Things To Do When Visiting The Classic City
Cup o’ Joe
1000 Faces
Just a brief walk from Hotel Indigo, this café and roastery opens weekdays at 7am and offers outstanding coffee and a limited food menu.
510 North Thomas Street, Athens, GA 30601
Jittery Joe’s – Downtown
An Athens classic, Jittery Joe’s has been roasting coffee since 1994. Stop by this downtown spot for coffee, tea, and snacks. They’re open daily from 7am to 8pm. Fun fact: a new bookstore just opened downstairs from the coffee shop!
297 East Broad Street, Athens, GA 30601
Walker’s Coffee & Pub
Open weekdays from 8am until late night, Walker’s is a welcoming spot to grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich, visit with colleagues, or work on your laptop.
128 College Avenue, Athens, GA 30601
A Bite to Eat
Last Resort Grill
A downtown Athens staple since 1992, Last Resort serves American food and offers an array of delicious cakes and cheesecakes for dessert. Please note that they do not take reservations and often have a line for seating. They are open for lunch and dinner Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and dinner Monday through Thursday.
174-184 West Clayton Street, Athens, GA 30601
FIVE Athens
FIVE provides a simplified menu—five entrees—for weeknight dinner and weekend brunch. They are closed Monday and do not take reservations.
269 North Hull Street, Athens, GA 30605
South Kitchen + Bar
South Kitchen serves delicious Southern food in a unique setting, the old Georgian Hotel in downtown Athens. They take reservations and are open for lunch on weekdays, dinner daily, and brunch on the weekends.
247 East Washington Street, Suite 101, Athens, GA 30601
Ted’s Most Best
Ted’s Most Best serves pizza, sandwiches, salads and more, in a casual, lively environment with plenty of outdoor seating. They serve lunch and dinner seven days a week.
254 West Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601
Chuck’s Fish
Chuck’s Fish is an upscale dining option that offers seafood, sushi, and steak. They open at 4pm daily, do not take reservations, and can be busy at dinnertime.
220 West Broad Street, Athens, GA 30601
Trappeze Pub
This Belgian-style pub offers a varied menu, including small plates, cheese and charcuterie, sandwiches, burgers, and entrees. With arguably the best French fries in Athens, Trappeze takes reservations and is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
269 North Hull Street #6, Athens, GA 30601
The National
The National is an outstanding restaurant that serves Mediterranean inspired food in a welcoming downtown location. They take reservations and are open for dinner Monday and Tuesday, lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and are closed on Sunday.
232 West Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601
The Place
The Place provides Southern food in a downtown location offering views of UGA’s North Campus. They do not take reservations and are open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, Sunday brunch, and Sunday dinner.
229 East Broad Street, Athens, GA 30608
Sweet Treats
Alumni Cookie Dough
A creative dessert option, this café sells many flavors of safe-to-eat cookie dough by the scoop. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays during the summer.
480 North Thomas Street, Athens, GA 30601
Kilwins
A recent addition to the Athens’ scene, Kilwins provides delicious ice cream, chocolates, and confections. Located across the street from UGA’s North Campus, Kilwins opens daily at 11am.
283 East Broad Street, Athens, GA 30601
Condor Chocolate
With two locations—one in Downtown Athens, and one in Five Points—Condor Chocolates serves outstanding truffles, desserts, and gelatos. They also serve bean-to-bar hot chocolates, coffee, iced beverages, and other treats.
160 E Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601
Travel Around Town
UGA’s Historic North Campus
Take a self-guided walking tour and explore UGA’s historic North Campus. Visitors can download a map, start at UGA’s iconic symbol—the Arch—and see key campus landmarks like Old College, the Main Library, the Chapel, and the Chapel Bell.
Visit the State Botanical Garden of Georgia
UGA is home to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, an educational and beautiful environment for exploration. It features a children’s garden, herb, flower, and heritage gardens, a tropical conservatory, five miles of trails, and more. Admission and parking are free, and the grounds are open daily from 7am to 7pm. The Garden also houses the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, which is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm and Sunday from 11:30am to 4:30pm. You will need to drive from the Hotel Indigo.
Athens Music Walk of Fame
The Athens Music Walk of Fame can be found on the two square blocks in downtown that are bordered by Washington and Clayton streets as well as Lumpkin and Pulaski streets. The walk passes through some of the most iconic music venues in Athens, including the 40 Watt Club, Morton Theatre, and Georgia Theatre. Hall of Fame inductees are memorialized by plaques on the walk including the B-52s, R.E.M, Widespread Panic, and more.
Georgia Theatre
Enjoy live music at the iconic Georgia Theatre. For generations, the theatre has been a performance venue and has hosted artists like the Police, B.B. King, Taylor Swift, Dave Matthews Band, and more. It was the site of an R.E.M music video, and it suffered a tragic fire in 2009. The theatre was restored and opened to the public again in 2011.
Oconee Rivers Greenway Trails System
The local greenway offers eight miles of paved trails for running and biking. Hotel Indigo guests can enter the trail at North Oconee River Park West.
Lyndon House Arts Center
Located a 5-minute walk from the Hotel Indigo, the Lyndon House Arts Center includes exhibitions of various media—textiles, ceramics, paint, and more. Lyndon House is closed on Mondays but open until 8pm on Tuesdays.
Tree that Owns Itself
A well-known Athenian, the Tree that Owns Itself is a white oak tree at the corner of Dearing and Finley Streets. Local legend states that the initial tree was deeded in 1890 and was felled by a wind storm in 1942. The Junior Ladies Garden Club of Athens worked to replace the tree and planted the current tree in 1946.
The UGA Bookstore
Stock up on Bulldog swag at the official UGA Bookstore. Located at the heart of campus, the bookstore is open weekdays at 8am, Saturdays at 9am, and Sundays at 11am.