Access Atlanta > The Newcomer > Archives > 2008 > September > 10 > Entry
What to do downtown?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s interesting, sure, but do downtown visitors ever see more of Atlanta than the Hyatt lobby?
I’m downtown every day for work, but I don’t really play here. Every so often there’s a lunch on Broad Street or a trip to a museum with an out-of-town friend. I’m sure there’s a Braves game in the my future, somewhere.
When my best friend from college came to town last week for a conference, I so wanted to be helpful. But what did I have to offer? “The Zoo has a baby panda! But it’s not on exhibit yet.”
And that’s not even downtown. Ugh.
I could point out the obvious — World of Coke? That way. — but I had no recommendations for a good place to get a drink or find a moderately priced, more-than-edible meal.
Even when we ate out with a group of his conference folks, I was a little disappointed. They really loved the food, which is what counts, but as so many downtown, convention-drawing restaurants are, it felt like eating a stereotype of a Southern meal, followed with $12 hotel cocktails. One woman said it felt like eating at Disney World, one of Florida’s finest attractions. I think we ran into the usual convention-goers trouble of not being sure where to go or how to get there with a large group of people.
I’m closing in on six months here, so it’s not a problem I’ve negotiated often — but we’ve got a big airport and a lot of hotels, so I expect it’ll happen again. It’s not that you’d dislike what you saw in the tourist-heavy parts of city; it just doesn’t feel like Atlanta.
Here’s the official travel guide.
But I want to know where you go with downtown visitors, especially if they don’t want the Hard Rock version of Atlanta. What’s the best part about downtown?
And for heaven’s sake, be cheerful for once. Show a little love for your city.
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment | Categories: Fun stuff, Out at Night
Comments
By Lagert
September 10, 2008 8:27 AM | Link to this
You name it, we got it. It is just more convenient than the rest of town. Just find someone that lives downtown, they can show you how wonderful it is down here.
By xeroxchick
September 10, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
Visit “Rondo” near the courthouse. It is the original voodoo store. Buy some “Evil Away” room spray there. The old C& S bank building is beautiful and so is the Flatiron. Go see a show at the Tabernacle.
By Melissa Griffin
September 10, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
Atlanta has a downtown? I’m from Seattle. So, compared to that I never really notices. There are no movie theaters, no upscale shopping, no happy hour or adult spots to mingle with the beautiful sexy people. Everything is so spread out you need a taxi on stand by to take you each mile to your next location or there’s Marta which costs you each trip unless you have a pass. So, if you ask me Atlanta was just terrible planned.
By Darin
September 10, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this
I’ve never been in the position of showing off downtown to visitors, but I love going there myself on the weekends with the family. We live in Midtown and can take MARTA to Peachtree Center station. That station itself is worth showing off to visitors with it’s hollowed-out rock interior and incredibly long escalator tubes.
From there we can walk to Centennial Olympic Park to let our son play in the playground or the fountain.
For lunch there’s the food court at the CNN Omni center or the concession stand at the park. But the best lunch on Saturday (they’re closed on Sunday) is at Rueben’s on Broad Street. The sandwiches are great and the Broad Street scenery is really nice.
I also recommend MODA, the design museum in the bottom floor of the north Marriott Marquis tower. They have some very interesting exhibits there.
By Patrick
September 10, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
It certainly isn’t downtown Chicago or Manhattan, but there are fun things to do downtown.
-Atlanta Preservation Center Historic Walking Tour on Fri and Sat at lunch -Museum of Design Atlanta in Peachtree Center -King Center -Centennial Park -A drink on the veranda at the Ritz or the Ellis Hotel -CNN Tour -Aquarium
Eats: -STATS on Marietta -Thrive -Lunch at one of the spots on Broad Street -Ted’s Montana Grill -Loaf and Kettle (which moved to Ellis Street)
By Lunatic Fringe
September 10, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
What to do Downtown?
Let’s see, you can:
By MrHughes
September 10, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
Plenty to do downtown. I’ve been going to jazz journeys at the aqaurium. Every friday night through the end of this month the aquarium has a jazz artist play live in the atrium. All the exhibits are open and the music is phenomenal. They have light menu items like fruit, chicken tenders, quesedillas, pizza, and yogurt available for purchase. And, yes they have alcohol too. After I’ve been going to the park and watching folks play in the fountain until it closes at 11pm. Honestly, I’ve been surprised at the amount of folks I’ve been seeing downtown after hearing the also rans say “nothing to do” for so long. Plenty to do… In addition to everything else mentioned, you have the Childrens musuem right by the aquarium and world of coke; there’s also the museuem of patriotism going up by the aquarium. The CNN studio tour is very enjoyable as well. The Underground Atlanta tour is an unknown gem as well. It’s very informative for those who enjoy history.
By Catfish
September 10, 2008 10:12 AM | Link to this
Castleberry Hill downtown is a wonderful place. They have there art stroll the last friday of every month, annual loft tour, and annual Chilli Cook off. Elliot Street Pub is a great hang out with wonderful sandwhiches. Wasabi perfect loacl sushi, and if you need some Mexican Food try No Mas!.
By Becky
September 10, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
There are lots of things to do, you just also have to been very careful..The actual downtown part is pretty nasty & not enjoyable..Spend the day in Centennial Park..The CNN tour..World Of Coca Cola..
By Sean
September 10, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
The Tabernacle is one of the best venues for music in the country!
By RJONES
September 10, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
Dodging bullets, jumping bums sleeping on the sidewalk, find an empty bench in a city park, locate a locally born Atlantan, try to find a quiet spot with no rap playing.
By Jason
September 10, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
There are events happening Downtown but locals don’t tend to take it upon themselves to tell everyone else about them because of the trouble of convincing people who don’t live there that it isn’t the dangerous third world hell hole they’ve been told that it is.
This Friday evening for example there is a game of Capture the Flag being played in Centennial Hill. The attendees are mostly professionals in their twenties to forties. Have you heard about it? Probably not but it is taking place regardless. There are details at sunrepublic.org but community organizations like that don’t have money to spend on fancy advertising campaigns and for the most part, they’re happy dealing with the locals who are looking to have a good time instead of looking to have their pre-existing negative views of Downtown reinforced.
Downtown Atlanta doesn’t compare to the downtowns in places like Seattle or Vancouver but given the changes that have happened in just the past five years, it is clear that Downtown is headed in the right direction.
By Robocop
September 10, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
This place is the devil!
By Michael
September 10, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
Lunatic Fringe you are dead on. I’ve lived in the Atlanta area for over 35 years. Downtown was once nice and a decent place to go with many attractions. However, I haven’t felt safe there in over 20 years and absolutely refuse to go downtown without being armed. Further, I never want the sundown to catch me ITP. It is a great place to get killed.
By MARCEL MARCEAU
September 10, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this
,?..,”“?,!!!
By abc
September 10, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
Jazz in Atlanta is a joke, puh-leeze. It’s not even Jazz most of the time. Knoxville is a better Jazz town.
The obvious things like the Aquarium or Underground Ghetto are there. Take them to the symphony, or to the Alliance Theater (or even some of the local theaters if you’re into bad writing, questionable subject matter, mediocre acting — at least it’s a local flavor). Away from downtown, Atlanta History Ctr., Stone Mtn, Kennesaw Mtn, the Zoo, Marietta Square for some campy museums and antiques (avoid the restaurants on the Square! Ugh!). If into Civil War History, Pickett’s Mill and Allatoona Pass.
There ain’t no Ruby Falls or Rock City, but hey, you can’t have everything!
By Tenhigh
September 10, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
I love how people that do not live downtown feel the need to tell people, that it is dangerous and bad. Folks with the neagtive comments please tell me the last time a crime was committed against you downtown.
By BPJ
September 10, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
I was going to say that this question would bring out the lunatic fringe, but I never imagined that would be literally true.
Anyway, I work Downtown and find it quite interesting.Besides MODA, the Rialto, and the Tabernacle, there’s Theatrical Outfit, one of the city’s best theatres. Castleberry Hill has several excellent galleries - start with Marcia Wood Gallery. And, a mile north of the Aquarium is the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, 35 years old this year, and nationally recognized for its exhibitions and programs.
In addition to restaurants already mentioned (such as Thrive, Ted’s, and the Loaf & Kettle), there are high end places such as the City Grill, Maxim at Prime, and FAB (the former Brasserie Le Coze, which relocated from Lenox and is doing great business!). And there are less expensive places with individual personality, such as Rosa’s Pizza, Calypso Cafe (excellent Jamaican), Spoon (Thai), and Max Lager’s.
By Chris
September 10, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this
Get shot? Mugged? Raped? Attacked? Offered drugs? That’s about all there is to do thanks to the thugs that live down there and to the thugs who “run” this city. It is amazing how white towns like Orlando, Greenville, Chattanooga, etc don’t have these problems. Love that black leadership.
By BPJ
September 10, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this
abc must not know about Churchill Grounds, next to the Fox Theatre; it’s a first rate jazz club that features real jazz, not that watered-down stuff.
As for that crack about the Atlanta theatres, this is foolish. First, the Alliance is a “local theatre”, and it won a well-deserved Tony Award last year. Second, Atlanta’s theatre community is well-respected nationally. The national theatre organization TCG held its annual meeting here in 2006 (they don’t meet in places like Knoxville); they meet in cities with significant theatre scenes (Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia. I attended this conference, and it was clear that Atlanta’s theatres (its actors, directors, playwrights) are quite highly regarded by people in the know. Plays which premiere here are often restaged around the country. But you can’t tell some Atlanta-bashers anything.
By Reality
September 10, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
Best advice - For families and visitors, aside from a handful of family-friendly attractions AVOID DOWNTOWN!!
By sassyajc
September 10, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
you people are crazy. stop being afraid of downtown, and especially of black people. downtown is just as dangerous as anywhere else - in fact, i can bet you’ll hear about more crime OTP than ITP on any given night.
regardless, as many have said, there are amazing restaurants, parks, places to sit and read a book. you can get great exercise from just plugging in your iPod and walking a few blocks.
my top 3 favorite places in the city are: 1. the flatiron bar in east atlanta village 2. oakland cemetary 3. krog street tunnel
check these places out!!
By MrHughes
September 10, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Jazz in Atlanta is not a joke. By the way, I’ve run a jazz radio station, so I happen to know a bit about the subject. Is jazz as good as it is in New Orleans? No, but the Atlanta jazz scene suffers more from a lack of exposure. There’s very good jazz out there if one knows where to look or is willing to venture off the beaten path. I’ve seen 3 great local artists live in the last month. It’s sad to see the crime/racial arguments. I guess I’m not scared to leave my house… On the other hand, I’m scared of people that need a firearm to walk around in the wealthiest country in the world because they are scared of homeless people. One needs a firearm in a war zone, but not in the shadow of the Embassy Suites, Omni and W Hotels. One shouldn’t be scared of being murdered raped or mugged walking around a park where there are hundreds of other people. Lastly, I’m not bothered by people asking for money. When you go to the Atlanta Thrashers Casino night, Barnsley Gardens, or the 4 Seasons for a charity event and they pass around the “collection plate” people are asking. When dirty people ask for money it’s called begging. Money is money, and I don’t see much of a difference between asking and begging. Grow a backbone and learn to say no. It ain’t that hard people…
Landmark Dinner is a very good place for a late night meal… If Sidebar is still around off of Fairlee that’s a good place too. Does anyone know anything about Legal See Foods across from the aquarium? And, there’s a Johnny Rockets going up by there too! In the last 10 years there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of college students living downtown and the amount of young people you see out walking the streets has increased a lot. Clearly, they aren’t scared or in the need of firearms 24/7.
By david
September 10, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Michael you and the cool”ei” named lunatic fringe are losers and we don’t want you in our kick a$$ down town. stay OTP and enjoy your applebee’s and joe’s crab shack
By Scott
September 10, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this
Great places to take an out-of-towner in the city: GA Aquarium, Tabernacle and the Botanical Gardens. Places to eat? Way too many to list but Six Feet Under is great for southern/seafood and it’s right across the street from another cool historic place to visit… Oakland Cemetery. But whatever you do… STAY AWAY from the Underground area… the ghetto mentality of the people that hang around there have totally ruined the whole area and the panhandlers are obnoxious.
By abc
September 10, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
Churchill Grounds, don’t waste your time, what an awful club, and the players there most often are somewhat pedestrian, to put it nicely.
New Orleans is a Jazz town, now? I beg to differ. The days of bop in clubs on Royal, Magazine, or anywhere else on the East Bank are long gone, way before Katrina made it all a moot point. It was interesting there once upon a time, but that was then. (On the other hand, one never knows what may rise from the ruins!)
By MrHughes
September 10, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this
When I go to NOLA I’m strickly Preservation Hall.
Is jazz what it was? No, but to not call New Orleans a jazz town seems a bit much. Their Jazz fest is one of the best around? What in your mind constitutes a jazz town?
I’ve never been to Churchill… It seems like you are a purist. Hey, I never was a fan of Medeski, Martin, and Wood… but, snobbery and jazz are two things that should not go together in my opinion. Like I said… Former jazz director that respects the heck out of Fourplay and Kenny G (gasp). It’s about the music. Are on the level of the Coletrane, Miles, Ellington, or Armstrong? No! But, who around today is?
I hear they are putting a Waffle House by the GA state dorms… I’ve been meaning to check out MODA for a while. That’s next on my list. Very underappreciated…
Sidenote: What bothers me is that most is that most of the “there’s nothing to do in Atlanta” crowd look like they’ve been labotomized when you mention a treasure like the Swan House. I could take every out of town guest there. Same could be said for the aquarium. I like to see fish somewhere else besides my dinnerplate.
By Stewie
September 10, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this
There’s a good bit to do downtown, and it seems that more comes along each day.
As others have mentioned, you have Centennial Park with the aquarium, World of Coke (surprisingly fun), and the children’s museum. The park also hosts free weekly events.
Ask around to see if you can get in to do some shopping at the mart. Take the APC tour of downtown. Have a drink at the bar above the Sundial in the Peachtree Plaza.
Go to Tongo Hiti at Trader Vic’s. Take part in the Thursday night art stroll. Visit the High’s exhibition space at the GA Pacific building. See what’s happening at Endenu or Luckie at the NW corner of the aquarium.
Visit the Auburn Avenue market, the Castleberry Hills neighborhood, Cabbagetown, and Inman Park.
Once you’ve done all that, it’s easy to hop on Marta and ride up to Midtown or Buckhead to sample the offerings there.
By Downtown Worker
September 10, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
This is website devoted to downtown atlanta and it’s sights, sounds, nightlife, food, etc. www.atlantadowntown.com
They have maps with parking identified (with prices if you click on the map), all of the restaurants are listed (it’s interesting to note that 30 new restaurants have opened just in 2008), and maps to everything.
Downtown at night is fun, lots of people on the street, lots of music and nightlife and my favorite is the horse-drawn carriages around Peachtree Street after dark.
By abc
September 11, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this
Swan House is lovely, a very worthwhile tour, but I like old stuff in general. Atlanta History Museum is right there, too. A drive down Paces Ferry from I-75 on the way there is kind of a tour in itself, past the Governor’s mansion and all.
Now, I’m not saying that Jazz is all that I like. I’m saying that most of what gets billed and sold as Jazz these days isn’t. There’s nearly no Jazz in Atlanta. That doesn’t mean Atlanta sucks, it just means there’s not much for Jazz here.
(but, Kenny G sucks, no excuse for you there, man!)
New Orleans hasn’t had much more than Dixie for tourists in the quarter for the past 25 years, as far as Jazz goes. It’s the same as most American cities its size for what kinds of music get played — there was more rock than anything else when I lived there. NOLA calls it a Jazz Festival, but there’s little, if any, jazz that gets played at it.