Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/15/25

Come with us to a day at Dragon con! John and I have attended Dragon Con for years, over 20 for him and in the teens for me. So needless to say, we’re veterans! So, we thought we’d put together the ultimate day at the con for you to grab for next year!

This itinerary is based on Saturday and you will need to purchase a badge to get into any of the Dragon Con hotels.

You’ll start your day by going to see the 10 am Saturday morning Dragon Con parade. It is the best way to see all the best costumes and this is free and open to the public. So, we would recommend you get there an hour early to get a good enough seat to see! Plus, bring water, camp chairs, and snacks as the parade is 2 hours!

Next you will need to fuel your day, so take a lunch break. Grab a bite at any of the local restaurants like Gus’ Fried Chicken for hot fried chicken. Other spots include the Peachtree Center food court, Aviva, or Willy’s to name a few. Plus, there is a food truck parking lot.

While at lunch, download the Dragon Con app and find some things to do during the day, like attend an early afternoon panel with one of your favorite celebrities, comic book artists, and more. This year we saw David Boreanaz who has starred in shows like Buffy, Angle, and Bones. The second panel was Simon Pegg from Sean of the Dead and Mission Impossible. I couldn’t make it to the 40th anniversary panel of Back to the Future, that would have been interesting to see Christopher Lloyd.

Go to the Marriott Marquis and take a walk around the walk of fame. It is a ballroom filled with all types of famous people from TV shows to movies to animators and voice actors. You can just walk around and see who is there or get in line to talk to one of your favorites. Typically, the celebrities charge for photos and signatures so bring some cash!

Then, go find your favorite cosplayers walking around and score a ribbon to attach to your badge! Usually if you interact with them or take their photo, they will give you one, and sometimes swag!

Are you into art? Head to America’s Mart to do some shopping. They have all kinds of goodies you can take home. This is something you could also do first thing during the parade, as we’ve heard that is lighter. The lines can be very long, so if you do this make sure you have at least an hour an a half.

Now, if you don’t want to do this you can head to the Hyatt Regency and people watch in the lobby. People are always happy to snap photos and video with you. They also have a fun “bucket of rum” you can get while doing this.

For our 21 and up readers, this is the perfect time to grab a drink and take a break. Some of our favorites are everything from the bourbon drinks at Sear in the Marquis to beers and Tin Lizzy’s and Skol Brewery to the famed mai tai at Trader Vic’s in the Hilton. There are other great cocktail, wine, and beer locations like Meehan’s Irish Pub downtown and cocktails at Red Phone Booth. Red Phone Booth even does a theme with specialty cocktails and food!

Take a trip down the skybridge, it is great people watching and take a stroll around the Hilton. It is the spot for group photos so you may be able to see a large group of Mario characters to maybe a Marvel meet up. Make sure to visit the Cult of John while you’re in the skybridge as well.

Make sure to turn right after exiting the skybridge between the Hyatt and Marriott Marquis, you’ll find a collection of working droids, and you can interact with! They are my favorite part of Dragon Con and there are so many new ones each year. Wall-e, R2, and BB8 are always there, as well!

It’s time to find another panel! There are so many, two a day is usually what I shoot for, and they are always fun and entertaining. I will never forget the one with Vincent D’Onafro last year! His story about how he got cast in full metal jacket is epic. Or the time, I went the Smallville panel, and all the stars stood on their chairs and sang.

Take a dinner break at one of the local restaurants or hotel restaurants around. We typically always eat dinner at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, it is really affordable, and I love their So Cal bowl. Then, there is also Alma, they have the best Bulgogi beef tacos and a delightful fish dish.

After dinner, is the ultimate people watching time and the lobby of the Mariott Marquis is the best spot. You can grab some Mead from the Monk’s Mead and take in all the over-the-top cosplays! I’m sure you’ll find a photo op! This year, I really enjoyed what I call, “experience cosplay” where you can interact with the person, play a game, buy a trinket. Like the guy who dressed as a game show host and actually hosted a game show, or the battle of wits from Princess Bride. Also, hopefully you’ll see a herd of T-Rexes as well while you are there. They run a herd most nights!

It’s time for the Saturday night party in one of the ballrooms with dancing, drinks, and fun people watching. One is the Heroes and Villans Ball or the Zombie Prom.

If you’re up for it, concerts start at midnight and you can find some fun, entertaining acts. One year Here come the Mummies played and it was so worth the late night!

That is one packed day!