1. CLASSIC ATLANTA VIBES VS. NEW ATLANTA FAVORITES Visit Atlanta’s bustling metropolis, where Black culture has shaped its past and present. Come for the city’s celebrated classics, plus a growing list of new and fresh things to do. You can’t talk about classic Atlanta without mentioning the bustling Sweet Auburn District , which was the commercial center of Black Atlanta in the 1920s and continues to be an iconic part of the city. Explore the mile-and-a-half stretch of Auburn Avenue— established as a National Historic Landmark in 1976—where the vibrant street art dazzles. The Busy Bee Cafe , founded by self-taught cook Lucy “Momma Lucy” Jackson in 1947, is a must-stop for anyone who loves soul food. It’s also the recipient of a 2022 James Beard Classics Award. Expect a warm greeting and flavorful grub as you indulge your taste buds with delightfully homestyle Southern dishes like fried chicken, candied yams, cornbread dressing, collard greens and black-eyed peas. For more storied locales, visit the Atlanta University Center on the city’s west side. It’s the world’s largest consortium of African American private institutions of higher education and includes Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Morehouse School of Medicine. Walk the sprawling campuses and soak in the dynamic atmosphere brought by their students and notable alumni such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alice Walker, Spike Lee and others. Zooming forward a few eras, Atlanta rollerskate culture has thrived for decades, in no small part because of Cascade Fun Center . Since opening in the Cascade area in 2000, it’s been a favorite place for skate lovers to gather, and you can marvel at acrobatic rollerskaters, dance teams and novices together at the rink. Celebrities like Beyoncé, Sean “Love” Combs (formerly known as P. Diddy), Usher and Magic Johnson have all been spotted reveling in Cascade’s lively energy. As far as new Atlanta goes, don’t miss Ponce City Market . It sits on a historical stretch of Ponce De Leon Avenue in Old Fourth Ward—the neighborhood where Martin Luther King, Jr. once lived—and has become a seat for thriving Black-owned businesses. The Village Retail is an alluring marketplace offering goods from dozens of local Black entrepreneurs. Drop by Bar Vegan for tapas like the onion-ring flight, green-goddess pizza and cheesesteak eggrolls. Then head to the rooftop for a gorgeous view of the city and local brews at 9 Mile Station , or savor a cocktail and skee ball, mini golf and other games at Skyline Park . Call it a night at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta . Once called the “hotel of hope,” it was one of the only hotels to welcome civil rights activists like Xernona Clayton and Martin Luther King, Jr., who hosted the annual convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference there in 1967. Today, it has all the expected modern amenities and a central location to all the fun things to do in the city. TRAP MUSIC MUSEUM, ATLANTA/MIKE NICE 6 #EXPLOREGEORGIA
Official State Travel Guide 2023 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 6
