The Atlanta BeltLine is a planned loop of trails and parks built along a ring of former railroad corridors circling the city's core. The Eastside Trail is its best-known stretch and the easiest place to start.

Begin near Piedmont Park and head south. Within minutes you'll pass Ponce City Market, a vast old Sears building reborn as a food hall, shops and offices, with a rooftop that looks out over the city.

The trail is lined with murals and installations that change over time, so even regulars find something new. Weekends bring cyclists, skaters, dog walkers and street performers.

Keep going toward Inman Park and Krog Street, where Krog Street Market serves up another round of food stalls and the nearby Krog Street Tunnel is covered in ever-changing graffiti.

Go early on weekends if you want space to stroll, or come at golden hour when the patios fill up and the whole trail hums.