Photograph by The Sintoses, Model: Tyja Traore/Ursula Wiedmann Models
Attend a forest-bathing session
Atlanta is known as the “City in the Forest” for its extensive tree canopy, which covers 47.9 percent of land. If you’ve ever wanted to take some time to appreciate our abundance of trees, the Chattahoochee Nature Center offers guided forest-bathing tours for $45. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, this mindfulness practice invites you to slow down and tune into the natural world. Facilitated by a certified forest therapy guide, the two-and-a-half-hour ramble will allow you to engage with nature through your senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. There’s no swimming or hiking, no destination to reach. The point is to practice sensory awareness and have time to reconnect with yourself.
Photograph by Martha Williams
Sample an omakase menu—by yourself
Take the already intimate experience of omakase and level up by doing it solo: A single seat is not only cheaper but also encourages you to engage with the chef or others around you. There’s no shortage of omakase-focused places to complete this challenge in Atlanta. Choose from the traditional chef’s choice sushi meal at Mujo, Chirori, Umi, NoriFish, Omakase Table, or Nakato, which just underwent a $2 million renovation. If raw fish isn’t your scene, try a cocktail-focused tasting menu. Omakase cocktail menus at Tiger Sun, Lucky Star, and 7th House have experiential and experimental cocktails that change seasonally or monthly and are often themed.
Take yourself on an art date
There’s something freeing about walking through an art gallery alone. There’s no one to rush you or explain what you’re “supposed” to feel or understand. Take yourself on an art-viewing date through the Edgewood arts district, where new voices in Southern art take center stage at neighborhood galleries such as One Contemporary, Atlanta Center for Photography, and whitespace. On the other side of town, check out Peters Street Station, which consists of three art galleries that focus on specialized art curation: Old Rabbit Gallery has solo exhibitions; Nina Baldwin Gallery’s exhibitions are women curated; and Hidden Gallery 333 features group shows. The goal isn’t to understand everything; it’s to be present. And who knows? You might leave feeling inspired—or inspired to pick up a paintbrush or camera yourself. Some galleries offer a more in-depth tour led by a curator; call ahead to book.
Join a casual drop-in mahjong game
This centuries-old tile game, first created in China, has in America been the domain mostly of older women. Recently, however, mahjong has seen a surge in popularity, especially among younger generations. But one of the hardest things about the game is finding a complete foursome to play, especially at the last minute. Eliminate that burden by joining a free drop-in open-play game. Shawn Martin, who cofounded Two Sparrows Mahjong with her daughter Faye, hosts game nights at Swoozie’s in Buckhead, where players of any level can show up for American- and Hong Kong–style games. More structured plays, including hands-on instructional classes taught by Martin, are also available at the Atlanta Mahjong Studio in Chamblee.
Go on a self-guided street art tour
You don’t need company—or cash—to explore Atlanta’s artistry. Use the Atlanta Street Art Map, a passion project of retired engineer Art Rudick, to select one of nine neighborhood tours and amble through streets bursting with public art murals, graffiti tags, and large-scale installations. An interactive digital map helps chart your course and highlights street-art hot spots such as Krog Street Tunnel, Cabbagetown, Little Five Points, and Castleberry Hill. Each stop reveals the city’s creative soul on concrete: This is people-watching and art appreciation rolled into one meditative afternoon.
This article appears in our January 2026 issue.
