First trip to see the Falcons in Atlanta

[Kerwin]

Hey all,

First off, I'll apologize for making a new thread for this since I feel like I see one every year, but can't seem to find any of the old ones now that I need one.  I tried some simple searches to look for old threads that would probably have all the information I need, but couldn't quite find one with everything.

The subject is that I've finally convinced my wife to take the long trip from Seattle to Atlanta for a Falcons game (I've only ever seen the Falcons live when they're playing against the Seahawks, so what better game to visit than when the Seahawks come to town on Oct. 27).  It's going to be a short trip, so I want to get the most out of it, and I'm hoping my local Falcons brothers can help me out like you've done for others in my situation before.

I'll start the list with some of the food recommendations I found in another thread that looked interesting, but here's all the stuff I'm hoping to get some help on for my trip:

• Hotels - any tips on where to stay?  Doesn't need to be right near the stadium if there's a better part of town that might be closer to good food/drink
  • Highland Inn
  • Embassy Suites at Centennial Olympic Park
  • AirBnB - look in Virginia Highlands, Inman Park, Kirkwood
• Food - what's the top local gem I make sure I visit?  Some options I have so far:
  • Homegrown - for breakfast/brunch
  • The Varsity (locals say don't go)
  • Fox Bros BBQ
  • Antico pizza
  • Twin Smoker
  • Optimist
  • Rock's Chicken & Fries
• Drinks - my wife and I love our crafty, aged, specialty beers.  What's the best brewery and/or beer pub in the city?
  • The Porter Beer Bar
  • Wrecking Bar Brewpub
  • Brickstore Pub
  • Max Lager's
  • Twain's
  • Sweetwater Brewery
  • Hopstix
• Tickets/Stadium attractions - maybe the most important item!  What's the best place to get a seat?  Is it worth the club level experience where I can walk down to the field for a bit?  I plan to get to the stadium early so that I can do my exploring before the game.  Are there any must-see attractions in the stadium I should focus on, or would I be plenty happy just wandering around and taking it all in?
  • Cost effective - just get the cheapest seats and watch the game from the endzone rail
  • Club seats - worth the cost to be able to walk down to the field level

 

I'll try to keep this thread updated to pull in any recommendations I get so that maybe this one can help someone else out for their trip in the future.  Thanks in advance for anyone with contributions!  

Edited June 7, 2019 by Kerwin

[MasterBateser]

Hey that's the game I'm going to!! It's on my birthday.

[Tribal Chief]

First off, don't apologize for ****. If everyone else can do it then so can you.

Secondly, I don't live in the city and haven't been to a game in 3 years so enjoy yourself and watch out for the homeless people on the side of the road dry humping and spanking trees.

If Falcons Landing is still a thing, be sure to arrive early and enjoy all of the festivities that it has to offer

[Jesus]

I'm not planning on going to any games this year, but I am doing the stadium tour next week. Any good ideas I am interested in hearing.

[SexualChocolate]

Unless you absolutely want to stay in a hotel, I'd suggest getting an AirBnB somewhere like Virginia Highlands or Inman Park.  You'll be in between a few neighborhoods (Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Little 5 Points, Decatur, etc.) and you can walk to some really cool bars and restaurants.  Also, don't mix up Little Five Points and Five Points - they are two very different areas.

If you like beer, you should also check out Brickstore Pub in Decatur.

[Kerwin]

4 hours ago, SexualChocolate said:

Unless you absolutely want to stay in a hotel, I'd suggest getting an AirBnB somewhere like Virginia Highlands or Inman Park. 

Very solid advice, thank you!  For whatever reason, I hadn't even considered AirBnB

[AustFalcon]

I did AirBnB and it was great. We flew in Saturday night, went to church in the morning and then caught a cab to the stadium.

There seems like lots of options - we stayed here and it was great:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/265897?source_impression_id=p3_1559864511_CyfMM%2Bc4he0FfZ7V

Get there early, there are a lot of things happening around the stadium. In my avatar you can see we got our faces painted. We ran with a football through some dummies and got a free T-Shirt. We got free food and other things by spinning a wheel. We don't have that kind of stuff in Australia and it was amazing how much there was for fans to do. 

[⚡Slumerican⚡]

I usually stay at the Highland Inn when i go to games.. Its a cool neighborhood with a very chill vibe and you can basically walk to some of the beat restaurants in the area.. The place is old, but not in a bad way.. Used to always visit Manuels Tavern the night before games.. Always plenty of people to talk sports with,, but heard it may have been closed or moved recently? But also, the Vortex is within walking distance of Highland and you've got to eat there if you're in Atlanta! 

[⚡Slumerican⚡]

4 hours ago, SexualChocolate said:

Unless you absolutely want to stay in a hotel, I'd suggest getting an AirBnB somewhere like Virginia Highlands or Inman Park.  You'll be in between a few neighborhoods (Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Little 5 Points, Decatur, etc.) and you can walk to some really cool bars and restaurants.  Also, don't mix up Little Five Points and Five Points - they are two very different areas.

If you like beer, you should also check out Brickstore Pub in Decatur.

Yep, Highland Inn is in the heart of the Highlands.. Stay here or AB&B and you cant go wrong 

[cyofish]

There is a train that runs through Atlanta called the Marta.  It beings at the airport and runs through downtown to north Atlanta.  There is also an east-west line that connects at Five Points station with one of the stop being Mercedes Benz Stadium.      

staying in a hotel by the stadium isn't a bad thing. You will be within walking distance of several good restaurants, Georgia Aquarium, CNN Center, Olympic Park.  Twin Smoker BBQ, Der Biergarten, Ted's Montana Grill, Dantanas, and Rosie's Cafe. Also a short drive from the Optimist, Cooks & Solider, JCT Kitchen, Taqueria Del Sol, Antico Pizza, and Gio's Chicken. 

Buckhead is another area that would be good to stay. There are many shops, restaurants within walking distance of hotels. Marta train station at Buckhead will take you to the stadium or the airport. 

BBQ I recommend Twin Smoker, Heirloom BBQ, or Old Pit BBQ, or Old Brick Pit BBQ. 
Brewery Restaurants, Hopstix, Sweetwater Brewery, Terrapin Taproom & Fox Bros BBQ at Suntrust Park. 
Southern: JCT Kitchen, Optimist, Busy Bee, Southbound, Southern Art, Vinings Inn
Steak: Chops Lobster Bar, Little Alley Steakhouse, 

You can also check out Atlanta Eats to preview various restaurants Atlanta by cuisine or neighborhood https://www.atlantaeats.com/. 

My off the radar recommendation is Rock's Chicken & Fries at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead.   Get the Swiss Fried Chicken Sandwich.  So good it will make you cry.     

Last but not least, Atlanta airport has over 200 restaurants, many of them are a branch of the local favorites.        

Forget the Varsity unless you're trying to clean out your bowels if you know what I mean.  Waaayyy overrated.  If you have to have it for the experience there is Varsity in the MB stadium and a few at the airport.

[Duff_Man]

19 hours ago, Kerwin said:

Hey all,

First off, I'll apologize for making a new thread for this since I feel like I see one every year, but can't seem to find any of the old ones now that I need one.  I tried some simple searches to look for old threads that would probably have all the information I need, but couldn't quite find one with everything.

The subject is that I've finally convinced my wife to take the long trip from Seattle to Atlanta for a Falcons game (I've only ever seen the Falcons live when they're playing against the Seahawks, so what better game to visit than when the Seahawks come to town on Oct. 27).  It's going to be a short trip, so I want to get the most out of it, and I'm hoping my local Falcons brothers can help me out like you've done for others in my situation before.

I'll start the list with some of the food recommendations I found in another thread that looked interesting, but here's all the stuff I'm hoping to get some help on for my trip:

• Hotels - any tips on where to stay?  Doesn't need to be right near the stadium if there's a better part of town that might be closer to good food/drink
• Food - what's the top local gem I make sure I visit?  Some options I have so far:
  • Homegrown - for breakfast/brunch
  • The Varsity
  • Fox Bros BBQ
  • Antico pizza
• Drinks - my wife and I love our crafty, aged, specialty beers.  What's the best brewery and/or beer pub in the city?
  • The Porter Beer Bar
  • Wrecking Bar Brewpub
• Tickets/Stadium attractions - maybe the most important item!  What's the best place to get a seat?  Is it worth the club level experience where I can walk down to the field for a bit?  I plan to get to the stadium early so that I can do my exploring before the game.  Are there any must-see attractions in the stadium I should focus on, or would I be plenty happy just wandering around and taking it all in?

I'll try to keep this thread updated to pull in any recommendations I get so that maybe this one can help someone else out for their trip in the future.  Thanks in advance for anyone with contributions!  

Welp...you already hit a home run with these two places. Both are absolutely top notch not just for Atlanta, but in general. I would also strongly recommend Max Lager's downtown. It's a great brewpub with good food. The owner is a great guy. Short walk from MARTA. I have even walked it from the stadium. If you're feeling adventurous, head out to Decatur and hit Twain's (brewpub) and Brickstore (beer bar). I like Porter better, but Brickstore is also world class for beer.

I go down every year from PA and usually stay in the Dunwoody area near Hammond Drive. Hotels are a little cheaper out there and you can walk to MARTA stations for a quick trip into town.

If you are looking for a great tailgate, hit up @gkgrimes We have hit his tailgate three years in a row now. $25 all you can eat and drink. Basically across the street from the stadium.

As far as seating...I can't help you. I have bought the cheapest seats I can since the new stadium opened. We just set up shop on the giant end zone railing and watch from there. Beer and bathrooms a few feet away. I haven't even seen my seats in the new building.

Edit: I forgot we did an Air BnB last year and it was AMAZING. It was in Kirkwood. We did have to utilize Uber to get some places, but it was a piece of cake. Something to look into.

[Detroit_Falcon]

I made the trip down from Detroit 2 years ago for the awful Miami game. We stayed at the Embassy Suites at Centennial Olympic Park. There is some good bars/restaurants in that area that is walking distance. It's a great hotel location for a game. 

[shock]

I stay at the Ritz and you can see the stadium from your room, but that’s a little bit much/extra for some people and I’m sure an airbnb would be fun. I’d recommend getting the club level seats if you can afford it so you have access to the field-level area. Fun as **** to get to go down onto the field before/during/after the game and be right behind the players. 

I got a picture with Jeff Ulbrich a few years back down there. When I asked for a photo he goes “I don’t know why anyone would want a picture with me, but sure” 

Edited June 7, 2019 by shock

[gkgrimes]

21 hours ago, Kerwin said:

• Food - what's the top local gem I make sure I visit?  Some options I have so far:
  • Homegrown - for breakfast/brunch
  • The Varsity
  • Fox Bros BBQ
  • Antico pizza

yeah. I run a good one. we always party. let me know if you want to come by.

1 hour ago, Duff_Man said:

If you are looking for a great tailgate, hit up @gkgrimes We have hit his tailgate three years in a row now. $25 all you can eat and drink. Basically across the street from the stadium.

 

And we waiting for you to come back this year my friend. you gonna surprise us again or tell me. lmmfao

[Duff_Man]

7 minutes ago, gkgrimes said:

yeah. I run a good one. we always party. let me know if you want to come by.

And we waiting for you to come back this year my friend. you gonna surprise us again or tell me. lmmfao

Once we get it figured out I will let you know!

[Shuswap]

This thread really makes me want to jump on a plane this fall . 

[gkgrimes]

1 minute ago, Shuswap said:

This thread really makes me want to jump on a plane this fall . 

you should. just to see the stadium. I flew to see the new cowboys stadium when the Falcons went there to play.

[Kerwin]

29 minutes ago, Shuswap said:

This thread really makes me want to jump on a plane this fall . 

I got the wife to commit by telling her for a full year that I was going to fly down for the Superbowl in Atlanta if we ended up playing in it.  She was so mentally prepared to drop a huge amount of money on the trip that it was easy for me to say "fine, I'll just go for a regular season game next year".  I was also 95% ready to pull the trigger to fly down for the NFC championship game in 2016 as the last game in the Georgia Dome, but then I was convinced to wait since it'd probably be cooler to see the new $1.5B stadium.

I am stoked for the trip.  Can't wait!

[GeorgiaBoyz]

Whatever you do .. don’t go to The Varsity . It’s the biggest scam in the city of scams . Every other restaurant here is good . Twin Smoker is great . 

[Kerwin]

48 minutes ago, gkgrimes said:

yeah. I run a good one. we always party. let me know if you want to come by.

Thanks for the offer!  Full disclosure that I will almost certainly have a few Seahawks fans in tow, so no hard feelings if you pull the invitation.  Part of the fun of picking the Seahawks game for me is in convincing some of my buddies to come with me.  I've had to root for the away team for every game I've gone to with these guys, so it can finally be their turn.

When we get a bit closer to having our plans finalized and figure out what we want to do before game time, I may PM you for some more info on the tailgate!

[Shuswap]

7 minutes ago, Kerwin said:

I got the wife to commit by telling her for a full year that I was going to fly down for the Superbowl in Atlanta if we ended up playing in it.  She was so mentally prepared to drop a huge amount of money on the trip that it was easy for me to say "fine, I'll just go for a regular season game next year".  I was also 95% ready to pull the trigger to fly down for the NFC championship game in 2016 as the last game in the Georgia Dome, but then I was convinced to wait since it'd probably be cooler to see the new $1.5B stadium.

I am stoked for the trip.  Can't wait!

I don't live to far from Seattle so I catch a couple games a year . Haven't been to MB stadium yet but this might be the year . 

[Kerwin]

2 hours ago, shock said:

I’d recommend getting the club level seats if you can afford it so you have access to the field-level area. Fun as **** to get to go down onto the field before/during/after the game and be right behind the players. 

I got a picture with Jeff Ulbrich a few years back down there. When I asked for a photo he goes “I don’t know why anyone would want a picture with me, but sure” 

I have to assume it's important to get club level on the home side of the stadium, right?  Do you have a tip for where in the club section are the better seats for actually watching the game?  My assumption would be that it'd be better to sit toward the back to get a better view (too close to the field can make it hard to actually see what's going on in the game).

If I can find a good enough price, I'd definitely like to go for club seats.

[gkgrimes]

24 minutes ago, Kerwin said:

Thanks for the offer!  Full disclosure that I will almost certainly have a few Seahawks fans in tow, so no hard feelings if you pull the invitation.  Part of the fun of picking the Seahawks game for me is in convincing some of my buddies to come with me.  I've had to root for the away team for every game I've gone to with these guys, so it can finally be their turn.

When we get a bit closer to having our plans finalized and figure out what we want to do before game time, I may PM you for some more info on the tailgate!

we welcome all. as long as they are good natured and can take a good joking. cause im a clown. lol

[Kerwin]

4 minutes ago, gkgrimes said:

we welcome all. as long as they are good natured and can take a good joking. cause im a clown. lol

they'd f*cking better be able to after all they've dished out to me over the years!  They're good natured for sure, and I'm guessing they'll be a bit more reserved when they're not in their home territory.

[Domed Outter]

Stayed at Inman Park last year and will definitely be staying there again this time around, lots of nice places to eat, and this year will spend more evenings in bars (no ATL UTD game this time).

Amalfi Pizza downtown for a quick bite to eat after the game, or Varuni Napoli in Krog St Market (preferred, and with excellent risotto balls).