Decatur is in the Southeastern United
States in the state of Georgia and Dekalb County. Decatur is located East of
Metro Atlanta and west of Stone Mountain. This article focuses primarily on
downtown Decatur, the most tourist friendly and safe area within the city.
Other areas, especially those near or on Memorial drive, are relatively
unremarkable, and best avoided. Decatur is a historic city, with beautiful
homes and dozens of places of worship. Centered on the historic Decatur
Courthouse, Decatur has become a hot destination for young people who want
hip bars, great restaurants, and walkable neighborhoods, as well as for
families who are drawn to the excellent independent school district. Decatur
is remarkable in Atlanta for its diversity--there's a prominent lesbian
community, a large African-American population, and communities of
Ethiopians, Bosnians, and Latin Americans. It's also one of the few parts of
the sprawling Atlanta area that blends a small-town feel with an
open-minded, freewheeling, artsy sensibility.Attractions
• Your Dekalb Farmer's
Market - 3000 Ponce De Leon Avenue, 404-377-6400. A must see.
Listed as one of the top ten tourist attractions for Atlanta. Opened in
1986, the market is 140,000 square feet employs people from around the world
(Their name tags tell their country of origin) and has nearly any type of
meat, vegetable, fruit, spice, or otherwise edible item you could imagine.
There is a cafeteria with low prices and wonderful international fare. The
prices on vegetables and grains are excellent, on meat and fish and chicken
less so. Open 7 days a week.
• The Decatur Courthouse maintains a small museum of Dekalb County History.
• About 3/4 mile south of Decatur Square is the campus of Agnes Scott
College, a private institution for women. Agnes Scott frequently hosts
lectures, concerts, and other cultural events. A walk around the beautiful
campus, which was featured in "Scream 2" is also a pleasant way to spend an
afternoon.
• The Decatur Cemetery, on Commerce Drive about two blocks northeast of the
square, is one of the oldest operating cemeteries in Georgia. Check out the
Civil War graves (to your left at you enter), sit in the pleasant gazebo, or
take a stroll around the lake. Look out for the ducks, which are aggressive.
Shopping
Decatur's not short on trendy boutiques. Among the most interesting are:
• Nease's Needles, a knitting shop on W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
• Seventeen Steps, in a fairly unattractive strip shopping center a block
west of the city.
• Natural Body Spa and Shop, which sells all sorts of pleasantly scented
organic products, on E. Ponce de Leon east of the square.
• Either of the two record shops--the one on the south side of the square
specializes in rap and hip-hop, while the bright blue Decatur CD on W. Ponce
de Leon stocks alternative and rock music.
• Posh Pup, across from the Decatur MARTA Station on Church street, sells
fancy dog accessories.
Dining
You'll find something you like, no matter what the meal.
• Crescent Moon--a funky-yet-traditional diner on W. Ponce; serves
breakfasts and lunches
• The Angel--cool pub atmosphere, nice patio, great fish and chips; lunch
and dinner
• Taqueria del Sol--great salsa, nice pulled-pork enchiladas, long lines;
lunch and dinner
• Mick's--classic business-lunch food, a bit pricey for what you get; lunch
and dinner
• Atlanta Bread Company--bland breakfast and lunch spot in the Panera mold.
• Noodle--Asian fusion, highly recommended for quality-to-price ration;
lunch and dinner
• Java Monkey--okay scones, okay sandwiches, okay salads; open all day
• The Silk Road Cafe--Indian, weekday lunches only, highly recommended
• Roly-Poly--interesting and cheap rolled-up sandwiches; lunch only
• The Supper Club--higher-end, funky and with a lot of attitude; dinner
only
• Watershed--Decatur's best-known restaurant, reviewed nationally, and as
pricey as might be expected. |
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Get in
As with most parts of Atlanta, visitors typically arrive by private car.
However, parking is limited, and a better option for visitors to this
compact city is to take the east-west MARTA line to the Decatur Station. The
Station is directly behind the Courthouse, and is actually under Decatur
Square.
Get around
Decatur is highly walkable, though visits to the Farmer's Market will
require a private car or a ride on the MARTA bus that runs from Decatur
Station toward Clarkston.
Activities
• Listen to a hot local act at neighborhood institution Eddie's Attic,
directly south of the square. Bands usually play an all-ages and an
adults-only show.
• Java Monkey, on Church Street directly east of the city, has live music
or an open mic every night of the week.
• The Angel and Taco Mac, both on W. Ponce de Leon Ave., west of the
square, host trivia nights during the week.
Links
• Atlanta's DeKalb Convention &
Visitors Bureau - Official CVB of Dekalb County
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