Things To Do In Conyers

Atlanta is a relatively new city in the sense that it hit its stride in the late 90s after the Olympics. It’s known for Coca-Cola and CNN, but there are so many other things that should be celebrated and known about Atlanta. I’ve lived in the city for just over ten years and feel the most like I can pass as a native when I discover new quirks about the city. Here are my top ten quirks that make Atlanta crazy, but great. 1. Many of downtown Atlanta’s streets are two stories above ground. Downtown Atlanta used to be a giant train hub. Later on in the 20th century when more streets were added, they were built above the train lines. A lot of the already existing buildings just moved their front entrance up to levels to open out on the streets. While some of the train lines are still in use, a lot of the “underground” lower levels are now parking garages for Georgia State University and the World Congress Center complex. To learn more about it, join one of Jeff Morrison’s Unseen Underground Walking Tours. 2. You’ll want to hang out in a cemetery. Oakland Cemetery, to be specific. This historic cemetery located two MARTA stops from the heart of downtown Atlanta is so pretty you’ll want to have a picnic there. Even with all of the gothic mausoleums that dot the landscape and, you know, all the dead buried there, Oakland is the opposite of creepy. It also hosts a number of events throughout the year, which will make you want to visit at least every month. 3. You can eat popcorn while enjoying a dance performance. The Fox Theater is a historic movie theater with lavish interiors. Today it’s one of the downtown Atlanta’s main performance venues for concerts, operas, dance performances, and film festivals. It has a concession stand that’s open during shows, which means you can get a bag of buttery popcorn while attended a performance of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. You can’t do that at Lincoln Center in New York! 4. You can experience The Walking Dead any day in Atlanta. Many scenes from the first episodes were shot in downtown Atlanta (think south of Five Points). That area has yet to be rejuvenated and the creators of the show found that the vacant storefronts and forgotten buildings provided the perfect background for a post-apocalyptic story. The old, abandoned Atlanta Journal Constitution building on Forsyth Street has been left alone for so long that it has trees growing out of it. 5. Gone With the Wind fandom is still going strong here. If you’re a GWTW fan, you have a seemingly endless amount of sites to visit. Of course there’s the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum in midtown. There’s the Georgian Terrace hotel where Clark Gable stayed during the premier of the film. You can visit Mitchell’s grave in Oakland Cemetery. If you’re willing to venture out to the ‘burbs, you can visit Stately Oaks in Jonesboro, which is as close to the fictional Tara plantation as you’ll get. North of Atlanta in Marietta, you can explore the Gone With The Wind Museum. 6. You can visit a hidden gallery. Mint Gallery is located in a back room behind Young Blood Boutique in Poncey Highlands. The gallery is only a single room, but has great rotating shows and frequently partners with local non-profit arts organizations. Most people get confused about the location on their first visit because their GPS leads them to the front door of Young Blood. Enter the boutique without trepidation, take a look at all the fun, locally made crafts at the store, and then head to the back wall where you’ll find the entrance to Mint. 7. There’s always a festival going on. Atlanta loves its festivals, especially music and arts festivals. Between the months of April and October there is never a week or a weekend when there isn’t something going on. Some of the more popular festivals include Music Midtown, the Dogwood Festival, The Decatur Book Festival and the Inman Park Festival. 8. The second best beer pub in the world is only a MARTA ride away. The Brick Store Pub in downtown Decatur was given that title a few years ago by Beer Advocate. Not only does it have an enormous selection of craft beers, it has a friendly staff that’s well versed in beer, and the interior, wood-heavy decor makes it an incredibly inviting bar. 9. The Globe Theater is located downtown - kind of. So it might not be THE Globe Theater, but The New American Shakespeare Tavern is located just a few blocks south of Ponce de Leon Avenue on Peachtree Street. You can’t miss it because the two story facade has been designed to look like The Globe, nestled between two 20th century commercial buildings. The tavern has a full season of Shakespearean plays and some of the best shepherd's pie in town. 10. You can see where Robert Burns lived. That’s right, the famous Scottish poet’s home is in Atlanta - or at least an exact replica is. The Burns Cottage is located in the Ormewood Park neighborhood is owned by Burns Club of Atlanta, which is essentially a gentlemens club. Once in a while the club will open up the cottage for tours, but it’s a rare occurrence. Check out our deals for even more crazy great things to do in Atlanta.

As a female, one of the challenges of a sprawling city like Atlanta is finding fun things to do when your friends are spread out all over town. The trick to getting your gal pals to coordinate their schedules and actually put something on the calendar is often as simple as finding a unique activity that everyone can enjoy. From the arts district of Castleberry Hill to drag queen bingo on Buford Highway, there are adventures any night of the week if the right woman knows where to look. Castleberry Hill’s monthly art stroll takes place on the second Friday evening of every month, and makes for a fantastic excuse to get the girls together. Meet for a drink or appetizers first at No Más! Hacienda & Cantina, and then hit up the volunteer information booth in front of the restaurant to get a map of galleries participating in the evening’s tour. Walk through the neighborhood at your own pace, checking out the wide variety of styles and immense talents of Atlanta’s art scene. Some galleries offer wine and snacks, and you can always end the night with an inexpensive tasting at Wine Shoe, a woman-owned wine bar run by one of the local gallery owners. If the crew is in a rowdier mood, head out to Buford Highway for drag queen bingo at Lips on Wednesday nights. Dozens of disco balls hanging from the ceiling and the giant bedazzled stilettos set the tone for the party officially known as Bitchy Bingo, and the hostess never fails to deliver a side of attitude with your drinks. Speaking of which, the pours at Lips are stiff, with lots of options to choose from. You can take in the scene from a few seats at the bar, but it’s best to get to one of the tables up front to really appreciate the show. And besides, it’s all about the laughs and the chance to just be one of the girls.

All is well in the ATL this week, with the Braves jumping into first place and the Fourth of July fast approaching. Beyond baseball and fireworks, it’s going to be a busy week: concept cars continue to dazzle at the High Museum of Art, there’s drinking to be done in Buckhead and Midtown, Radioactivity brings bubblegum punk to The Earl, and a mixed-media art show at The Mammal Gallery promises to be a hot and sweaty affair. As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Atlanta. Dream Cars Midtown | Through Sunday, September 7 Back in the 1950s, owning a car was a big deal. But owning a car shaped like a rocket ship was an even bigger deal. Sadly, few people actually accomplished the latter, but that doesn’t mean automakers weren’t dreaming up some truly insane designs. The newest exhibit at the High Museum of Art explores the concept cars of yesteryear, most of which never saw the production line. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to drive an egg, well, here’s your answer. (1280 Peachtree St. NE; $12–$19.50; buy tickets here) Cocktails in the Garden Midtown | Thursday, July 3, 6 p.m.–10 p.m. The gardeners and landscapers at the Atlanta Botanical Garden aren’t afraid to think big. Their latest exhibition, Imaginary Worlds, proves as much with 28 massive living sculptures shaped like frogs, gorillas, and unicorns. The best time to explore these new plant designs is at night, during a Cocktails in the Garden event that also features a chef demo, cultural performances, and live DJs. Every month comes with a new cocktail theme, and July’s Gettin’ Fizzy theme promises a bubbly affair. (1345 Piedmont Ave. NE; 21+; $18.95; free for members) Red, White, and Brews Pub Crawl Buckhead | Thursday, July 3, 6 p.m.–11 p.m. Freedom means being able to celebrate the Fourth of July a day early, and there’s no better way to do it than the Red, White, and Brews Pub Crawl. Gear up for the summer’s most patriotic weekend with this Thursday-night marathon, which visits five of Buckhead’s most popular watering holes. Pub crawlers will enjoy drink specials throughout the night, including complimentary red- and blue-colored shots. (Pub crawl meets at Big Sky; 3201 Cains Hill Pl. NW; $15–$20; buy tickets here) Radioactivity at The Earl East Atlanta | Friday, July 4, 9 p.m. On the Fourth of July, Radioactivity will light up The Earl’s stage with a frenetic set that will surely prove just as explosive as anything going on outside. These Texas garage punks recently released their debut album on esteemed indie label Dirtnap Records, and its 30 minutes of bubblegum punk will be ringing in your ears long after this one’s over. Bad Sports opens. (488 Flat Shoals Ave. SE; $10; buy tickets here) Legendary Children: In Heat Downtown | Saturday, July 5, 8 p.m. This mixed-media art show promises to be a hot and sweaty affair with plenty of shameless dancing and scandalous drag outfits. It all starts with a cocktail hour at 8 p.m., during which guests can peruse the gallery’s installations, photos, and drawings. Things really kick into gear when the downstairs opens at 10 p.m. with a set from DJ Vicki Powell and a full bar. Attendees are encouraged to dress in drag or “wear their fetish,” be it fur, candy, or unicorns. (The Mammal Gallery, 91 Broad St. SW; $9–$12; buy tickets here) Photos: High Museum of Art; Atlanta Botanical Garden; Radioactivity