Avalon, opened in 2014, is the largest of Alpharetta's mixed-use developments — a planned outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment district on the south side of town. The layout is a 86-acre street grid with upscale chain stores, a cinema, hotels, and a central plaza that hosts seasonal events and a winter ice rink.
It is unapologetically a planned commercial destination, but it works on its own terms: pleasant to walk, with a strong selection of restaurants. Worth an afternoon for visitors using Alpharetta as a base, especially in winter when the ice rink and Christmas lights take over the plaza.