judy716

We're a family of 5 adults who will be staying in Atlanta for 2 nights at the end of Feb. After searching the forums, I've decided that the Midtown area is the best area for us to stay. (Thanks for all the great posts!!) We're looking at vacation rentals and hotels with suites because we like to stay together with a common living space. We like to walk to restaurants, etc. One of the rentals I'm looking at is townhouse in Atlantic Station and am wondering if it is in walking distance of the midtown restaurants/nightlife/shopping on Peachtree. If not, is there reliable public transportation? We will have a car, but prefer not to drive around Atlanta if we can avoid it.

padams421

You can walk from Atlantic Station to midtown. It's across a bridge over "the connector", interstates 75 and 85. You could be walking 10 blocks or more depending on where you are headed in midtown. Marta, ATL's public transit, runs buses in the area. It's pretty easy to find a cab in midtown. At Atlantic Station, you will find plenty of shopping and restaurants.

Be aware that Atlantic Station is not the safest neighborhood in ATL, particularly after dark. There have been more than a few robberies and late night drive by attacks on pedestrians in that area in the last year or so.

Brian_in_Charlotte

I'd much prefer to stay on the other side (east side) of the interstate where all the action is. Atlantic Station is a fairly new development and doesn't have as much to do. As said above, it's a decent hike over an unattractive interstate to get to the "real" Midtown.

starrs

The great thing about staying in Atlantic Station is that everything you need is just out your door. Great restaurants, movie, grocery store, shopping, etc. is right there. For 5 of you, the options are endless and I think it's a great idea.
http://www.atlanticstation.com/

Atlantic Station was built on a the site of an industrial area and is a great mixed use development. The bad part of that is that you'll have to cross a bridge over the interstate and walk a bit to get to a MARTA station. If you are out and about at night, I'd grab a cab back rather than take MARTA and walk. But, again there are great options IN Atlantic Station at night so that may not be a problem at all. One of my favorite restaurants is Strip, which is one of the Here to Serve restaurants (including Twist and Shout) and it offers great steaks and sushi. Strip is just opposite the entrance to the big theatre too. I'd give a rental there a big thumbs up.

Friends just stayed here recently -
http://www.stonehurstplace.com/
- and it's more centrally located in Midtown. I had just looked at the rooms/suites and two of the suites seem to be big enough to have a central meeting area for your group of 5. The reviews on TripAdvisor look great. Don't know if it would work for you, but I'm intrigued by it.

judy716

Thanks for the quick responses and the great info. padams, thanks for the safety info. I'm a runner and my training plan calls for a long run of 20 miles on Sunday. Doesn't look as if Atlantic Station would be a good place to do it. Do you know if Piedmont Park is safe for a woman running alone in the morning? (I'll check one of my running forums about running routes.) starrs, are there other restaurants besides Strip (which sounds great; we have 3 sushi lovers in the group and the other 2 love steak), which are not franchises? Of course, I'm sure we won't spend the whole time in Atlantic Station anyway. We love good restaurants and everyone but me is into microbrews. Stonehurst looks beautiful, but pricier than our other options.

starrs

judy, check the link I provided and click on Dine for other options. There are plenty of restaurant options (I just discovered my favorite ice cream place in Highlands NC is there!). Strip is part of a restaurant group, but they are all different and all the restaurants are VERY good. I love their Sinatra roll especially. Rosa Mexicano is good - pricier than the usual Mexican restaurant but very good. I also like the Lobby Bar at the Twelve. There are plenty of restaurant options but I also vote to go back to Strip. They have a varied menu so there's alway something for everyone.

You'll be fine starting your run at AS and continuing on to Piedmont Park. During the day you'll be fine everywhere. Yes, there's been a rash of attacks on Georgia Tech students on the edges of the campus, but I've missed any problems in Atlantic Station. If you like Thai, Nan is fabulous and it's right there on the other side of the bridge. It's fine dining and the same owners offer a more moderate option at Colony Square. The new W hotel is there (formerly the Sheraton) and I had a suite there one time that would work for your family. They gutted the rooms at the hotel, but I'm pretty sure the footprints of the rooms stayed the same. I LOVE the Hotel Indigo in Midtown, but the rooms are small and I don't think there's an option of a larger suite room. There's an ell off the lobby that no one ever seems to be in to sit and talk, but not a lot of privacy or TV. The Georgian Terrace would offer living rooms because at one time it had been condos, but recent reports are the furnishings are a bit tired. I think the AS rental would work just fine. I know folks who live in AS and really like it.

Midtown is perfectly safe during the day and is becoming more pedestrian every day. A few years ago it was a dark, dreary corner of Atlanta. It's now the most vibrant section of Atlanta and folks are flocking in to live there - not just eat and visit and then leave.

Brian_in_Charlotte

No problem running through Piedmont Park in the morning (after it's light - park technically doesn't open until dawn) and you can continue your run through the beaufitul neighborhood of Ansley Park just across the street - enter at Piedmont & 15th Street. This is where I ran when I lived in Midtown.

starrs

The tours won't resume in time for your trip, but beginning in May the Conservancy offers free tours of the park -
http://www.piedmontpark.org/programs/park_tours.html

On pretty days it's nice to sit outside at the Park Tavern to enjoy the sunshine and watch folks (and pups) in the park.
http://www.parktavern.com/

padams421

Judy, you'll be fine to go running at Piedmont Park in the morning. Piedmont Park is Atlanta's "Central Park". It is much more scenic than the office and condo towers of midtown, and you'll have plenty of jogging, dog walking, baby strolling company. The neighborhood between midtown and Piedmont Park is Ansley Park (between 15th and 17th streets), and it has some beautiful old homes (by Atlanta standards). Include that area in your run.

judy716

Thanks, everyone! We'll be staying in a great townhouse in midtown after all. It will be perfect for us. Thanks for the restaurant suggestions and the running answers. I've looked up some running routes on USATF, too.

palmettoprincess

There is a free shuttle that runs from Arts Station Marta station (upper level) to Atlantic Station. It is a good way to get to the shops and restaurants. I like going to IKEA which is on the shuttle route.