BUCKHEAD A HIGH CRIME AREA?
 

I'm attending a wedding next weekend in ATL and was planning to stay at the JW Marriott Buckhead. I've been advised however to steer clear of this area as it has become primarily a destination for gun-toting hip-hop gangster types and subusequently not a very safe place for your average 20-30 something hipster to enjoy a weekend. 2-cents?.

Thanks,
Jason

To me, it's no different than most cities in America. Downtown Atlanta not be any better. The thing to remember, as with any city, is be aware of your surroundings, be careful going out late at night, lock your car, etc.

The hotel is at Lenox Mall and that is a good area of town. As tcapp said, it's no different from most cities.

I believe your advisor may have heard reports about some problems at 4 am when the bars shut down, and as the bar goers headed outside some problems arose. As long as you aren't shutting the bars down and hanging out on the streets afterwards I would not anticipate any problems.

Obviously, business owners were very concerned about the resulting negative PR and steps have been taken including cameras and increased police presence at closing. I think they even have moved a preceint into the bar area.

But your hotel is at Lenox Mall, not really in the area where the problems occured. You are in the shopping mecca of Atlanta with Phipps Plaza across the street as well. Use normal caution and you will be fine.

In the time that I have spent in Buckhead, i have never thought of it as a "threatening place". It is an area with lots to see and do. Good for travelling.

I'd have to agree with Starr. The only time I'd advise anyone to totally steer clear of Buckhead is after 3 a.m. when the bars start to close. That's the only time I've heard of potential problems happening. And the area where your hotel (Lenox) is at is very safe and not really near the main bar/club area anyway.

Your hotel is near the Ritz and some top-notch restaurants. It's as safe as you can get in most big cities. Yes, there was a brouhaha last night in bar section of Buckhead, but that's the exception to the rule. Personally, I stay away from that section of Buckhead - not that I'm concerned about safety, it's just that I'm not into the bar scene.

As long as Ray Lewis is not around you should be fine.

mm

What Atlantans refer to as Buckhead is a rather large geographic area and mostly upscale residential in nature (including the Governor's official residence). It is also a thriving business district and home to many of the area's best hotels, shopping centers and restaurants.

Within one of the commercial zones is the "Buckhead" you've been advised to seer clear of: the nightclub scene which is concentrated in a relatively small area and is a mile or more from the JWM. However, even this area is not "PRIMARILY" a destination for gun-toting hip-hop gangster types.

You are visiting Atlanta to attend a wedding. Are the wedding and related activities in Buckhead? If not, why do you choose to stay in a hotel in Buckhead? What do your wedding "hosts" (assuming they are not unknown to you as we are) have to say about Buckhead?

I wonder, since you live in Miami, what do you think of South Beach?

Haaa...Ray Lewis. Wedding is near the Perimeter Center, but since the financing for this trip is coming out the mythical vacation fund, we would like to stay someplace interesting. Sounds like Buckhead is no worse than South Beach. I've seen the hip-hop crowd increase their numbers in South Beach over the past few years especially on Holiday Weekends without any noteable incidents of violence. As others have noted, like any large city with an upscale nightlife district.

There are very good hotels, dining and shopping in the Perimeter Center area, but if you are looking for the nightclub nightlife you've been advised to steer clear of, Buckhead it is. Just go and have a good time! If you do close down a bar, know there is a very visible police presence for such an unholy hour - its not wise to drive under the influence at 3 or 4 a.m. in Buckhead.

Just have to comment. We visited Atlanta recently and there wasn't a house we visited where the residents didn't maintain an active alarm system and have stories ranging from break-ins in the neighborhood to a kidnapping/murder. Something is wrong in Atlanta. Yes, being out at 3 AM where bars are closing may be risky anywhere in the US, but the fear of crime in Atlanta in people's daily lives was surprising to me and disheartening. Life is not like that everywhere, thank goodness.

"Something is wrong in Atlanta."

I'd be interested to know how many people you spoke to that were suffering from these very intense fears about being robbed or assaulted, etc.

I have lived in Atlanta for most of my 36 years. Some of it was in the outer burbs, some of it inside the Perimeter. I have worked downtown and currently work near the Georgia Dome/Georgia Tech. I have never had a "daily fear" that someone was going to attack or rob me. I have never had my home broken into or been assaulted. Most people I know have not had anything of this nature happen to them. I have never had an alarm system on any home I have lived in.

Does Atlanta have crime? Yes. Do most large cities have crime? YES. Are we smart enough to be aware of it and take precautions as any reasonable person would? Yes. And so do most people in any large city. I think you got a rather lopsided take on things.

Orcas,

Since you've indicated on a recent thread that you once lived in the Atlanta area, I'm wondering if these tragedies befell your friends or former neighbors. Such things could indeed spur neighborhoods to install security systems and institute neighborhood watches.

However, you must also surely realize that such generalizations would be regarded as inflamatory by members of the Fodors community who live in Atlanta. Please do tell, how many of the +/- 1,000,000 houses in Atlanta did you visit on your recent trip? If Atlanta residents were as collectively fearful in their daily lives as you infer, there would be no traffic problems, new housing starts would not continue at break-neck pace at ever-increasing price points, and industry would be evacuating to other more desirable areas (the opposite is the case). Oh yes - and they would roll up the sidewalks at sunset in Buckhead and there would be no JW Marriott or a vibrant nightlife for Jason to ask about.

What in your post was helpful to Jason or anyone else who might later read it hoping to learn something from the locals about safety and nightlife in Buckhead?

Well said, Rookie.

Interestingly enough, there was an incident at a Buckhead restaurant last night. Justin's owned by Sean Puffy Combs. More information disclosed it was an after hours private birthday party for a family member of Bobby Brown. Two people were admitted to a hospital, but the news just said the party was concluded and the restaurant cleaned up before they called the police. Bobby Brown won't release the guest list for the private party so police aren't really sure which two suspects they are looking for.

I would imagine that most/ many of the incidents are between people that know one another. I feel safe in Buckhead - but again, would not close down the bars. There is a VERY strong police presence now at closing. As Rookie suggested, don't drink and drive.

I'm the last person you'd expect to see hiphopping at a club but that wouldn't stop me from going to Buckhead or staying there. In fact, a friend of mine came into town recently and I had her stay in that part of town because there's stuff to do, good restaurants and shopping too.

Jason, basically, if you are looking for trouble, then you can find it in Buckhead. On the flip side of that, if you want to avoid trouble you can still go there :)

Orcas, I respectfully suggest you lock your doors and stay in away from the riffraff of Atlanta. Perhaps plan a trip to some crimeless utopia. IMO your are sensationalizing things ala Fox5 TV.

In other Atlanta news, Dekalb County Police Chief Graham is reopening the Wayne Williams child murder case. Seems like Chief Graham has time on his hands and crime is low in Atlanta.

MM, What an ugly, tasteless and uniformed remark you made against Ray Lewis. True, he should have turned away from his childhood friends, but his misplaced loyality was far different than fighting with a knife! He was a rich kid in the wrong place at the wrong time- and if you recall, his was the car with bullet holes in it! I wonder if you work as hard in your chosen field as he does to be the best player in the NFL...and give as much time (and major Money) to the community? Ahhh, he seems to have matured very well. So, probably enough of the cheap jokes.

Agreed, baylady! Ray Lewis is a role model who worked hard to get to where he is and his passion for the game is unmatched. He was never found guilty of anything and the fact that some people continue to drag his name through the mud shows how little they know. He is also quite easy on the eyes, IMHO!!

Are you afraid of black people?

Just kidding. Honestly, I'd be afraid anywhere at 3AM if I was wondering about.

Criminals prey on the weak. Stand tall, shoulders back, make a lot of noise, talk loudly, and no one will bother you.

I learned that from the SC Department of Corrections for an internship my last year in college. They taught us self defense to use inside the prisons.

I am speechless.