Exploring downtown

Downtown Atlanta for the Tourist

Downtown has long been labelled the epicenter for tourist activity in Atlanta, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun for everyone. Perhaps the most symbolic of this is the 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, where big outdoor events are held throughout the year. Its strategic location makes for an easy trip to conventions, trade shows and high-profile events at the Georgia World Congress Center, the third largest in the US, or CNN Center, where you can take a tour of the media giant’s headquarters. Sure, there are attractions close by that specifically target tourists like the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca Cola, but there are also notable additions to the area that will appeal to anyone from anywhere, like the College Football Hall of Fame and the Center for Civil and Human Rights. The Luckie-Marietta District surrounding the Olympic Park will give you the entertainment you need, while the in/famous Underground Atlanta is worth a visit, if only for its role in the city’s history. Also in the vicinity are the Georgia Dome, home of Falcons and Philips Arena, home of the Hawks.

Downtown Atlanta for the Anti-Tourist (aka the Local)

Venturing just a little further out from Downtown’s touristy entertainment district will set you on a path to finding great local gems, from casual eateries to fine restaurants, bars, lounges and nightclubs, retail stores, and exciting condo, loft and real estate developments, most of which are within walking distance from one another. Downtown is known for its culinary choices and bustling food culture, and with well over 300 establishments to choose from, the chances of those pesky tourists getting in the way of your night out on the town or quick drink after work are fairly slim.

At the southern end of the Olympic Park you’ll find the Fairlie-Poplar Historic District with the largest concentration of commercial and office buildings, dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Historically the central business district in Atlanta, many of the buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, like the Flatiron Building (which predates its famous New York cousin), while others have been converted into luxury condos for sale. But despite its long-standing commercial reputation, Fairlie-Poplar does have its creative outlets that give the artistically-inclined Midtown and Westside neighborhoods a run for their money.

downtown homes for sale or rent