How to Spend 8 Hours in Atlanta: Zoo Atlanta, Oakland and Cabbagetown
Updated October 3, 2026
Eight hours gives you a full day in three historic neighborhoods. Start with the gorillas at Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park, wander the Victorian monuments of Oakland Cemetery, then eat at a small café in the mill village of Cabbagetown.
Grant Park, Oakland and Cabbagetown sit just southeast of downtown, close enough together to link in a day. Zoo Atlanta traces its story to a bankrupt traveling menagerie of 1889. Oakland Cemetery, founded in 1850, is where Margaret Mitchell, Bobby Jones and Maynard Jackson are buried among sculpted monuments and gardens. Cabbagetown grew up around the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill, and its narrow streets of small houses now hold cafés and murals. King Memorial station is a walk away for the trip back.
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The 8 hour plan, stop by stop
Stops and travel: 4 hr 55 min to 6 hr 40 min of 8 hours
The zoo traces its start to 1889, when a traveling menagerie went bankrupt near Atlanta and its animals stayed. Its story includes Willie B., the gorilla Atlanta loved for decades, and the day is packed with keeper talks and feedings, from flamingos and rhinos to gorillas and orangutans. The zoo also has a long running giant panda program. It is open all year apart from Thanksgiving and Christmas, and ticket prices vary by date.
Tip: Plan around the zoo's online daily schedule of keeper talks and the gorilla feeding, and check its site to see whether the pandas are on view. Giraffe feedings and Wild Encounters cost extra.
- Time here
- 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 20 min
- Website
- zooatlanta.org
NaviTime to head out from Zoo Atlanta for Oakland Cemetery, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE. It's a 24 minute transit ride if you leave now. Here's the link
Founded in 1850 as a garden cemetery, Oakland covers 48 acres and holds about 70,000 graves. Among them are Margaret Mitchell, golfer Bobby Jones, six governors and 27 Atlanta mayors, including Maynard Jackson. It is also an arboretum and an Audubon wildlife sanctuary, with monuments that the foundation says are recognized by the Smithsonian. The grounds open from dawn to dusk year round, and the visitor center opens daily.
Tip: The foundation's guided tour leaves the visitor center only at half past ten in the morning, so on this zoo-first day pick up one of its self-guided tours instead. The visitor center opens daily from ten in the morning to five in the afternoon and has restrooms and snacks.
- Time here
- 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min
- Website
- oaklandcemetery.com
NaviTime to head out from Oakland Cemetery, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE for Carroll Street Cafe, Cabbagetown. It's an 11 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
This small café on Carroll Street serves brunch, lunch and dinner at what it calls a laid back European pace, with a full bar and an eclectic wine list. Take a sidewalk table to watch Carroll Street go by, or sit inside after dark, when the room is lit by candles. It opens every day, from midmorning on weekdays and a little earlier at weekends.
Tip: The bar runs beer and wine specials every day, and the kitchen posts daily specials, so ask what is on before you order from the regular menu.
- Time here
- 50 min to 1 hr 15 min
- Website
- carrollstreetcabbagetown.com
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