A Gilmore Girls Getaway to Alpharetta, GA

Wait, close your eyes and breathe. We smell autumn.

Crisp, fall days are slowly taking over throughout September and October and with the very anticipated change in seasons comes new activities and adventures in Alpharetta. Much like one of our favorite comfort shows, Gilmore Girls, autumn in Alpharetta is full of charm, memorable family moments, beloved traditions, and unique events. Live your best Lorelai and Rory inspired lives in Alpharetta, where the conveniences of a big city like Hartford and the small-town charm of Stars Hollow combine into one lovable destination you won’t want to leave!

Grab your most luxurious Montblanc pen and scribble down everywhere you want to visit on your next trip to Alpharetta!

Lean Into Your Inner Lorelai

Please, please, please, pass the coffee. If you’re a caffeine queen who loves “Luke’s Diner”-style establishments, head to The Nest Café. Drip coffee, lattes, lolly waffles and more await at this quaint café located in downtown Alpharetta.

Once you’ve appeased your inner decaffeinated devil, tap into impeccable style across town. From cut-off jean shorts for school drop-off to dressing up for swanky social events, Lorelai always has effortless style. Follow in Lorelai’s steps with fabulous shoe choices at Marmi Shoes, and discover plenty of sensible choices as well as chic choices, too! Meanwhile, if we had to describe Lorelai’s clothing aesthetic based on Alpharetta shops, it gives a Spirited Boutique meets All Inspired Boutique meets Urban Outfitters meets Ann Taylor vibe. No matter where you shop, you’re guaranteed to find the pieces to attain that perfectly polished, yet trendy glam that Lorelai exemplifies.

Take on Trivia Night or Singo at various Alpharetta spots like Truck & Tap Alpharetta or Ceviche Taqueria to show your friends just how expansive your knowledge of random pop culture facts and music genres are. Ready for your big stage debut? Participate in a production with the Act1 Theatre to show off your acting skills. Want to enjoy some time with your furry best friend? Although Paul Anka isn’t a very social dog, you and your pup will love Fetch Park, where coffee and pup-comradery is available in spades. Fill your Weston’s Bakery craving at Crave Pie, where pies are made from scratch with love and yummy ingredients that will rival dear old Fran’s.

Lorelai’s love life frequently has us swooning, the most swoon worthy being Luke repairing broken things at her house or building her an ice-skating rink in her yard (can you tell his love language is Acts of Service??). For all your home repair needs and supplies, head to Urban Hardware, but if building an ice rink is a little out of the budget for your sweetheart (or the skillset), that’s okay! You can get your ice-skating fix at Avalon on Ice November 20, 2022 – January 14, 2023.

Be Ready for Anything Like Rory

Our favorite bookworm spends a good portion of her life studying or reading novels, and one of her favorite things to do so is hang out on a park bench or underneath a tree with a good book (She even paid someone once to give her back her favorite tree!) Park yourself at your “favorite tree” at a multitude of parks across Alpharetta like Wills Park or Brooke Street Park and enjoy the fall weather as you read the classics or study up for an exam. Let your studious little heart shine with contentedness and revamp your collection of notebooks, stickers and more at Paper Source. When you’re ready for a snack, head to Crust Pasta and Pizzeria for pizza night and stack your pie with countless toppings. If your introverted heart has had enough socializing for the day, try takeout from Hai Authentic Chinese. It may not be from Al’s Pancake World, but Hai Authentic Chinese hits the spot if you’re craving Mongolian Beef.

Prepare for golf at the club with grandpa by practicing your swing at Fairway Social, where the virtual bays let you practice your driving skills and The Back Nine gives you room to get your putting skills in place. Put on your dancing shoes and get your dance on in the streets of Alpharetta at Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest on September 24, 2022, or Wire and Wood Alpharetta songwriters festival on October 7 & 8, 2022. Much like the Stars Hollow Dance Marathon, dancing with locals and visitors all night long to amazing tunes will become one of your favorite memories!

Friday night dinner doesn’t have to be a dreadful affair. Abandon the stiff conventional dinner in favor of delightful dining and an awesome atmosphere at restaurants like Cabernet Steakhouse or Restaurant Holmes, or dress dinner down a smidge with spaghetti and meatballs at Ippolito’s of Alpharetta.

Rory and Lorelai love a good movie night, often bringing friends (or boyfriends like Dean) along for the production. You may not be able to bring in your own snacks like you could at the Black-White-Read Movie Theater in Stars Hallow, but you can enjoy some tasty treats and drinks while catching a flick at Studio Movie Grill. We promise that the production value and movie selection will be better than Kirk’s short film, A Film by Kirk.

Events and Activities That Are the Talk of the Town

You don’t have to attend a local town hall meeting to get suggestions for even more Gilmore Girls fun found in Alpharetta.

Find Jackson Belleville-level produce at the Alpharetta Farmers Market each Saturday morning through November 26, 2022, in downtown Alpharetta.

Let your love of music guide you to Comeback Vinyl to marvel in an extensive selection of records that Lane would approve of or tap into your inner rockstar by attending one of the concerts at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre. Looking for a resident bad boy who loves books? Jess Mariano will be found at the stacks at Posman Books, where there are SO many selections from every genre.

Moving past your angsty rock and roll, bad boy era? Live your best Logan Huntzberger life and exemplify his impeccable taste with a closet refresh for the gentlemen at Clothes Horse Men’s Apparel. One thing Logan knows how to do well is keep Rory on her toes with the occasional wild activity. Satiate your inner dare devil at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, where you can learn how to ride dirt bikes and have a high-speed blast. End your evening with classic cocktails at Mercantile Social—the Old Fashioned and the dirty martinis are chef’s kiss.

Make Emily and Richard proud with society-approved activities. Shop at Von Maur for high end clothing selections and high-quality cosmetics. Don your best attire and enjoy high tea at The Ginger Room, where even the highly critical elder Lorelai, Trix, would give a happy stamp of approval. You don’t have to be a member of the DAR to enjoy a bit of history and fun social events – Roaring Social combines the glitz of the 1920s with all the fun of high society social events! To hear classic jazz in an intimate setting, visit The Velvet Note—we just know Richard would feel right at home here.

The local hall monitor, Taylor Doose, would love Kilwins. Reminiscent of Taylor’s Olde Fashioned Soda Shoppe, Kilwins has everything from delicious coffees and ice creams to fresh fudge and caramel coated popcorn. Mrs. Kim would feel content at Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors, where aisles and aisles of amazing antiques and interior décor await visitors.

Every town has the person or organization that knows everything about everything. If you need intel on Alpharetta but don’t know where to find your own Miss Patty, never fear. Everything you need to know about shopping, dining, events and more in Alpharetta can be found at AwesomeAlpharetta.com or at the Alpharetta Welcome Center, where you can talk to friendly staff and learn more about Alpharetta’s not-to-miss spots!

Unlike the guests who deal with the curmudgeon-y concierge, Michel, at The Independence Inn, you’ll be greeted with sincere southern hospitality at any of our awesome 30 hotels. Book your stay in Alpharetta to experience multiple days of shopping, dining, events and more in our beautiful town. Share your Gilmore Girls-inspired adventures with us by tagging us @AwesomeAlpharetta and using our hashtag, #AwesomeAlpharetta on social media!