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Atlanta! Any advice

sunfast

sunfast

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 14, 2005
2,135
53
Hi Guys

I'm going to Atlanta with work and I have the weekend free before flying home. I've never even been to the US before, let alone Atlanta, so what's some good stuff to do? What's the city like?

Already booked tickets to see a basketball game, very excited :)
 
First off, dont judge the rest of the states on Atlanta. I have been all over the USA and Atlanta is hands down my least favorite city in the whole country.

It likes to call itself the "New York City of the south" but it is so far away from being even close that the slogan is a joke.

The racial tension is horrible causing an uneasy feeling wherever you go.

Youll be fine but I just wanted to point this out.

My advice is to get your work done then travel somewhere else to a better city.

NYC is a good place to start.
Washington DC has alot to see.
Nashville is quaint.
Baltimore has good seafood.
New Orleans could use the tourists.
 
twoodcc said:
well i wouldn't go that far! just b/c of the traffic! but i do live here, so "I must protect this house!" :p
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Traffic in Atlanta? I didn't notice. :p :eek:

I still haven't seen a reason to stop there, except when I was driving home from the Christmas holiday and couldn't go any further. The t.v. news was a bit shocking.

Is Six Flags over Georgia there? I can't really think of anything else.
 
bousozoku said:
Traffic in Atlanta? I didn't notice. :p :eek:

I still haven't seen a reason to stop there, except when I was driving home from the Christmas holiday and couldn't go any further. The t.v. news was a bit shocking.

Is Six Flags over Georgia there? I can't really think of anything else.
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yeah you have Six Flags over Georgia, but i'm not sure if it's open right now.
 
I went to Atlanta last tear... I am half Hispanic and White but i look hispanic... I was there my 3rd day and random guy told me that us ****** mexicans are taking up the whole south and making whites the minority... So i replied to the racist man excuse me but I am just trying to get back to my hotel and he just looked at me...now if i was not a passivist i would of hit him in the face for that..the moral of the story though is that even though that was only one person..saying something that extreme only comes from a racist environment...and its very displeasing...and maybe i dont want to spoil your experience..but if you can go somewhere else.. houston is wonderful as is new orleans as suggested above earlier...and chicago.. NYC... just telling you about my experience though...
 
Thanks for all the replies guys!

I like doing all the usual stuff really, I'm pretty ordinary in that way.

I'm more looking for good things to do because of the place - interesting things to see, cool places to hang out, good bars to drink in that sort of thing. Having never even been to the US before I'm just quite interested and keen to soak up a bit of the atmosphere. Does that make any sense?
 
What to visit:
The CNN headquarters is a must-see in Atlanta. You might also want to try the Pink Pony (very famous). Otherwise, there is not much to see in Atlanta. If I were you I would go to Six-Flags, but I doubt it will be open at this time of the year.

Oh, I almost forgot. I really urge you to visit the micro-brewery Sweetwater. The beer is amazing and the people there are very friendly. I think they recently relocated in midtown, which makes it easy to access.

Shopping:
You can go shopping at Lenox Mall. They even have an Apple Store there.

Food/bars:
You can go to pubs/restaurants in Virginia Highlands. In midtown, I like Cheesecake Factory (a good chain of restaurants. The fillet mignon is excellent).

Since you have never been to the US before, I would also recommend that you try Panera Bread. It is American fast-food at its best. The Asian Sesame Salad is amazing, so are most sandwiches.
 
Two words : Virginia Highlands. Great up and coming area... good restaurants and bars, not too touristy. Just East of Downtown via a quick cab ride.

Buckhead is too touristy IMHO.
 
Buckhead is great for the clubs/nightlife scene if you're into that.

The varsity is greasy, but they have some good food (if you don't eat there more than about once every 6 months.)

For shopping, theres Lenox mall, Phipps plaza and Atlantic station.

As far as other attractions, there's the CNN center, the World of Coke, the new Georgia Aquarium (never been, but really want to go) as well as the Atlanta Zoo.

If the Thrashers (hockey) are in town, you could check out a game there, too (the Hawks-basketball- are horrible :eek: )
 
Whatever you do, AVOID The Varsity. The ONLY reason to ever eat there is if you want a good cleaning out, because that's about what you'll get.

CNN Center, Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia Acquarium, World of Coke, High Museum, Buckhead, Lenox Mall, Phipps Plaza, Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and the Virginia Highlands.

Atlanta isn't exactly a "tourist" destination, but these should provide atleast some entertainment. And, racial tensions here aren't high at all. Downtown Atlanta is probably one of the more progressive areas in the southern United States. Outside downtown, though...well, that's a different story.
 
TheDance511 said:
the moral of the story though is that even though that was only one person..saying something that extreme only comes from a racist environment...
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wow. you defined racism and prejudice all in your one example.....projecting the actions and characteristics of one on to an entire "environment"
well done
 
kentrox99 said:
wow. you defined racism and prejudice all in your one example.....projecting the actions and characteristics of one on to an entire "environment"
well done
Click to expand...

ya its different because its not you...but if it was im sure it would be a different story...maybe you sould try visiting the south and it IS that way...then go to the north like Illionis or Maine and just see the difference from the right winged *** holes and decent lovign people...not saying there are not bad people in the nirth and i hate to catigorize but maybe you should look at the reality first instead of what you think soemthing should be:mad:
 
TheDance511 said:
ya its different because its not you...but if it was im sure it would be a different story...maybe you sould try visiting the south and it IS that way...then go to the north like Illionis or Maine and just see the difference from the right winged *** holes and decent lovign people...not saying there are not bad people in the nirth and i hate to catigorize but maybe you should look at the reality first instead of what you think soemthing should be:mad:
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I am multi racial
I grew up in decatur/stone mountain (atlanta)
I went to an elementry school that was 30% white 30% asian and 30% black
I went to college in decatur
I have not really experienced racism (except at the church's chicken in decatur)

I am not saying it doesnt exist it just isnt that prevalent

I have been to chicago several times
and did not experience racism there

I did however see lots of confederate flags and other paraphanellia in southern Ill
and parts of Iowa

atlanta is not the new york of the south
it is "the city too busy to hate"
because we had very little violence during the civil rights movement even less than some citys in the north

gerorgia is the "empire state of the south"
because we are the buisness, transportation, and technology hub of the southern US and have been since prior to the war of northern agression
 
poopyhead said:
because we are the buisness, transportation, and technology hub of the southern US and have been since prior to the war of northern agression
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:rolleyes:

Good to see that history lessons are going so well there. It was labeled that way for our US History classes in Texas as well, for what it's worth.
 
TheDance511 said:
maybe you sould try visiting the south and it IS that way...then go to the north like Illionis or Maine and just see the difference from the right winged *** holes
Click to expand...

Try "visiting the south"??? Uhhhh mind looking at my location to the left.
""Right winged ***holes"...... LOL!!!! Looks like we just found the real root of your anger. It's O.K. though. I wont hold you responsible. It must be your "environment"
 
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