The Urban Bulldog

Athens, GA City Guide

Heading to Athens for a Dawgs game? Here’s a quick guide to the Classic City: where to eat, stay and play, and how to get around.

Downtown and Neighborhoods

  • Downtown Athens: right next to the UGA campus, with restaurants, bars, music venues and shops packed along College Ave, Clayton St, Washington St and Broad St.
  • Five Points: south of campus along Milledge Ave, home to Five & Ten.
  • East Broad Street: just east of downtown, home of the Classic Center and Hot or Not Chicken Co.

Where to Eat

  • The National (232 W Hancock Ave): a downtown favorite. Reservations are recommended on weekends.
  • Last Resort Grill (174-184 W Clayton St): Southern cooking downtown, with weekend brunch.
  • Five & Ten (1073 S Milledge Ave): contemporary Southern cooking in Five Points, with Sunday brunch.
  • Hot or Not Chicken Co. (1016 E Broad St): Nashville-style hot chicken in the famous former Weaver D’s building. Closed Sundays.

Where to Stay

  • Hotel Indigo Athens Downtown (500 College Ave): downtown, with on-site covered parking.
  • Graduate Athens: a downtown hotel with on-site parking.
  • The UGA Hotel at the Georgia Center: on campus, with the UGA South Campus parking deck next door.

Game weekends book up fast, so reserve early.

Things to Do

  • Georgia Theatre (215 N Lumpkin St): a live-music venue downtown with a rooftop. Tickets are sold through the theatre’s website.
  • 40 Watt Club: the legendary Athens music club, open on show nights only. Shows are generally 18 and over, and under-18s can come with a parent or guardian.
  • State Botanical Garden of Georgia (2450 S Milledge Ave): free admission and free parking. The grounds are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except UGA holidays).
  • Georgia Museum of Art (90 Carlton St, on campus): free admission every day. It’s closed Mondays and open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays.
  • Athens Welcome Center (280 E Dougherty St): a good first stop for maps and local tips.

Getting Around and Parking

  • Downtown is walkable, so park once and explore on foot.
  • The College Avenue and West Washington Street parking decks serve downtown. The Washington Street deck is right behind the Georgia Theatre.
  • On game days, expect heavy traffic and road closures near campus, so arrive early.
  • Check Downtown Athens parking for current rates and locations.

See what’s happening this month: Athens Events

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