Midtown's Magic

Atlanta, GA -
What is Atlanta's "Midtown"? That's a question any number of Atlantans would answer any number of different ways. What they'd all agree on, however, is that Midtown is one of Atlanta's premier neighborhoods.

There are dozens of things to do within walking distance of each other in Midtown.

Atlanta's Midtown rivals the city's famous downtown - in its skyline, its hotels, its cultural centers, and its businesses. Midtown is home to such giants of industry as BellSouth and IBM. It's also home to The Varsity, a great place for a quick bite, but certainly no corporate behemoth!

From the Sheraton Atlanta Perimeter North Hotel to Atlanta Marriott Suites Midtown to the Four Seasons to Sheraton Colony Square, Midtown is home to world-class establishments that define elegance and sophistication.

If you're in the mood for a little bit of history in your lodgings, try the Georgian Terrace Hotel... in 1939 it hosted the world premiere party for the movie that first made Atlanta famous throughout the world - Gone With The Wind.

Once you've gotten settled into your lodgings, you'll want to get out and wander the neighborhood... there are dozens of things to do within walking distance of each other in Midtown. Atlanta being a world-class city, these aren't your run-of-the-mill tourist haunts, either.

Start off with a walk through Piedmont Park, Atlanta's extensive and much-lauded city park. Covering over 189-acres, this lush greensward easily accommodates upwards of 2 million visitors a year. They come to sun bathe, picnic, play tennis and ball, to walk their dogs and swim in the lakes. Piedmont is located between 10th Street, Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Street.

If you find yourself enjoying the greenery, and aren't ready for the wider world, stop by the Atlanta Botanical Garden. It is adjacent to the Park, and is home to an incredible collection of carnivorous plants. With a Japanese garden, walking trails through an old-growth hardwood forest, exotic specimens of flora in the Fuqua Conservatory and a renowned collection of orchids in the Fuqua Orchid Center, Atlanta Botanical Garden is amazing.

Now that you're lungs are full of fresh air and your mind is relaxed, plunge into Midtown's other attractions. Stop by the Fox Theater to see what shows will playing while you're in town - they host everything from rock concerts to opera stagings.

A little further down Peachtree you'll find Woodruff Arts Center. This is an Atlanta showpiece, as it houses the Alliance Theatre Company, the Atlanta College of Art, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art, and the 14th Street Playhousea. Art lovers from all over the United States have flocked recently to the High to catch exhibits featuring the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and Pablo Picasso.

If you're a Gone With The Wind buff, you'll want to stop by the Margaret Mitchell Home and Museum, a two block historic site where Mitchell wrote Gone With the Wind that features the restored Tudor style mansion built in 1899 where the novel was penned and the Gone With the Wind Movie Museum that holds part of the world's largest collection of movie memorabilia.

Midtown wouldn't be a part of Atlanta if it didn't have excellent restaurants. South City Kitchen has quickly gained fame with its unique nouveau Southern cuisine. Signature seafood dishes are a specialty.

If you're on the prowl for good, ol' classic Southern food, you have to stop by Mary Mac's Tea Room. This is down-home cooking the way your momma did it (if you're Southern, and your mother was a great cook, that is!). Entrees such as Baked Chicken with Cornbread Dressing and Gravy and Pork Barbecue with Brunswick Stew will satisfy any appetite.

People-watching is one of the great diversions of urban life, and Midtown's outstanding example of this benign pastime is at Vickery's Crescent Ave. Bar & Grill. The first restaurant and bar on Crescent Avenue, it continues its run as a "must-do" stop for all night owls in the area.

Midtown nightlife tends towards night clubs with a distinctly "uptown" feel to them, clubs that aren't afraid to enforce dress codes, or, when needed, put out the velvet rope. From trendy nightspots like the Crescent Room to the laid-back, hard-to-describe Leopard Lounge, Midtown's bars and clubs push the envelope of hip.

So that's Atlanta's Midtown neighborhood. A heady mix of art, culture, nature and adventurous dining and nightlife, all tucked into the center of the New South's capital, Atlanta!