Alexa, play Welcome To Atlanta by Jermaine Dupri! I’ve lived in the states for 12 years and I’ve always wanted to visit Atlanta! Growing up, in Africa, I watched movies like ATL that depicted this city as an entertainment Mecca, which automatically made it on my must visit list!
The opportunity to spend a couple of days in the city presented itself this July and I was more than happy to hop on a flight and head to the A! I legit felt like I had made it … and Atlanta did not disappoint!
Where To Stay
If you are in Atlanta for a couple of days and just need to hit the highlights, my recommendation is to stay downtown. It’s accessible and most of the attractions are just a short walk or über ride away! Convenience is king when you only have three days in the city!
I decided to stay at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta. I have loyalty with both Hyatt and Marriott hotels and in this case Hyatt won out in price point. I loved this hotel! Architecturally, the interiors are a marvel! The rooms were standard but the atrium is one to behold! I didn’t ask for any room upgrades but I was comfortable. The Hyatt standard definitely permeating through and through!
Where To Eat
If you’ve read my blog you know that I’m a huge foodie! Part of my ‘getting to know’ a city involves going out to eat at the local eateries and Atlanta had lots to offer! I indulged in some ribs and cornbread from Daddy D’z BBQ. I stopped by Poor Calvin’s and the mocktails and food were exquisite! The appetizer I enjoyed were frog legs! Yes y’all, tasty as heck! Also enjoyed the duck – get the duck (below right)! My friend Bianca enjoyed the sea bass (bottom left). It was all sooo delicious!
As with any trip, I have to finda couple of dessert spots and Atlanta did not disappoint in taste and creativity in presentation! The Yard Milkshake Bar took the cake – literally – with the presentation. On the other hand, Sweet Stack took it away with the flavors!
Dessert Spots
- Cake ‘n Shake
- Sweet Stack
- Butter and Cream
- Doughnut Dollies
- Yay! Brigadeiros
- The Yard Milkshake Bar
Meals
- Poor Calvin’s
- Slutty Vegan
- The Atlanta Breakfast Club
- The White Bull
- Sweet Auburn BBQ
- Ms. Icey’s Kitchen Bar
- Escobar Restaurant & Tapas
- Hattie Marie’s BBQ
- Sweet Pint BBQ
- 4 Rivers Smokehouse
What To See
As mentioned, Atlanta is a nationwide entertainment hub and I was sooo ready to see as much as I could! Due to COVID-19, there were some restrictions with regards to how long some attractions were open as well as the capacity within these locations. I had decided to opt out of the nightlife, which in pre-COVID days would have been a go-to experience. However, due to the incidence rates in Atlanta, I decided to stay in and enjoy the city during the day.
I enjoyed visiting the museums, tourist attractions like the World of Coca Cola and the Georgia Aquarium.
Seeing as I was visiting Atlanta for the first time, I decided to purchase a CityPass which granted me access to the following locations:
- CNN Studio Tours
- World of Coca Cola Tour
- Georgia Aquarium
- The National Center for Civil and Human Rights
- Fernbank Museum of Natural History
I asked my friends who lived in the city where else I could go with the minimal time that I had in the city and the suggestions below were what they came up with:
- High line Museum
- Sky View Atlanta
- Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Georgia State Rep the late John Lewis passed away when I was visiting Atlanta and I got a chance to pay my respects at this mural on Auburn St.
Atlanta is a city that I was sad to leave. There was so much more left to see and experience! The Botanical Gardens for one were a missed attraction that I have to come back and enjoy!
Have you been to Atlanta? Did I visit your favorite sites? Any suggestions for next time?
