Atlanta Favorites

By: Melina Imshaug: 2nd Year- Health Policy and Management

These are a few of my favorite [Atlanta] things:
I tried to think of what was my favorite thing about living in Atlanta and couldn’t come up with one main thing. There are many things to do, see, and EAT! Here are some of my favorites. Of course, this list can go on forever but I wanted to limit it to my top four. Enjoy!

Atlanta Botanical Garden
This place is beautiful during every season! The first time I went was last year, during their Chihuly exhibit, and absolutely loved it. It isn’t too big but you can spend awhile there. It is next to (basically within) Piedmont Park so if you get tired of the gardens, you can go explore the park. They also have a lovely orchid show and during the holidays, the Atlanta Botanical Garden has a beautiful display of holiday lights that is a must see. They even had s’mores and holiday music playing throughout the gardens.

Weekend Trips
Atlanta is great because not only is it a fun city to explore, but there are also other cities that are close enough to visit for a weekend trip. I recently went to Savannah (about a 4-hour drive) and it is such a pretty city to visit. Definitely worth a trip to walk down the elegant streets covered with Spanish moss and flowers. Also, one of my favorite restaurants in Savannah (The Public Kitchen & Bar) will be opening up in Atlanta at Phipps Plaza! Charleston is another beautiful place to visit that is about a 4.5-hour drive and has great southern charm, delicious food, and fun people-watching. Finally, the drive to Gatlinburg through the mountains is not to miss. It is very scenic and has beautiful views of the mountains and many nature hikes. All three places are definite musts for photographers!

FOOD!
This is a topic that deserves an entire post. Atlanta sure does love its food. If you want food with a view, I’d recommend trying Sun Dial Restaurant. This is located downtown on top of the Westin Hotel. Not only is the food delicious, but the restaurant rotates so you can see the city from all angles. A great view and definitely worth it to try. Another one of my favorites is Sun in My Belly for breakfast or brunch. Their lavender biscuits and homemade jam go together perfectly.

Different Things to Try
I had no idea before this but Atlanta has a lot of fun things to do that are out of the ordinary. For example, I have been to a couple Family Feud recordings and have also seen a live taping of American Ninja Warrior at Turner Field. Keep your eyes open for more opportunities that may show up throughout the year. There was also a holiday pop-up bar in December that was complete with presents, holiday music, Santa-everything, and much more. Not to miss if it “pops up” again this year! Finally, Decatur Glassblowing has various classes where you can blow your own glass piece. Last Halloween, my family and I made our own glass pumpkins. A lot a fun and you get to take home a great piece of art – not everyone can say that they made their own glass pieces!