Activities in Gainesville

Most Atlantans don't even realize that Decatur, GA is its own separate city because it’s so close to downtown itself. Decatur has a small town feel, but is pretty sophisticated since it’s home to some of Atlanta's best shops and restaurants. I have a special place in my heart for Decatur because it’s where I live and work. There are some weeks when I don't even venture into Atlanta city proper because everything I need (good food, fun shops, and a cozy community feel) exists in the four square miles that is the City of Decatur. Decatur isn't right off the highway so its not unusual to find an Atlantan that hasn't visited and it can be overwhelming with so many places densely packed together. It has a lot going on for such a small town and sometimes you just need a local like me to show you around. So, without further ado, my favorite Decatur spots: Brick Store Pub: I have to start with this one since it's my home away from home. Brick Store is located on the town square and was voted by Beer Advocate as the second best beer bar in the world. I've heard of people who will spend their layover in Atlanta by taking MARTA to Decatur just to get a beer at this pub, and I think they're wise. This is the place where you can be as adventurous or safe as you want with beer - just don't ask for a Budweiser (they don’t carry it). Chai Pani: One of Decatur's newest restaurants that became an instant favorite of mine. I think of Chai Pani as a hipster's take on Indian street food. No matter what mood I'm in, I always get an order of Kale Pakora (think more flavorful kale chips coated in chick pea batter) and a Lime Rickey, a non-alcoholic version of a Gin Rickey made with homemade raspberry syrup. Steinbeck's: This is a teeny, tiny gastro pub located in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur. I think Steinbeck's is one of Decatur's best kept secrets. The menu changes weekly, but there are a few mainstays like the Chinese Breakfast - jasmine rice, braised pork belly, and leaks all topped with a fried egg. It'll change your life. For a tiny bar, it also has a great selection of craft beer. Cafe Alsace: I've never been to the Alsace region of France, but I feel like I know what it's like since I've eaten at Cafe Alsace a number of times. The dining room is small and quaint, in the best sense of the word, and makes you feel like you've been transported to France. Come hungry because the food is buttery, rich, and very filling. Sq/Ft: This boutique is like an independently-owned Anthropologie. It specializes in funky shoes with brands like Jeffrey Campbell, TOMS, and Seychelles, and has a curated selection of clothes and accessories. Vivid Boutique: Vivid is the cutest, prettiest, most affordable gift shop I've ever been in. Every time I need to get one of my girlfriends a birthday present, I come here. My go-to gift item is their scented Tyler candles that come in multiple sizes and change each season. Little Shop of Stories: This place is first and foremost a children’s bookstore, but it also has a great selection of curated adult fiction and nonfiction. My favorite time of year to visit is when they light a giant Christmas tree on top of their shop. The tree lighting event takes place the first Thursday after Thanksgiving and includes carols, fake snow, and free hot chocolate.

Even though Atlanta has been torn down and rebuilt a number of times, the city is steeped in history. You can still find historic buildings dotted throughout the city - from the Civil War to the civil rights movement and everything in between. Instead of putzing around a stuffy library, visit one or two of these places to get a real taste of Atlanta history: Sweet Auburn Curb Market - This market was first established in the early 1900s and is still a functioning municipal market today. During segregation, blacks were only allowed to shop the stalls along the curb, hence its name. Today, the market is located downtown near the Georgia State Campus. It has a number of stalls that sell meats, fish, and produce. There are also a number of small, popular eateries like Grindhouse Burgers and Bell Street Burritos. This is not a gentrified, downtown, touristy market like Chelsea Market in New York and Pike Street Market in Seattle. Its appearance is a little rough around the edges, but that just adds to the charm and authenticity of the place. After stocking up on groceries and getting a bite to eat at the curb market, head north one block and walk along Auburn Avenue. This is the Sweet Auburn district, a historically black business district and home to Ebenezer Church and the birth home of Martin Luther King, Jr. You can still see some of the facades of the historic businesses that shut down decades ago like the famous music club, The Royal Peacock. If you want a guided tour of the area, get in touch with the Atlanta Preservation Center for more information. Not too far north of the Sweet Auburn district is Margaret Mitchell House on Peachtree Street. You can take a tour of the famous writer’s apartment and see where she wrote Gone with the Wind. If you’re looking for a grander house museum, head north on Peachtree and check out Rhodes Hall, the home of Rhodes Furniture founder Amos Rhodes. Peachtree Street used to be lined with mansions and Rhodes Hall is one of the only remaining ones today. It was built to look like a small German castle and the interior does not disappoint. Just south of downtown is Oakland Cemetery. It’s the resting place for many famous Atlantans like Margaret Mitchell and Maynard Jackson, and has a number of beautiful mausoleums scattered throughout the grounds. Stop by the Visitors Center, take a self-guided tour, or come for one of the events hosted at the cemetery. If you think cemeteries are creepy and/or boring, a trip to Oakland Cemetery will change that mindset. Not far from Oakland Cemetery is the Cyclorama located in Grant Park. It’s a giant, panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta fought during the Civil War. The best part is that you get to sit on a rotating platform during the tour of the painting, which is complete with music, educational facts, and lighting. There’s nothing else like it in town. Make sure to stop by the small exhibit on how the Cyclorama was installed and how, at one point, it became overrun with rats. Last, but definitely not least, head west to the Wren’s Nest. In the West End neighborhood, it is the oldest house museum in Atlanta and the home of Joel Chandler Harris, the creator of Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit. Plan ahead and make sure to come for a tour and storytelling. It’s fascinating to tour the home of one of the most popular authors of the 19th and 20th centuries. The storytelling is geared towards kids, but it’s equally as fun for adults. Looking for more adventures? Explore all of our things to do deals.

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.