Need suggestions on where to stay during our visit! (Atlanta: rentals, neighborhoods)

[goolsbyjazz]

Hello all! We are planning to visit relatives in July and need some help on which part of the city would be best to stay in? My relatives live in Athens, but we don't want to stay in Athens as we also want to see the Atlanta area and attractions as well.

I understand Athens is a two-hour drive from Atlanta, is that right? Thanks and I look forward to reading your responses.

[AnsleyPark]

Will you have children with you?

[AtlantaMove]

There are several desirable points of interest around the Mall of Georgia in Buford. The area is also fairly convenient to both Georgia 316 into both Athens and the City of Atlanta. But with the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves MLB Team), free movies, free concerts, dining, shopping and more in the area, you might just enjoy yourself here too.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

Hello all! We are planning to visit relatives in July and need some help on which part of the city would be best to stay in? My relatives live in Athens, but we don't want to stay in Athens as we also want to see the Atlanta area and attractions as well.

I understand Athens is a two-hour drive from Atlanta, is that right? Thanks and I look forward to reading your responses.

Athens is about a 2-hour drive from Downtown Atlanta with traffic. Without traffic, Athens is about a 1-hour and 15-minute drive each way to and from Atlanta.

AtlantaMove's suggestion of the Mall of Georgia area in Buford is an excellent suggestion of a place to stay while in the Atlanta area. In addition to the points of interest at and around the Mall of Georgia that AtlantaMove noted, the Mall of Georgia area also provides good access to the popular Lake Lanier water recreational area to the north in Hall County.

Another good suggestion for a place to stay while in the Atlanta area would be Stone Mountain Park east of Atlanta in DeKalb County.

Stone Mountain Park is a very popular attraction that provides good access to Athens by way of US Highway 78.

Other suggestions for good places to stay include areas like the popular village area of Downtown Decatur, Buckhead, Atlantic Station/Midtown and the Centennial Olympic Park area if you want to stay in or close to the city of Atlanta.

There are also other great urban neighborhoods in Intown Atlanta (like Old Fourth Ward, Sweet Auburn, Inman Park, Little Five Points, Poncey-Highland, Virginia Highland) where you could stay if you could find a bed & breakfast or an AirBnB to stay in.

AtlantaMove's suggestion of the Mall of Georgia in Buford is a particularly good suggestion because that area is at a point that is nearly equidistant between Atlanta and Athens.

[Moosehd]

Stay in Downtown or Midtown and take Megabus from Downtown to Athens

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Will you have children with you?

No, we will not have any children with us.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by AtlantaMove

There are several desirable points of interest around the Mall of Georgia in Buford. The area is also fairly convenient to both Georgia 316 into both Athens and the City of Atlanta. But with the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves MLB Team), free movies, free concerts, dining, shopping and more in the area, you might just enjoy yourself here too.

Thanks, I will check that area out. A midway location would be ideal.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

Athens is about a 2-hour drive from Downtown Atlanta with traffic. Without traffic, Athens is about a 1-hour and 15-minute drive each way to and from Atlanta.

AtlantaMove's suggestion of the Mall of Georgia area in Buford is an excellent suggestion of a place to stay while in the Atlanta area. In addition to the points of interest at and around the Mall of Georgia that AtlantaMove noted, the Mall of Georgia area also provides good access to the popular Lake Lanier water recreational area to the north in Hall County.

Another good suggestion for a place to stay while in the Atlanta area would be Stone Mountain Park east of Atlanta in DeKalb County.

Stone Mountain Park is a very popular attraction that provides good access to Athens by way of US Highway 78.

Other suggestions for good places to stay include areas like the popular village area of Downtown Decatur, Buckhead, Atlantic Station/Midtown and the Centennial Olympic Park area if you want to stay in or close to the city of Atlanta.

There are also other great urban neighborhoods in Intown Atlanta (like Old Fourth Ward, Sweet Auburn, Inman Park, Little Five Points, Poncey-Highland, Virginia Highland) where you could stay if you could find a bed & breakfast or an AirBnB to stay in.

AtlantaMove's suggestion of the Mall of Georgia in Buford is a particularly good suggestion because that area is at a point that is nearly equidistant between Atlanta and Athens.

I had considered the Stone Mountain area because I heard it was nice. Would love to be near water, though! Is there lots of water activity at Lake Lanier? Do they rent boats?

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by Moosehd

Stay in Downtown or Midtown and take Megabus from Downtown to Athens

Wasn't aware that there was a Megabus that took people between the two cities? Is it direct or does it stop at other locations along the way? How long does it generally take?

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

I had considered the Stone Mountain area because I heard it was nice. Would love to be near water, though! Is there lots of water activity at Lake Lanier? Do they rent boats?

Yes, there is lots of water activity at Lake Lanier and yes, there are boat rentals at Lake Lanier, which is a body of water and recreational area that is extremely popular with (and cherished by) landlocked metro Atlantans and North Georgians.

Stone Mountain Park also has a nice lake area (Stone Mountain Lake) that (while only a fraction of the size of Lake Lanier) makes for a nice scenic touch against the backdrop of Stone Mountain.

Though, Lake Lanier is a particularly good option, not just because of all of the recreational amenities at the lake area and the other entertainment amenities in the Buford area (like the historic village area of Downtown Buford, the Mall of Georgia, the minor-league baseball park, Chateau Elan in Braselton), but also because the Lake Lanier area provides good access to the recreational and tourist-oriented areas of scenic Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian mountains region of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee... An area (including the overwhelmingly popular Great Smoky Mountains National Park of Southwestern North Carolina and Southeastern Tennessee) that is a very popular getaway destination for metro Atlantans and North Georgians.