In Atlanta this weekend for a conference - recommendations?
3How is public transit for getting around?
Recommendations on food and things to do or see?
I’ll be in the Georgia World Conference Center for my conference and have time Friday and next Tuesday to do a couple short things. This is where it is: https://goo.gl/maps/j7pGeZ94j9E2
- 8 comments, 26 replies
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That’s Awesome!
I’ve spent most of life in Atlanta, and I love it. Here are some places I would recommend you visit:
Eat at the Varsity, It is an awesome iconic fast food restaurant near the Georgia Tech Campus in midtown. (https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Varsity/@33.7715946,-84.3893032,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xe2fa0e6431e3fdb8!8m2!3d33.7715946!4d-84.3893032)
Visit Centennial Olympic Park, As you can imagine from the name, the park is one of the iconic relics of 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. It hosts concerts and has tons of awesome fountains and statues. (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Centennial+Olympic+Park/@33.7603474,-84.3935072,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x5353cbfc3e0d2d5b!8m2!3d33.7603474!4d-84.3935072)
Visit the World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta is home to one of the most known brands on earth, Coca-Cola. Also wouldn’t recommend asking for Pepsi in Atlanta. (https://www.google.com/maps/place/World+of+Coca-Cola/@33.7628342,-84.3927535,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x4401b29a011fa7c9!8m2!3d33.7628342!4d-84.3927535).
Visit the Ponce City Market, It’s basically a shopping, office, and entertainment complex built inside an old sears factory in Midtown. If you go the rooftop, you can enjoy some the best views of the city and carnival rides. (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ponce+City+Market,+675+Ponce+De+Leon+Ave+NE,+Atlanta,+GA+30308/@33.7722636,-84.3683783,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x88f50410912c7be9:0x275114353ab5ce34!8m2!3d33.7722636!4d-84.3661896?sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwic8aSqxsnRAhWX0YMKHY66A-0Q8gEIbjAO)
These are just a handful of some awesome places to visit and things to do in Atlanta. Regardless of what you do, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself.
@Deshaun Excellent, thanks for the ideas! I haven’t looked at all the maps yet, but I hope some are close enough to visit from where I’m staying.
Any input on how public transit is if you ever used it?
@Deshaun I have to also go to Atlanta for a conference in early March. I am staying at the Hilton Atlanta. We only get one night out for a dinner. Anything close nearby you would suggest?
@Deshaun
Hehehe.
So, we haven’t been formally introduced.
My name is @PlacidPenguin, and I have numerous lists.
One of them is a list of Mediocre employees current and former. Of course, I’m assuming that most of the employee associated with A Mediocre Company don’t come out and play for a variety of reasons.
I see you’re the User Experience Designer. I look forward to seeing stuff.
With that being said, welcome to the most mediocre company ever.
I hope you come play with us whenever possible. Most people here don’t bite.
I highly recommend Argosy. http://argosy-east.com/
Best burger and collard greens I’ve had in my life, and one of the best beer selections in Atlanta. It’s also located in East Village which is a cool place to walk around in.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is also one of my favorite in the country.
If you had a rental car you could also head a little south to check out all the Walking Dead filming locations.
I would rent a car MARTA doesn’t do weekends well.
@cranky1950 the weekend is the busiest conference time, so I’d only be able to get out Friday during the day and Tuesday morning. Would it be good enough during those times?
@cranky1950
Haven’t been to Atlanta in a long time. Is Atlanta Underground still there and still a thing? I heard it got dangerous or something.
@f00l It’s not really open. They’re in the process of selling it for redevelopment.
@luvche21 It’s not really user friendly. You have to know. There are a number of sites explaining MARTA google them and read them. Yeah it goes everywhere. but maybe nowhere near where you want when you want. I’d hate to tell a newbie “yeah ride it it’s great”, because bad experiences happen and you have to know where when and what to avoid to avoid. I drive everywhere except to the airport. I only ride the train from and to north springs station.
@luvche21 I’ve never had a problem with MARTA. In fact I took it up to the conference center last October for the Walking Dead convention in order to save on parking. We take it to Braves games and to Centennial Park. Granted I still have to drive about 45 minutes just to get to the closest MARTA station but its still pretty convenient. If you’re not sure if there is a stop, or which one, call the location and ask. They’ll tell you to take bus or train and where to get off. I agree if you have time, go to the aquarium and the Varsity. You can walk to the aquarium the conference center. Centennial Park is cool. I know they used to have ice skating there but not sure if they still do it. I know Park Tavern has an outdoor rink but I’m not sure where you’re from so ice skating might not be anything special. The CNN center should be real close…not sure where you are staying. If you are a Walking Dead fan, as mentioned above, there are locations all over, bunches in Atlanta and even a bus tour that will take to them as well as the ones Southside. The name is Atlanta Movie Tours and they have several tours not just TWD. If you want to see some of the ones in ATL but don’t want to take the tour, you can use this website: http://www.twdlocations.com/
Hope you enjoy Atlanta andif I think of something else or hear of anything fun going on, I’ll let you know.
@luvche21 I forgot you are also within walking distance of the SkyView Ferris Wheel. There a deal for it from Groupon below if you’re interested.
Romance Package, Date Night for Two, or Admission for Four to SkyView Ferris Wheel (Up to 38 Percent Off) https://www.groupon.com/deals/skyview-atlanta
@mehbee Thanks for all the info!
I’ll be staying at the Omni at the CNN center (in the same building?), so I’m super close to that, and less then a 10 minute walk from the aquarium. Is the CNN center worth visiting?
Any recommended restaurants around the conference center?
I’ve never watched TWD, maybe I should binge watch before I leave tomorrow…
@cranky1950 @mehbee I ended up getting a MARTA pass and succeeded! Two trains and a bus to get to one place (and back), then two trains back to the airport. I felt like a public transit ninja making it all the way haha.
@luvche21 Yay!! I’m so proud! Did you get to see any sights? I’ve taken those two trains myself many times, only I normally get off at the Lakewood station…one before the airport.
Marta is great if it does where you are going. Otherwise not so much.
@mehbee not much - I went to a Bulgarian market up north, and saw the Olympic park (which was closed most of the time I was there). I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to go around. Fun though!
@craigthom It did go where I was going, but took 2 trains and a bus, then got me within a few blocks. Took forever though.
Go to the big fish tank downtown. Cool stuff.
Drive as little as possible. Traffic.
@RedOak My company years ago rented that out for a dinner event. It was cool.
@mfladd didn’t realize they did that. Would be amazing.
A company I used to work for rented various parks at Disney World over a period of a week. That was pretty cool too.
@RedOak Yes the aquarium is pretty nice. Monterey is nicer, but this one is up there.
@Kidsandliz and it’s on the way for the common spring road trip from the midwest to Florida.
Recommendation: get out while you still can.
j/k Atlanta is great; I spent hours there over the summer just sitting on the tarmac, waiting, when Delta’s entire computer system crashed. It was a par-tayyyyy!
I’ve been living here for almost 8 months now, but I am just as lost as you are! Sorry I can’t share any good information!
@ELUNO How do you tell people not to drive between 7:30 am and 7:30pm. No one will believe you.
@cranky1950
Are Uber/Lyft/Taxis functional for visitors or is the traffic that bad?
@f00l It depends on if you’re going to places people want to be or not. Experienced drivers get you around the traffic. From 7 till 9am and 4 till 7pm the place is gridlocked. During the off hours the traffic just sucks but there are ways around it, so taxis will get you there. So yeah taxis work if the inspiration to go hits you at the right time.
@cranky1950 I still haven’t convinced myself yet about it…
@ELUNO My wife was in town last week, so Fri nite we decided to go to a Ted’s. The closest one is in Avalon. Once you make the mistake of driving into Avalon you’re trapped and can’t get out. We gave up on that and eventually did manage to get out and we found a Cuban restaurant in Norcorss.
@cranky1950 Well if they are from DC, Boston, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Houston, etc. they aren’t going to believe you as people from those cities will all believe their traffic is worse…
@Kidsandliz We don’t have traffic we have long fluid parking lots.
I’ve never been but the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reports having flights, busses, and cars out of Atlanta. You may find this information useful two hours into your Atlanta stay.
I haven’t lived in Atlanta in ages, but I visit relatives there fairly regularly.
If time is limited, I wouldn’t try to do everything. You can do the Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the CNN Tour, and the College Football Hall of Fame without going anywhere, and they sell combo tickets. You can also visit the Olympic fountain and look for the brick with my name on it.
There’s a lot of stuff to do around Atlanta, but it’s a big area, and I’d hate you to spend all your time in transit. If you stick with places near Marta stations you can cut down on travel time.
The Varsity was recommended above, and, while I love the place, I’m not as eager to recommend it. While the fried pies and onion rings are outstanding, the reason we love the rest of the food is nostalgia. The history is great, and the building is great, and the special language is great, but the food is Varsity food, which is fantastic if you grew up with it, but not so much if you didn’t.
(My freshman dorm was directly across from the Varsity, and I spent many a late night there, back when they had separate lines and conveyor belts and you could order a can of beer off the secret menu. I love the place and visit every time I’m in Atlanta. I just don’t want visitors to get the idea that the food is great (except for the rings and pies, which are. No, the F.O. is about nostalgia; it’s not that great).)