What to do in Alpharetta (ish)

I have a complicated relationship with Alpharetta, the land of my youth. It’s no secret that I didn’t enjoy going to high school out there, and you can DM me to find out why, but I can admit wholeheartedly that it is a scene these days, and a worthy destination for anyone in town who wants to venture north for a day trip. I spend a decent amount of time out there because my mom is still there, so while I’ve shed most (some) of the trauma associated with places like the Steak n’ Shake parking lot on North Point Parkway, I feel like I’ve been kept in the loop a fair amount on what’s new and cool.

Disclaimer before I get crazy emails saying I don’t know geography—I’m going to be including stuff that’s in Roswell and John’s Creek and Milton. Relax. It all used to be called Alpharetta back then. Guess what? Milton was Alpharetta in 1999.

What to do in Alpharetta

Here are a few loose itineraries that we’ve done while at my mom’s:

Eat at Hen Mother Cookhouse. Yes, this is worth the drive, but you need to go early. If you have kids, get there at 9am or before and you’ll be golden. Every single thing they make is phenomenal, but I’m partial to the quiches and anything with gravlax. You can run across the street and grab empanadas or second desserts at Belen de la Cruz if you’re not near her other locations. Then, hit up Newtown Park. It’s got a great walking trail, playground and dog park. Check their events calendar too; they have a ton of free or low-cost concerts and events throughout the summer.

Go to the Alpharetta Library. We often check out and return books here in addition to our other Fulton County library locations. They offer a ton of events programming especially in the summer outside of storytime, too, for kids. Grab lunch downtown at Never Enough Thyme, a healthy-ish place that’s great for kids right on the square, or UP on the Roof or Restaurant Holmes if you want something more upscale. Dessert at Crave Pie, and then the splash pad downtown is elite if you need to cool off! Mango Lassis from Curry Up Now after.

They have turf nearby for lounging and I’m 99% sure you can bring leashed dogs (we did, at least). There’s also a Shake Shack nearby so you can grab a concrete treat. My favorite coffee house up there (Henmother rec) is Warm Waves. Go early! And then head to the Alpharetta Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. TONS of options.

Anna Lee’s is a longtime family hidden gem that we have been going to for over 35 years. It’s the definition of a ladies’ lunch, and the average age is 70-plus in there but the lunch special—soup, sandwich or quiche and dessert—is unbeatable. Annaliese, the original owner, retired, but she sold it to people who are carrying her legacy on. Head over to Avalon to browse (my preferred Apple store TBH) all the shops. They also have a robust events schedule year-round. One tip: don’t do the train if you have kids. Not worth it. If you’re by yourself, head to Mer Aqua Head Spa, which I wrote about for InStyle.

Additional favorite restaurants: Santorini for authentic Greek, Fellows Cafe for breakfast or brunch, Cherried Mary’s for ice cream, Delbar and Rumi’s if you don’t live by one currently, and Kona Grill if you can’t let the 14 year old mall girl in you go like me. (Also a huge P.F. Chang’s fan.)

Stuff I’m Consuming

As a former matchmaker, I’m totally in love with Indian Matchmaking and Jewish Matchmaking on Netflix. Both have so many truths in there! Email me if you want more info on the matchmaking—I’d write a book but someone already did and it was pretty good.

WATCH: I’m re-watching The Durrells in Corfu for the third time because it’s like a warm, Masterpiece blanket. You can catch it on Prime.

READ: Niche, but Octopuses (and their DNA) Suggest Antarctica Will Melt Again.

EAT: Thomas Keller zucchini will change your life.

EAT: BLT Pasta Salad is a cold, weeknight hit.

I Bought It, and I’m Cheap

Commissionable Links

A good, sentimental baby gift. Clean deodorant for ultra-sensitive skin. A Glowscreen DUPE that’s so good it’s consistently sold out. Cute popsicle-themed toddler girls’ set. A viral $10 lip tint.

Hacks, Hacks, Hacks

Did you know that your kid is free at Zoo Atlanta until 3? So our membership expires in August before she’s 3—so she’ll be almost 4 by the time we have to pay for her. Our most used membership! The girl dad’s guide to maintaining your car, as told to you by TikTok. Google may owe you money. Speaking of which, do you know about unclaimed funds in each state? I’ve gotten from New York—always worth trying! Here’s Georgia’s link.