Hi, guys - I'm heading to Atlanta in June for a vacation with an eye to checking out the area for a possible relocation in 2008 after I get out of grad school.

Can anyone recommend a good place to stay/some sights to see? How easy is it to get around without a car? I'd also welcome any advice about the job market - I'm thinking about nonprofit/university fundraising or publications work. I have several years experience in both.

thanks!

Depending on your budget - and starving grad students usually can't afford the Four Seasons - I would recommend the A T L A N T A I N T E R N A T I O N A L H O S T E L - 223 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30308 - (404) 875-9449 // (800) 473-9449

Clean, affordable (~$25-/Night), near public transportation, and pleasant people - mostly students.

Note: Bring a couple of Donuts for the dog.

Be sure to check out Underground Atlanta - it used to be a lot fun, though I haven't been there in quite a few years.

Rob

Rob - thanks for the advice - I should have been more precise in my post. I work full-time; I'm attending Harvard at night. Soooo money isn't exactly an issue - school is just the bump that keeps me moving anywhere today. Thanks!

Well...

I like the Four Seasons because they take really good care of Skye (my dog); they even have special treats and amenities just for her. They also have a great full size indoor pool for me to get my daily laps in.

75 Fourteenth Street
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. 30309
Telephone: 1 (404) 881-9898

I also like their complimentary town car service within 5 miles of the Hotel - makes it much nicer going out for the evening.

Their Concierge services are also some of the best I have encountered.

If you get a chance, try to get reservations one night for the Chef's Table at 'Park 75' the in hotel restaurant. You literally sit in the kitchen talking with the head chef as he creates his specialties just for you. Hint: Tell him just to fix whatever he thinks is best, and be prepared for a really great meal.

Rob

Thanks, Rob - much appreciated - I will check that out.

BTW – forgot to mention Best Eats:

The Best Steakhouse in Atlanta is "Bone's" 3130 Piedmont Rd. NE (404/237-2663) in Buckhead, where the food is serious and the service excellent. Also great for people watching - lots of powerbrokers and celeb's.

The Best Fried Chicken and Southern Food in town is at "Thelma's Kitchen", 768 Marietta St. NW (404/688-5855), the place for soul food.

The best relaxing view is at "Canoe", 4199 Paces Ferry Rd., in Vinings (770/432-2663); it is on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. Ask for a table on the canopied patio, surrounded by the gardens, and watch the river roll on by...

Rob

Lol, Rob I'll have to remember to ask you about vacations to take when I'm one of them rich folk.

Are there any especially gay-friendly neighborhoods?

and I guess, conversely, any anti-gay neighborhoods I should avoid?

The areas of Atlanta with the largest gay populations are probably still Mid-town/Piedmont Park and The Virginia-Highlands neighborhood, which was one of the first areas gays began to gentrify outside of Midtown.

There are a lot of gay clubs and restaurants in that area, especially in the 800-1200 blocks of Peachtree St., and the 900-1600 blocks of Piedmont Av. The "Hub" of 10th St. and Piedmont also has a lot of nearby gay businesses.

I would start your tour at the "Outwrite Bookstore and Coffeehouse"; 991 Piedmont Av., Atlanta, GA 30309 // (404)607-0082: it's a place where a huge cross-section of the community can bump into each other and just hang out.

"The Park Tavern" 500 10th St NE; Atlanta, GA 30309 (404) 249-0001 is right next to the park, and great for people watching. They serve decent craft beers and a typical tavern menu (my PDA tells me the cheeseburger was good - Skye liked it). It can be crowded on weekends if the weather is good. It is also one of the few places you can bring your dog.

I don't know of anyplace in Atlanta that is really unsafe. However, being gay in the deep South is still not like being openly gay in the NE; things are still more... understated.

The truth about Atlanta is that until very recently there was very little nightlife at all, and all the real entertaining is still done over a backyard BBQ at someones home; very laid back. Don't be surprised if within hours of meeting someone you are invited to BBQ at their home that evening - and probably a pretty good size dinner party.

Transportation is not a problem in most areas of Atlanta as the public transit is quite good. Taxi's can be expensive however because things are so spread out once you leave the city itself. If you rent a car you should have no trouble finding parking though.

Rob

If you do go out in the Atlanta area, everything closes at 2:30 a.m. I am a party head, and head out most weekends. I float between the dance/music scene, hip-hop scene, and the reggaeton/salsa scene.

Some good places for the dance/music scene:
Blake's on the Park 10th St. and Piedmont next door to Outwrite Bookstore. It has an amazing drag show on Sundays, and gets really packed. There also is an upstairs and a patio where you can talk and chill.

Wetbar (Thursday's are college night. It has an upstairs that gives a great view of the city.) Burkhart's, Hoedown's (a country music bar), Oscar's (flat screens playing videos), Felix's, and Amsterdam's (a nice bar/club on Amsterdam) to name a few places.

If you are interested in the hip-hop or reggaeton/salsa scene, let me know.

Guys, thanks for the great tips. Looks like I have plenty of things to check out when I visit. Can't wait.