Atlanta
Keeping in mind that I'm an aging introvert that works from home, I still have some recommendations for places to visit, so here's a list for if you're ever in the area.
If you notice something important that's missing, or anything out of date, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Coffee
Fun, Arts, Museums
- Fernbank Museum
- Carlos Museum
- National Center for Civil and Human Rights*
- High Museum of Art
- Center for Puppetry Arts*
- Joystick Gamebar*
- Museum of Design
- Atlanta Contemporary
- Starlight Drive-in Movie Theatre
- The Earl (small venue music shows)
Shops
Parks and Outside
- Piedmont Park
- Atlanta Belt Line (walking, biking)
- Atlanta Botanical Gardens
- Westside Park
* = I haven't been here yet, but intend to go and have heard good things.
General Notes
I'd argue that, unfortunately, Atlanta is not well setup for visitors. It's really spread out and car-centric. The metro is limited to north/south and east/west lines. The biggest boost to the city in years was the addition of the Beltline, which is similar to New York City's HighLine, as it's a walking trail built over old train tracks.
Unlike some cities, downtown is probably one of the weakest areas currently. If you travel eastward, there are pockets of neighborhoods with some interesting areas including Old Fourth Ward, Little Five Points (not to be confused with Five Points downtown), East Atlanta Village (EAV), Decatur. If you travel northward, once you're past the arts district in Midtown, you'll quickly get into Buckhead and the suburban commerce sprawl - avoid! If you travel westward, you'll find some high end restaurants and shops in some pockets, and the newly refreshed Westside Park is a nice alternative to the main Piedmont Park. If you travel southward, you'll find the new Summerhill district and a few sporadic areas of interest, but it's mostly neighborhoods.