Home to the 1996 Olympics and the only US city to be destroyed as an act of war (General Sherman burnt it to the ground during the Civil War). It actually might be the most perfectly placed city in the US as it’s just a 2 hour flight away to most major American cities. Some cities can be very underwhelming. And some cities can completely surprise you. Atlanta is the latter and you have a Broke-Traveler guarantee that it’s worth at least a weekend trip. The food and beer scene here is incredible! Unfortunately an unexpected snow storm affected our Atlanta itinerary when I visited a few winters ago and I didn’t get to check off too much on my bucket list but when life hands you lemons, you say fuck the lemons and make the most of it. Hopefully this Atlanta travel guide will help you make the most of your trip.
Where to Stay in Atlanta:
A buddy and I visited the city a couple of winters ago to see the Saints play the Falcons on Thursday Night Football. We stayed in an Airbnb in downtown, as it was just a few blocks away from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The location was convenient, as it was only a short walk to and from the stadium. However, if your trip isn’t centered around a Falcons game, I recommend staying in another one of Atlanta’s 200 neighborhoods such as Midtown or Little Five Points (A lot of Airbnbs to choose from) .
Transportation in Atlanta:
Most neighborhoods can be accessed by the Atlanta Belt, a 22-mile loop of trails, street car, and parks that will connect 45 neighborhoods (To be finished by 2030). For neighborhoods that can’t be accessed by the Belt yet, you can still take the MARTA ($2.50 for one-way trips by bus or train).
What to Do in Atlanta:
Eat & drink while exploring neighborhoods like Midtown (just north of downtown Atlanta), Buckhead (buzzing social scene that’s home to some of the city’s trendiest boutiques, restaurants, and bars) Old Fourth Ward (Home to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), Little Five Points (dive bars, home to one of the top 10 rated beer bars in the world – The Porter Beer Bar, Vegan eats, vintage shops) and Inman Park. These are some of the non eating and drinking things I didn’t get to check off the list:
- Centennial Olympic Park (Hosted the ’96 Olympics)
- Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame ($25)
- World of Coca-Cola Museum ($14)
- Chattahoochee River Hiking Trails
- Piedmont Park (Modeled after NYC’s Central Park)
- Stone Mountain (30 minute drive from Atlanta)
- Dekalb Farmers Market
- Street art in Krog Street Tunnel
- Crescent Avenue in Midtown for nightlife
- Jackson Street Bridge to catch a perfect picture of the Atlanta skyline
- Live intimate music shows at Grocery on Home
What to Eat & Drink in Atlanta:
Comfort food!!!!
On the walk to the stadium we randomly stopped at Park Bar to grab a beer. Great atmosphere for pregaming as it’s filled with TVs, an extensive craft beer selection (try the Scofflaw Basement IPA), and delicious food. If there are two things you must do while in Atlanta, it’s dine at Poor Calvin’s and Takorea, which are both are located in Midtown. Poor Calvin’s is a modern Asian-fusion restaurant. I ordered the Lobster Wontons, Fried Chicken, & Lobster Macaroni & Cheese. Possibly one of the best meals of my life. Takorea mixes Mexican & Korean street eats. We went here for dinner and it was the cheapest and most bang for your buck meal we had in Atlanta. I got the Korean Fried Rice with Beef, which I still think about from time to time. Midtown is also a great area to bar hop. If you’re a fan of an old fashioned, I highly recommend the Blackberry Sage Old Fashioned from White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails. These are the other places I was planning to try but couldn’t because of the winter storm :/
- Foxbrothers Bbq (Word on the street is it’s the best BBQ in Atlanta)
- Holeman & Finch – They only make 24 of their acclaimed burgers for lunch, brunch, and dinner
- Fat Matt’s Rib Shack
- Atlanta Breakfast Club – Chicken & waffles; peach cobbler French toast
- Mix’D Up Burgers – Cajun burger topped with sautéed crawfish
- The Philly or the Cheeseburger at Fred’s in Krog Street Market
- “Ghetto Burger” at Ann’s Snack Shack
- Ponce City Market Food Hall
- Monday Night Brewing
- Halfway Crooks Beer
- The legendary Belgian Room in the Brick Store Pub
- Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party (Books EVERYWHERE)
Tips for Visiting Atlanta:
- If a place has Peachtree in the address, absolutely triple verify whether it is Peachtree, East Peachtree, West Peachtree, Street, Road, Circle, Highway, Trail, NW, SW, NE, SE, etc. Google maps is guaranteed to pick the wrong one every single time. There are over 55 streets with the name Peachtree!
- Locals use the abbreviations ITP and OTP to distinguish whether they live in the suburbs (Outside the perimeter) or in the city (Inside the perimeter), perimeter being the boundary of I-285, which circles the city.
