Museums and Galleries
- Explore the state’s permanent collection with strengths in American painting and southern decorative arts, plus exhibitions from around the world at the Georgia Museum of Art.
- Plus check out historic collections of music, film, and art at the UGA Special Collections library.
- There are also some galleries that exhibit art from local and regional artists. One is located at one of four house museums the Lyndon House Art Center and another gallery is the non-profit organization ATHICA.
- Save time to visit the well-curated gift shop and stop for coffee at the café. Cross the plaza to the Lamar Dodd School of Art to see what students and faculty are creating.
Lunch:
- Head a few blocks outside downtown to Pulaski Heights BBQ, a spot known not only for its flavorful meats but also inventive sides and vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options,
- Pulaski Heights is southern ‘que, elevated. Enjoy the porch in nice weather and watch the trains go by!
Explore more
- The Chase Street Warehouse District is a hotbed of local artists! Check out the high flying performance art at Canopy Studio.
- Head to Downtown Athens to practice your artistic skills at Artini's Art Studio or learn more about the culture and history of Athens when visiting the house museums.
Downtown Shopping
- Walk down Clayton Street for shop after shop filled with one-of-a-kind and locally made products.
- Look for R. Wood ceramics to grace your table, Bee Natural luminaries for any décor, and hand-crafted leather goods at Masada. Native America is another shop with a local flair. Grab some UGA Bulldogs gear to mark your time in Athens.
- Bonus: a college town makes for some of the best vintage shopping around, so check out Atomic Athens, Agora Vintage, Community, Dynamite, and others.
Dinner Downtown
Treat yourself to...
- A thick steak at Porterhouse Grill,
- Nouveau southern cuisine and luscious dessert at the Last Resort Grill
- Amazing pub fare and extensive craft beer on tap at Trappeze Pub
- Or a pizza pie masterpiece at Ted’s Most Best, just some of downtown Athens’ dining selections!
An Evening Out
- Headliner entertainers, touring Broadway productions, and top comedians grace The Classic Center Theatre stage.
- Athens is the proud home of several local theatre companies, as well as attracting world-class talent to the UGA Performing Arts Center. Be sure to look up the schedules when you’re in town!