Last month, I took a day off of work to spend a three-day weekend in Atlanta. I was supposed to go for Labor Day weekend originally, but decided to reschedule. The last time I went to Atlanta was in 2014 for a school trip, and covered all of the tourists spots I wanted to hit, so this trip was intended to be more laid back. Here’s a guide based on what I did (and planned but didn’t do) in Atlanta last month.
Where to Stay
The original plan was to stay at the W in Buckhead, but after reading several iffy reviews and learning that you have to pay for wi-fi in the rooms, I decided to switch my friend and I’s reservation over to Hotel Clermont. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the hotel!
The hotel itself has an incredible history, and the well-known Clermont Lounge is located underneath the hotel’s restaurant, Tiny Lou’s. I absolutely loved all of the 70’s decor in each room and corner of the hotel, including the guest rooms. The cherry on top is the rooftop bar, which gets crowded on weekend nights. Although Hotel Clermont gets noisy at night, the staff were all friendly and resourceful. Guests also get vouchers for coffee/tea each morning at the café, which is a plus.
I also love that Hotel Clermont is just a short walk from Ponce City Market and part of the Beltline; it made visiting those places a lot easier, since we didn’t rent a car for the trip. I’m not too keen on driving in Atlanta. If you feel the same, you have the option to use Uber or Lyft. In case, you get involved in an accident while using these services, a ride sharing accident attorney can help ensure that your rights are protected. Oakland personal injury lawyers can help car accident victims seek compensation for their injuries. Injured in Bakersfield? Call the personal injury lawyer from Johnson Attorneys Group.
Where to Eat
Ponce City Market is definitely where it’s at, as far as eating and shopping go. Ashley and I ate almost every meal there, because there were so many amazing restaurants to choose from. We had brunch at Pancake Social one morning, and pumpkin ravioli at Brezza Cucina. Marrakesh is a great Mediterranean food spot (and their portions are generous). I really felt like I could visit Ponce City Market for each meal and still have restaurants left to try. It’s one of the best food halls I’ve been to so far.
Golden Eagle is another restaurant we went to, and their Cacio E Pepe is amazing! There’s black truffle in it, and I was instantly transported back to Paris with every bite. The restaurant is mostly known for their drinks; I had the Pink Moon cocktail (tequila-based) and loved it. The restaurant is located right behind Muchacho, which was unfortunately closed by the time we arrived. We also stopped by Tiny Lou’s, located in Hotel Clermont, for brunch when we initially got there, and later during our trip for drinks and desserts. The decor is so beautiful, and the food was great; my personal favorite is their Amish Chicken and Biscuits.
Ashley and I really wanted to try Slutty Vegan and Café Intermezzo, but we didn’t get a chance to during such a short trip (especially since we were right next to Ponce City Market).
What to See
The two major things Ashley and I planned on sightseeing were the Botanical Garden and the Trap Music Museum. The joke ended up being on us, because I didn’t realize that the Botanical Garden is closed on Mondays. I was really looking forward to seeing the Alice in Wonderland exhibition! We had tickets to the Trap Music Museum, but after reading reviews and seeing that a lot of the rooms we wanted to see had been altered/removed, we decided to just explore the Hotel Clermont and the Beltline.
Piedmont Park was our best option on Monday, so Ashley and I trekked over there on the Beltline. Thankfully, there was very little humidity in the air and we were able to enjoy the first day of Fall. Piedmont Park was absolutely beautiful! If you know me, you know that I don’t usually enjoy the outdoors, but I really enjoyed exploring the Beltline and Piedmont Park.
Even though things didn’t work out exactly as planned, I really enjoyed my trip to Atlanta and can’t wait to go back!
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