Things To Do In Gainesville

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.

It is rare to find something in this world that is virtually universally loved. A few things come to mind: laughing, love, happiness. But there’s something that can arguably be added to that list: pizza. There’s something just so irresistible about the simple, yet ingenious combination of bread and cheese. Pizza is a food variety that has been mastered in Italy and vehemently attempted in the United States. But some local Atlanta pizza restaurants offer up the real deal. Crispy Crust: Jack’s Pizza and Wings Walking into Jack’s feels like deja vu from college days. The cool, laid back joint has arcade games, graffiti, and even old school lunch boxes used as décor. Jack’s Pizza and Wings is very well known in Atlanta for their wings, but for many, it’s the pizza that keeps them coming back for more. Jack’s Pizza is the perfect balance of generous toppings, melty cheese and crispy crust. The crust isn’t paper thin, like you’d find in some NYC pizzerias; the crust is thick enough to support the toppings of their many specialty pizzas (including mac & cheese!), yet remains perfectly crisp on the bottom. Traditional Pizza: Fellini’s If you’re looking for a well-made, fresh pizza, then head over to Fellini’s. Their no-gimmick, no-fuss approach to pizza is one that’s sure to please. Their philosophy is simple: they use fresh ingredients, dynamite recipes and thoughtful care to create a little slice of cheesy heaven for each and every customer. Their signature neon lettering and twinkling light décor, combined with their lovely outdoor seating make the whole experience of dining at Fellini’s special. Authentic Neapolitan Pizza: Antico Antico is a local go-to for any pizza lover. With its unbelievably fresh ingredients and imported Italian ovens, it’s tough to compare any pizza in Atlanta to Antico. The unique atmosphere is open and inviting with large tables open for parties to share. This traditional Neapolitan pizza is as authentic as it gets in the Atlanta area. The thin, fluffy crust complements the robust flavors of the buffalo mozzarella and other mouth-watering toppings in a way that makes it clear why this pizza establishment has been around since 1889. Creative Toppings: Shorty’s Located in the Northern area of Atlanta, Shorty’s Pizza offers a fun, creative spin on pizza. In traditional Italian sit-down restaurant style, the thin crust cooked in a wood fired brick oven is enough to draw in a crowd, but the unique topping options make this pizza joint one of a kind. Unconventional foods like potatoes, fried eggs, avocado and taco seasoned ground beef are all available for toppings, making for some interesting combinations. Local Favorite: Varasano’s Pizzeria With tons of awards under their belt, including one of the 'Elite 8' Pizzerias in the US by Every Day with Rachael Ray, Varasano’s has quickly become a local favorite in Atlanta. Located in the Buckhead neighborhood, this pizzeria serves a delicious take on Neapolitan pizza. The flimsy crust made of sourdough bread just begs to be folded for the perfect bite. And in the unlikely event you have room for desert after one of their signature pizza pies, Varasano’s offers decadent Italian style doughnuts. As if their savory pizza wasn’t enough to keep business booming, the crystalized sugarcoated fried confections are the perfect cherry on top of one satisfying meal. All photos by Johnny Cheng Photography

Atlanta isn’t exactly known for its art scene. Sure, there’s the world-famous High Museum, but even locals can have a hard time figuring out where to go beyond that. That’s a shame, because it’s in the small, local galleries where Atlanta’s art scene truly shines. These places aren’t always easy to find. Some are tiny and somewhat hidden, whereas others stretch the meaning of “gallery” by taking the art outdoors. You have to know what you’re looking for when it comes to art in Atlanta, so we’ve made a list of our favorite galleries to check out around town. Onward! Young Blood Gallery | Poncey-Highland First up is Young Blood Gallery (632 N. Highland Ave. NE), a favorite of local artists and crafters. Young Blood has been showing and selling “low-brow art” (their words, not ours) since 1997—that’s way before Esty was invented. Over the years, the gallery has evolved and become more sophisticated, but the homegrown charm is still there. Since the new owners took over in 2013, the gallery is more boutique than art space, but it’s still a great resource for local, handcrafted artworks. MINT | Poncey-Highland MINT (636 N. Highland Ave. NE) is one of those hidden galleries. Fortunately, it’s located right next door to Young Blood—to find it, enter through the hallway at 634 Highland and take the first door on the right. The gallery was started by some local college grads in 2006, and they’ve been dedicated to exhibiting new and emerging artists ever since. This is the place to go to discover the freshest, youngest talent Atlanta has to offer. The nonprofit space features a full calendar of exhibitions run completely by a volunteer staff; check it out here. Beep Beep Gallery | Midtown In a similar vein—and not too far from MINT— is Beep Beep Gallery (696 Charles Allen Dr. NE). This tiny Midtown space is one of the most active art spots in town, with a constant rotation of exhibits featuring cutting-edge artworks. It’s known for its epically cramped (but amazingly fun) monthly openings, which usually feature multiple emerging artists. Kibbee Gallery | Poncey-Highland Another hidden gem in Poncey-Highland, Kibbee Gallery (688 Linwood Ave. NE) features both emerging and established Atlanta artists. The place has a welcoming, unpretentious vibe, though you might be taken aback when you see the giant installations on the ground floor of a 100-year-old home. There are new exhibitions almost every month of the year; check the gallery’s schedule for upcoming exhibitions. Outdoor Art: Living Walls and Art on the Atlanta Beltline Living Walls and Art on the Atlanta Beltline are two fantastic outdoor art experiences that have to be included in a guide to Atlanta gallery-hopping. Living Walls is a year-round program that commissions artists to paint street murals around town. From Decatur to East Point, more than 30 walls have been brought to life thanks to LW’s artist program. As its name implies, Art on the Atlanta Beltline features temporary public artworks along the Beltline between September and November. Hundreds of visual artists, performing artists, and musicians have taken part in the program since it began in 2010. If you’re unfamiliar with the Beltline project, this is a great way to acquaint yourself with the city’s largest connected green space. Photos: Catherine Lee (wall murals), Joeff Davis (Young Blood Gallery), Beep Beep Gallery Discover more things to do in Atlanta with Groupon.