Buckhead
A place where old Southern money mixes with young socialites, Buckhead is Atlanta’s
answer to Beverly Hills. This prime financial center boasts some of the city’s
oldest and stateliest homes, premier shopping malls and a vibrant entertainment
district.
Cabbagetown
Defined as the area between Oakland Cemetery and Memorial Drive, this once dilapidated
area is being revitalized. Now home to young families, professionals, artists
and students, this former textile town has undergone rapid gentrification at
the hands of newcomers and small business owners.
Downtown
In the heart of it all, the city’s downtown streets have been booming
since the 1996 Olympic Games. The skyline is full of landmark buildings that
house well-known corporations, like Coca-Cola, Georgia Pacific, AT&T and
Turner Broadcasting, and some of the city’s major tourist attractions,
including Underground Atlanta, the New World of Coca-Cola, Turner Field and
the Georgia Aquarium. Downtown is also home to Georgia Tech, Georgia State University
and the Castleberry Hill arts district.
East Atlanta
East Atlanta Village is emerging from dilapidation to become one of the fastest-growing
intown neighborhoods. With three major music venues and cuisine options ranging
from burritos to vegan and continental, East Atlanta is one of the best-kept
secrets in the city, and has gone from being the site of the pivotal Battle
of Atlanta, to being an early example of integration in the ’60s.
Grant Park
Just outside the downtown area, historic Grant Park is home to some of Atlanta’s
biggest attractions, including Zoo Atlanta, the Cyclorama and the park that
bears its name. This newly revived district is full of Craftsman bungalows and
century-old neighborhoods. Located on the rail line, Grant Park flourished until
the 1950s, when many of the neighborhood’s middle and upper class residents
sought more distant suburbs, only to return more than 50 years later.
Little Five Points
In the style of New York City’s Greenwich Village, Little Five Points
is filled with the sights and sounds of bohemian life. Little Five Points has
a rich blend of independently owned shops, art houses, concert venues and edgy
theaters. The streets of “Little Five” are always bubbling with
students attending concerts at the Variety Playhouse and shop owners setting
up creative window displays.
Midtown
No other Atlanta neighborhood has experienced the kind of revitalization that
has graced Midtown. Defined as the area between Ralph McGill Boulevard and Peachtree
Street, Midtown is a mix of historic neighborhoods and modern skyscrapers, as
well as an exciting fusion of cultural treasures like the High Museum of Art,
the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Fabulous Fox Theatre and former president
Jimmy Carter’s humanitarian Carter Center.
Sweet Auburn
This mile and a half stretch of Auburn Avenue is home to many historic buildings,
including the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., a pillar of the Civil Rights
Movement. The area was named Sweet Auburn because of the freedom, prosperity
and property ownership that many black Atlantans were tasting for the first
time in the 1940s. The area is also home to the King Center, the Sweet Auburn
Curb Market and new mixed-use developments.
Virginia-Highland
More like a European village than a subsection of Atlanta, the Highlands is
home to an eclectic group of artisans and artists, students and young families.
Named after the intersection of Virginia and Highland avenues, the area was
developed in the early 1900s. Today it consists of six distinct commercial villages
where lively bistros, art galleries and specialty shops abound.