Visiting Downtown Atlanta Without a Car? Here's How to Do It

Visiting Atlanta soon? There's plenty for you to do and most of it is accessible without a car. As the southeast's biggest city and home to the busiest airport in the world, you would expect Atlanta to have lots to offer but one big criticism of the city is that it has no defining character. Orlando has Disney, San Francisco has the cable cars and Fisherman's Wharf, San Antonio has the Riverwalk, Nashville has country music, Washington DC has the National Mall, New Orleans has the French Quarter. Atlanta had the Olympics in 1996 and, in fact, that did a lot to make Atlanta a more tourist-friendly city.

You arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and right next to baggage claim is the MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) station that will take you in to downtown in 20 minutes. The locals bash MARTA day in and day out for being unreliable and not covering a large enough area to be useful to many people, but for getting to and from the airport, it is a great system. The rail system has 2 main lines each about 25 miles long that intersect in downtown at Five Points and it is mainly used for commuters from the suburbs.

Where should you stay? There are a thousands of hotels ranging from rinky-dink places to 5 star hotels. I personally would recommend a 3-star hotel in midtown (between North Avenue and 17^th St.). That area has a more happening night life so you can just walk back to your room after a night out at Lava Lounge or Opera nightclub or one of the many many bars in the area. Priceline.com can get you great deals without worrying about getting too far from the hotspots and public transit. In midtown and downtown, everything you will care to see is walking distance to a Marta station.

Underground Atlanta is a haven for street vendors looking to make a few bucks selling Atlanta apparel or hip-hop gear (Atlanta is the hip-hop capital of the world). This is in downtown next to the Five Points Marta station and in a slightly shady area of town so go with a friend and watch your back. They frequently have concerts in the summer on the streets above Underground Atlanta. You definitely have to come here to make your Atlanta trip complete. Underground Atlanta is also the site where over 100,000 people gather to watch the Peach Drop on New Year's Eve.

Coca-Cola is headquartered in Atlanta and no trip to Atlanta would be complete without visiting the Coke museum. It used to be located at Underground Atlanta but they relocated to a spot adjacent to the aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park. This is truly the tourist area of Atlanta. Olympic Park is a beautiful place ripe with dancing fountains and Coca-Cola advertisements. Go to the World of Coca-Cola museum to learn about the history of Coca-Cola and try all of the Coca-Cola products, even some which are no longer being sold. Then head over to the Georgia Aquarium, one of the largest in the world, to see some animals. For years after it first opened in 2005, there were waiting lists just to get in during the popular summer travel season.

Atlanta is home to 4 pro sports teams - in football, baseball, basketball, and hockey - and it would be worth it to check out one of the games when you visit. The basketball, football, and hockey arenas are located next to Centennial Park while the baseball stadium Turner Field is just south of Underground Atlanta, all with easy Marta access. Georgia Tech is also located in Atlanta between the North Avenue and Midtown Marta stations. Taking in a good college game or touring the world-renowned campus might be in your area of interst.

As I alluded to earlier, there are a number of excellent bars and night clubs in midtown that you will want to check out, but if you get bored there, take a short cab ride to the Virginia Highlands, where you will find a more laid-back bar atmosphere with mostly young professionals rather than a more urban crowd in midtown or Buckhead. My personal favorite bar is Hand in Hand in the Virginia Highlands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Aquarium
http://www.underground-atlanta.com/