A few Hours in Atlanta (condo, hotels, home)

[Jesse44]

Hey,

I'm heading to Managua in less than two weeks time and I have a connecting flight in ATL. The layover is supposed to be about 8 hours long.

Assuming I have no delays and enough time to spend a couple of hours downtown (suggestions on leaving and coming back efficiently?), where can I get some really awesome, cheap food? I know literally nothing about Atlanta and just want to spend some time in town and get some real good food to hold me over. I'll eat anything. It would be cool if it happened to be southern food, though. Let's say under $10. I wanna try to get there and back to ATL with under $20 USD.

Also, any suggestions for a good place to window shop/people watch?

Thanks. I figured it would be a lot easier planning this if I asked in this forum.

[noah]

You can take the Marta train to downtown or Midtown for $5 round trip. It will be approx a 20 minute trip each way. If you want to walk around a park and see a little of the city get off at the Midtown stop and walk east to Piedmont Park.

Others will suggest some good food options I am sure. There is the Varsity at the North Avenue train stop if you want to try an Atlanta Institution.

Have fun in Nicaragua.

Originally Posted by Jesse44

Hey,

I'm heading to Managua in less than two weeks time and I have a connecting flight in ATL. The layover is supposed to be about 8 hours long.

Assuming I have no delays and enough time to spend a couple of hours downtown (suggestions on leaving and coming back efficiently?), where can I get some really awesome, cheap food? I know literally nothing about Atlanta and just want to spend some time in town and get some real good food to hold me over. I'll eat anything. It would be cool if it happened to be southern food, though. Let's say under $10. I wanna try to get there and back to ATL with under $20 USD.

Also, any suggestions for a good place to window shop/people watch?

Thanks. I figured it would be a lot easier planning this if I asked in this forum.

[ATLTJL]

I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions on places to check out....but only go to the Varsity if you want to get intimately aquainted with the little airplane lavatory on the way to Nicaragua!

[testa50]

I would take MARTA to Midtown station (all-in round trip cost: $6), and, as others have said, walk down 10th street to Piedmont Park. There's a restaurant called Flying Biscuit at 10th and Piedmont that is a local chain--great for out of towners. Lots of breakfasty-food as well as southern dishes on the menu, so it'll make a nice last meal before all of the starch-and-meat meals you're about to consume. Consistent and high quality food, and good people watching as well (though the vibe has leveled out a bit since the closing of the LGBT bookstore across the street). Meals are $8-$12. Nice big portions; a good place to try grits, too, if you haven't.

The Flying Biscuit Cafe :: Menu's

Maybe leave Piedmont Park from the 14th Street exit and walk to Peachtree on 14th--this is the commercial heart of Midtown, with massive office buildings, hotels, and condo towers everywhere. Head down Peachtree back towards the MARTA station, and if you've got some extra time you can stroll down to North Avenue Station via Peachtree Street. The corner of Ponce de Leon and Peachtree is about as good as it gets in Atlanta in terms of historic architecture. You'll probably be ready for an iced coffee somewhere along this stretch.

If you have even more time, you can always walk down Peachtree into downtown (and use Peachtree Center or Five Points station). The area between downtown and Midtown has a few grubby blocks, but is not dangerous. There's a politically controversial homeless shelter in the area, which the business community hates but activists love. But the police presence is very strong so you're not in real danger. Downtown is a lot less green and more sterile than Midtown, but is home to our largest buildings and most of the hustle-bustle and tourist trade.

Just stay near Peachtree and you'll never be that far from a MARTA station.

I would arrive at whichever MARTA station you choose 2 to 2.5 hours before the flight. 90 minutes before takeoff would be drop dead last minute, and pushing it. Keep in mind after 7PM and on the weekends MARTA runs every 15-20 minutes, so you'd need to allow extra time. I'm assuming you'll be all checked in and ready to go, so you just need to go through security and go to your gate.

Have a great time in Nica!

[Jesse44]

Awesome. Sounds a lot easier to get around then I would have imagined. Thanks.

[noah]

If its a weekday and you have the time as you walk along Peachtree you can pop your head in the Federal Reserve Museum at 10th street and come out with some money ;-) Ok, its the shredded kind.

Originally Posted by testa50

Maybe leave Piedmont Park from the 14th Street exit and walk to Peachtree on 14th--this is the commercial heart of Midtown, with massive office buildings, hotels, and condo towers everywhere. Head down Peachtree back towards the MARTA station
.

Have a great time in Nica!