Some places in Atlanta report heavier-than-normal crime (e.g. mugging, theft, assault) for cities of its size. Many places in Atlanta also have panhandlers who beg pedestrians for change and a significant homeless population. The Midtown area, where the event would be held, like most urban areas, has a significant problem with car break-ins and petty theft.
Solutions and advice
The proposed event venues in Midtown, and in fact large parts of Midtown itself, are relatively safe, as many people and police officers traverse the area all night. Additionally, there are local laws in place which prohibit panhandling in the areas surrounding the aquarium, Coke museum and other major tourist attractions. However, if you go out anywhere in Atlanta late at night, common sense should rule your decisions. Never go out alone, don't carry all of your money with you, and make sure valuables (like cameras) are safely hidden on your person.
If you have a car while in Atlanta, it is strongly recommended that items of any value not be visible inside the car when it is unattended. This includes things that one might not think of as valuable items such as clothing, books and food. If in doubt, put it in the console, glove box or trunk. Additionally, always lock your car doors, even if you're only leaving the vehicle unattended for a moment. Keeping valuables secured or stored out of sight in your dorm or hotel room is also strongly advised. This is mostly common sense behavior for those familiar with large cities, but may not be common practice for individuals from smaller towns.
The Georgia Tech campus is mostly free of panhandlers and vagrants, though some are occasionally found around the outskirts of campus. The areas immediately surrounding campus vary in the amount of crime and undesirable elements. Most homeless will keep to their own business and leave you alone, though some are mentally disturbed and may talk to themselves or verbally abuse you without provocation. In the case of individuals who attempt to solicit your money or attention, the best case of action is to not indicate that they have gotten your attention at all. Do not look at them and continue walking. Reaching into your wallet to find money is not advisable, as an unwanted and dangerous situation may occur. If you observe an individual who looks suspicious or out of place on or near the campus grounds, it is recommended that you contact the Georgia Tech Police at +1 (404) 894-2500.
In at least one instance, a panhandler has come up to one of our bid people in a parking lot and claimed that there was a charge for parking, and that he needed to pay $5 or his car would be towed. In these situations, it is best to either ignore them or assert that you are aware that it is not a pay lot (pay lots in Atlanta are common, but also very easy to spot—they either have ticket/gate systems or payment boxes and are always clearly marked with the price for parking). If they persist, inform them you will call the Atlanta Police and ask if that lot is indeed a paid lot. The threat is almost always enough to make them back off. In case you ever need the actual number, which in this case you probably will not, the number is +1 (404) 853-3434.
MARTA has been consistently rated as one of the United States' safest public transit systems by the American Public Transit Association. Additionally, MARTA's Police Department is the only transit police agency in the U.S. to be nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
An Atlanta ordinance bans aggressive panhandling in much of the Midtown area. The area included in this ban extends from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive northward to Ralph McGill Boulevard and from Marietta Street eastward to Piedmont Avenue. The ordinance has not completely eliminated panhandling in the area, but it prohibits individuals from verbally asking for money and from harassing pedestrians and motorists.
The Georgia Tech campus is a pretty safe location, and the Georgia Tech police/public safety department maintain a strong presence.
Traffic can be congested, particularly during rush hour.
Solutions and advice
Carpool with other attendees, or consider using MARTA. Many popular Atlanta destinations (including the proposed conference centers and numerous hotels and tourist attractions) can be reached using MARTA, free shuttles, and simply walking.
If you are driving, drive with the flow of traffic, even if it is moving faster than the posted speed limit (which it usually does). The Downtown Connector has 5 or 6 lanes in each direction, which makes use of a turn indicator very important when changing lanes and merging. Be advised that many drivers do not extend this necessary courtesy, so keep your wits about you.
The MARTA rail system is fairly limited compared to many other public transit systems in terms of where it goes within the city. The bus lines have much greater coverage, but the routes are often confusing. Neither have the most reliable of schedules and delays are not uncommon.
Solutions and advice
MARTA rail does service most of the areas where major attractions and cultural centers are located.
Plan ahead. MARTA rail and bus maps are accessible at the MARTA website. Allow more time for travel than you think you'll need.
Most rail stations have digital sign boards which show the estimated times until the next train arrivals. These are usually fairly accurate.
Navigating some parts of the city can be confusing. There are many one-way streets, which is common in most downtown areas, but this can make navigation difficult for those unfamiliar with the area. Outside of Midtown, most streets do not run parallel and perpendicular, meaning that making blocks to turn around or taking the next street over will not always get you to where you think you are going. Also, there are many streets named "Peachtree." This is a common complaint made about navigation in Atlanta by those unfamiliar with the area.
Solutions and advice
Use Google Maps or a GPS system to get directions to where you need to go. This makes navigating the city many times easier.
Pay attention to signage while driving and/or drive with a person who either knows the area, has a good sense of direction or both.
The multiple "Peachtree" problem is fairly easily understood by looking at a map. Generally speaking, there are three "main" Peachtrees—West Peachtree St., Peachtree St. and Peachtree Rd. All of these streets run north-south through Atlanta. Rather simply speaking, the three main Peachtrees are the same road. If someone says, "take Peachtree," they are referring to the triad of streets that run north-south through Atlanta. West Peachtree St. is one-way traveling north through most of Midtown. Peachtree St. is one block east of West Peachtree St., has two-directional traffic and runs parallel to West Peachtree St. Just south of Buckhead (north of Midtown), West Peachtree St. and Peachtree St. merge and become Peachtree Rd. All other "Peachtrees" run east-west and intersect one of the three main Peachtrees, and it is unlikely that you will have to navigate any of them.
Atlanta is a central hub for international carrier Delta Air Lines, and low-cost national carrier AirTran Airways, making air travel to and from Atlanta relatively easy.
You can get to Atlanta on a direct flight from nearly everywhere in North America, and most places on other continents. Places not directly served can fly into any one of the United States' other airline hubs, such as New York City, Miami, or Los Angeles, and connect to Atlanta, usually for a nominal fee.
MARTA has recently introduced a new fare system at all rail stations that accepts both cash and credit and makes purchasing and keeping track of multiple fares easy and convenient. These fares can be used on rail or bus travel, and transfers from rail to bus (or vice-versa) are included in the fare.
MARTA provides guest passes at discounted rates for groups of 15 or more. These passes allow for unlimited rides on rail and bus for the duration of the purchased pass. For more information, see this page.
Much of Midtown is pedestrian-friendly, particularly the Georgia Tech campus, Atlantic Station and tourist areas. There are sidewalks throughout most of the city proper.
It is hot in Atlanta in the summertime. Like many places in the United States, summertime brings hot conditions. People from Europe especially may not be used to the heat, as their summers are milder. Average high temperatures in late July and early August are in the upper 80s Fahrenheit (31-32 degrees Celsius). The summer of 2007 brought unusually high temperatures to Atlanta, and are not any representation of how Atlanta usually is during the summer months.
Solutions and advice
We advise that travelers please bring sunscreen, wear loose and/or light clothing and remember to drink plenty of water.
Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon during the summer. Packing an umbrella, poncho or raincoat is recommended.
If you are cold-natured, pack a light jacket or long-sleeved shirt that can be carried with you. As a result of the hot weather, many establishments go overboard on air conditioning. While shorts and a tank-top may be comfortable outside in 90-degree (32 C) weather, one may feel a bit chilly in a building chilled to 65 degrees (18 C).
Sunshine is abundant during the summer and the weather is usually favorable for outdoor activities.
Nighttime and morning lows do not typically fall below 70 degrees (21 C) during late July and early August. Since there is not a particularly large variance between high and low temperatures, it is possible to pack lighter as one does not have to have different sets of temperature-appropriate clothing for different parts of the day. The warm (but not too hot) mornings and evenings are also conducive to exercise, outdoor dining and leisurely strolling through Atlanta's growing pedestrian-friendly areas.
Many places in Atlanta close at or before 11 p.m., and public transit stops running at 1 a.m. Certain MARTA stations close at 9 p.m. Generally, the only places that stay open later than 11 p.m. are bars, nightclubs and 24-hour pharmacies, grocery stores and diners. As a result of this, there is not much of a regular nightlife for individuals under 21 and even less for those under 18.
Solutions and advice
Make your own nightlife and plan a night in with your friends at your hotel or dorm or take advantage of the campus' ample green space and organize a nighttime outdoor game. Be creative!
Locate an all-night diner (there are at least three close to Tech: City Cafe and Chinese Buddha on 10th St. and the Majestic on Ponce de Leon Ave.), gather up some friends and go out to eat at some ungodly hour.
Go to a late movie. There is a movie theater located in Atlantic Station that has screenings that often last until midnight or later.
Semi-official nighttime activities for all ages could possibly be arranged if there is enough early demand.
Stores may not sell alcohol on Sundays. On any day of the week, stores in Midtown must stop selling alcohol at midnight. "Last call" at most bars in Atlanta is 2 or 2:30 a.m.
Solutions and advice
If you want to purchase alcohol, be sure to do it before 11:59 p.m. on Saturday night. During the week, if you travel outside of Midtown, alcohol can still be purchased in stores after midnight. The most recommended place to go to purchase alcohol after midnight is the Kroger grocery store in the Edgewood Shopping Center located on the corner of Moreland Ave. and Caroline St.
Military bases are exempt from Sunday alcohol laws. Military personnel and dependents can visit Dobbins ARB/Atlanta NAS or other nearby bases.
There are a wide variety of things to do outside of the convention in the Atlanta area, including restaurants, historical sites, tourist attractions, museums, shopping, music and sport.
The new Atlantic Station mixed-use development is a nice place to walk and shop. It is about a 15-minute walk from central campus and is also accessible via the Stinger bus system. It is very pedestrian-friendly and often hosts an open-air craft market and various other events. A variety of retailers and eateries are located here. For a full list visit the Atlantic Station website.
Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza malls in Buckhead have many high-end department stores, such as the multi-level-and-location headquarters of Macy's South, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Neiman Marcus. The Buckhead district is also home to several upscale restaurants and a handful of bars and nightclubs. Buckhead is accessible via MARTA, and the district has free local shuttles that run loops from the train stations to most of the area's main attractions. (See "The Buc" for more details on the free Buckhead shuttle.)
Summer in Atlanta brings many free and inexpensive entertainment opportunities including Flicks on Fifth and Screen on the Green (free outdoor movie showings in Tech Square and Piedmont Park, respectively), radio station-sponsored concerts, art exhibits and Atlanta Braves baseball games are just a few of the activities that can be done "on the cheap."
See the Meetings and Events section of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center website for alternate room configuration capacities and reservation details.
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