ATLANTA, GA
Atlanta, Georgia, is the home of the largest aquarium in the western hemisphere, passionate Braves, Falcons and Atlanta United fans and delicious food. My friend Lindsey grew up in Atlanta and moved back after college. She’s an expert on all things fun in Atlanta and her tips are wonderful. Also, thank you to my friend Merrill for sharing a few of her favorite spots as well! Happy traveling!
Travel Tip:
- Atlanta is a neighborhood city and it’s pretty spread out. There are parks everywhere! Public transit isn’t great, so it’s best to be prepared to Uber/Lyft or rent a car. The airport is close to town and easy to navigate.
One fun thing:
- Take a day trip to Lake Lanier. It’s about an hour away and is the biggest lake in the area. There are a few nice beach areas, parks, hiking trails, music venues and several options for accommodations if you’re looking to stay overnight.
- Airbnb: a good option! Lindsey recommends staying in Midtown if possible.
- Hotel Clermont: It was closed for a while, but they just finished a renovation and turned the hotel into a modern fancy pick.
- “Urban Hiking” on the BeltLine: the BeltLine is a former railway corridor that circles Atlanta that is being redeveloped to connect neighborhoods with trails, streetcars, and parks. People paint tons of murals throughout it and the trails are lined with apartments, restaurants, bars and all sorts of entertainment. It’s fun to walk around and explore. Their website has a great interactive map.
- Go to an Atlanta United Game: the MLS team in Atlanta with an almost surprisingly energetic and dedicated fan base. It was founded pretty recently (2014), but the games are always super fun, rowdy and exciting. The fans have tailgates outside of the stadium that they share with the Falcons (NFL team). Tickets sell out, so be sure to plan ahead.
- Shoot the Hooch: raft down the Chattahoochee River that runs through Atlanta. Park your car, rent a raft at Shoot the Hooch and float down the river. It’s a slow-moving river, perfect for a day of lounging. There are jumping rocks along the river bank and people also swim.
- Brewery Tour: to get a taste for Atlanta beer. There are so many breweries to choose from, but favorites include New Realm, Monday Night, SweetWater, Eventide, Three Taverns Imaginarium and Sceptre. It’s a perfect sunny day activity, as most are on the BeltLine and easy to get from place to place. If she had to narrow it down, Lindsey’s favorites are Sceptre, which is a small brewery in Oakhurst and Three Taverns Imaginarium which is in a building that used to be a dairy farm!
- World of Coca-Cola: a tourist destination actually worth visiting. You can taste every Coke product on the market in every country. One Coke product called the Beverly is even famous for how bad it tastes.
- Georgia Aquarium: the biggest aquarium in the western hemisphere. It’s right across from the World of Coke and it’s the perfect rainy day activity or spot to cool off on a hot summer day. The aquarium holds 10 million gallons of water!
- The Battery and Atlanta Braves game: an awesome area that’s home to the Atlanta Braves (MLB) stadium. There are tons of bars in the area as well as fun music venues.
- Folk Art: a funky sit down restaurant in the Inman Park neighborhood. It has diner vibes and serves alcohol all day. The morning cocktails are awesome. For food, try the Folk Southern Friend, Eclectic Eggs Benedict, Corn Grits, and/or Hash ‘it Out’ Browns.
- Flying Biscuit Cafe: an Atlanta Staple with a few locations. The original location in Candler Park is the best. They are best known for their heavenly southern biscuits served with homemade apple butter and strawberry jam. Also try their French Toast.
- El Tesoro, an authentic Mexican spot in the Kirkwood neighborhood that’s really grown over the past few years. They added on a patio expansion, outdoor bar and more tables. Their brunch on Saturdays and Sundays is spectacular. Try their breakfast burritos and tacos. If you’re a coffee drinker, check out their sweet Horchata Iced Latte made with cinnamon.
- Hero Doughnuts & Buns: a relatively new spot in Georgia Ave with delicious doughnuts, burgers and sandwiches. They make all their buns with the same dough that’s used in the doughnuts which makes them flaky and delicious. If you’re in the mood for a doughnut, try the glazed or strawberry. It’s a grab & go kind of place with some outdoor seating.
- The Slutty Vegan: a vegan restaurant in two locations with a fun name. It’s a black-owned business with a menu that is completely vegan. For all the skeptics out there, Lindsey says the food doesn’t even taste like it’s vegan! Try their Dancehall Queen burger with caramelized onions and jerk sauce.
- Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market: two markets with food options from bao to pizza. Ponce City Market used to be an old Ford factory building that they converted into a mixed-use space. There are shopping spots, restaurants, and lofts. Check out the 12 different restaurants and grab whatever you want. Krog Street is a more traditional indoor market with lots of vendors. There’s a bar in the middle and a couple of sit-down restaurants, but also plenty of vendors set up for grab and go. Krog Street is a bit more fun and low-key. Check out Suzy Siu Bao and get the pork belly bao; you won’t regret it.
- The Varsity: founded in 1928, this is a staple of Atlanta serving hotdogs, burgers, fried and onion rings. When you walk through the door they’ll ask, “What’ll ya have?” It’s kind of cafeteria style, just grab a tray and get your food. They also have an area designated for drive in pick-up too. It’s an experience.
- Patria Cocina: a Mexican restaurant in Grant Park with awesome outdoor seating. They have a fun atmosphere with twelve different types of tasty margaritas. They even have a Mariachi band that goes around on some nights.
- Golden Eagle: a tapas restaurant with a fantastic cocktail menu in Reynoldstown. It’s a narrow dimly-lit restaurant with a speakeasy kind of vibe. They serve a mix of small plates from different cuisines.
- Leon’s Full Service: a fun spot in the Decatur neighborhood with a rotating menu. It can be a little pricey. They serve great cocktails and frites on top of their excellent gourmet food. It’s a welcoming environment with a glass garage door patio and an industrial feel. The waiters wear jean aprons.
- BeetleCat: a trendy upscale restaurant perfect for sharing with a group. They have delicious seafood, small plates and cocktails with a flare. Try the oysters and lobster roll!
- Cafe Intermezzo: a classic sit down dessert café in Midtown. They serve tasty cakes and cheesecakes. You’ll feel like you’re sitting in a classic French café.
- Inman Park Bars: a young 20s-30s area perfect for bar hopping. The BeltLine runs through it. Check out Hampton and Hudson, Little Spirit, and Victory.
- Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium: a ridiculously long but self-explanatory name for this bar. AKA “Church.” A strange but awesome bar in Edgewood that has church decor some may consider sacrilegious. It’s entertaining and fun. There are ping pong tables upstairs. Also in the neighborhood, check out Joystick Gamebar, another themed bar with big old arcade games you can play.
- East Atlanta Village Bars: an area with an eclectic selection of bars and entertainment. Check out Mary’s, Argosy, 529, The Basement, and Trophy Room. Mary’s is a gay karaoke bar. Argosy used to be an old warehouse building that now is converted into a ship-themed bar (not cheesy). 529 is also a music venue that’s home to local live bands. The Basement is a gay bar that is your typical nightclub dance club, but every night is a different theme. Trophy Room is a bar with a very cool hipster vibe that was an old tattoo parlor. They still have the parlor room architecture but all the doors are open.
- Johnny’s Hideaway: a famous Atlanta bar with a formal dress code. They play oldies music and keep true to their founding roots with dimly lit ambiance, smoking sections, and bartenders who wear suits. There’s a Sinatra room and Elvis corner, honoring two greats. It’s located in Buckhead in a strip mall. The line to get in will get very long, but it’s open until 3 AM on most nights.
For late-night snacks: Waffle House is the greatest place for drunk munchies. There is one every few miles. Get an All-Star Special, with a waffle, hash browns, eggs, and bacon.
