Traveling to Atlanta

We recently traveled to Atlanta to celebrate our Lucky 13 Wedding Anniversary! It was a quick 2-day getaway but we had an amazing time!

TRANSPORTATION

Nashville recently began direct flights to Atlanta on Southwest. They offered an introductory rate of $29 each way, and we snatched them up. To get around town we either walked or used Uber. On our last day, we rented from Social Bicycles and explored downtown a bit. They have many stations in the Atlanta area so it’s easy to rent from one and return to another at your destination point. It’s all done from an app on your phone and they are located in several major cities.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Because we were flying in, we wanted an AirBnB that was centrally located so that we would be within walking distance of dining and attractions. I found a precious apartment located in a historic art deco building from 1930. The building is very secure in that you have to either have a key fob to enter or someone has to buzz you in. Once inside there is a guard at the desk to check in visitors and assist with the elevator, which also can only be accessed by a key fob.

The host allowed us to check in early and we loved this loft. It had a very industrial/modern feel but was also rather welcoming. It had an open kitchen/living room area with double french doors that led to the bedroom, spacious closet and bathroom. It was perfect!

New to AirBnb? Start here.

DINING

Hang around me long enough and you’ll quickly realize that food is my favorite part of traveling.

Lunch – Dua Vietnamese Noodle Soup . This was my first experience with Pho but it did not disappoint. Ah. Maze. Ing. I seriously wanted to drink the broth with a straw but Mike wouldn’t let me.

Dinner – Kevin Rathbun Steakhouse. This is definitely a special occasion type of place. In fact, I heard the server ask every table if they were there celebrating anything in particular. Everything is served and priced a la carte and the sides are large enough to share. I highly recommend the Thick-Cut Bacon Appetizer, Cold-Water Oysters (obvs), Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, and Creme Brulee. Choose any steak you want because they are all delicious but do add the Black Truffle Butter. We were seated in a lovely corner booth and even offered a special complimentary dessert for our anniversary. Everything about this dinner was over the top amazing!

Lunch – Tin Lizzy’s Cantina. This place had awesome specialty tacos and amazing margaritas. The jalapeno margarita was fantastic and definitely spicy, but that’s my thing! As for tacos, I opted for soft corn tortillas and tried the Korean BBQ, and Mahi Mahi. Mike tried the Southern Comfort and the Executive. All of them were delicious!

Breakfast – Our choice for breakfast was a flop so I won’t mention it. But everything else had been so wonderful that I didn’t even care!

ATTRACTIONS

Historical  – I’m a huge Olympics fan so we walked the 2 blocks to check out Olympic Park. The entire area and monuments were beautiful. There is a fountain show once an hour and it’s fantastic at night with the colored lights.

Unique – I know it sounds creepy but cemeteries are some of the most peaceful and beautiful places. Oakland Cemetery is now top of my list! It dates back to 1850 and has a very garden-esque look to it. There are many beautiful trees which provide a good amount of shade along with flowers and greenery. It encompasses 48 acres and there are paved roads and pathways that make it easy to navigate. There are several famous graves mixed among elaborately gorgeous mausoleums.

Family Friendly – We had some time to kill before heading to the airport so we snagged a Groupon for the Atlanta Zoo. Everything was very nicely done and I think we enjoyed the Pandas and the Gorillas most of all. Both of those exhibits had little ones, which are always entertaining. They are doing a major expansion for their African Savanah animals that’s really exciting!

RECAP

This was the perfect little trip for us and 2-3 day adventures are quickly becoming my favorite. For starters, you can take just a backpack instead of lugging around a suitcase. It’s enough to allow you to hit the highlights but not so much that you are exhausted. Our fancy dinner at Kevin Rathbun is one I will not quickly forget. Same for the gorgeous landscape and architecture that we found at Oakland Cemetery. And I’d definitely stay in this AirBnB again if nothing more than convenience to great food!

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