ARE there any hip cool areas that feature.. (Atlanta, Duluth: townhomes, neighborhoods)

[MsTia]

Are there any neighborhoods or suburbs in which a single person or just married couple may find some (or within drivable distance of) cafes, whole foods markets or trader joes (or similar healthfood stores), borders/bookstores, variety of restaurants including veggan, health clubs, and nightclubs. Oh yeah and a nice mall/shops that feature a few upscale shops?

I have been there a few times mostly to Decatur, Stone mtn, and caught a glimpse of bucktown and some huge mall area. I didn't see any sidewalks to ride your bike tho. Any one also know of nice parks or botanical gardens located in or near Atlanta?

Any help with all those questions would be greatly appreciated. Some may sound redundant but I couldn't find answers on previous posts!

[Georgia]

Whole Foods is in Johns Creek/Duluth GA.
I-85 to Exit 104. Left on Pleasant Hill Road. 5 miles on the right hand side.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by MsTia

Are there any neighborhoods or suburbs in which a single person or just married couple may find some (or within drivable distance of) cafes, whole foods markets or trader joes (or similar healthfood stores), borders/bookstores, variety of restaurants including veggan, health clubs, and nightclubs. Oh yeah and a nice mall/shops that feature a few upscale shops?

I have been there a few times mostly to Decatur, Stone mtn, and caught a glimpse of bucktown and some huge mall area. I didn't see any sidewalks to ride your bike tho. Any one also know of nice parks or botanical gardens located in or near Atlanta?
Any help with all those questions would be greatly appreciated. Some may sound redundant but I couldn't find answers on previous posts!

Have you toured the VA Highland/Emory area? Lullwater Park on the Emory campus is open to the public during certain hours.

Piedmont Park is about 10 minutes south and the botanical gardens are located here>>>
Atlanta Botanical Garden


Bike Riding>>>
PATH Foundation

[JPD]

Originally Posted by MsTia

Are there any neighborhoods or suburbs in which a single person or just married couple may find some (or within drivable distance of) cafes, whole foods markets or trader joes (or similar healthfood stores), borders/bookstores, variety of restaurants including veggan, health clubs, and nightclubs. Oh yeah and a nice mall/shops that feature a few upscale shops?

I have been there a few times mostly to Decatur, Stone mtn, and caught a glimpse of bucktown and some huge mall area. I didn't see any sidewalks to ride your bike tho. Any one also know of nice parks or botanical gardens located in or near Atlanta?

Any help with all those questions would be greatly appreciated. Some may sound redundant but I couldn't find answers on previous posts!

Virginia-Highlands meets every criteria you listed.

[George Chong]

Inman Park, Candler Park and Little Five Points also fits your needs. They are all close to the Path which Take mentioned and close to Whole Foods on Ponce and Sevananda. There is also a Barnes and Noble located in the Edgewood shopping district along with Target, Best Buy and a Lowes. There is also a Trader Joe's in Midtown.

Here are some links for you:

www.inmanpark.org
http://www.candlerpark.org/cm/
Sevananda - Home Page (http://www.sevananda.coop/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=C5G13S77A6GB8P0JT1P2Q4XBHR8 BFXX2 - broken link)
Atlanta (Ponce de Leon) Home | WholeFoodsMarket.com (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/poncedeleon/index.php - broken link)
http://www.sembler.com/pdfs/edgewood...l_district.pdf
Soul Vegetarian 2 - Poncey-Highland - Atlanta, GA 30306 - Yelp

[eightiesfan]

Decatur, VA-HI, Midtown, Little 5, possibly Buckhead as well. All areas that should work for you. The type of housing you need may play the largest role in deciding, well that and cost.

As a bike riding vegetarian bookstore nut, I lived in VA-Hi and Buckhead for a few years and enjoyed both of them and frequented all of the areas listed.

Best of luck to you.

[IntownHomes247]

Midtown is the closest fit based on your criteria. Virginia-Highland is next (and it's adjacent to Midtown just on the other side of Piedmont Park). Both Midtown and Virginia-Highland are very expensive (of course, most of the popular intown neighborhoods are quite expensive).

Here's a map that will show you where most of the major intown neighborhoods (particularly to the NE of the city) are in relation to one another:

Map of Intown Neighborhoods

[MsTia]

Thanks to all who have replied so far. I am finding the info helpful. The last time I was there which I forgot to mention was 6 years ago.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by MsTia

Are there any neighborhoods or suburbs in which a single person or just married couple may find some (or within drivable distance of) cafes, whole foods markets or trader joes (or similar healthfood stores), borders/bookstores, variety of restaurants including veggan, health clubs, and nightclubs. Oh yeah and a nice mall/shops that feature a few upscale shops?

I have been there a few times mostly to Decatur, Stone mtn, and caught a glimpse of bucktown and some huge mall area. I didn't see any sidewalks to ride your bike tho. Any one also know of nice parks or botanical gardens located in or near Atlanta?

Any help with all those questions would be greatly appreciated. Some may sound redundant but I couldn't find answers on previous posts!

Ok, #1...you don't ride your bike on the sidewalk.

#2...there are cafes EVERYWHERE, both walkable/driveable and urban/suburban

#3...vegan restaurants - Cafe Sunflower; Soul Vegetarian; Veggieland; Harmony Vegetarian; Green Sprout; Across the Street; World Peace Cafe

#4...health food/vegan stores - Rainbow Natural Foods; Sevananda; Dulce Vegan Organic Bakery; Life Grocery; Return to Eden; Cosmos Vegan Shoppe; Dekalb Farmer's Market; Whole Foods (several locations); Trader Joe's (several locations)

#5...there are 16 Borders and 17 Barnes & Nobles in the Atlanta Metro; there are a few local book stores still left, Outwrite; Charis; Brushstrokes gay/feminist; Atlanta Book Exchange and a few other used book stores/exchanges; a selection of ethnic, christian, specialty, and university book stores

#6...there are lots of small parks around the city, but the best large multi-purpose parks are Piedmont Park; Freedom Park; Chastain Park; Grant Park; Centennial Olympic Park; Fernbank Forest; the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area; Woodruff Park; Candler Park; lots of smaller parks throughout Ansley Park and other neighborhoods...Winn Park, McClatchey Park, John Howell Park, Hurt Park, Hardy Ivy Park, Wildwood Park

Piedmont Park, Midtown

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10054722@N07/2788645042/ (broken link)


Atlanta Botanical Gardens, in Piedmont Park
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7c/Atlbotanicalgardens.jpg/800px-Atlbotanicalgardens.jpg (broken link)



Japanese Garden at the Carter Center, in Freedom Park

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lkbm/103286920/ (broken link)


Rosalynn Carter Rose Garden at the Carter Center, in Freedom Park

http://www.flickr.com/photos/procrast8/196665210/ (broken link)

[TakeAhike]

Great Pics Deacon.

I think part of the PATH route runs through around Freedom Park? The bike riders of Atlanta are intrepid at any rate.