D1 is in Atlanta for a few days for work. Unfortunately for her, the weather is currently lousy! Cooler there than at home in Ohio and raining!
She is staying at the Omni at CNN Center - any suggestions for INSIDE things she can do when she has a couple of spare hours here and there? Yesterday she was able to explore a little on foot near the hotel and took the free street car and could see that there are a couple areas ok to visit - and some NOT ok for a single 26 year old!
Any art, museums, unique shopping, bookstores, etc.???
Of course she can ask the hotel info. But thought I’d ask the REAL people in the know - CC.
CNN Center is in Downtown and Downtown Atlanta is fairly dull, as opposed to Midtown or Buckhead. In Midtown try The Flying Biscuit Restaurant for weekday breakfast or lunch. Don’t bother trying to visit the place on a weekend as the lines are around the block and the wait is quite long.
The Westin downtown has an observation deck at the top. There is a bar, too, and a revolving restaurant. Nice views of the city from up there! When the bar is open, admission to the top is free if you say you are going to the bar.
Atlantic Station (for shopping) is in Midtown, and can be accessed via MARTA by getting off at the Arts Center Station and taking the free shuttle bus across the bridge to Atlantic Station. She would take a northbound train from downtown for this.
Also at the Arts Center MARTA stop is the Woodruff Arts Center, including the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Symphony and theatre performances. Google Woodruff Arts Center for various schedules.
Not sure how she would access this on MARTA (by bus), but the new Ponce City Market (in Midtown) is in the process of opening and it is very cool. A few restaurants and shops are open now with more opening each day. But the real sight to see is the magnificent building - Google Ponce City Market for info.
If she has transportation, if she liked BBQ try Fat Matts, they have music and the food is out of this world (well, at least to me, then again what do us yankees know about good BBQ:)
No transportation unless she takes a cab or something. Her biggest block of free time might be on Wednesday, but that is also the day she has a late afternoon flight out. Mostly a couple of hours here and there. I will tell her about the Westin observation deck! I’m sure she’ll suck up having a drink to enjoy that!
Unfortunately it appears that Atlanta currently has the Pacific NW’s weather patterns. We are all ready for this gloomy, rainy weather to end.
The aquarium is a great place to spend time. The Martin Luther King Jr. Center can be an enlightening experience, as is the Carter Center, but both are harder to get to without your own transportation.
Visiting the Varsity Restaurant is a rite of passage downtown, not too far from Georgia Tech campus. Greasy food, loud and crowded, and every politician makes sure to stop there to shake hands and get their picture made. Frosted orange shakes are famous. Also, Atlanta is the home of Chickfila, if she has never had the chance to eat their chicken sandwich.
Atlanta is not set up to be a good walking downtown, and of course there are streets you need to avoid for safety reasons. There are pockets of areas that are walkable and enjoyable to visit with great restaurants and unique shops. You just can’t get to them without transportation, and honestly I would not be thrilled with having my D walk to get to some of those neighborhoods by herself.
The High Museum is an art museum in an architecturally significant building by Richard Meier with an addition by Renzo Piano. I don’t know Atlanta well enough to know what the transportation options are.
Yeah, something tells me she is going to have to settle for things very close to her hotel. Or just off the free street car. Sometimes visiting the other high end hotel lobbies/bars are entertainment in themselves!!
We’ve been to the coke museum 3 or 4 x, and the aquarium once. There is so much nostalgia watching the old Coke commercials. Perhaps another time, when she has more time.
The Polaris is an iconic place! Built in 1967, it was shut down during bad economy downturn and then reopened a few years ago. When you step inside the revolving lounge, it feels like you have traveled back to that era. You will not see typical rows of tables with white tablecloths here. The place is broken up into mini-lounges with comfy chairs and sofas. There are some tables, too. The chefs rescued a couple of bee colonies (now housed in beehives in the rooftop garden) and use the honey in some of their dishes and signature drinks. It is Zagat rated, too. I personally like Hyatt’s house wine brand, Canvas, especially their Pinot Noir.
Everyone has mentioned the main tourist destinations, but here are some off the beaten path ideas – she might find one that relates to her interests.
If she is into politics or history at all, she might enjoy touring the Capitol building. It is right downtown, and it has a museum inside with displays on the history of Atlanta and Georgia.
If she likes literature, she might enjoy visiting the Margaret Mitchell house at Peachtree and 10th. She can take MARTA and get off near there then walk.
If she likes money and finance, she might enjoy the amazing little money museum inside the Federal Reserve Building. It is right across the street from the Margaret Mitchell House and has samples of counterfeit money, and robots that move stacks of bills around, and a machine that shreds worn out bills. Visitors get a free bag of shredded money.
If she likes law, she might like the small museum at the State Bar of Georgia, which is downtown. It has some art drawings from famous cases, and some exhibits on law.
Well, tonight she ended up in the Little Five Points area? Took transportation directly there. I think she had pizza “the size of my head” (according to her) at Cameli’s???
Still going to recommend one of the hotels for tomorrow night and maybe the aquarium - that had been on her list - for Wednesday if she ends up with enough time.
