Safe for a Female to Travel Alone to Atlanta?! (Smyrna: rent, hotel)

[tuteishungry]

Holy smokes, it's been forever since I've logged onto this thing. I'm glad I remembered my password. Anyway, I'm flying south next month (I'm from Boston) to Atlanta May 15-17, then driving up to Nashville from May 18-19. My question is this: Is it safe for me to be traveling alone? I'm not worried about the day at all. I'm concerned about the nightlife. Are there any places / areas I should watch out for or avoid completely?

I know every big city has their bad parts but if you could point me in the right direction, I would totally appreciate it. Also, if you have any places that you recommend me going to, please let me know too!

And finally, I signed up for CouchSurfing.org and haven't been too lucky with that. If you could give me some places that are wicked cheap, send me a link in a private message or something. If you're in the area, LET'S GET A DRINK! Or house me! HA!

Thanks ya'll!

[bryantm3]

well, will you be renting a car? you say you're flying south and then driving north? if you were flying in, i'd recommend taking the subway from the airport up to downtown because that's pretty much the most direct way to get into town from the airport. places to hang out are midtown, virginia-highland, little 5 points, and west midtown— you can get to all of those via bus and half of those via subway. stay out of the bluff.

[tonygeorgia]

Yes it is safe. You can take Megabus from Atl to Nashville if you want

[GotHereQuickAsICould]

You're planning on staying with strangers offering others a place to crash and you're worried about safety?

Mind boggling.

[tuteishungry]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

well, will you be renting a car? you say you're flying south and then driving north? if you were flying in, i'd recommend taking the subway from the airport up to downtown because that's pretty much the most direct way to get into town from the airport. places to hang out are midtown, virginia-highland, little 5 points, and west midtown— you can get to all of those via bus and half of those via subway. stay out of the bluff.

Yes, i'll be renting a car at the airport so I can drive to Senoia one of the days. Do you have any specific places in mind to go to? I love live music! Is it actually called "the bluff"?

[tuteishungry]

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

You're planning on staying with strangers offering others a place to crash and you're worried about safety?

Mind boggling.

Clearly, sarcasm doesn't translate well. Must be the mind boggling Boston humor.

[GotHereQuickAsICould]

Originally Posted by tuteishungry

Clearly, sarcasm doesn't translate well. Must be the mind boggling Boston humor.

Let me give it another go.

I find it mind boggling that you're worried about whether it'd be safe for a female to travel alone to and in Atlanta, what areas you should watch out for or avoid completely, particularly at night, and what are the bad parts of town.

Then you mention that CouchSurfing.org was no help in finding a cheap place to crash and would anyone on this forum be up for providing you with housing.

Good heavens. I'm clutching my pearls at the thought of you spending the night with strangers you "meet" over the internet. You're not seriously considering this are you?

[tuteishungry]

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

Let me give it another go.

I find it mind boggling that you're worried about whether it'd be safe for a female to travel alone to and in Atlanta, what areas you should watch out for or avoid completely, particularly at night, and what are the bad parts of town.

Then you mention that CouchSurfing.org was no help in finding a cheap place to crash and would anyone on this forum be up for providing you with housing.

Good heavens. I'm clutching my pearls at the thought of you spending the night with strangers you "meet" over the internet. You're not seriously considering this are you?

The assumption that knowing someone over the internet over a period of time and finding it safe enough to sleep at their house and blindly going out into a ghetto and getting badly hurt are two completely different scenarios. Not the same ballpark. Not the same sport. I have the choice in where I want to sleep. These decisions are much more calculated than you assume. I don't have the choice however, in being attacked.

Couchsurfing.org is a verifiable website that allows safe traveling. Hundreds of thousands of people use this site to travel internationally. Look it up sometime. It's a community with the same bond with the same mission statement: safe traveling. I have hosted couchsurfers and have had great experience. I hosted stranded Boston Marathoners last night at the whim of an email and a simple "help". They could have easily gotten into my house where I terrorized them, couldn't they?

As previously mentioned, I was joking about meeting any face on this website to sleep at their house. I'm smarter than that. And yes, I have considered traveling alone, doing it, and have done it before. I was simply asking for advice on logistics and fun that you have failed to provide. If you can't help with any sound advise, keep clutching them pearls, lady.

Can anyone out there help and not criticize, please?

[testa50]

In general, you're going to have a tough time going to really dangerous places. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

And yes, couchsurfing is pretty safe if you're so inclined. Not a particularly risky thing to do by any means.

If I were you, I would actually priceline a hotel in Midtown, not bother renting a car for the first couple days, and just explore the city using MARTA. Midtown is safe for walking at all hours (well, using urban common sense like any other city). Many of the city's best attractions aren't that car-friendly anyways (read: parking costs $$$ and/or is a hassle), and Midtown is a big nightlife/dining district that is easily explored on foot.

Downtown is a good option too, but not a nightlife district and not as generally pleasant as Midtown.

On the last day, rent your car, drive to Senoia (since you apparently want to go there), and maybe Stone Mountain just to check it out (it's pretty cool), then head up to Nashville.

This itinerary would be good for two nights, and after the second night rent a car, do car stuff, and then go. If you are going to spend three nights in Atlanta you'll probably want to get a car at some point.

Any hotel in downtown/midtown/buckhead is going to charge $$$ for parking, so be aware of that. Probably $25-30 is normal.

There's also a backpackers hostel on the outskirts of Midtown but I can't comment on that specifically. Google and it will pop up.

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

I would get a nice hotel room..preferably around the Smyrna vinings areas. maybe close to cobb parkway. It's nice and safe in the area. A LOT TO DO!..Theres Cumberland mall where you can do some shopping and lots of nice restaurants and sports bars. You will also be more north of Atlanta so you can head on up to Nashville.