Visiting Atlanta, Georgia

Outbound travel ideas and adventures

Latest visit: May 2018

Tips for visiting Atlanta:

Old Fourth Ward:

You must walk/run/bike the BeltLine (east side, see info about Beltline below). Enjoy the art and sculptures along the way and maybe stop for some food or drinks.
- From Ponce Market if you take a left you will end up at Piedmont Park; This park is huge and has a running track, sandy volleyball courts, tennis courts, huge dog parks and a few ponds.
- if you take a right, you will end up at Krog Street market which hosts many shops, restaurants and bars (see recommendations below)
You must also wander around Ponce City Market
- For some local goodies shop at Citizen supply or stop by Lilly Rain.
- For outdoor skating on a rooftop check out Skate the sky.
- For acai bowls, fresh juices and shots check out Lucky Lotus juice bar
- If you’re a honey fan, you’ll want to check out Savannah Bee company for a wide selection of honey products.
- If you like a beer garden with a view, I’d recommend 9 mile station.
- If you like carnival amusements, be sure to check out the Skyline Park, where you can win a teddy bear while sipping on cocktails and admiring the sunset.
- Check out the Atlanta Gallery Collective if you enjoy art.
- For a killer coffee with a baseball vibe, check out Spiller Park coffee.
- Try the Chicken Tikka salad from Botiwalla and the cheese & meat plate from Bellina Alimentari. Treat yourself at Honeysuckle gelato (probably one of the best gelato I’ve had outside Italy!).
Next door to the Ponce City Market, you will also find a coffee shop with a fabulous patio area called Dancing goat. You may also want to stop at City Winery for a good glass of wine and live music.
Want to treat yourself? Get a 10$ manicure (& polish) at Nails on Ponce.

Buckhead:

With its upscale neighborhoods and multimillion dollar mansions this is one of the most affluent communities in town, and home to some of the best art galleries, restaurants and nightlife. Check out The Shops Buckhead for some high-end shopping and Lennox Square for more options.
Food & drinks : Seven Lamps, The Southern Gentleman, King + Duke are among the places I want to try if ever I end up in that area again.
This place didn’t leave a great impression on me. It felt like rich American suburbia.

Outside Atlanta

Stone Mountain Park for a different type of walk/hike up a big rock.
If you find yourself in Norcross there isn’t much to do around there. Drive up to Roswell and stop at Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee for a delicious pour over and/or cappuccino. Crazy Love coffee house is another great coffee spot with a cute market with gift ideas. Feeling like you want to be outside? Check out the paved Roswell Riverwalk trail along the Chattahoochee (goes on for miles).
Hanging out around Peachtree airport? Head to Chamblee and check out the Southbound restaurant and Moonbird coffee shop above it! There’s also a Whole Foods around the corner.
Up for a nice hike? Drive north to the Sawnee Mountain Preserve and hike the Indian Seats trail. It’s a 4 mile loop in the forest with a good view of the Georgia mountains on a clear day. Find the rock with the 3 seats (naturally) carved into it.

Impressions of Atlanta:

(about Old Fourth Ward)

I’d only been to Atlanta for quick turns, overnight or to catch another flight. I never actually stayed for more than 24h and wasn’t too excited at the idea of staying here because it didn’t seem like an exciting city to me. Last-minute bookings forced us to look outside our Marriott/Hilton hotel selection and I decided to look into Airbnb. I researched cool/trendy areas to stay in Atlanta and read about the Old Fourth Ward area. I selected a charming studio at Ponce City Market and I am so happy about my decision! The apartment was fully furnished and beautifully designed and styled. The apartment complex includes a gym and is attached to the Ponce City Market which made restaurant options quite easy. It’s an amazing little getaway! (I’ve made it back here a few times and still love it as much as I did the first time I was here.)

The Ponce City Market, which is a 2,100,000-square-foot building, is one of the largest by volume in the Southeast United States. It was used by Sears, Roebuck and Co. from 1926–1987 and later by the City of Atlanta as “City Hall East”. When they renovated the building, they kept the style and added a little charm to make it a wonderful area to stay it. It now hosts a bunch of apartments, businesses, shops, an indoor market with amazing boutique type restaurants, shops, an art gallery, a gym, a rooftop ice rink, rooftop restaurant and small amusement park. Within short walking distance, you can also shop at Sephora, Lululemon, TJ Maxx or get groceries from Whole Foods and get a yoga class in at CorePower Yoga followed by some wine tasting and live music at City Winery. Have I sold you on the area yet?

Another wonderful feature about this area is the easy access to the East side of the Beltline. The Atlanta BeltLine is a planned loop of 22 miles of modern streetcars (an expansion of the Atlanta Streetcar), 33 miles of multi-use trails, and 2,000 acres of parks. It will open in phases through the anticipated completion in 2030. Along the way are fun sculptures from different artists, restaurants, shops, gym, breweries, etc. Needless to say, I ran here every day!

Check out the list of places I want to check out next time I’m around. I was pleasantly surprised by my stay in Atlanta and am really looking forward to another stay here!

Still on the list of places I want to check out :