Atlanta

[medpedspouse]

Going to be in Atlanta from Feb 15-17. Reading older posts, I've learned that it is a horrible place to drive. Since DH and I are only there a short time, could we just do taxis or walk? It looks like there are a lot of things to do downtown. Speaking of downtown, is that where we should book the hotel or is there another area that you would suggest?

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Visit the aquarium! And the coca cola factory! And the botanical gardens! And there is the high museum of museum right off of MARTA (their subway system)...public transportation isn't great but you'd probably be okay without a car as long as you don't mind walking...

[GrayMatterWife]

I live here. I cannot conceive of this city and its god-forsaken traffic without a car. And I hate cars. I live near Emiory University in a very walkable area--school, grocery, etc all close--so that I can stay off Atlanta freeways.

The public transportation is terrible compared to pretty many major cities. MARTA does not even run between Emory univ Hosp and the airport. Are you kidding me?!

I would not stay downtown if you want to be near all the trendy restaurants and good shopping. Stay in Buckhead. Depends what you are in town to do/see.

Don't miss the Aquarium, World of Coca Cola, CNN, and Buckhead shopping...

[niener]

I second Buckhead and the coca-cola factory. The aquarium is great too and is basically right next door to the coke factory, if I remember correctly. Transportation wise, one big reason traffic sucks so bad in Atl is because public transportation sucks worse, so pick your poison with that one.

[MsSassyBaskets]

I've only ever stayed in downtown, and it's been fine, but then I've rarely had enough time on my trips to go to "cool" places for food or shopping. I ride the MARTA from the airport to downtown, then walk to my hotel/meetings/dinners from there, and have taken taxis a couple times when I ventured out of downtown. It was all no trouble at all. I can see the Coca Cola museum and aquarium from the hotel I usually stay at on Centennial Olympic Park. Like GMW said, it depends on what you want to see & do. If the majority of that is downtown, you could stay downtown and take the MARTA and taxis.

[medpedspouse]

We are going there because there is a concert I want to go to and we have never been there . DH said that instead of going to a concert where we have been before, let's go to a new place. The concert is at the Tabernacle. Downtown right? Based on Google, it seems close to the Coca Cola museum and the Aquarium. This is why I was thinking about staying downtown. Although, Buckhead sounds like a place DH and I would like.

We do not mind renting a car but did not want to pay 20+ dollars for daily parking if we were not going to need it.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

Buckhead is really nice and trendy...but since you only have two days, I'd go with downtown so you can hit all the major attractions easily...otherwise you'll have to rent a car and/or use bad mass transit...

The belugas at the aquarium are my fav...though my fav whale Jasper died...