Atlanta

Atlanta is a vibrant city with a rich history and diverse culture, often referred to as the “Capital of the South”.

Atlanta is a vibrant city with a rich history and diverse culture, often referred to as the “Capital of the South”. It’s also large and sprawling and can be overwhelming to navigate if you aren’t familiar. We hope this guide encourages you to get out and explore some of the fantastic attractions and culture of the city, and helps you navigate the large range of options to find something that suits your interests!

More visitor information about the region, including dining and entertainment, can be found from Discover Atlanta.

Getting Around

Atlanta is car-centric in general, but there are lots of other ways to get around, especially within the downtown area.

Walking: There are several attractions within walking distance of the venue, as highlighted below.
Public transit: The MARTA train line is relatively fast and efficient to use during business hours and is accessible from the venue. However, coverage is somewhat limited, and trains do not run regularly and can be unreliable outside of business hours. MARTA busses have better coverage, but they also have to fight Atlanta traffic and can be very unreliable. All attractions/neighborhoods within a comfortable walk of MARTA are denoted with a superscript M.
Bikes and Scooters: There are many scooter and e-bike rental companies, although bike lanes can be scarce in some parts of the city, and drivers do not always pay attention to bikes or scooters. However, there are some great biking/walking paths, especially the Atlanta Beltline, which is a large walking/biking trail that partially encircles the city. If you can get to the Beltline, you can comfortably ride, scoot, skate, or walk to many attractions. All attractions/neighborhoods that are accessible by the Beltline are denoted with a superscript B.
Taxis and Ride Shares: As with all cities, Atlanta has a healthy population of ride share services, and occasionally you will also see a taxi. Ride shares can be expensive, but are a great way to get to/from any part of the city.

Near the venue:

In general, the downtown area of Atlanta is not the most vibrant part of town, but there are quite a few good things to do close by. This section highlights a few options within walking distance of the venue.

Centennial Olympic Park and Museums (The Georgia Aquarium, The Center for Civil and Human Rights, World of Coca-Cola, College Football Hall of Fame): A nice park with lots of well-known museums and attractions (website) (directions).
The Red Phone Booth: A speak-easy style bar with an upscale dress code and nice cocktails. Rumor has it that you can get the pass code from Amalfi’s Pizza upstairs (website) (directions).
The Tabernacle: A church-turned-venue that hosts many well-known musicians and comedians (website) (directions).
Park Bar: A park-side watering hole that often has a lively after-work crowd (website) (directions).

Neighborhoods of interest:

Atlanta is composed of a vibrant mix of neighborhoods that have very diverse styles. Regardless of what you are looking for, you can probably find something to suit your interests.

Buckhead^M: Full of top-ranked restaurants and high-end shopping. It’s a bit of a drive from downtown, but you can technically get there by MARTA, although it is a large and spread-out neighborhood so you may want to take a car to a specific location.
Midtown^M,B: A more residential version of downtown, with a wide range of bars and restaurants. Also, home to Piedmont Park, the “central park” of Atlanta.
Decatur^M: A well-known neighborhood with a quaint town square with lots of great dining options, easily accessible by MARTA.
Old Fourth Ward^B: Home of the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., and the center of activity for the Eastside beltline.
West End^M,B: A recently revitalized neighborhood with a collection of breweries and a food hall with lots of outdoor seating, and the center of activity for the Westside beltline.
Little Five Points: Atlanta’s original counter-culture district. If you’re looking for record stores and thrift shops this is the place to go.
East Atlanta: An eclectic neighborhood with a wide range of bars and restaurants, from heavy metal bars to hookah lounges, and lots of hipsters.
Edgewood: A late night district with a range of often-overflowing bars. The type of neighborhood where the street is occasionally closed off to film music videos.

Other Attractions and Activities:

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center: A free museum and historic district dedicated to celebrating the life and legacy of MLK (website) (directions).
Fox Theatre^M: A classic venue for music and broadway shows in Midtown (website) (directions).
Buford Highway Farmer’s Market: One of the most interesting grocery stores in America, with an amazing selection of food and produce from around the world. It is also surrounded by lots of great restaurants with a wide range of global cuisines, many of which are unpretentious and relatively inexpensive (website) (directions).
Sweetwater Park: A well-known park with hiking trails along Sweetwater Creek. About a 25-minute drive from downtown (website) (directions).
The Chattahoochee River: A river that almost runs through Atlanta and provides lots of hiking options about 20-30 minutes north (e.g. East/West Palisades Trails). There are various outfitters who will help you float or paddle the river (website) (directions).