neighborhoods

DOWNTOWN: Centennial Olympic Park
MIDTOWN: Woodruff Arts Center
SWEET AUBURN: The Sweet Auburn Bakery
at the Curb Market
LITTLE FIVE POINTS: Eclectic shopping
and dining
TOUR OUR FRIENDLY
Neighborhoods
For all its big-city feel, Atlanta
really is a group of small
communities. Here’s a brief
introduction to some of those
you may be interested in visiting.
DOWNTOWN
The heartbeat of the city, downtown
Atlanta is becoming a 24-hour neighborhood where you can see the world’s
largest fish at the world’s largest
aquarium, Georgia Aquarium, taste
Coca-Cola products from around the
world at the World of Coca-Cola and
journey into the heart of CNN Worldwide
to get an up-close look at global news
in the making. In addition to Atlanta’s
top attractions, leading sports and
entertainment venues and premier
convention facilities also are anchored
around Centennial Olympic Park, home to
the 1996 Summer Games and adjacent to
the future site of the National Center for
Civil & Human Rights. Add to that modern
boutique hotels; a thriving nightlife scene;
the captivating Downtown Dining District;
and renowned architecture; and it’s no
wonder that downtown Atlanta has gained
a reputation as a world-class destination.
Midtown
Developed in the 1870s as a streetcar
suburb of downtown Atlanta, this
cosmopolitan area today boasts vibrant
residential communities, thriving
entertainment scene, abundant shopping
and an unparalleled dining selection.
Arts and culture are at the forefront,
with the largest concentration of cultural
venues in the region. From live theatrical
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performances to world-class attractions
such as the Woodruff Arts Center and
The Fox Theatre, this cultural hub is
unique in its offerings for residents and
visitors alike.
Atlantic Station
This 138-acre, mixed-use development
consists of 1 million square feet of openair retail and entertainment, including six
mixed-use retail buildings with entertainment, dining and shopping —including the
first IKEA store in the Southeast. “Movies
in Central Park” kicks off each May, with
blockbuster favorites each Thursday night
and special offers from area restaurants
from 6-9 p.m. The Station also features
holiday activities; Food Truck Fridays;
outdoor artists’ markets; special exhibits
and events; and the Millennium Gate, a
101-foot-tall classically styled monumental arch that houses a 12,000-square-foot
museum that tells Georgia’s story through
interactive technology, film and exhibits.
Buckhead
This Atlanta community consistently
offers the world’s most inviting luxurious
experience, and will continue to attract
savvy consumers who are seeking
something special — from upscale
shopping at Lenox Square and Phipps
Plaza, to the Classic Chastain summer
concert series at Chastain Park Amphitheatre, to the site of one of the Southeast’s
largest history museums at the Atlanta
History Center, to the magnificent homes
lining Habersham and Tuxedo roads.
Picture New York City’s Upper East Side,
Chicago’s Gold Coast, San Francisco’s
Pacific Heights, Boston’s Beacon Hill/
Back Bay and your thoughts should
immediately turn to Atlanta’s Buckhead.
SWEET AUBURn
The Sweet Auburn District was the
hub of African-American culture from the
1890s to the 1950s. Many of Atlanta’s
black leaders, entrepreneurs and artists
congregated in the Sweet Auburn district.
Recent preservation and restoration
efforts at attractions such as Ebenezer
Baptist Church have brought a rebirth to
the area. The Historic Sweet Auburn Curb
Market, Sweet Auburn SpringFest and
Sweet Auburn Heritage Festival are not to
be missed.
Little Five Points
Right at the middle of Moreland, Euclid
and McLendon avenues in downtown
Atlanta, this bohemian hangout is home
to a rich mix of art, theater and shopping.
With food, books, novelty shops and
lifestyle spots, L5P (as it’s called by locals)
has it — from coffee to hip and funky bargain apparel to crystals, books and vinyl
records — and almost all of these shops
are pet-friendly.
Virginia-Highland
This popular area centered around
the intersection of Virginia and Highland
avenues is renowned for its shopping,
dining and nightlife. Locals and tourists alike can enjoy brunch at charming
sidewalk cafes and cocktails at lively night
spots; world- famous musicians performing at a tiny nightclub; art galleries; coffeehouses; and diverse and unique shopping
offering everything from trendsetting
apparel to classic to kitschy antiques.
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BUCKHEAD: The Swan House at the
Atlanta History Center
GRANT PARK: Historic Oakland Cemetery
Druid Hills
This historic neighborhood boasts
beautiful linear parks and wooded
lots designed at the turn of the century
by Frederick Law Olmsted. One of
Atlanta’s first suburbs, some of Atlanta’s
wealthiest citizens moved here in the
early 20th century and built beautiful
homes with the help of distinguished
architects.
Grant Park
Grant Park is one of Atlanta’s oldest
neighborhoods and home to Historic
Oakland Cemetery. This neighborhood,
on the National Register of Historic
Places, also is one of Atlanta’s most
successful revitalization stories. The
public park is surrounded by the Atlanta
Cyclorama and Zoo Atlanta, home to the
popular Giant Pandas.
OLD FOURTH WARD
Originally settled in the early 1800s,
this historic neighborhood is the
birthplace of civil rights leader Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Today, the Old Fourth
Ward houses the Martin Luther King, Jr.
National Historic Site and Sweet
Auburn Historic District, a National
Historic Landmark known for its role in
African-American history. Since the
1980s, the Historic District Development
Corporation has worked to preserve
and revitalize the area, with visitors now
experiencing restored shotgun houses,
Victorian homes and Craftsman
bungalows, as well as new lofts and
condos and retail development. The
nearby Freedom Park also offers
outdoor recreation.
EAST POINT: The Dick Lane Velodrome
West End
Home to the world’s largest consortium
of black colleges — the Atlanta University
Center — which includes several
institutions that have educated numerous
African-American political, community
and business leaders is a historic Atlanta
landmark. Morehouse College, Morehouse
School of Medicine, Spelman College and
Clark Atlanta University make up the list of
great institutions.
Castleberry Hill
Adjacent to downtown, this is one of
Atlanta’s up-and-coming neighborhoods,
but is also the eighth Landmark District
for the City of Atlanta. Early 20th-century
commercial and industrial structures give
the area a distinctive urban look, and an
ever-growing conglomeration of art galleries, hip new restaurants, boutiques and
loft housing are making Castleberry Hill
a popular neighborhood. The 2nd Friday
ArtStroll is a local favorite, as is the annual
Castleberry Hill Loft Tour each fall that
draws thousands to view lofts and stroll
the galleries, shops and restaurants of the
neighborhood.
East Atlanta Village
One of the best-kept secrets in Atlanta,
this diverse, friendly neighborhood is
packed with quality shops, services and
restaurants within walking distance. A hot
spot for nightlife, this urban nook is eclectic and family-friendly at the same time.
Decatur
This charming, quirky neighborhood
is found just six miles east of downtown.
Friendly, walkable and right on the MARTA
CASTLEBERRY HILL: Historic loft district
line, this community houses more than
200 boutiques, restaurants and galleries.
Eddie’s Attic is a must-see for live, local
musicians. Year-round festivals include
the Arts Festival in May, the Beach Party
in June and the Book Festival on Labor
Day weekend.
Chamblee/Doraville
The widely diverse international population has given rise to a great restaurant
scene. While Chamblee boasts Antique
Row, a street of shops full of collectibles,
the area’s main thoroughfare, Buford
Highway, features different nationalities
living side-by side and working side-byside in family-owned restaurants. In this
Corridor of Cuisines you’ll find Korean
barbecue, Vietnamese bakeries, pho
shops, dim sum, arepas from Venezuela,
Salvadorian pupusas, Mexican breakfast,
taquerias, farmer’s markets and more.
Airport Area
Only eight miles from downtown
Atlanta, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport area is ideal for both
business and pleasure with upscale
hotels and various activities nearby.
East Point
Accessibility is one of the many advantages that this city offers. Its easy access
to public transportation, major highways,
thoroughfares and Hartsfield make East
Point a great place to live, play, work and
conduct business. Also adding to the
city’s attractiveness are its quaint neighborhoods, Main Street and the Dick Lane
Velodrome, a special concrete track with
steep banked turns just for track cyclists.
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