I ate here on Saturday night . While we enjoyed some of our favorite southern dishes (pimento cheese, sweet potato fries, etc.), we were able to enjoy live music by a wonderful musician from Nashville. The Foundry has concerts and live music almost every night and you can find the schedule here.

Ironworks Coffee – Our go-to coffee shop inside the lobby of Graduate Athens. When we arrived, almost every table was full with studying students. It seems to be a favorite among students, locals, and visitors.

The Grit – A vegetarian restaurant that even meat- eaters will love! We ate here for brunch on Saturday and I was drooling over the entire menu. I had a delicious sweet potato quiche and T had an egg sandwich.

Mama’s Boy – We ate here for brunch on Sunday after countless recommendations. We had to wait for about 45 minutes but the wait was worth it once our food came. We filled our bellies with grits, biscuits, and homemade jam before we made the drive back to Atlanta.

Where to Shop:

Red Dress Boutique – I had been a fan of Red Dress Boutique even before I visited their store in Athens. They have an amazing social media presence (follow them on Instagram!) and I love watching their Instagram stories of all of their new arrivals. I got this beautiful dress pictured below from Red Dress and it is one of my favorite dresses that I own. I love how it fits my top and waist perfectly but then flows out to create a beautiful and flattering A-line shape. If you’re not in Athens, not to worry, they ship all over the US!

Entourage Clothing and Gifts – Shopping at Entourage Boutique was one of my favorite shopping experiences I’ve ever had! When I arrived, I was greeted with lemon water and my own stylist, Tori, who was so nice and helpful (if you visit the Athens store – ask for her, she’s the best). Tori had picked out a few outfits for me to try and after I pulled a few picks of my own, she was outside my dressing room helping me exchange sizes, colors, and bringing me accessories she thought would look good with the pieces I chose. I got two amazing dresses from them so look out for blog posts featuring them!

What To Do:

Tour UGA’s Campus – UGA has a beautiful campus and parts of it reminded me of UF’s campus (Go Gators). I loved walking around the gardens on campus and seeing all of the soon to be grads in their cap and gowns taking pictures!

Explore Downtown Athens – Downtown Athens also reminded me of Gainesville but a little bit bigger. There are so many cute little bars, restaurants, and boutiques to roam in and out of downtown. While we were there, the Twilight bike race was going on and the energy downtown was electric. There were sidewalk vendors, bounce houses, and people everywhere.

State Botanical Garden of Georgia – Such a beautiful place to visit when the weather is nice! Walk around the gardens to enjoy the butterflies, the flowers, and the greenhouses.

Creature Comforts Brewery – Of course we had to visit since T is a huge craft beer fan and loves Creature Comforts. Definitely a fun activitity for anyone who loves beer!

I hope you enjoyed my Athens travel guide. I can’t wait to go back soon! Thank you to Graduate Athens for hosting our stay. All opinions are my own.