Atlanta BeltLine

A 22-mile urban trail being built on a ring of abandoned rail lines around central Atlanta. About half of it is now open as a paved walking and cycling path; the rest is still under construction. The completed Eastside Trail, from Piedmont Park south to the Krog Street Market, is the busiest and most developed stretch — it links Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, Ponce City Market, and Piedmont Park.

For visitors, the Eastside Trail is the easiest section to sample. Walk it from end to end in about 90 minutes, or rent a bike from one of the dock stations along the route. Free.

things to do sight
A story
The BeltLine was the senior thesis of a Georgia Tech student, Ryan Gravel, in 1999 — a proposal to convert 22 miles of abandoned freight rail circling central Atlanta into a multi-use trail and streetcar loop. He emailed it to his city councilman; twenty-five years later, large parts of his idea are actually built.