Athens, Georgia hotel and dining recommendations
 

We're off to the home of UGA for a weekend in April. Can a knowledgeable Fodorite suggest a good hotel best situated to walk campus and downtown. Any memorable or not-to-miss restaurants with local fare? Other things we should NOT miss? Thanks!

Where are you staying? I recommend the Hilton Garden Inn or the Indigo.

For dinner -

Last Resort Grill -
http://www.lastresortgrill.com/

Five and Ten -
http://www.fiveandten.com/press.html

Casual noodle place = Doc Chey's
http://www.doccheys.com/locations/athens.php

Brand new sandwich (and breakfast) place - Yummy Bites
http://athens.patch.com/listings/yummy-bites
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/...67440995.shtml
Stopped there to pick up to-go sandwiches for a group and we LOVED the sandwiches and I loved the folks working there.
Folks working there at the Classic Center eat there almost every day and love it too.
(around the corner from the Hilton Garden Inn)

The best two hotel options in town - both in downtown -
Hilton Garden Inn -
http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en...tyhocn=AHNDTGI

Hotel Indigo -
http://www.athensdowntownhotel.com/


Another restaurant idea -
http://www.farm255.com/
I've not eaten here yet and it gets mixed reviews, but an idea anyway.

"Any memorable or not-to-miss restaurants with local fare?"

Oh, how could I forget! If you want "local" - and want burgers, hot dogs, shakes, etc. then you need to go to the Varisty. The original is in Atlanta -

http://www.thevarsity.com/history.php?action=timeline

The one in Atlanta has carhops and Nipsey Russell was discovered there. It definitely is an institution ;)

Too far to walk from downtown, but stop by on the way in or out if you're interested. <i> What'll ya have?!

Farm 255 and 5 & 10 are outstanding.

Farm 255 @ 255 West Washington St., Athens, GA 706 - 549 - 4660.
http://www.farm255.com/
Five and Ten Restaurant @ 1653 South Lumpkin St., Athens, GA 706 - 546 - 7300.
http://www.fiveandten.com/

Thanks for the suggestions! The Indigo and the Hilton Garden are sold out for our weekend. We still wanted to be downtown so we booked at the Holiday Inn Express, but someone suggested a hotel on the UGA campus--the Georgia Center. Do we want to consider this? I've not found any reviews on line. Is this a better location or facility than the HI Express? Rates are the same, but want the easiest access to downtown restaurants, shops.

I appreciate the restaurant suggestions and was delighted to read the Varsity has a spot in Athens! I'll have to tell my wife that it's a health food spot, but I know we'll enjoy it. Thanks starrs!

We're looking forward to our first visit to Athens!

The Holiday Inn Express is closer to downtown. The Georgia Center is on campus. It's the Georgia Center Conference Center at the Center for Continuing Education. The rooms are basic hotel rooms for folks attending conferences. It's fine and the restaurant there is a real find - good food at good prices. There's a buffet side and a sit-down side. But it's not a destination hotel and it's further from downtown (google maps say .9 mile).

I'd stick with the Holiday Inn Express. There are two older options a bit closer - the Holiday Inn and the Foundry Park Inn.