Top Ten Things You Should Do when Visiting Atlanta
1. Eat some good old Southern cooking at Mary Mac’s Tea Room. Most Southerners don’t want to let anyone in on their little secret, but Mary Mac’s has been an Atlanta tradition for generation after generation. Created by Miss Mary Mac herself, the only tea this Tea Room serves up is some ice cold sweet tea meant to wash down the home style cooking. You can find everything from chicken and dumplings to black eyed peas on this menu. Save room for the breadbasket. Every table gets unlimited hot yeast rolls and corn bread with butter. Visit them online at www.marymacs.com.
2. When in Atlanta you have to save time for a Thrashers Game at Phillips Arena. The Thrashers are Atlanta’s professional hockey team. They play downtown in Philips area. Games are exciting whether they win or lose. Lots of lights, loud music and great concession food are the main draw here. You can also usually find sport memorabilia for sale and up for silent auction during the game.
3. Head out for drinks in the Virginia Highlands is a must do in Atlanta. Everyone will tell you to go to Buckhead, but that area is just not the place to be. For a casual evening out pub hopping visit any of the great local bars in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood. Parking can be difficult, so leave early or take a cab. Atkins Park, Highland Pub, and Limerick Junctions are all must see bars here.
4. Late night eats at the Majestic after drinks in the Highlands are the perfect ending to a night in Atlanta. They have been around since 1929. They are located in the Virginia Highlands at 1031 Ponce de Leon Avenue. You can order up some pecan topped pancakes or waffles or a club sandwich loaded with tomatoes. The food is cheap, the atmosphere retro, and the crowd eclectic. This is definitely not a chain restaurant or a fast food joint.
5. Shopping at Phipps Plaza is one of the main tourist attractions in Atlanta. Located in the ritzy Buckhead neighborhood, Phipps is loaded with fabulous high-end shops. You can find everything from Neiman Marcus to Saks Fifth Avenue. If you don’t think you can afford to shop here there are a lot of other things you can do at Phipps. Take in a movie in their super nice movie theaters or dine on great food court vittles while doing a little people watching. They are located at 3500 Peachtree Road.
6. When in Atlanta you should always save time for Baseball game at Turner Field. Whether the Braves win or lose this is always a good time. You can check out the 1996 Olympic Stadium, which is now the home of the Atlanta Braves. Buy Club level tickets so you can have access to the 755 Club. There you can dine outdoors at four seater tables over looking the baseball game. This is definitely the way baseball was meant to be watched. Turner Field is located at 755 Hank Aaron Drive.
7. Catch a show at the Fox Theater. Broadway never had better digs than in Atlanta. This probably should have been number one on the list. My mother said she used to go watch movies at the Fox when she was in college. Nowadays it is mostly Broadway musicals and productions. Occasionally they do show classic movies at the Fox, just check out their web page at www.foxtheatre.org for listings. This is a great way to take in the beauty of the historical Fox Theater without investing a lot of money in a musical ticket.
8. Eat some donuts at the Krispy Kreme at 295 Ponce de Leon Avenue. There are Krispy Kreme donut locations all throughout Atlanta, but this one is near and dear to the heart f the city. You can watch the donuts as they come out of their sugar glaze bath and into the boxes of hungry waiting customers. Be sure to get a paper hat that the employees wear whether you are a kid or not!
9. Lounge away the afternoon in dog friendly Piedmont Park. Piedmont Park is a fabulous spot to enjoy a warm Fall day, let your dog socialize, people watch, catch a live music act, and generally enjoy being alive. Located in Midtown Atlanta Piedmont Park is the heart of the city. There are great little bars and restaurants near the park if you get a little hungry.
10. BBQ at Daddy D’s in Atlanta is something you should never leave town without doing. Daddy D’s serves up some of the best ribs in Atlanta. They are located at 264 Memorial Drive; about five minutes form Turner Field. You can order up great Southern sides to go with your BQ ribs as well. Fried zucchini is my favorite. ON Friday and Saturday nights this BBQ joint is hopping with live music. While most people will point you in the direction of Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, you have to really see Atlanta by checking out Daddy D’s. Visit them online at www.daddydz.com.
