INSIDER INFO: Avoid the “confused tourist” look with our handy-dandy guide to navigating the A

ACT LIKE a local

Avoid the “confused tourist” look with our handy-dandy guide to navigating the A

Getting Around Town

Atlanta is infamous for its transportation. To truly be an Atlantan, you need to learn the art of defensive driving, as Atlanta’s drivers are some of the worst in the country. When it comes to driving around the city, you will need to be comfortable with driving the highway. While you can drive back roads pretty much anywhere within the perimeter (aka I-285, which loops around the city), chances are it’ll take much longer, and — unless there’s a crash on the highway — the traffic probably won’t be much better. So, if you’re driving, be ready to brave the crowded Atlanta highways: the major ones you’re bound to encounter are I-20, which runs east to west; I-75, which runs northwest to southeast; and I-85, which runs northeast to southwest.

Be mindful when it comes to parking. Our city’s parking enforcement is known for vigilance, especially in Midtown, so you will be ticketed, booted, or even towed. If you’re in a paid lot with Park Mobile signs, make sure you pay through the app.

Unfortunately, thanks to a lack of long-term, historic infrastructure (shoutout Sherman’s march to the sea!), Atlanta’s public transportation system isn’t comparable to other major American cities like Chicago or New York. MARTA (ItsMarta.com), our train and bus system, is a convenient way to get some places around town, but it won’t take you everywhere. We suggest opting for MARTA to get to Piedmont Park (especially if you’re going to a festival like Music Midtown), the Fox Theatre, the Woodruff Arts Center (home to the High Museum, Alliance Theatre, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), downtown Atlanta, downtown Decatur, or the airport. The bus system will take you further outside the bounds of the subway, but it can be confusing and tedious even for locals.

If you’re staying in the downtown area, the Atlanta Streetcar (ItsMarta.com/streetcar.aspx) is a prime mode of transportation for you. It connects the Centennial Olympic Park area to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Cars run about every 15 minutes and there are 12 stops along this 2.7-mile route.

This lack of infrastructure, which results in an almost complete lack of grid system in the city, plus our hilly geography, means that Atlanta isn’t very walkable. However, the Atlanta BeltLine (BeltLine.org) is working to change that. The massive project is comprised of a 22-mile route around the city along abandoned railroad tracks and 33 miles of multi-use trails for the ultimate outdoor experience. The BeltLine links you to Piedmont Park, Ponce City Market, Krog Street Market and dozens of other green spaces.

Other walkable pockets that provide a charming afternoon of shopping and dining include the tourist area around Centennial Olympic Park (including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights), Atlantic Station, Decatur, East Atlanta Village, Little Five Points, Virginia-Highland, the Midtown epicenter of 10th and Piedmont, and more! You can learn more about each of Atlanta’s distinct neighborhoods later in this guide.

If you’re looking to just take a walk without a destination, Atlanta has several expansive parks that offer a more relaxing, nature-filled experience than the bustling BeltLine. Some of our favorites include Westside Park, Piedmont Park, Freedom Park, and the Decatur Cemetery.

Make a Plan

When it comes to braving a day out in Atlanta, there are several things to consider before making your plan.

Atlanta is known for its hot hot HOT summers. So, if you’re going somewhere outdoors anytime from May to even as late as October, dress accordingly. Luckily, Atlanta is a city in a forest — 48 percent of land within the city limits is covered by tree canopy — which means chances are there will be some shade to find relief from the brutal Atlanta heat. Our beautiful – if not scorching – Southern weather attracts

people in troves. If you’re going out during the weekend, especially somewhere outdoors, expect crowds. Atlantans also love their weekend brunch, so if you’re planning on a morning of chicken and waffles and mimosas, make a reservation or be ready for a wait.

Finally, if you’re driving, be prepared for Atlanta’s infamous traffic. If you can, avoid the roads from 4-7pm on weekdays. If you can’t (which is likely – it’s rush hour for a reason!), give yourself ample time to get to your destination, pick a good playlist to pass the time, and remember to breathe through the road rage when someone inevitably cuts you off.

Stay Safe

As with any big city, Atlanta has its share of break-ins, robberies, and other crimes. If you’re out for a night on the town, think safety first: don’t leave valuables in your car, park only in well-lit areas, and remember there’s safety in numbers.

Should you need, there are four LGBTQ liaison safety officials for the city: Officer Brandon Hayes with the Atlanta Police Department, Captain Latia Posey and Firefighter Anare Holmes with the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department, and Captain Kamula McKnight-Butler with the Department of Corrections.

Sound like a Southerner

expression “y’all.” A contraction for “you all,” y’all is only used for in plural. Use it to refer to one person, and you might be met with a “bless your heart.”

Avoid calling the city “Hotlanta.” No true Atlantan actually calls it that, so it’ll make you stick out like a sore thumb. Bonus points for dropping the second t — “Atlanna” — to really sound like a local.

MARTA

Photo via Facebook

Look Out for One Another

In Atlanta, we advocate for one another, especially those of us who are marginalized. Atlanta is a queer city. Atlanta is a Black city. If you are not down for that, we’re not down for you.

Unfortunately, the state surrounding our wonderful city is not completely on the same page, and while Atlanta is a wonderful place to live and be, it also has its problems. So, we Atlantans have to regularly take to the streets in protest. Larger protests often happen at the Capitol and Centennial Olympic Park, but smaller actions happen all over the city. To keep up with protests going on, follow @WhereProtest on Twitter.

If you don’t have the time or ability to protest, there are still ways to be involved. You can volunteer with or donate to any of Atlanta’s LGBTQ organizations (find a list on pages 112-113), and above all else, you can be kind and loving and respectful to everyone you meet, especially Atlantans who are unhoused. Give when you can and show humanity always. That’s the real Atlanta way.