48 HOURS in MIDTOWN Atlanta
A
Weekend in Atlanta, GA by Cindy
High Museum Atlanta
FRIDAY:
Arrive at 3:45PM; get
settled, out by 4PM
4:15PM// Stop by TAP Gastropub to get a batch of
fried pickles and house drink. If its warm outside, this is great place to
people watch and let the Atlanta vibes sink in.
5PM// Make your way down Peachtree to the High Museum.
Savor the art presented on each floor, make fast friends with other creative
surveyors. This is a gorgeous place to take your first ATL selfie.
7PM// Head across the High Museum courtyard and eat a
proper meal at Table 1280. The salmon dish is awesome, perhaps with some
fries on the side, one of their signature drinks like the High kick mule, and the
bread pudding for dessert.
9:30PM// Go for a show at the Alliance Theater or Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra. If you want late night drinks afterwards you can walk
to Cafe Intermezzo or Tin Lizzys (for some late night snacking.)
(9:30PM Alternative)//
Check CLATL.com to see what’s going on tonight in Atlanta -- dive into the
culture of the city! If you want to stay in Midtown: Go down Crescent Ave
it’s full of clubs and bars (Opera Nightclub, Sutra Lounge, Cosmo
Lava Lounge, Ri Ra Irish Pub). OR if you want a more high-end crowd
go hang at The W Hotel and Loews Hotel (you may see a celebrity).
*SPECIAL OCCASION: For a Fancy Dinner in Midtown, walk to: STK, The Oceanaire, Empire State South (winner of Top Chef), Ecco, or Lure. For a nice upscale dinner that's not as expensive as those: Campagnolo, Table 1280, Tabla, The Lawrence, GRAIN, Princi Italia, or Community Smith (great food, bad service though).
SATURDAY:
8AM// Start off with breakfast from Cafe Intermezzo.
This place is mainly about the ambiance, it gives you Parisian vibes. Enjoy
their namesake coffee, "Cafe Intermezzo” and the breakfast of your
choosing. (South City Kitchen and Highland Bakery are other nearby alternative)
9:30AM// Now, let’s go on a stroll down Peachtree St.
As you hit the road again you'll pass the beautiful Federal Reserve, Margaret
Mitchell's house (Gone with the
Wind), lots of restaurants and shops that you can stop in (Scoutmob has great deals), finally
you'll pass the famous Fox Theater.
10:30AM// Call an Uber or Lyft to take you to the next
destination Georgia Aquarium. There's nothing like it in the North
America, some say the world. Venture through tunnels surrounded by nothing but
fish, see whales, and all the other mysteries of the ocean.
1:30PM// Grab some classic inexpensive American fare from Waffle
House or The Breakfast Club; both specialize in breakfast, but also
make lunch. Too greasy? Need more options? Head to the CNN Center Food Court,
Ted’s Montana Grill (a favorite of our beloved Ted Turner) or Legal
Sea Food.
3:30PM// Ready for round TWO? Choose 1 of the 4 in the area:
The World of Coke, The National Center for Civil and Human Rights,
The Football Hall of Fame, or simply SkyView Atlanta.
-OR- Hop on the new Atlanta Street Car and head down to the MLK
Center -- it’s a great place to visit. View Martin Luther King Jr.’s home, the
historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and more.
6PM –
until// Edgewood Ave. Whether
you’re leaving the World of Coke and jumping on the Streetcar -or- you’re
finishing up your tour of MLK’s home. It’s time to chill out again so hit up
Edgewood. Play some ping pong at Sister Louisa, vibe out at Sound
Table or Music Room, chill on the rooftop at Cafe Circa, or
feel like a 1950s, 1920s? gangsta at Edgewood Speakeasy. There’s always
something to do for various crowd types in this little neighborhood.
(6PM
Alternatives//)
- Krog Street Market
+ Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall - if you want to feel like you’re in
Nashville, you’ll like this area.
- Ponce City
Market and MJQ Concourse + EL Bar. At Ponce City market you’ll
experience our version of Manhattan's Chelsea Market. Mostly retail, specialty
shops, and restaurants. Then head across the street and down Ponce to MJQ, one of
Atlanta’s most well known, diverse, and authentically cool clubs… each night is
different though... so google/internet search before you go. El Bar is probably one of the coolest club in the city in that it's beautifully diverse, it's small, and they play great music.
- Buckhead (The Shops of Bulkhead,
Phipps Plaza, Lenox Mall, Irby Street) - See where the rich and loaded shop
by visiting The Shops of Buckhead, then bar hop with those same folks
(or their offspring, depending on the night) on Irby Street. There are
several bars including Stagecoach, Five Paces Inn, The Pool
Hall. If you want more upscale bars, you can do East Andrews
instead, Prohibition and Burn Social Club
- East Atlanta Village & Drive Thru Theater. (car needed) At East Atlanta Village is an old school turned new school area in Atlanta that's well, pretty dope. I rediscovered a few weeks back after attending and art show and I was amazed how cool the area now is. My suggestion would be to eat at either Argosy or AV Thai and Sushi, then bar / club hop around the area: . Hang outside a bit and people watch, there's a diverse group of hipsters that chill out here. After you've had enough, head on down Moreland to one of the country's only drive-in theaters, Starlight Drive-In Theater. That's right y'all, old school, sit in your car, Happy Days, Grease movie theater. There's no speakers to place in your car, you tune into a certain radio station depending on the screen. See the list of what's currently playing here. To forgo the traffic that builds up I suggest going to the latest show. Also, if you want, stop by the Kroger Grocery Store you'll pass on the way to get snacks, drinks, and "go potty", lol.
- Little 5 Point. Little Five is hard to describe, well it's not... hmm, maybe it is? I'll try... Off back most natives will say something to the effect of it's a "weird place" or it's "where the weirdos hang", lol. And yea, maybe it is, but to put more detail it's basically like this rocker, goth, afrocentric, vintage, skull and bones, old school, music, free-spirit, health conscious, creative haven type of place. It was the first truly culturally diverse cool place in Atlanta. One of a kind record shops, tattoo parlors, luxury sneaker boutiques, vintage shops, etc. It's a cool place to check out. I think it's a cool place to take pictures, especially in the record shops. I'd suggest walking around, checking out Rag-O-Rama for vintage threads, Criminal Records and Mood Music for old school record finds, henna tattoo from Monica at House of Henna, Arden's Garden for a juice, the bottom floor (underground) of Wish to see sneakers, Junkman's Daughter for a random array of unique items, then if you're hungry Vortex for a burger.
* If you start early you can easily combine Little 5 Points (LP5) + East Atlanta Village + Drive in Movie Theater, since all of it is off Moreland Ave. (Moreland Ave is very very long).
- Virginia Highlands. Located at the intersection of Virginia Ave and Highland Ave, VaHi is pretty much the party haven for upper middle class urban suburbia. VaHi is one of the few suburbs that's actually still in the city so their "downtown" area sort of reflects that. The crowd is generally parents getting buzzed after a long work week or young professionals hanging out. Murphy's, La Tavola, Tom Tom for restaurants. Paolo's Gelato for dessert. For bars: Dark Horse Tavern, Moes and Joes, Highland Tap, The Warren, and George's Bar are just a few.
SUNDAY:
8AM// Wake up sleepy head. Let’s do one more Atlanta
thing before you leave, you gotta get a Chick-fil-a biscuit (actually get that Saturday, it's closed on Sundays), Krispy
Kreme doughnut, or if you want something a bit healthier… walk down to The
Flying Biscuit, an original Atlanta restaurant and favorite to many (including myself). Get there early or you’ll
be waiting... the line wraps the building on most Sundays.
9:30AM// Stroll through some of Piedmont Park. If
you’re pressed for time your best bet is to walk back down Piedmont toward
13th. Enter the park at the 12th Street gate (across from the Bike and Skate
shop). Walk along the park path, but make a sharp left, you’ll see our big oval/field
to your right. Then exit left at the next set of gates, this will be 14th
Street. Walk up 14th Street enjoy the pretty buildings, then make a left on
Juniper, left on 13th, and then back to your Airbnb home to drive back home or
catch a taxi to the train or airport. See ya next time!
//Special Notes: Check times, dress codes,
and age limits for these places before going.//
