23+ Fun Things to Do on a Trip to Decatur, Georgia

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Planning a day trip and need a great destination? Sitting in the shadow of downtown Atlanta sits one of its suburbs, Decatur, Georgia. It’s great for a day trip as it’s close enough to the Upstate that you can have a day full of fun but not have to worry about being too tired to get home.

There are no shortage of restaurants, shops, and other neat little finds. Plus Decatur has free WIFI!

My Parents Basement
My Parents’ Basement

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Things to Do in Decatur, GA

Your Dekalb Farmers Market

3000 East Ponce De Leon Avenue, Decatur GA 30030

Believe me when I tell you this is no ordinary farmers market. Whenever I get the chance to take someone there, I do. No matter how I try to explain that they are in for a surprise, they are never prepared. Since 1977 this market has been providing ingredients to local residents, restaurants, and caterers. Nothing I say will prepare you for the spectacle that awaits, so I’ll just tell you this – If you love, cook, or eat food, you should put this place on your bucket list. Just Go!

Secret Doors Decatur

Downtown Greenville has mice, and Decatur has tiny doors. Hidden around the downtown area are 30 doors decorated by local artists. See how many you can find!

One of these secret doors can be found next to some of the best doughnuts in Atlanta.

Revolution Doughnuts

908 West College Avenue, Decatur GA 30030

This doughnut and coffee shop offers hand-made doughnuts that are almost too beautiful to eat! But we encourage you to just take a photo and then chow down. A place that makes 10 billion doughnuts a year must be doing something right.

Decatur Toy Park

133 Nelson Ferry Road, Decatur GA 30030

This open-to-the-public park is located at First Christian Church, and super popular with the locals. Tricycles, scooters, little tykes-type play structures, and more, all donated, are what draw locals to this unique park.

Decatur Beach Party

Speaking of toys, towards the beginning of summer the streets of downtown Decatur are filled with tons of sand (80 tons) and kids and kids at heart are allowed to play and have fun at this huge beach party!

Waffle House Museum

2719 East College Avenue, Avondale Estates GA 30030

In 1955 the very first waffle house opened at this location. They give tours that include free waffles, however only on certain days. To schedule your tour, call 770.326.7086.

My Parents’ Basement

22 North Avondale Road, Avondale Estates GA 30002

This family-friendly gastropub is hiding a super-cool secret. It also has a comic bookstore inside that houses old pinball and video games. It’s a really neat spot, and honestly, I’m surprised there aren’t more places like this. It’s kid-friendly and where else can a young kid learn the fine art of pinball!

Steel City Pops

312 Church Street, Decatur GA 30030

Can you imagine anything as comical as a Popsicle turf war? Well it happened, right here in Decatur. If you’ve had King Of Pops brand in Greenville, try Steel City Pops and see what you think. We won’t tell you who the winner was, you’ll have to guess that on your own.

Alpaca in Decatur, GA

Alpaca Treehouse in The Bamboo Forest

1162 Fayetteville Road Southeast, Atlanta GA 30316

If you do decide to make a weekend of it, might we suggest a stay with one of the most desired  Air BnB locations around? Just around the corner from Decatur.

Even if you don’t want to make a weekend of your trip, you can still visit this urban farm by taking a 60-minute tour. We visited the Alpacas, llamas, and their treehouse and it’s a really magical place. All the information can be found on our site. Kidding Around’s visit to the Alpaca Treehouse

Enjoying Nature in Decatur

Fernbank Forest and Rec Center

2086 North Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast, Atlanta GA 30307

Part of the Fernbank Museum, this forest is included in the admission fee. This location combined with the Wildwoods attraction of the museum equals 75 acres of outdoor fun to explore.

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

2580 Pine Bluff Drive, Decatur GA 30033

This 28-acre nature preserve with a variety of different ecosystems. Have the kids bring binoculars and go on a scavenger hunt. The preserve has geocaching activities too! There is no fee to visit, although donations are always welcome.

Lullwater Park

1463 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta GA 30329

This is a 154-acre nature preserve on the campus of Emory University. There are miles of walking trails where all sorts of animals can be observed in their natural habitat. A lake and suspension bridge provide plenty of photo opportunities for your family. Bring a tripod and get those holiday card photos checked off your to-do list!

Woodlands Garden of Decatur

932 Scott Boulevard, Decatur GA 30030

This is a beautiful garden with a recently completed expansion. The gardens are free to visit and they offer lots of special events. In October, visit the gardens to find the fairy houses hidden along the path.

Mason Mill Park

1340 McConnell Drive – Suite B, Decatur GA 30033

This community park has a nice playground with nearby restrooms. There is a family friendly trail that leads to a historic mill ruin. If your family plays Pokemon Go, this park has plenty to keep trainers busy.

Date Day-Trip to Decatur

If you are looking for a fun day-trip excursion with your main squeeze, there are a ton of grown-up places to enjoy in Decatur.

SOS Tiki Bar

Decatur Square

Decatur Square is the centerpiece of downtown Decatur and a venue for local music performances. It’s also a Marta Station, if you decide to hop a train into the heart of Atlanta for an adventure.

The Iberian Pig

121 Sycamore Street, Decatur GA 30030

This restaurant is great for a romantic meal. I’ve been several times and it’s by far my favorite restaurant in the Square. Be sure to try the B.W.D.! They are bacon-wrapped medijol dates and they are so good! Everything is good, but these we order first every time we go.

Victory Sandwich Bar

340 Church Street, Decatur GA 30030

Famous with locals for the Whiskey & Cola slushies they serve. Pair it with a slider sized sandwich and the peanut ramen noodles for a nice afternoon snack.

The SOS Tiki Bar

Located behind the Victory Sandwich Bar, this little tiki bar has some really yummy drinks and a cozy atmosphere.

Decatur Ghost Tour

101 East Court Square, Decatur GA 30030

The south has seen it’s fair share of atrocities. This makes it a hot bed for (alleged) supernatural activity. Whether you are a believer of the paranormal or not, this tour led by a psychic medium comes highly recommended.

Date Weekend in Decatur

You can do a self-led brewery walking tour in Decatur.

Save this for a weekend away from the kids – because an Uber home from Decatur to the Upstate would not be a wise fiscal idea.

Wild Heaven Beer

135 B Maple Street, Decatur GA 30030

This brewery is offers weekly events that can be found on their social media account, from Yoga to sports game viewing. This brewery is family friendly during tasting room hours.

Three Taverns Brewery

121 New Street, Decatur GA 30030

Tours of this brewery are offered several times a day Fridays through Sundays, and do not require a reservation. The brewery is family-friendly and on weekends has food available via food trucks to go along with your craft beer.

Independent Distillery

731 East College Avenue- Suite D, Decatur GA 30030

This distillery produces small-batch rum, dark rum, whiskey & bourbon. You can enjoy flights and cocktails starting at $6.

We look forward to updating this with more fun things as we return to Decatur and seek new adventures!

Do you have a favorite place that we don’t know about yet? We’d love to know!

parks with swings
About the Author
How does Kidding Around® bring readers high-quality and up-to-date content month after month and season after season? We have a dedicated team of writers and editors who regularly update our fabulous content to keep it current and relevant for our readers. This team combs lists of events, heads out into the community to experience new Upstate offerings, and communicates with local businesses. Many of our updated articles and event lists, like this one, reflect the contributions and hard work of multiple Kidding Around® team members.

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