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Visiting Atlanta for the Peach Bowl? Read This!

So you're coming to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl! Welcome! Atlanta is a world class city with lots to offer. I put together a brief guide to help make your stay enjoyable. Hope it is helpful.

Getting Around:

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport (Hartsfield) is the busiest airport in the United States. You should have no problem getting a flight. As a bonus, there's also no need to rent a car! We have a rapid transit system called MARTA that's pretty good if you're going straight North-South or East-West, which you are if you're coming for the game. Whether you're staying in Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, or Decatur, all are accessible by MARTA. You should plan to use MARTA as a first choice from the airport.

Seriously, DO NOT rent a car. It is not necessary and Atlanta has enough of them. MARTA will take you from the airport to your hotel in Downtown in 10 mins and Midtown in 15 mins. Buckhead is about 40 minutes. All times on MARTA are faster than driving.

Neighborhoods:

Atlanta does not have a fixed central area like Downtown Pittsburgh or Center City Philadelphia. The city is built on a series of rolling hills and there's only one minor river (the Chattahoochee) which is far from where you'll be. Atlanta also didn't become a major US city until the mid-20th century. Growth was therefore somewhat haphazard and resulted in the build-up of numerous areas, about 3 of which compare in size to Downtown Pittsburgh. The below is a rundown of the major areas where you may consider staying:
  • Downtown: offices, government services, Georgia State University, Mercedes Benz Stadium, Aquarium, College Football Hall of Fame, World of Coke, MLK park. There are some restaurants but I don't go here much because it's pretty far from me. Probably a bit more homeless here than in other areas if that kind of thing bothers you. Oakland Cemetery is cool if you're looking for an outdoor place to walk around and there are a few rooftop bars across from it to use on a nice day.
  • Midtown: Georgia Tech, plurality of the good restaurants/bars in the city, museums, Piedmont Park, etc. This is probably where I would stay but it's 10 mins from the team hotel and you'd be more on your own than you would be in downtown. You'd have to figure out more stuff for yourself. Piedmont Park is the largest park in the city, great for walking and they may have holiday stuff going on. Also a few bars and restaurants on the outskirts of the park if you want to take a break for food/drink.
  • Buckhead: financial district about 20-30 mins north of Midtown/Downtown. Lots of high end shopping and nightlife. Too far IMO if you're just coming for more than the game but it's in play if you can get a cheap hotel and you just want to go to the game.
  • Decatur: cute little town centralized on a pedestrian mall. Lots of restaurants/art. Reminds me of Shadyside. Like it here but it's a solid 20-30 mins from the stadium. Very safe if you're worried about that thing in other areas.
Restaurants/Life:

Since we have so many good restaurants and bars, you have a lot of options! That's great but it can be intimidating. Don't be afraid to leave Downtown for a bite to eat. The rest of the city has so much to offer and much of it is just a short Uber away. I think rather than describe my favorite places I'll just list places that I've been to which are great and I can easily recommend. In no particular order:

Downtown/Inman Park:
  • Superica
  • Bar Mercado
  • Kevin Rathbun Steak
  • Barcelona Wine Bar
  • Hampton & Hudson
  • Bread & Butterfly
  • Beetlecat
Midtown:
  • Two Urban Licks
  • Nine Mile Station
  • Empire State South
  • Cypress Street Pint & Plate
  • Cooks & Soldiers
  • Marcel
  • JCT Kitchen
  • 5Church
Decatur:
  • Leon's Full Service
  • The Iberian Pig
  • Revival
Buckhead:
  • Bones
  • King & Duke
  • Gypsy Kitchen
Bars:
  • Georgia Beer Garden
  • Red Phone Booth
  • Joystick game bar
  • Victory Sandwich Bar
  • Ladybird
  • Venkman's
  • Publik Draft House (next to the Fox Theater)
  • Cypress Street
  • Ormsby's
  • Little Trouble
  • Moondog's (if you want to smoke inside)
  • Five Paces/Lost Dog/Big Sky (if you want to get weird with a 24 year old)
  • Johnny's Hideaway (if you want to get weird with a woman of a certain age)
  • Twain's

What I Would Do:

I'd stay in Downtown either for the proximity to the game and team events or Midtown for the better quality of life.

Definitely MARTA or Uber. Do not rent a car. Driving here is terrible.

If you just can't get enough football: College Football Hall of Fame.
If you have kids: Aquarium, Zoo, or Botanical Gardens.
If you want to see a non-football museum: Center for Human Rights or High Museum of Art
If you want to go on a bar crawl: walk the pedestrian only "Beltline," from Krog Street Market (about a 5 min Uber from Downtown) to Ponce City Market. It is the city's best greenway. Tons of amazing restaurants and bars along the whole length. Grab lunch at 9 Mile Station at the top of Ponce City Market (make a reservation).
If you want the best nightlife: Edgewood.

*******

Enjoy your time in Atlanta! Feel free to DM me if you want more specific advice and H2P.
is 6 flags feasible without a car, i.e. is it accessible with the MARTA?
 
@lilspainishflea One more question for you, albeit an odd one. Is there a barber shop/shaving parlor that you’d recommend in downtown or midtown? The Shave Barber Company looks intriguing, but they’re a little outside of the city.

I hope that this doesn't come off the wrong way. People have different kinds of hair/skin and in my experience, when going in blind and using a barber for the first time, black and Hispanic men prefer black and Hispanic barbers because of familiarity with their particular needs. White men's hair is typically just easier to deal with. I'm white and have had great experiences with both black and white barbers so I can go anywhere, but I know that some people feel differently.

I think for any race, Cutters Lounge in Edgewood is really good, particularly if you don't want to risk going to a guy that may not know the best way to style your hair.

If you're white or not worried about taking a risk with a white barber that may not have cut a lot of black hair, the Shave looks ok, and the Men's Parlor at IQ and Freedom Barber Co. are also good.
 
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Great post!

Bones in Buckhead is one of the best steak joints in the country. Right up there with Peter Lugar’s in Brooklyn. Very expensive but if you really love steak it’s worth the money.

I will add some more places to eat after I discuss it with my brother, who has lived in Atlanta for 40 years.

There used to be a great but little-known strip club right inside the northern section of the beltway. Sorority girls from Auburn used to drive down and work there on Friday and Saturday nights, then drive back on Sunday. Alas, it is gone.

Which one was that? When I lived in Sandy Springs they passed a local ordinance banning strip clubs. So there were 3-4 on Roswell Road that closed basically overnight. I never made it to them but they seemed well attended.
 
I hope that this doesn't come off the wrong way. People have different kinds of hair/skin and in my experience, when going in blind and using a barber for the first time, black and Hispanic men prefer black and Hispanic barbers because of familiarity with their particular needs. White men's hair is typically just easier to deal with. I'm white and have had great experiences with both black and white barbers so I can go anywhere, but I know that some people feel differently.

I think for any race, Cutters Lounge in Edgewood is really good, particularly if you don't want to risk going to a guy that may not know the best way to style your hair.

If you're white or not worried about taking a risk with a white barber that may not have cut a lot of black hair, the Shave looks ok, and the Men's Parlor at IQ and Freedom Barber Co. are also good.
I was actually going to just get a hot towel shave the day of the game, but I do appreciate your advice.
 
We're heading in from Raleigh but everything ive read says 'dont drive' including this thread.
I live outside of Raleigh, I was torn on flying or driving. Just booked flights and will park myself and family in downtown the whole time. Happy to hear there are some good things for kids.
 
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Which one was that? When I lived in Sandy Springs they passed a local ordinance banning strip clubs. So there were 3-4 on Roswell Road that closed basically overnight. I never made it to them but they seemed well attended.

I honestly don’t remember the name but it wasn’t in Sandy Springs. It was right off of the beltway going west toward Smyrna. It was adjacent to a strip mall (no pun intended). It wasn’t on Roswell Road. We are talking 20 years ago. I do remember the exit from the beltway, which was about 2 miles from the giant interchange at the NW corner. Back then my recollection is that each county had different regulations for clubs. At this one, if you got a lap dance in the main room, there was absolutely no touching. But, you could rent a room upstairs overlooking the dance floor for 20 minutes, and there the girls pretty much made their own rules.
 
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Flying to Atlanta for a haircut seems extreme but I guess if you can afford it that’s cool
 
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Conversations on here about looking for lap dances during a pandemic has to be the ultimate example of thinking with yer Uh… Dong?
 
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@lilspainishflea One more question for you, albeit an odd one. Is there a barber shop/shaving parlor that you’d recommend in downtown or midtown? The Shave Barber Company looks intriguing, but they’re a little outside of the city.

I’d recommend Bibby if you need a barber in Atlanta. Big time rappers like Paperboy go to his shop, but he will come to your house too.
 
Does CNN or the CDC have a gift shop? I might have to get a Don Lemon or Anderson Cooper jersey. A Dr. Fauci bobblehead over at the CDC team store would make a great gift. Do they have any "Straight Outta Wuhan" shirts left?

Where is the Stacey Abrams statue?
 
Any bar recs right downtown near the peachtree station? Looking for a good spot to pull up a chair and not be bothered by a big crowd but can have a nice drink early afternoon
 
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Any bar recs right downtown near the peachtree station? Looking for a good spot to pull up a chair and not be bothered by a big crowd but can have a nice drink early afternoon

Other than the games I don't go out there that much, so given the options my recommendation is definitely Park Bar.
 
is 6 flags feasible without a car, i.e. is it accessible with the MARTA?

Need a car for Six Flags.

Six Flags over Georgia has a lot of good rides and that park has so much potential. I've only been to two Six Flags Parks lately (Georgia & the one outside DC) and the customer service at both places was just awful. It was so bad, it was actually a detriment to the experience. And we love amusement parks.
 
Does CNN or the CDC have a gift shop? I might have to get a Don Lemon or Anderson Cooper jersey. A Dr. Fauci bobblehead over at the CDC team store would make a great gift. Do they have any "Straight Outta Wuhan" shirts left?

Where is the Stacey Abrams statue?

Clearance sale on the Chris Cuomo jerseys.
 
In case any of you had planned to stay for New Year’s Eve and fo to the “Peach Drop” midnight celebration at underground they just announced it’s been cancelled due to Atlanta being in the “red zone” (whatever that means) for COVID.
 
They are both excellent. Can't go wrong with a visit to either. Georgia has the Whale Sharks.

The aquarium in Chattanooga is really nice too, but not quite ate the level of Georgia or Baltimore.
Thanks for the tip. I haven't made it to the one in Chattanooga yet.
 
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