Live Like a Local

Recommendations from Atlanta Locals (or former Locals) on where to eat, what to see and what to do while you are visiting.

Getting Around:

Someone who knows Atlanta will not usually think of downtown - where the conference hotel is located - when they think of good places to eat, or locations to visit. You're better off going elsewhere, and that probably means using MARTA, the Atlanta subway system. Happily, the neighborhoods with some of the best, walkable options are within 15 minutes of downtown by MARTA. The two MARTA-accessible areas to focus on are Decatur and Midtown. The nearest MARTA stop to the hotel is Peachtree Center. A few stops north and you'll be in Midtown. If you go one stop South (Five Points station) you'll be able to switch to a train running eastward to Decatur, 6 stops away.

If you're really committed to seeing the best Atlanta has to offer, however, it's probably fair to say that a step up in the transportation budget is called for. A $15-$20 cab ride can get you out to NW Atlanta, which has become a haven for foodies and mixologists in recent years, as well as a preferred spot for boutique shops, galleries, etc. A similar distance north on Peachtree will also bring you to some of Atlanta's best restaurants and museums. Instead of a cab, you might also make friends with a local (see below) and bribe their transportation services with a dinner date.

Atlanta's downtown and midtown districts have good Zipcar coverage, if you have a membership (or are willing to start one).

Downtown

How to get here: if you're at the conference hotel, you're already there!

Bars:

Very close to the hotel is Meehan's which is an Irish pub.

Taco Mac is a sports bar with just okay food, but more importantly...over 100 beers on tap and in the bottle.  They have several locations throughout the metro area, but this is the one downtown: Philips Arena, 100 Techwood Drive and the one in Midtown (2 MARTA stops away to Midtown stop): 933 Peachtree St NE.

Restaurants:

Lunacy Black Market is a (new) American style restaurant about .3 miles from the Five Points Marta station, I haven't been yet but it's been highly recommended. It doesn't look like they can accommodate large groups though.

Metro Cafe Diner is a 24 hour diner with a book sized menu serving a little bit of everything.  It's not a fancy place, but prices are reasonable and great for a quick affordable meal within walking distance of the hotel.  Of course, normal downtown safety guidelines apply (walk with a group and be vigilant) if you want to go here (or anywhere) after dark.  Located in the Peachtree Center Mall, but with its own streetside entrance on International Boulevard. 

Agatha's, also located in the Peachtree Center Mall complex,  is a mystery dinner theater that has been around for decades.  Expect good comic entertainment along with a good meal, and all within a block of the convention hotel.  Ticket prices are around $62 to $65, but keep in mind that covers both dinner and the show.  Be sure to make reservations in advance!

Tourist Attractions:

The world's largest aquarium with more than 8.5-million-US-gallon (32,000 m³) of marine and fresh water housing more than 120,000 animals of 500 different species including four young whale sharks, four beluga whales, eleven Bottlenose dolphins, three Great hammerhead sharks, and four manta rays. Is about a half mile walk from the Dome-GWCC-Philips Arena-CNN Marta station.

Across from the aquarium is the World of Coca-Cola which at times feels like a giant advertisement, but is packed with pop-cultural artifacts ranging from the original equipment used to invent Coca-Cola, to letters from American soldiers, to paintings by Andy Worhol and Norman Rockwell. You can walk through a fully functional bottling plant and taste Coca-Cola products from all over the world in the tasting room.

Decatur

How to get here: from the Five Points MARTA stop, take an eastbound train to Decatur, which is six stops away. 

Bars:

"My personal favorite though is Brick Store Pub, it's right next to the Decatur Marta train station and has a tremendous selection of Belgian beers. Their food is good too, but The Iberian Pig is also right across the Decatur Square for excellent Spanish tapas (they also have a nice bar)" (Stuart Freeman)

Midtown

How to get here: take a northbound train just a couple stops to 'North Avenue' or 'Midtown'

Bars:

Publik is a tiny spot just east of the North Avenue MARTA stop on Peachtree.  Wonderful selection of brews and unique cocktails, just don't go before or after a show at the Fox Theatre because it will be packed.

Restaurants:

Empire State South is a little tricky to find, but well worth it.  It's a casual environment with authentic southern dishes, creative cocktails, and a bocce ball court out back.

Local Three focuses on fresh ingredients and supporting local farmers and businesses.  They change their menu seasonally and the flavor combinations melt together in your mouth.

The Varsity is an Atlantan institution and credits itself as the world's largest drive-in. The Midtown location is on more than two acres and can accommodate 600 cars and over 800 people inside. The food is your standard 1950's hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and fried pies.  Maybe worth seeing from the outside, but buyer beware: you must have a tough stomach to handle this food!  It's located just West of the North Avenue Station.

Ribs & Blues is located on the edge of the Georgia Tech campus in Tech Square, specifically on 5th Street between Williams St. and Spring St.  They serve wonderful moist ribs with their own secret sauce, plus regular BBQ fare like pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ chicken, etc.  The Brunswick Stew is exceedingly good as a side as are the "rum" baked beans.  About four blocks from the North Avenue MARTA station, but there are also metered spaces along 5th Street and pay parking available in the Georgia Tech Hotel deck.

Culture & Entertainment:

The High Museum - Several permanent art galleries plus three new exhibits opening just before the conference.  Located at 1280 Peachtree Street, near 16h Street - take MARTA to the Arts Center (N5) station and follow the signs across the street to the Museum.

The Fox Theater - Jersey Boys will be playing on Saturday, June 9th and Sunday, June 10th, just before the conference begins.  Showtime is 2 PM & 8 PM Saturday, 1 PM Sunday, tickets $33 - $73.  Located on Peachtree Street near Ponce De Leon Ave.  Take MARTA to the North Avenue station and exit out to Ponce, then go east to Peachtree and look north for the big FOX sign.

The Center for Puppetry Arts - Puppets aren't just for kids!  Be sure to visit both the original puppetry museum featuring puppets from around the world, and the extensive exhibit of Jim Henson history and memorabilia, including many original Henson muppets on display.  On stage during the week of the conference will be The Little Pirate Mermaid, featuring marionettes, rod and shadow puppets.  Located at Spring Street and 18th Street.  Take MARTA to the Arts Center Station and walk north on West Peachtree to 18th, and then two blocks west on 18th Street.  Also, plenty of free parking behind the center if you want to drive there.

Virginia Highlands

How to get here: $20 cab ride from downtown, or a $10 cab ride from Midtown.  You can also take a bus directly there from $2.50, #16, Noble-Executive Park.  Please see MARTA for more details.

Details: One of Atlanta's most popular neighborhoods for shopping, dining and nightlife.  The Highlands, as it is more commonly referred to, is a pretty casual neighborhood with a plethora of dining options to choose from, some of my favorites are outlined below.  There are also local boutique shops in between the restaurants.

Restaurants:

Atkin's Park Tavern - Atlanta's Oldest Restaurant and Bar.  Great, simple food; very local spot for drinks, but a bit smokey when it's packed.

Blind Willie's - Blue's Club.  If you like listening to the blues, this is the spot for you.  Small admission fee and a live band.

DBA BBQ - BBQ restaurant with a southern flair.  This is less than .5 mile from the intersection of Virginia and Highland.  Get the creamed corn!!

Fontaine's Oyster House -Love their baked oysters and lobster bisque

George's Bar - Voted Atlanta's best burgers

Goin' Costal - Seafood and fish flown in daily; dinner menu set on what is fresh for the day.

Highland Tap - Steakhouse.  Martinis are served in your own carafe.

La Tavola Trattoria - Fine dining Italian, best lasagne I've ever had.  Mondays you get an entree (from a select list) and glass of wine for $15.  Make reservations.

Murphy's - New American Bistro and Wine Bar.  This is a great spot for brunch, but packed!  In addition to the restaurant, there is a wine shop attached so if you like the wine you tried at dinner, you can take a bottle home with you for retail price.

Noche - Spanish Tapas, fun environment, daily specials.

Surin of Thailand - Voted best Thai food in Atlanta

Other Neighborhoods

Bars:

"A bit farther away from the hotel (~2.5 mi) reachable by bus or a slight hike (~1 mi) from the Marta train is Manuel's Tavern, which is more traditional American, and something of an Atlanta institution." (Stuart Freeman)

Restaurants:

"Fox Brothers BBQ is the place to go, it's about .3 miles from the nearest Marta station (Inman Park) though, and not the nicest part of town, so I'd recommend finding a ride if possible." (Stuart Freeman)

Rosebud is a neighborhood restaurant located in Morningside, just outside of Virginia-Highlands, features a menu of local and regional ingredients with a twist on southern dining.

Mary Mac's Tea Room is a classic southern style restaurant that has been around for 67 years.  The baked chicken and dressing is heavenly, but there are plenty of others to choose from, and all entrees come with two sides and bread.  The only catch is that you'll need a car (or someone to drive you) as it's a little over a mile from the hotel, but well worth the trip.  Prices are moderate, in the range of $16 - $20 for a basic meal, with drink, tax and tip).  There's also free parking in the back - at least until it fills up, which can happen around dinner time.

Baseball:

The Braves have the following home games scheduled during the conference and pre/post session days:

• 6/10 vs. Blue Jays
• 6/11 vs. Yankees
• 6/12 vs. Yankees
• 6/13 vs. Yankees
• 6/15 vs. Orioles
• 6/16 vs. Orioles

There's a free shuttle service from Marta to get to and from the stadium. "The Braves Shuttle will depart from the Underground Atlanta/Steve Polk Plaza beginning 90 minutes before each game and will run every 15 minutes throughout the game until one hour after the final out. The shuttle will return to the Underground Atlanta/Steve Polk Plaza up to the seventh inning.  After the seventh inning, the shuttle will return riders to the Forsyth St. entrance of the Five Points MARTA Station.  The shuttle is free when you transfer from any MARTA Bus or rail station with a valid Breeze Card."

Trips Ideas Before or After the Conference

Hiking:

Amicalola Falls near Dawsonville is the place for hiking and waterfalls.  Amicalola is a 729 foot falls, the tallest in the southeast.  There's a beautiful lodge at the top of the mountain right next to the falls, with access to many hiking trails of various difficulties, including the approach to the Appalachian Trail.  While the nearest town is about fifteen miles away, that gives you a sense of how back-to-nature you will be, and the Lodge does have an all-you-care-to-eat restaurant that serves three meals a day.

Nearby destinations for additional exploration include downtown Dawsonville, Dahlonega, and Ellijay, the farthest of which is 20 miles from the lodge.  For the really adventuresome, you can spend a night at the Hike Inn on the Amicalola park property, which you reach via a five mile hike through the woods.  This is a really refreshing back-to-nature experience where you stay in a little rustic camp with a bunkhouse, bathhouse, kitchen, and activity center.  There's power, running water, and indoor composting toilets, but it's still quite different from any hotel or motel.

(Note: make reservations early, particularly if you want to go to the Hike Inn, as spaces can fill up fast in the summer.)

Sight Seeing:

In Savannah, Georgia, History, architecture, food, festivities, nature all come together, offering a little something for everyone.  Spend a day just walking around the historic district and taking in the sites, eventually making your down the the riverfront area and it's array of shops and restaurants.  There are several historic homes that you can tour, horse-and-buggy rides, bus tours, ghost tours, etc.  Lots of local restaurants, including Paula Deen's famous Lady and Sons (no reservations accepted, just day-of table requests taken at the door, so be sure to stop by there and put in your request before you set off to see the rest of the city.)  Off the beaten path are the Oatland Island Wildlife Center, Fort Pulaski, and a whole host of activities on Tybee Island, including a small marine life museum and a lighthouse that you can tour.  Closer inland, check out Puppet People in Thunderbolt, who might be putting on their unique all-ages show about the history of Savannah (check their schedule at www.puppetpeople.com for more information.)

Locals

Stuart "Stu" Freeman, Georgia Tech

• Atlanta Local Since: 1982
• My Favorite Atlanta Neighborhood: NW Atlanta (Underwood Hills, Blandtown, Howell Station)

Clay "Clay" Fenlason, Georgia Tech