Car-less in Atlanta (by Train)

Old Jan 4th, 2016, 06:48 AM
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Car-less in Atlanta (by Train)

People travel for different reasons. Analyzing myself, I discovered what impels me to travel--and it really is to educate myself, to be able to understand our planet better and where other people are coming from. I don't know how well I succeed in this regard, but it is an underlying goal. I must admit that more southern destinations call me more during the wintery Canadian months.

Atlanta was one of the few prominent East Coast cities I had never visited-- unless you count Hartsfield International Airport, passing through Atlanta on the train and Six Flags over Georgia when I was a kid (I don't count these). This year my plan was to rectify that and I was determined to do so in my usual style-- by train and getting around by only foot/bike, public transit and taxis if necessary. Despite warnings from some that Atlanta is a really sprawly city where you *need a car* and knowing that I would have limitations in time and what I could do, I had gotten enough encouragement from certain quarters that I coupled a short jaunt to Atlanta with a usual end-of-year visit to family in Washington DC and New York City.

Itinerary:
Amtrak Crescent #19 Washington-Atlanta Dec 29
Amtrak Crescent #20 Atlanta- New York Dec 31 (sleepers both ways)

I stayed at the Artmore Hotel in Midtown Atlanta, which had the wonderful advantage that I could (and did) roll my luggage from the train station to the hotel and back. The hotel's proximity to the Arts Center MARTA metro stop was also a deciding factor.
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Old Jan 4th, 2016, 07:11 AM
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Glad to see that you are still an Amtrak customer Daniel.
Why not stick around for NYE and leave on Jan 1?
For a really big NYE take the Crescent in coach to New Orleans from Atlanta.
The 2 things I'd like to see in Atlanta are the CNN center and take a tour at Coca Cola.
If you save up enough Amtrak Guest Rewards points, you could get a "free" roomette to Atlanta.
The AGR program is getting a major overhaul later this month so it may cost more points than the one zone trip that is currently available.
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Old Jan 4th, 2016, 07:59 AM
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One of things that struck me about Atlanta is that the city has some pretty eye-catching skyscrapers, from the cylindrical Westin Peachtree Plaza, to the Batman-shaped Symphony Tower to the wire-framed lit-up Bank of America Plaza to the atypical shape of the upper portion of Promenade II-- there's an unusually large amount of innovation in glass going on in the Georgia capital.

*December 30th and part of December 31st. Sites Within Walking Distance from Hotel in Midtown*

In my exploration of Midtown the morning of the 30th, my first stop was the Margaret Mitchell House (which the author referred to as "the Dump"), celebrating all things Gone With The Wind. I learned a fair amount about her life and some of the history of the book. Did you know that Margaret Mitchell intended the protagonist's name to be Pansy O'Hara and that the house Tara was NOT supposed to be the large mansion with plantation but a modestly-sized home?

Of note for those visiting without a car, the Midtown area around the Margaret Mitchell House has a higher density of restaurants than the rather quiet area near the Arts Center subway. I quite enjoyed my Indian-spice-inspired chicken sandwich and sweet potato soup eating on-site at the Savi Grocery Store just south of the Mitchell House on Peachtree Street.

The afternoon was well-spent at the High Museum of Art which presently has an exhibit entitled Habsburgian Splendor, featuring art, clothes, armor and transportation conveyances from the period of Habsburg rule. I equally appreciated the selection of European and American Art from the permanent exhibit.

The morning of the 31st, I walked over to the Botanical Gardens (~$20) in Piedmont Park. The unusually warm December weather offered up camelias in bloom, delightful strolling on the "Canopy Walk" and through the Japanese Garden, as well as along the waterfalls by sculpted giant frogs and a sculpted earth goddess with outstretched hand. That night, two hours before my train was due to leave, I returned to the botanical gardens, where frogs, earth goddess, trees, pathways were all lit up in a beautiful display of color and decorative shape! If you don't wish to pay again (as I didn't) and re-enter the gardens, one can appreciate some of the glorious Garden Lights for free by walking half-way toward the Botanical Gardens from the entrance at The Prado and Piedmont Avenue.

*Coming up: My Thoughts of Downtown, Little Five Points and Concluding Comments*
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Old Jan 4th, 2016, 10:37 AM
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Throughout much of Midtown, near the Peachtree Streets, New Atlanta with its gleaming skyscrapers predominates. However, walking for about 20 minutes from the Botanical Gardens to the Arts Center on the Prado, Westminster and Barksdale Drives nearby the green sunken oasis that is Winn Park, I felt I got a glimpse of what might be remnants of Old (and I suspect quite wealthy) Atlanta... so many beautiful Southern homes in this area!

*December 31st activities. Little Five Points* MARTA was my vehicle from Midtown to Little Five Points (Arts Center station to Inman Park station). The MARTA system I thought was one of the better ones I've seen...a Breeze card ($1) and a two-day-pass ($14) allowed me to get to everything I wanted to see, user-friendly with electronic displays-- plus, I never waited more than 10 minutes for a metro. About 15 minutes walk from Inman Park MARTA stop, Little Five Points is a convergence point for some of Bohemian Atlanta, as well as a number of restaurants and coffee shops. Must see? Perhaps not, although I was glad I did, just to get a sense of different Atlanta microcosms and to see some of the pleasant residences in the Inman Park area.

From Little Five Points, I then went to Downtown Atlanta, again courtesy of MARTA (Inman Park to Peachtree Center stops). Downtown Atlanta was probably the biggest surprise of the trip, as so many people had told me that downtown was dead and that midtown was the more vibrant location. Maybe it was due to the day being December 31st, a combination of the day being holiday and that Atlanta's famed Peach Drop was imminent, but downtown was bursting with energy. Downtown there seemed to be quite a busy, ebullient, optimistic, youthful spirit, with a brass ensemble playing catchy music in front of Peachtree Center Metro and throngs of couples, famililes and friends enjoying life and each other's company--particularly in the Centennial Olympic Park. Midtown wasn't a ghost town but seemed quite low-key in comparison.

In downtown, people seemed particularly enamoured of the spouts of water emanating in periodic and unpredictable intervals from the holes in the five Olympic rings in the Centennial Olympic Park. I spent I think a good 20 minutes (while writing postcards) watching the people jump into the rings and the girls & kids screaming when they mis-timed the mini-geyser and would get their pants wet by the spouts of water.

Sadly, I was too late to visit the Georgia Aquarium or the Center for Civil and Human Rights, so opted instead for my third choice: the still-available World of Coca-Cola tour. After a pretty cheesy film, one can learn the history of Coke (inventor of Coke Pemberton sadly died without reaping the profits of his invention...life can be unfair!), get a picture with the famous (robotic?) Coke Polar Bear and try Coca-Cola-owned products from fountains, with an extensive variety of offerings from throughout the world. I'm trying to watch my weight so I suspect I would have preferred the Aquarium or Center of Civil & Human Rights.

*Final musings on Atlanta*

My thought after two days is that Atlanta is a more interesting urban destination than some people give it credit for, even for those of us without our own motorized wheels. Far too many people when I told them I was going to Atlanta said "why?" (almost makes me mad! I don't know why people aren't more encouraging). The city might be quieter or less scenic than other North American destinations but there are some truly stellar offerings (Botanical Gardens at night if you're there in the holiday period!) to keep one busy for a few days.
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Old Jan 4th, 2016, 02:18 PM
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I'm trying to post but the submit button is having problems. This is a test.
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Old Jan 4th, 2016, 02:21 PM
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Tomfuller: I remain a fan of rail and am indeed building up Amtrak Guest Rewards points; with this latest journey, I just became a Select member, whatever that means. I was pleased to notice that in their cafe car, Amtrak added a quinoa salad, with leafy greens, chickpeas, green peas, pumpkin seeds and a balsamic vinaigrette, a healthy vegetarian option that seemed quite fresh. I was impressed and happy that Amtrak is trying to reach a greater variety of customers. I really feel that some people in Amtrak are trying to make the experience better for their customers.

As for NYE, I originally wanted to leave Atlanta on the 1st of January, but the prices of all the hotels Midtown that I looked at skyrocketed on December 31st as did the hotels in New York on the other end, so it ended up being easier to return to NY on the December 31st sleeper train. In a way I didn't mind, as I tend to konk out at 10pm these days anyway on NYE.
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Old Jan 4th, 2016, 03:08 PM
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Daniel,
I always love your reports. I give you a lot of credit for traveling without the use of an automobile. Good for you!
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 03:55 AM
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It is so interesting to me to read a report of someone who's travel style is so different from my own. It gives me some ideas for travel when I can no longer drive.

Thanks for the detailed report and the ideas you have given for things to do in a city (not my favorite kind of place to vacation).
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 06:40 AM
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Thanks for reading emalloy & schmerl!

Believe it or not, I haven't even driven a car since 1996. One reason I post is to give ideas for those who don't drive or those who love travel but are concerned about their carbon footprint. More easily done in Europe but there are interesting options in North America.
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 10:17 AM
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In addition to the no-car angle, reports like this illustrate what I see as the true essence of travel, which opens the mind to the interesting, beautiful and fun things to be experienced everywhere we go.
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 10:21 AM
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In addition to the no-car angle, reports like this illustrate what I see as the true essence of travel, which opens the mind to the interesting, beautiful and fun things to be experienced everywhere we go.
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 12:06 PM
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Thanks jayne1973!

I realize I forgot to mention the Skyview next to Centennial Olympic Park in Downtown Atlanta. I didn't realize that Atlanta had its own "London Eye"-like "ferris wheel"-like contraption to see the city from on high! The Skyview contributed to the animated energy in the downtown core.
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 07:00 PM
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Great trip report! Glad you enjoyed your visit.

A few thoughts -
When people talk about Atlanta being spread out or sprawling, they are referring to metro Atlanta. Atlanta City itself is fairly compact and well serviced by MARTA from the airport, through downtown and midtown and on up to Buckhead. There is limited E/W coverage.

Until last year there was no easy way to travel to the King Center, east of downtown, but now we have a new streetcar system that makes the needed loop. It's good to have streetcars back, because this was a streetcar city. Inman Park was the first planned commuter neighborhood and it was in the country when it was developed. The Candlers (of CocaCola) were among the first residents.

Current day travelers often have difficulty getting out to Stone Mountain Park, but I learned recently (from my father) that there used to be a streetcar out to Stone Mountain that traveled through the linear parks designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead. Yes, the designer of Central Park. He also designed the Druid Hills neighborhood of Driving Miss Daisy fame. The Atlanta History Center offers preservation tours of the old neighborhoods if you are interested on your return trip. My parents grew up taking the street cars in from the "suburbs" to Five Points (in downtown) and mom as a teen girl would walk up Peachtree Street from downtown to the Fox, Varsity and Krispy Kreme for movies, dinner and dessert. She said Peachtree Street was so "dead" that five girls could walk arm in arm down the middle of Peachtree Street. It really was a big town more than a city. The Doctors Building at Pine Street held all the doctors in the city.

So glad you got to the Botanical Gardens and enjoyed it. I'm wondering if your day ticket would have allowed re-entry at night. I love the Lights in the Garden exhibit every year. Just lovely to stroll through the garden with all of the beautiful lights. When you come back, check to see if there's a concert offered in the garden as well.

Pemberton's story is a sad one. He was already dying of stomach cancer when he sold the rights to Coke and had been addicted to morphine for years due to his war injuries. His concoction was intended to be an alternative to morphine, using codeine instead. The creation of a soft drink was accidental. He died a few short months later and if Asa Candler knew anything, he knew marketing. He did well by Atlanta with the profits from the soft drink. Pemberton didn't have a chance to live long enough to benefit from it but he sold the rights to the right person.

Re Downtown being "dead" - it's vibrant during the day, but after workers go home and visitors turn in for the night it can be very empty at night. It's been over 100 years since it's been a residential downtown (think Inman Park). Midtown is busier at night because there are so many new condos and nearby stable neighborhoods. The Midtown Mile plan for Peachtree fizzled a bit during the recession but the hopes are that it will become our version of Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

Come back in summer and play in the Olympic Ring fountains! There's a new Civil Rights Museum, a new College Hall of Fame and new things happening all the time - including the ferris wheel!
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 07:57 PM
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Starrs--

I appreciate your as always thoughtful and insightful response. Especially, some of your knowledge of the history of Atlanta-- I would have loved that streetcar out to Stone Mountain (Frederick Law Olmsted by the way also designed the much loved Mont Royal Park here in Montreal... a busy visionary man it would seem). Fascinating that Inman Park was country not so long ago!

The weather was so nice this December 31st that lots of people were still playing in the Olympic Ring fountains. So it seems you think things were still exceptionally busy downtown with entertainers on the 31st even after a number of attractions had closed due to the imminent Peach Drop? I could definitely see myself making a return visit, particularly seeing as I missed the Georgia Aquarium!

The woman I spoke to was unsure but seemed to think my daytime Botanical Gardens ticket was only good for one entry, but I still was able to see many lights from the sidewalk leading to the parking area by the Botanical Gardens. Definitely up there as one of the most beautiful light displays I've seen (Chinese Lanterns in Montreal's Botanical Gardens in the fall is similarly spectacular if you ever happen to be in this neck of the woods at that time of year)!

Happy New Year Starrs!
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Old Jan 5th, 2016, 09:12 PM
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Yes, the crowds were due to 12/31 and until two weeks ago there was no Peach Drop planned. Underground Atlanta had been sold and the new owners don't take possession until this month. There was no one to host it (or pay for it) until the mayor got the ball rolling less than 2 weeks before. With the influx of more downtown attractions, there may be more pedestrian traffic downtown, but under usual circumstances Midtown is much busier after dark. I am comfortable walking almost anywhere in Midtown after dark. Not so in downtown.

I think you are right about the admission to the night tour of the ABC. I looked at the website and I think you are right.

I've learned a lot more about Atlanta's history in the last year, from my father. I've been driving him into town to Emory (Candler money) and driven him around his old stomping grounds. He grew up in the days of the streetcars and remembers grocery stores in downtown when he was a boy (I was shocked) and described whole ducks hanging to age in front of the markets. When I asked when they closed, he said when he was a boy. (By the way, his grandfather was a railroad man).

They lived in the West End when it was thriving. That was about as far out as Inman Park - and folks took the streetcars into downtown to work. They moved a big further out to newer suburbs as they developed. I think you'd enjoy the Grant Park area and I know you'd love Oakland Cemetery, which was built to be a public Victorian park as well as cemetery. They have fabulous themed tours, sharing more insight into Atlanta's history. In October, they have a fabulous month of night tours, with docents role-playing varied Atlantans telling their stories. Probably the most popular ticketed event in the city - nighttime tours (all month) sell out fast. Dad tells the story about taking the streetcar out from Five Points (not L5P) to Decatur and getting off with a suitcase and a shotgun. He walked dirt roads to his cousins' farm to hunt and fish. About 40 years later, that area was the now new suburbs and we moved there after wWII. It's now an intown neighborhood.

Also new = the Beltline, a reviving of the old railroad perimeter line with walking/jogging paths connecting mostly deserted neighborhoods. The renovation is amazing and folks are flocking into areas that were left behind 50 years ago. Great restaurants at Krog Street Market. Our version of NYC's Eataly or Chelsea Market at Ponce City Market, the former Sears store (then offices, then city hall annex, now lofts and restaurants). There's so much growth in the last few years, it's mind-boggling. Come back! There's lots to see and do!
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Old Jan 6th, 2016, 12:37 PM
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Starrs-- Thanks for all these suggestions for future visits! I enjoyed reading your father's insights into the way Atlanta used to be. My Mother (she grew up in nearby Athens, which I myself lived in for two summers with her parents in the early '90s) lived in Atlanta while teaching French for a few years in the '60s at Westminster and the city must have changed a lot as the only place I went that she recognized was the Margaret Mitchell House. She was there prior to MARTA even!
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Old Jan 6th, 2016, 01:52 PM
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Is your mom living? If so, ask her if she knew Jon Crow (former missionary to Brazil).
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Old Jan 6th, 2016, 02:05 PM
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Yes, she is still living. I'm not sure what you thought the connection might be but I asked her if she'd heard of a Jon Crow and she hadn't.
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Old Jan 7th, 2016, 02:50 AM
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He taught there at the same time. Wonderful man.

"She was there prior to MARTA even!"
I've been here prior to I75 even!

Glad you enjoyed Atlanta!
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Old Jan 7th, 2016, 06:06 AM
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She taught French at the middle school at Westminster and only for 2 years in the early '60s (somewhere 1962-1964), so possibly she didn't overlap or run in the same circles. She was very young at the time, fresh out of getting an education degree at UGA, with aspirations to work in the foreign service; she left for DC to take some courses at Georgetown shortly thereafter (back when money saved from a teaching position allowed one to save enough money to do that! Boy times have changed!).
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