The 5 Best Shopping Malls In Atlanta, According To Reviews

Shopping malls are a cornerstone of the American way of life. For a while, though, malls were thought to be a dying vestige of a forgotten era, thanks to the speed and convenience of online shopping and next-day delivery. Thankfully, though, malls are making a huge comeback, particularly in Atlanta. As any local knows, malls like Lenox Square or Ponce City Market are always teeming with activity, making them vital parts of the community.

In fact, Atlanta has some of the nicest (and largest) malls I've ever experienced. So, for this list, I'm taking a closer look at the five best. Although I've been to each of these shopping centers, I'm ranking them based on online reviews to provide a feel of their overall popularity. I'm also sticking to malls within the city of Atlanta, not those in the greater Metro area, like Avalon in Alpharetta, a town brimming with hip boutiques, restaurants, and nightlife.

Whether you're traveling by yourself, with friends, or roaming around with kids, these five malls in Atlanta have something for everyone. They're also a fantastic rainy-day activity if you happen to be visiting the city when it's wet. So make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes, and let's go shopping!

As far as famous Atlanta attractions go, Ponce City Market is up there with the World of Coca-Cola or Georgia Aquarium. A big reason for the mall's notoriety is its unique history and atmosphere. As a giant former Sears store, the Market has transformed into a vibrant hub of trendy eats and rooftop fun, making it far more engaging than your typical mall. Proving that point, at the time of this writing, PCM has 4.6 stars and over 16,000 reviews on Google.

There are three unique elements that help put Ponce City Market on the map. First is its history, which began as a city park in the 1800s, then an amusement park and baseball stadium in the early 1900s, and then a storefront and distribution center for Sears. You can feel the history as you step into the building, which has many original elements still intact. Second, there's the rooftop area, which harkens back to the site's early days with carnival games, mini-golf, and roller skating. If you're looking to have classic fun while enjoying views of the city, this is the place.

Finally, Ponce City Market has rental options for those who want to use the mall as a home base, either for a vacation or a long-term stay. For example, you can get an apartment in the building or rent a furnished space for you and any other guests. Best of all, you can get practically everything you need inside the mall, and it's centrally located if you need to travel anywhere else in the city.

The upscale northern sections of Atlanta are home to most of the best malls. For example, Buckhead is the city's large shopping center with premier retailers and deluxe dining options, all of which are on full display at the Buckhead Village District. Unlike a traditional mall, our number-two pick is an open-air, European-style shopping district. This way, you can stroll leisurely from one store to the next, enjoying the scenery and the weather. At the time of this writing, Buckhead Village has 4.6 stars and over 2,400 Google reviews.

The entire district spans about six blocks, stretching along Peachtree Road between Pharr and East Paces Ferry Roads. One of the best ways to know you're close to the Village is when you see the giant metal fish outside of the Atlanta Fish Market. While the market isn't technically part of the district, it can serve as a waypoint, as most of the shops are across the street.

Because Buckhead is such an upscale neighborhood, the shops at the Village are also high-end. Here, you can find a variety of luxury stores and chic eateries. Notable restaurants include the Southern Gentleman, a refined gastropub with farm-to-table menu items, and Yeppa & Co., a delightful Italian bistro.

Our third-place pick is another open-air shopping district, but this place has a bit more variety of shops and things to do. Near the heart of downtown Atlanta, it's an ideal choice for those who want to experience as much of the city during their visit as possible. As a lively Georgia hub for shopping, trendy dining, and art, Atlantic Station is also quite popular, with 4.5 stars and over 13,000 reviews on Google at the time of writing.

What I really appreciate about Atlantic Station is that it blends green spaces with the storefronts. At the center of the mall is Atlanta Green, a prime spot for events, including farmers markets, festivals, and the ongoing series Screen on the Green, where you can watch popular movies outside. Next to the mall is also Foundry Park, the Atlantic Station Dog Park, and the Millennium Gate Museum and Park, which features incredible architecture and a pond in the center.

Another benefit of visiting Atlantic Station is that there's more to do than just eat and shop. First, there's Regal Cinemas, then Lucky Strike bowling alley next door, and finally the Museum of Illusions, which showcases mind-bending exhibits fun for all ages. Overall, you can easily spend the entire day here (especially if the weather is beautiful) and not get bored, even when traveling with kids.

Our fourth pick is Phipps Plaza, a traditional (albeit nicer) shopping mall where all the stores and activities are in a single building, not an outdoor district. The mall dates back to 1969, although the current building underwent major renovations during the 1990s, giving it a modern yet classic appearance. The crown jewel is the rotunda, which looks even more impressive when the sun beams through the glass. Guests are also impressed by the beauty and grandeur, as the mall has 4.5 stars and over 6,000 Google reviews.

As with nearby Buckhead Village, the Plaza specializes in high-end brands and stores; the website bills it as the "premier luxury shopping destination of the Southeast." Here, you can find brands like Saks Fifth Avenue, Balenciaga, BOSS, Cartier, and Bulgari. However, there are also more affordable, kid-centric options like Build-A-Bear Workshop and the LEGO Discovery Center, which is one of the best family-friendly attractions in Atlanta.

But you don't have to be in the mood for chic clothing or luxury accessories to enjoy Phipps Plaza. This mall has an incredible food court, which offers far more than the likes of Sbarro and Panda Express. Here, you can get Asian dishes at Wasabi, fresh seafood at Deallo's Seafood + Taco Co., or go for something a bit more exotic at Lokma Mediterranean. Or, if you're really in the mood for something extra fancy, you can reserve a table at Nobu, which is inside the Nobu Hotel next door.

Our final best shopping mall in Atlanta is arguably one of the most famous spots in the entire city. Lenox Square has been around for over 65 years, having been built in 1959. Like Phipps Plaza across the street, though, it has undergone various changes and upgrades throughout the years, making it the second-largest mall in Georgia. It used to hold the number one spot, but when the Mall of Georgia opened in 1999, Lenox moved to second place.

However, despite its slightly smaller size, Lenox Square gets the most traffic, with over 35 million visitors per year (compared to roughly 12 million for the Mall of Georgia). Further illustrating this fact, Lenox Square has over 20,000 Google reviews with a 4.4-star rating. Having been to both malls, I can attest to Lenox's popularity — it's always packed, no matter the time of day or the season. I personally can't imagine visiting during the holidays.

Of the malls on this list, Lenox Square is also the most mall-like: It doesn't have any specialty attractions or historical architecture. Instead, it features over 250 stores, ranging from luxurious to mainstream. It's the kind of place where you can buy a Gucci handbag, some fragrances from Bath & Body Works, and enjoy an Auntie Anne's pretzel or a burger from Shake Shack when you get hungry. If I'm being honest, it feels like a bit too much mall inside just one building — but it's definitely an experience.

Since this list is looking at the five best malls in Atlanta, we used two main criteria for ranking the top five options. First, we included only shopping malls within the city of Atlanta, not any neighboring towns. If you're into shopping, however, you'll also want to check out the plethora of options in the surrounding suburbs. Second, to maintain objectivity, we ranked all five based on online reviews. So, options like Underground Atlanta or Midtown Place, while well-known, didn't make the cut compared to higher-rated picks.