Any information on the Ga.Tech Hotel & Conference Center? How is the area around it, is it safe at night? Shoud I stay in Midtown or at a hotel in Buckhead? How is the drive from Buckhead to the university in the morning? Any and all information wille appreciated.

Wouldn't consider the immediate area totally safe at night. Midtown hotels are closer and the area is in w/ younger set. Buckhead is a drive of long duration, though it has more good restaurants and shopping. You could take the train to the North Avenue exit from Buckhead easily.

I agree, Midtown is a good choice. GA Tech area is not the 'safest'.

DD

I am a bit confused. The Ga Tech Hotel and Conference Center is located on Peachtree Rd and 5 St. Isn't this considered Midtown? Is it ok here at night or should I get a hotel close to 14 St? Thanks

For what its worth, we did a college visit to Tech in late October. Stayed at the marriott courtyard/ga tech which is about a 2 block walk to campus. I believe the hotel you speak of is in the newer tech area that is across the freeway (by bridge of course) from the main or old campus. That area has a lot of small shops, looked OK to us but we were over there during the day for lunch. If this is a campus visit, I'd be happy to fill out in on more details beyond just the hotel. We had a fine time at the courtyard - easy to find, good desk staff and a nice breakfast. However, we did spend most of our time either on campus or with family friends.

The Tech conference center is in midtown. It was built recently as Tech has made the jump across I-75 with its campus.

Don't stay in Buckhead if you want to get a feel for Tech and its campus. Buckhead is 15 min. away. In morning traffic, it might take 30 min.

Considering that Tech is in the downtown area of a major city, it is safe- the campus and the conference center area. I (a 40 year old female) wouldn't walk around after midnight by myself but there are plenty of people around the rest of the time.

I suspect some of the posters above haven't been to the Tech area lately. Prior to the 1996 Olympics, there was housing project bordering one end of the Tech campus. The project wasn't an area you would want to wander around. It was demolished for the Olympics, and a dorm complex was built for the athletes. That complex is now housing for GA State Univ.

On the opposite end of campus, there has been a neighborhood of small, older homes, mainly inhabited by Tech students and faculty. Beyond that neighborhood was a defunct steel plant. The plant has been torn down and you will see massive construction of office buildings, apts and condos, shops and restaurants on that side of Tech.

Midtown itself has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. It used to be a sort of waste land between downtown and Buckhead. Now, it's full of office buildings, restaurants, condos, etc. The Atlanta Symphony is building a new concert hall in midtown and Atlanta's Art Museum is being renovated. Midtown is the most thriving part of downtown Atlanta.

For the Olympics, Tech built new dormitories so more Teach students are living on campus than pre-1996. The many students living on campus and the increasing number of Midtown residents have added much life to this part of town.

If I were you, I would stay at the conference center.

My husband just reminded me that he recently hosted a series of business meetings at the GA Tech conference center. He said it is the nicest hotel in midtown with the exception of the Four Seasons. He said the hotel staff was pleasant and helpful.

Thanks to all for the information provided! It is very helpful. Yes, CMeyer54, this will be a Campus visit for 2 or 3 nights, next month. I would like to get any information you and the others could provide me regarding Ga Tech, Midtown, and Buckhead. Places for breakfast, lunch, dinner? Thanks again.

dafa,

I work two blocks up and over from the conference center. We walk around at night quite a bit. I will admit that it is not midnight. I advise you to use the same caution you would anywhere else in a large city at night. School is back in soon if not alreay and there will be MANY folks in that area at night. The conference center is awesome. Don't be discouraged if you want to stay near GA Tech.

Enjoy the A-T-L.

Well, this is what we did: arrived late on a Friday night and had breakfast in the hotel the next morning with an old colleague. then walked down to the campus to just stroll around and get our bearings, etc. We had a campus map that was very handy. Met some college friends for lunch at a place called Jocks and Jills (sports bar which was fun) and they drove us around a bit that day. Had tickets for the CNN tour and walked through Olympic park. Drove out to a Steak and Shake as my son was craving a steakburger and chocolate shake. On Sunday morning, we drove out to the Buckhead Diner for brunch to again, meet some friends. Then we drove downtown to see the Coca Cola museum and walked around the Undergound and had a quick dinner at Johnny Rocket's. I know, we aren't exactly the high dining types (except for Buckhead Diner!). Monday was the full day on campus - first an information session, then a campus tour with a pretty normal, conversational student. The tour was mostly on the east side of campus but not over the bridge. We split up at lunch and my son and I went over to the bookstore, walked around the new tech area, etc. Back after lunch for a presentation by the engineering school (pretty marginal job). The school is quite nice but small compared to other's he's been accepted to, nice dorms, nice workout facilities. 78% men and the women are engineering types no matter what you see in the information guides! Since the campus is landlocked, any building does involved knocking old ones down; some of the housing we saw was a little rundown (not the dorms but some of the near campus apartment style older homes). We easily made a 6pm flight and probably could have made a 5pm. I spent a lot of time early in my career in Atlanta so we could have done a bit more - the Varsity is a definite landmark, some of the areas around Chamblee and Dunwoody are very nice.

I'm quite familiar with midtown. We attend church between 3rd and 4th street on Peachtree Street (It's not a "road" at that point). We're there after dark most Wednesdays and the church has armed guards for evening activities. I maintained my office downtown, ten blocks south, for 15 years, still go there often for business and social events, and my spouse still has an office there. Don't get me wrong, it's not east L.A. I just would not stray off P'tree late at night.
You might enjoy well regarded Eno on Peachtree in the area. Do try the Varsity on North Avenue. Founded during the Great Depression. Wags say they're still using the original oil for their fries.

Absolutely do not miss the Varsity! Just don't get a cholesterol test anytime soon after!