If you are new to Atlanta, hearing names like Buckhead, The Highlands or Inman Park can be a little intimidating. Have no fear though. Listed and explained below are all the Atlanta neighborhoods that a Tech student should be familiar with.
Tech’s campus is right in the middle of Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood, which gets its name from being in between Buckhead and Downtown. Midtown is a great place to explore, starting with the Fabulous Fox Theater conveniently located right on Peachtree and within walking distance from Tech. The Woodruff Arts Center as well has great attractions like the High Museum of Art, the Alliance Theater and the Atlanta Symphony Hall. Also, one of the biggest attractions in Midtown is Piedmont Park, which hosts several different events every year, including Music Midtown coming up in September.
South of Midtown is Downtown Atlanta, where our neighbor, Georgia State University, is located. Downtown is filled with lots of touristy attractions such as the capitol building and Centennial Olympic Park. Turner Field, Phillips Arena, the Georgia Dome and the Georgia World Congress Center are also large landmarks in Downtown Atlanta. You are able to take a tour of CNN’s studios, check out the Georgia Aquarium or even visit the World of Coca Cola. Downtown is also home to Atlanta’s Hard Rock Cafe, a nice place to go see if you are new in town, as well as the Museum of Design Atlanta, which hosts different galleries and exhibits throughout the year.
East of Downtown, you run into some smaller, more obscure neighborhoods such as Cabbagetown, home of the Fulton Cotton Mills Lofts. The Lofts have a great artistic feel about them, and in November they host a neighborhood festival with bluegrass and chili called the Chomp and Stomp. Nearby Inman Park is a more suburban area known for its distinctive architecture and great restaurants, including Sotto Sotto, an Italian restaurant located on N. Highland Avenue. A more notable neighborhood located east of Downtown is Little Five Points, more commonly called “Little Five.” Little Five Points has a culture of its own with plenty of interesting places to go and experience. You can expect to find coffee shops, novelty stores, a music venue, book stores, great restaurants, some theaters and even a festival on the Saturday of Halloween. Another more prominent East Atlanta neighborhood is Virginia Highlands, or “The Highlands” for short. Voted “Best Overall Neighborhood” by the readers of Creative Loafing, the Highlands is famous for its diverse range of food and clothing venues. Pura Vida Tapas and Wine Bar is a great place for a date, but if you’re looking for something more low key, head to George’s Bar and Restaurant for an awesome burger.
West of Georgia Tech, you can be guaranteed to find lots of great dining. Right along Howell Mill you will find some great places like Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House, Yeah! Burger and Ormsby’s. In this area you will also find the retail store Anthropologie. A lot of Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Emory students reside in this area due to its awesome location.
Finally, we have reached North Atlanta, collectively referred to as “Buckhead.” Stereotyped as Atlanta’s most affluent area, Buckhead has almost everything you can dream of doing. If you’re into fine dining, try Fogo de Chao or Atlanta’s Fish Market. If you want to do some high-end shopping, try Phipps Plaza or Lenox Mall, with stores like Herve Ledger, Tiffany & Co., Jeffrey Atlanta and much more.
All things considered, this article should serve as an all-inclusive guide to all the Atlanta areas a Georgia Tech student should definitely check out before they graduate. Good luck exploring!