dangerous areas (Atlanta, Buckhead: city hall, crimes, house)

[JPD]

Originally Posted by cocopuffy

All that stuff is around 5 Points...and it is DEFINITELY tourist central. Thats pretty much all you are going to see frequenting those places...tourists and school children.

Not trying to be argumentative, but I'm in 5 points every day. Nobody who spends time in 5 points or the CNN/Centennial Park area considers the aquarium/CNN/etc. area to be 5 Points. Tourists are best served by staying away from 5 Points if possible. Not because it's dangerous, but because it's ugly, loud, smoggy, smells of urine, it's swimming with vagrants and is probably the worst display of what the downtown area has to offer. Any tourist wanting to go to the Centennial Park/CNN/Aquarium area using Marta, I would advise them to get off at Peachtree Center Station, take a quick walk through the Fairlie-Poplar District (or not, if they don't want to) and then walk three blocks on Luckie Street to the park.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by bacmook

what about the aquarium - is it worth visiting? i've already been to san francisco aquarium which was pretty nice, but is it anything spectacular?

I visited the Aquarium before the whale sharks and beluga whales started dying off. I don't know what it's like now that many of their star attractions are dead, but when I visited, I thought it was better than any aquarium I've visited with the possible exception of Monterey Bay Aquarium, which many consider the best in the world. (I'm almost embarrassed by the number of aquariums I've been to. I have not been to the one in San Francisco, though.)

Locals often downplay the aquarium, but keep in mind that we have had years worth of hype beat into our heads, so our expectations are out of whack.

If you like aquariums and you're looking for things to do in Atlanta, go.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by JPD

Not trying to be argumentative, but I'm in 5 points every day. Nobody who spends time in 5 points or the CNN/Centennial Park area considers the aquarium/CNN/etc. area to be 5 Points. Tourists are best served by staying away from 5 Points if possible. Not because it's dangerous, but because it's ugly, loud, smoggy, smells of urine, it's swimming with vagrants and is probably the worst display of what the downtown area has to offer. Any tourist wanting to go to the Centennial Park/CNN/Aquarium area using Marta, I would advise them to get off at Peachtree Center Station, take a quick walk through the Fairlie-Poplar District (or not, if they don't want to) and then walk three blocks on Luckie Street to the park.

That is probably the best advice that I've ever heard given on this forum regarding Downtown! Great description.

[netdragon]

In the downtown area, don't walk South of CNN and the underground mall at five points and you should be fine. Don't go past Marietta Street to the South (if you hit Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, definately turn around!). Don't venture West of Northside Drive or Centennial Olympic Drive. If going to the aquarium or Coca-Cola Museum, CNN, or the Underground Mall at five points, you'll be getting close to these boundaries. Don't walk East of Piedmont Ave. There are areas past those boundaries that are fine, but nothing you'll miss and there are some areas that you could wander into that aren't so nice. Up near midtown, again, I wouldn't head West of Northside (you may want to check out Atlantic Station over in that direction), and you should be ok heading as far East as you want (there's a residential area to the East of midtown called The Prado which is gorgeous). Up at Buckhead, you're much better off heading West than East, but unless you wander too far, you should be ok.

The O.P. above didn't mention that five points and CNN aren't too far from each other. I won't completely agree, either, that it has nothing to offer. Woodruff Park is pretty interesting and so is the Underground, and Broad Street has some cute open-air restaurants.

There's a restaurant named Agatha's off Peachtree-Center (book in advance) Agatha's - A Taste Of Mystery

There's also a lot of shops and things to do on Peachtree Street in midtown, especially around the High Museum of Art around 15th street. You might also enjoy walking around Atlantic Station across the highway from there.

Of course, at night, be cautious anywhere you go.

[gottaGetOut]

Here's a post on TripAdvisor you may find helpful, and you can look through other Atlanta-related links for information:

Georgia forums: The walk to and from the Georgia Dome - TripAdvisor

Oddly, there seem to be more domestic incidents in this town than much else . . .

[MPdesign]

FYI - I concurr with plessthanpointtohfive. All his advise if great.

To clarify what I would do it it were me:
I would stay in a hotel in Midtown near Marta subway (I would NOT stay downtown).
Regency Suites Midtown Atlanta is my choice for location although I
have not stayed there.
I would walk to "Flying Biscuit" for breakfast
I would take a cab to Virginia highlands (any day or night of the week)
& eat dinner at Fontaine's (on the deck if it was warm enough)
& have dessert at Paolo's
& look at all the shops that are open late
I would take Marta downtown one day(not night)
and goto Centennial Park
Aquarium
World Of Coke
and a cup of coffee at the Sundial atop the Westin(revolving restaurant 72nd floor)
I would walk to the High Museum one afternoon
& have dinner on Crescent Street at night while walking home.
I would take Marta to Lenox Mall one day or night
I would take a cab to little five points (everything cool and alternative)
during the day, have dinner at the Vortex at dusk & taxi home.
I would walk to the Park one day

If you are a jogger, meet at Virginia Highlands "Moe & Joes" at 6:30 with 100 of your newest friends for a 3-6 mile jog (according to what group you meet).

Note - ATL is a safe place, but, I try to stay away from Little five points and downtown at night because of people asking for a buck. Not a ton of them, but, i just stay away at night because I am more at ease. Do the above and you will LOVE ATL!

Cheers,
MP

P.S.
If you are an avid jogger also see Come onin to read about Fingerprints and HHH....

[beefchuck]

Originally Posted by JPD

Not trying to be argumentative, but I'm in 5 points every day. Nobody who spends time in 5 points or the CNN/Centennial Park area considers the aquarium/CNN/etc. area to be 5 Points. Tourists are best served by staying away from 5 Points if possible. Not because it's dangerous, but because it's ugly, loud, smoggy, smells of urine, it's swimming with vagrants and is probably the worst display of what the downtown area has to offer. Any tourist wanting to go to the Centennial Park/CNN/Aquarium area using Marta, I would advise them to get off at Peachtree Center Station, take a quick walk through the Fairlie-Poplar District (or not, if they don't want to) and then walk three blocks on Luckie Street to the park.

I am down here everyday too, stop hating on 5 points and regular folk...it is certainly center of city and an attraction for those coming from out of town. It is downtown, CNN, the park, 5 points, cmon, that is all the same area. If it were Midtown, then...

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by JPD

I visited the Aquarium before the whale sharks and beluga whales started dying off. I don't know what it's like now that many of their star attractions are dead, ...

Locals often downplay the aquarium, but keep in mind that we have had years worth of hype beat into our heads, so our expectations are out of whack.

I guess I might be one of those who downplay it, but I still tell folks it's worth at least one visit, whether you're a local or a tourist. The thing is, it's the world's largest aquarium because it has the most water (8 or so million gallons), but that doesn't mean it's the "best".

The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga to me, is much more enjoyable. It sits on the edge of the river up there, and surrounding it are other attractions as well as a lively entertainment district with restaurants, clubs, etc. No bums. No smell of pee, etc. A nice little downtown are with a much more "hands on" aquarium with natural environment type exhibits inside, and tanks that are much more viewable even if it's crowded.

Ours is fine. Many of the smaller exhibits in ours however have viewing ports that are too small if it's crowded (and it gets too crowded too often). There aren't really any areas like in Chattanooga's where you have a waterfall or trees or green areas inside surrounded by the fish or animals - ours is more just a bunch of tanks with one smaller petting area and that one nice "tube" area.

I'll have to say as well, I'm not a huge fan of keeping Whale Sharks or Belugas in captivity either, and the Sea Lion area in ours is pathetically small. The surrounding area immediately around our Aquarium is improving all the time with the Coke museum, Centenial Park, etc., but once you leave that immediate area you're back in the vagrant/pee smell central zone. Over time, the "nice zone" will expand, and one day downtown Atlanta will be a much more pleasurable experience in a larger area than it is now - when, who knows? It's not particularly dangerous now - it's just as someone else has said, it's not attractive in many areas and there are still too many vagrants, loiterers, etc.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by beefchuck

I am down here everyday too, stop hating on 5 points and regular folk...it is certainly center of city and an attraction for those coming from out of town. It is downtown, CNN, the park, 5 points, cmon, that is all the same area. If it were Midtown, then...

Show me where I said anything about "regular folk".

[CityFan]

Originally Posted by MPdesign

Note - ATL is a safe place, but, I try to stay away from Little five points and downtown at night because of people asking for a buck. Not a ton of them, but, i just stay away at night because I am more at ease. Do the above and you will LOVE ATL!

Cheers,
MP

P.S.
If you are an avid jogger also see Come onin to read about Fingerprints and HHH....

It's the problem of people who give money to them. If NO ONE, I mean NO ONE, gives, they will not be there asking for money.