Atlanta - Midtown

Midtown is the business and financial district of Atlanta, and an area for dining and nightlife. In other words, it is an area to work and play.

Culture and History

Midtown is a large area of Atlanta immediately north of Downtown with many sites and activities. The skyscraper discrict aligns Peachtree Street. To the east of Peachtree Street is Piedmont Park, and to the west is the Georgia Tech campus area. Midtown also includes the art district to the north, and SoNo to the south. This area is rapidly growing with new high-rise apartments and condominiums, creating an urban living experience.

Travel to Atlanta - Midtown - Visa Requirements

Midtown is where Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 join a single corridor of I-75/85, also known as the Downtown Connector. Midtown can also be accessed by MARTA trains and buses. The North-South Line of the MARTA rail stops at three stations in Midtown, which are North Avenue Station (N3), Midtown Station (N4), and Arts Center Station (N5).

Atlanta - Midtown tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Atlanta Botanical Gardens [1], 1345 Piedmont Avenue NE, +1 404-876-5859. This peaceful oasis includes 30 acres of garden, an urban forest, wildflower trails, the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory and a 10,000 square-foot Fuqua Orchid Center. The Garden also offers visitors a wealth of year-round special events, exhibits, and educational workshops. Accessible by car but parking is limited, at weekends park at Old Colony Square adjacent to the Arts Center and catch the shuttle bus provided. By transit, catch MARTA rail to Arts Center station then catch bus 36 (27 on Sunday) or walk via the Arts Center courtyard, 15th Street and Piedmont Avenue (15 min walk). Open Apr-Sep Tu–Su 9AM–7PM; Oct–Mar Tu-Su 9AM–5PM. $12 (adult); $9 (senior); $7 (student).
• Center for Puppetry Arts — The Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest organization in North America dedicated to the art of puppetry. Located in Midtown, the center offers performances from the Family Series for everyone and New Directions for adults. An interactive museum, Puppets: The Power of Wonder, is the largest puppetry museum in the United States.
• Fox Theatre [2], 660 Peachtree St. NE, +1 404-688-3353 for tour information or +1 404-817-8700 for the box office. A fabulous and historic Moorish style cinema and theater dating from the 1920s and now designated a National Historic Landmark. Tours available M,W-Th 10AM; Sa 10AM and 11AM. $10 (adult); $5 (senior/student).
• High Museum of Art — The High Museum of Art is the leading art museum in the southeast, where visitors can expect a broad, diverse selection of art comprising 19th/20th century American, European, African and African-American paintings, decorative arts, photography, and modern and contemporary art.
• William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum — Through its exhibitions, publications, and resources, the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum of the Atlanta Jewish Federation explores Jewish heritage in general and as it relates to other cultures and religions.
• Margaret Mitchell House [3], 990 Peachtree Street, +1 404-249-7015. A museum dedicated to Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone With The Wind and based in her original home. Open every day (except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Thanksgiving Day) 10AM-5PM. $12 (adult); $9 (senior/student); $5 (child).
• Piedmont Park — Founded in 1904 and comprised of more than 180 acres, Piedmont Park is situated between 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in Midtown. The park features woods, sports fields, Lake Clara Meed, picnic spots, walking and skating paths and annual events including the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Bark in the Park.
• Shakespeare Tavern [4]. It is a place out of time; a place of live music, hand-crafted period costumes, outrageous sword fights with the entire experience centered on the passion and poetry of the spoken word. With an authentic British Pub Menu and a broad selection of British and Irish ales and premium brews, the Shakespeare Tavern is a place to eat, drink, and nourish the soul.
• Crescent Avenue, Area off Peachtree near the Margaret Mitchell house. Just north of the Federal Reserve Building at 10th St. Lots of hip nightclubs and restaurants located in renovated homes on side streets. With Virginia-Highland, has taken much of the nightlife from the Buckhead area which mostly attracts hip-hoppers now.

Atlanta - Midtown city tours

• Stroll through Piedmont Park [5], and attend the Dogwood Festival in the spring time.
• Eat anything--anything--at the Varsity, but make sure you're prepared for heartburn. [6]
• Visit the Georgia Tech campus to watch a football game, or attend the robotics competitions.
• Walk down Crescent Avenue on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night.

Atlanta - Midtown souvenirs and shopping

Midtown has a number of stores catering to young urban professionals and to the gay crowd, including hip furniture stores and a few trendy clothing boutiques. The city has planned the "Midtown Mile," a mile-long retail shopping district to develop gradually over the next few years, and retail shops are popping up all over midtown, seemingly on a weekly basis.

• Fab'rik [7]. ($$) 1114 W Peachtree St. Adorable clothes for both men and women at affordable prices.
• Twelve ($$$) 860 Peachtree St Ste F. Unique gift shop carrying a mix of original artwork, home accessories, handbags, and handcrafted jewelry.

Atlanta - Midtown Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

• Midtown Tavern, 554 Piedmont Ave, +1 404-541-1372, [8]. A bar and restaurant in midtown that offers up a friendly atmosphere to enjoy our selections of drinks and food. Drink Specials every night and the kitchen is open until 2 in the morning. We offer Texas Hold Em' Poker on Mondays, Team Trivia every Tuesday, Karaoke on Wednesdays, and local bands most Fridays and Saturdays! ($$)
• Nan Thai Restaurant [9]. One of the most beautifully appointed restaurants in the city, where sexy Asian servers attend to elegantly-dressed couples and businessmen. The food served up by the husband and wife chef team of Charlie and Nan Niyomkul, who run both Nan and its more casual sister restaurant, Tamarind, is a favorite of many celebrities, including Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Brooke Shields. ($$$)
• MF Sushibar, 265 Ponce De Leon Ave, +1 404-815-8844, [10]. The name of one what is generally regarded as one of the top sushi restaurants in Atlanta derives from the nickname of the sushi chef - "Magic Fingers." Excellent fresh sushi flown in from Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market served in a sleek setting. ($$$)
• South City Kitchen, 1144 Crescent Ave, +1 404-873-7358, [11]. Located amidst the bars and restaurants of Crescent Ave., this bustling and vibrant midtown eatery serves some of the best nouveau southern food in the city. Rather than going to a kitschy meat and three or a mediocre BBQ joint, this may be the choice locale for visitors looking for a "true" Southern cooking experience. ($$$)
• Trois, 1180 Peachtree St, +1 404-815-3337. Sleek French restaurant hyped-up as the 2007 hot spot. ($$$)
• The Globe, [12]. Trendy restaurant offering simple continental fare in Georgia Tech's pedestrian-friendly Technology Square. ($$)
• Fune Sushi Bar, [13]. Extremely trendy yet relaxing sushi bar at 7th and Peachtree. The fish is fresh and rolls and other sushi circles around on the conveyor belt delivery system. ($$)
• Baraonda, Peachtree and 3rd St, [14]. This little Italian restaurant just a few steps away from the Fox Theatre offers some of the best pastas and gourmet thin-crust pizzas in town. ($$)
• Flying Biscuit Cafe, 1005 Piedmont Ave, +1 404-874-8887, [15]. Serves breakfast all day everyday and famous for brunch. Great place for kosher and vegetarian eaters as they have no beef or pork products--just great free-range chicken sausage (soysauge can be substituted), turkey bacon, black bean cakes. Long wait on the week-end so get there early when they open at 7AM. The original location, which is still open, is in Candler Park, 1655 McLendon Ave. ($$)
• Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, +1 404-876-1800, [16]. Daily 11AM-9PM. A landmark of old Atlanta cooking, this meat-and-three on Ponce has become an old Atlanta institution. ($$)
• Joe's on Juniper, [17]. Fun bar and grill blaring 80's music with energetic gay servers (though clientele is mixed) and juicy burgers.
• Las Palmeras 368 5th St. Charming local Cuban favorite tucked away in a residential neighborhood. ($)
• Willy's Mexicana Grill, 1071 Piedmont Ave, +1 404-249-9054, [18]. The Piedmont Park location of an Atlanta chain. Has lots of outdoor seating, and it is not uncommon to see dogs leashed to the tables. This place has great, cheap burritos served in the California style (they add the fresh ingredients and roll it up in front of you). Similar to burrito chains such as Moe's Southwestern Grill (which also originated in Atlanta). ($)
• Kool Korners Grocery, 349 14th Street NW (corner of State St), +1 404-892-4424. Take-out lunches Monday through Saturday. Known for making the best Cuban sandwiches in Atlanta (with jalapeños upon request). With its friendly owner, Ildefonso Ramirez, and its hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, Kool Korners is a local landmark. One can expect 5-15 minute lines of students, construction workers, and corporate executives from 11:30AM onwards. As-yet-untoasted cubanos are pre-made in the morning, and the store can run out of them later in the day. Call ahead for large orders. Locals often eat the sandwiches in their cars. Cubano, plantain chips, Latin soft drink, and a Moon Pie: $8. ($)
• Fat Matt's Rib Shack, 1811 Piedmont Ave, [19]. Tourist-favorite BBQ destination located toward the Midtown side of the industrial section of town between Midtown and Buckhead where heaping portions of cheap ribs and chicken are served up in a literal shack.($)

Atlanta - Midtown nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Midtown is the destination for trendsetters and fashionistas, though due to increasing pressures to keep the area more upscale and to reduce noise at night, the legislature has begun to enact ordinances which have had the result of pushing club activity downtown. Several bars and clubs are within hopping-distance of one another on Crescent Street, and others are scattered about the area.

• Midtown Tavern, [20]. Friendly bar on the south side of Midtown. Drink specials offered nightly. Late night crowd.
• Compound is an Atlanta hotspot and was voted by aolcityguide.com as the “Best Dance Club in Atlanta 2006,” and “Best Conversation Bar” by cityguide.com.
• Halo is one of the best laid back lounges for socializing, mid-tempo music and classic cocktails. Thursday nights are popular with Atlanta’s large GLBT demographic.
• Shout. Popular with the thirty-something crowd and offering great views of the surrounding skyline from a roof-top deck.
• Relax on the largest patio in Midtown at Park Tavern, bordering Piedmont Park. This popular spot offers hand-crafted beers, $1 pints when it rains and live music events.
• For a casual pit stop after clubbing on the weekends, Twisted Taco has tasty Tex-Mex, margarita pitchers and late-night snacks.
• For a hot night out, Loca Luna is known for its Latin influenced house band, tropical decor and diverse Brazilian menu including 30 different tapas.
• Smithe's Olde Bar, [21] Laid-back bar and music venue that has showcased great musicians before they became famous on its MTV unplugged-like circular stage.
• Churchill Grounds, [22] Serious live jazz, laid-back locals, and bartender who seriously knows his stuff about beer makes this bar worth visiting.
• Sutra Lounge, [23] Sexual and Seductive lounge for singles to mingle and flirt.
• At Leopard Lounge guests can enjoy the patio area for mingling with Atlanta’s party crowd. Popular among the early 20's crowd.
• Dress to impress at CosmoLava, a three-level club with a V.I.P floor, a dancing floor and cocktail lounge floor, offering the most intimate spot to relax in town.
• With four levels of fully stocked bars and sexy sofas in which to lounge, Hush Lounge attracts those with sophisticated style seeking an exotic ambience.
• The new and improved Opera boasts a $2 million renovation with bigger dance floors, second-floor opera boxes and a new DJ booth.
• Northside Tavern is considered the home of the blues in Atlanta, with a super-casual ambience for fans and performers.
• At Churchill Grounds music lovers can enjoy jazz legends in an intimate setting.
• For the test of Tex-Mex, the sounds of jazz and a few open mike performances, check out Apache Cafe after hours.

Gay and Lesbian

• Blake's on the Park serves gay southern hospitality like no other. Enjoy two levels of food, DJs and drag shows.
• Wetbar, [24]. Gay dance club featuring a state of the art sound system, two rotating dance floors, and 6 bars on various levels (Closed as of Sep 2008).
• Bulldogs, [25]. An Atlanta Midtown institution that draws a largely African-American crowd.
• The Oscars Atlanta. Glam Midtown Bar offers a throwback to old Hollywood.

Atlanta - Midtown cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Budget

• Atlanta Hostel, [26] Dirt-cheap, centrally-located Midtown hostel runs from $23/night for shared facilities.

Mid-range

• Hotel Indigo, [27]. Hip midtown hotel with nouveau New England decor across from the Fox Theatre and close to the MARTA train. Includes events like a doggie happy hour.
• Georgian Terrace, [28]. Southern charm abounds at this grandly-appointed historical hotel across from the Fox Theatre.
• Twelve Hotel, [29]. Located in Atlantic Station, this sleek, contemporary hotel features stainless steel appliances and LCD televisions, and is located amidst the Atlantic Station shopping district.
• Regency Suites Hotel, [30]. 404-876-5003 Conveniently located next to Midtown Marta Station at the corner of West Peachtree and 10th Streets. Award winning boutique hotel in the heart of midtown. Voted best in city 2 years running. European sophistications and charm with down home southern hospitality. Luxury you can afford.
• Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, 800 Spring Street NW, 404-347-9440, [31]. Located in the pedestrian-friendly area of Midtown on the GA Tech technology square surrounded by shops and restaurants. Features extensive state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities.

Splurge

• Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, 75 Fourteenth Street, Tel:(404) 881-9898, fax:(404) 873-4692, [32]. This luxurious Midtown hotel is located in the lower third of the GLG Grand tower, the nineth largest skyscraper in Atlanta, and within walking distance of Piedmont Park.
• W Atlanta Midtown, 18814th Street, NE [33], Tel: (404) 892-6000. This new hotel offers luxury rooms with post-modern decor, and a short walk to Piedmont Park and numerous pubs, bars, and clubs.

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