By Maxine Smith
Sophomore Reese Richardson told me she was having a “stay-cation” in Atlanta for fall break.
“I’m going to the zoo and I haven’t been since I was a kid,” she said. Then she was going to hit Six Flags.
So…clearly you don’t have to go to the beach or lake over a long weekend.
Here are some things to do around Atlanta to make your “stay-cation” more fun and avoid “FOMO.”
First of all, why get the same old Willies, Chick-fil-A, or Chipotle?
If you are in the mood for Italian, consider Taverna. Taverna offers many different Italian foods and the restaurant is located near some cute shops if you want to get some shopping in too. You might not have tried another Italian restaurant in Atlanta: Amore e Amore. This restaurant is very unique because it is themed and the themes change every few months or so.
If you are up for Mexican then Jalisco’s is the perfect place for a casual dinner and you can stop by Baskin Robin’s right next door for dessert at Peachtree Battle! For breakfast, you can stop by Starbucks for something easy and get a coffee from the new pumpkin spice collection. But, if you want a sit-down breakfast restaurant then Goldbergs is perfect because it has a wide variety of New York-styled foods, so you can feel like you are in New York while at home.
Lucky for you, with fall having just begun, many places are set up for Halloween which makes your activities twice the fun! If you are a fan of roller coasters then Fright Fest at Six Flags is perfect because it will get you in the Halloween mood. Fright Fest has scary characters roaming around while the whole place is Halloween-themed. There is also a lot of food there including candy. If you still want a fright but don’t like roller coasters then you can go to Netherworld which is a haunted house.
If you want to go shopping but don’t know where, maybe skip the mall and head to Ponce City Market, which has many stores and restaurants. You can try foods from all over the world, with Indian, Asian, and Italian-focused eateries. There is also a dessert section, with treats from places like Paris and Mexico.
At the top of Ponce City Market, you can play arcade games, ice skate, or mini golf. There is an amazing view from the top of Ponce City Market of the Atlanta skyline. Also if you are wanting to get fresh air and exercise in you can now bike to Ponce City Market along the Beltline. You can also head north to Avalon. Although this is pretty far from Atlanta, it is worth it because it has many shops and places to eat, and can be a full-day activity.
If you love animals then stop by the zoo, like Reese Richardson planned to do! Apparently, the pandas are leaving soon so that is even more of a reason to go! You can travel back in time to your childhood and ride the train around the zoo and also get cotton candy. You can also pet animals and see animals you maybe haven’t seen before. If you are more interested in marine animals then go to the Georgia Aquarium, where there is a huge gift shop and many interesting sea animals.
Finally, you might consider getting into the pickleball craze. It is a fun and interactive way to exercise while still having fun. The rules are not hard to learn and you can play with your friends. Once you get good and the competition rises, the games can get intense. You can play pickleball at just about any local tennis court near you.
So clearly there’s no need to get out of town every weekend. There’s plenty to do right here.
