starrs

I'd be concerned about the other advice your realtor may be giving. Monticello as a source for a book? The grocery stores in Greensboro are far more likely to have the book for sale than Monticello GA. I can't imagine any place in Monticello that would carry the book. Monticello and Athens are equidistant from Madison. Driving 30 miles to Monticello for a book sounds like someone wanted to send you on a wild goose chase.

The aquarium is on beluga whale baby watch. Any minute now there will be a new baby - sometime in the next month. Lots of excitement as we wait.

bigal4

Never said my realtor gave me advice to go to Monticello for a book. She told me Athens. A friend at work told me I should check out Monticello because there was a cute little village,not for a book, just to visit. The realtor who lives in Madison is an avid reader and she did not think Greensboro would have that book being so new.
I wish we had more time to see the aquarium. We will probably be heading up there sometime later this year.
Anyway, any thoughts on Monticello GA, for a visit?

starrs

bigal, are you sure someone isn't pulling your leg? Ask for information about the "cute little village" in Monticello because either you heard wrong or they don't know what they are talking about. There's a courthouse square but nothing much on it. Check it out yourself - google Monticello and search nearby for hotels, or restaurants or stores. The Verizon store there closed for lack of businesss. There's a Dairy Queen and I think a Blimpie. There was ONE restaurant on the square, but I'm not sure it is still open. There are no hotels to speak of and the grocery store and Dollar General store are on the way out of town. Drive through Monticello and check it out yourself. Tricia Yearwood is from there and her family still lives there. But "cute little village"? I have no idea what the person is talking about. Not unless they find all the little dying courthouse squares in south Georgia (or Oklahoma for that matter) "cute little villages". I think you must have heard wrong or someone is jerking you around.

jill_h

OOOHHHH, I so hope for a baby beluga before we get there (or while we're there). That would be so super cool!

willowjane

We thought the Botanical Gardens were fabulous! We loved the aquarium as well and the beluga whales were awesome. Canoe was probably our favorite restaurant on the trip, but we also had fun at The Varsity (hot dogs and onion rings). I have to say that Dekalb Farmers Market is just awesome for gazing at the amazing variety of "stuff" from all over the world! I know this sounds weird but we had a great tour of Oakland Cemetery and the "Six Feet Under" bar nearby is a fun place - but really just a bar. Fernbank has a neat collection and a room of interactive activites.

bigal4

Starrs,the friend of mine was definitely not "Pulling my leg" He is not that type of person. However, I did just call him and he thought it was off the Monticello exit, but he was wrong.
The area he was talking about is called Henderson Village which is actually in Perry Georgia. He was only off by an hour or so. Anyone familiar with Henderson Village? It would actually be on our way when we drive up to Madison GA from where we live in Sarasota FL.

starrs

Henderson Village makes sense.
Monticello did not.

jill_h

Willowjane - my son's girlfriend bought a Groupon coupon for us to do the cemetery tour when we visit this summer. I talked to my son and he said it's really neat -- well, you know, as cemeteries go.

starrs

I have a couple of friends who are docents and give the tours. They are crazy-wild about Oakland. If you are ever here around Halloween you HAVE to go on their night tours then. It was built to be a public space/garden - for the living as well as a resting place for Atlantans.

"Oakland is much more than an outstanding example of a Victorian garden cemetery. It is also a magnificent sculpture garden, botanical garden, flourishing wildlife habitat, public park and picturesque setting for quiet reflection"

bigal4

Is Henderson Village worth the trip? Right off of 75.

bigal4

I know that. I am looking for others opinions who may live near there or who have visited. Anyone out there who has visited Henderson Village I would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks.

MiamiBeachMomma

Any thoughts on the CNN VIP tour versus the regular tour??

For the op- new @ stone mountain is a really cool ropes course!! My son (who was 10 at the time) and I had a blast!! You must wear closed shoes (no flip flops) to participate.

toupary6

jill_h, I don't know when in June you'll be here, but there is a Vermeer exhibition opening at the High on the 22nd. It includes The Girl with the Pearl Earring. www.high.org

Your husband is right about the Flying Biscuit. When I used to come down to Atlanta from DC, it was an obligtory stp, and there is one by Piedmont Park.

I loved the History Center, and I'd have missed it had my French friend not been interested in the Civil War. It's one of the best places I've visited since I've been here. Admission includes optional free tours of a Civil War era frmhouse and Swan House, which is magnificent. The grounds are spectacular.

Also near where you'll be staying is the Margaret Mitchell House. I haven't done the tour.

travelingUSA

I'm only a curious reader, but what do you guys have to say about Atlanta's reputation of being kind of boring comparing to a lot of other big cities? I hear it has a suburban feel to it (not very dense) which has an impact.

jill_h

We'll be heading to Stone Mtn.; I think we'll be there on the 22nd, so will definitely check out the High Museum.

Definitely want to do the Margaret mitchell house -- it was on the amazing race!!

starrs

"I hear it has a suburban feel to it (not very dense) which has an impact."

I'll speak to that. It doesn't have the big city feel that a lot of cities have. #1 - Downtown was never residential. If you come to downtown Atlanta and expect a NYC, Chicago, etc experience you'll be disappointed. Men commuted into jobs in downtown on the streetcars from "suburbs". Of course, those suburbs are now vibrant intown neighborhoods. #2 - Atlanta has some public transportation but the routing of the subway is limited - basically north/south and east/west. There's a lot to see and do along those routes - but most of Atlanta is not served by those routes. #3 - Car is king - No doubt about it. Most people get around Atlanta via personal cars. In the last decade or so, there's been more of a move back into the areas close to MARTA trains. Midtown is completely different from the Midtown of 10-20 years ago. When the "city" areas become more residential, you have more of a city vibe. Downtown is still pretty much dead after dark. Mostly business travelers there. Buckhead is car-centric. It just is. Midtown and Decatur are very walkable with lots of restaurant options.

Does that make for "boring"? Boring is in the eye of the beholder. I'm an Atlanta native and my parents grew up in intown neighborhoods. They were never bored. My friends are never bored. Sometimes people bring "boring" with them. I attend an intown church and we have LOTS of people who have moved to Atlanta on purpose or who have sold their suburban homes to move into (mostly) Midtown to enjoy the benefits of a very nice city to live and play in.

toupary6

Well, if anyone had told me two years ago that i'd become a cheerleader for Atlanta, I'd have just known they were deranged.

Without going into my experiences, I'll give you the take -- probably objective -- of my friend who recently visited. We stayed in Midtown.

My friend, Parisian, lived in the States for a long time (Washington, but he knows New York equally well), traveled extensively throughout the country while working for an international company, and has traveled to most parts of the world. He is knowledgeable about art and architecture and, all around, pretty worldly.

He loved Atlanta, found it to be a very interesting city, not that difficult to get around without a car, and architecturally superb. He commented ceaselessly on how kind the people were.

While he was here, I got to know Atlanta a lot better than I ever had -- blind leading the blind at first, with me as guide, lol. I believe it is chock full of possibilities.

If I were to complain about anything, it is that, ever since I came here, I have been told what can't be done -- sort of a "you can't get there from here" mentality. There is a saying, "Impossible n'est pas français." We just did it.

I came here with a positive attitude, but I was pretty much told by everyone there was nothing intown. Of course, these are people who never go downtown unless they have to. I knew the same type of people in Washington.

The other thing that week recalled for me is that I am a confirmed city person. I understand some people prefer living in the suburbs, but I have never been happy living in one. My comfort zone includes being surrounded by big buildings. Other people don't like living in the city. That's fine.

So, after rambling to get to my answer to a pretty simple question, in my opinion, boring? No way.

bigal4

Traveling USA, a couple of years ago Atlanta was rated the "Crankiest" city. We like Atlanta, but boring compared to NYC,Boston,Chicago imo. The real estate in the area is also depressed at the moment.(Not rebounding as quickly as most cities) All depends what you like. Not fun in the summer when it is hot, as Boston is not fun in the winter. One of my least favorite airports as are Ohare in Chicago and Newark Airport in NJ. We like downtown for maybe one day and then can not wait to head out to the Madison GA area near Lake Oconee. Great news recently 40 minutes east of Atlanta not too far from Madison. Baxter International signed a deal to build a Million Square foot facility for about 1 Billion Dollar facility in the Biotech Health Industry. By 2018 will have 1500 jobs with an average salary of $60,000. Again, great for the area!!