Love~Hate Atlanta

A few times a year, we make a trek from Mississippi to the big city. Atlanta. My sisters, their children and grandchildren, along with some very dear friends call the metropolis home. We love to see them, but there are a few things we hate about Atlanta.

1. Traffic
2. Rude drivers in  traffic
3. Wrecks slowing traffic to a standstill
4. Everyone lives what seems like an hour or more away from each other—depending on the traffic
5. Twelve lanes of what feels like the Indy 500 on I-285 with traffic
6. Airport is an hour away from everything-- or more with traffic

 That said--Things We Love
Yellow River Game Ranch: My kids loved to go every year to feed the animals at this large sort-of wildlife petting zoo where deer roam. I still love it. The bunny petting area is a great picture spot, too.

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Young me.

Stone Mountain: What’s not to love about the largest exposed dome of granite in North America? They’ve added oodles of recreational activities at the base, but my favorite thing to do is climb to the top, take pictures, and look out over the city. In summer, it’s fun to take a picnic and go watch the (somewhat cheesy) laser show and fireworks, too.

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A few of the hundreds of flavors.

Coke Museum: A more touristy place to visit is downtown. Go to Centennial Park, then explore the shrine to the addictive liquid. You must try the one hundred or more different sodas—then hope you don’t get stuck in traffic on the way home. Yikes. See above.

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Fox Theatre: Buy a ticket to a concert in this spectacular and historic auditorium. I can’t describe the interior well enough to do the place justice, you have to see for yourself. Don’t forget to look up at the ceiling that somehow appears to be a starry night sky.

Outdoor concerts: It’s been a while, so check with a local for specifics, but in spring when the dogwood trees are in full bloom, Piedmont Park and other venues host fantastic concerts. One of my favorite memories is sitting on a blanket with friends, having a picnic while Ray Charles sang “Georgia.” ~Chills running down arms.  

Buckhead: As the single girl in the city, back in the day, one of my favorite pastimes was trying trendy new restaurants. (Eating=favorite pastime!) 
You can find fantastic culinary establishments all over the city, but Buckhead is the place to be. (Although, as an oldish mom with a teen boy, we tend to end up at Blue Moon Pizza in Buckhead. Good stuff.)

So, if you can get past the T-word, you might just learn to love Atlanta, too. Or at least love~hate Atlanta.