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Running in Atlanta?
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I’m going to be in Atlanta early next month. Not sure yet where were staying - probably near downtown. Where’s some good running for 4-6 miles? Were just in town doing some tourist type things - aquarium, zoo, coke, Porsche, six flags, etc.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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Run the beltline into and around Piedmont Park. https://beltline.org/

The river trail at Cochran Shoals is a perfect 5k loop but it's even nicer to head into the woods on those trails. https://www.atlantatrails.com/...g-the-chattahoochee/

If you can get out to Kennesaw Mountain, those trails are really nice.
https://www.nps.gov/kemo/planyourvisit/hours.htm


If you go out to Stone Mountain, you can run up it or around it.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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I have fairly regular biz trips to downtown ATL. Most runs have been urban loops/routes that are mostly on concrete. There are not a lot of soft trail surfaces anywhere downtown. Named trails and even park routes are on pavement/road. If you're looking for 4-6 miles of soft surfaces, you may have to head away from downtown and go outside the perimeter. Running up Stone mountain is a good out of town option.

ps - Note that the Porsche thing is only accessible with a reserved session (i.e. not open to walk-ins). Accompanied by a coach, you can take a Porsche to it's limits on their track, limits you won't have an opportunity to experience on normal roads. And the museum there is also pretty cool. Well worth doing if you and family are into that kind of thing.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [40-Tude] [ In reply to ]
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Note that the Porsche thing is only accessible with a reserved session

Thanks. We're booked for a ride along and some time in the simulators. We didn't splurge for driving a car ourselves.

At the moment we're trying to decide where to stay. I really dislike paying a hotel $40-$50 per night to park my own damn car and that's basically all that's available downtown so looking at other parts of town now.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
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Note that the Porsche thing is only accessible with a reserved session


Thanks. We're booked for a ride along and some time in the simulators. We didn't splurge for driving a car ourselves.

At the moment we're trying to decide where to stay. I really dislike paying a hotel $40-$50 per night to park my own damn car and that's basically all that's available downtown so looking at other parts of town now.

Check out the "Twelve Midtown" hotel. It's a Marriott property so you have all the benefits of using or accruing Marriott points etc., but it's located next to a shopping complex called Atlantic Station where you can self-park for "normal" parking rates vs. the $40-50 that a hotel will add on. Rooms are also suites which could work well w/family. I've stayed there a couple of times, avoided the hotel valet and just parked the rental there. It's not quite in the center of downtown which may be good/bad depending on your preferences.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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You can also look at hotels in Vinings. It's just outside the city but an easy ride down 75 to get downtown, close to the river trail and Kennesaw isn't that much further.

Staying in Decatur is an option, closer to Stone Mountain, but you can get caught in some traffic since there's not an easy freeway close by.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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I agree with damn lucky, check out Vinings. If you stay there, you can hit the Comet Trail for a run. It is a paved path through the woods that goes forever.

Ian

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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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Try Buckhead. I stay in a cheap Hampton with free parking a few blocks from the Lenox mall. Plenty of food within walking distance, including Farm Burger and a Brazilian steakhouse across the street. I usually drive a couple miles to a park north of there to run (Chastain Park). Hilly though, almost 100 feet of elevation per mile. I have never been able to find a place to park at Piedmont Park no matter what time of day.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [2lazy2tri] [ In reply to ]
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You try the parking lot next to Park Tavern?
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
I’m going to be in Atlanta early next month. Not sure yet where were staying - probably near downtown. Where’s some good running for 4-6 miles? Were just in town doing some tourist type things - aquarium, zoo, coke, Porsche, six flags, etc.

Atlanta traffic is horrible enough that I would suggest finding a place to stay close to where you want to run (or vice versa). Depending on the time of day, it might take as long to drive a dozen miles as it would to run 4-6.

If you do end up staying downtown, you can just run ... downtown. Step outside your hotel and take off. There are several interesting areas within a few miles of downtown, Old Fourth Ward, Carter Presidential Center, Centennial Park, maybe Piedmont Park. Potentially lots of pausing at stop lights, but that's pretty standard for urban running.

If you want a more focused run, there are a few multi-use trails around: the Beltline, Silver Comet, Big Creek Greenway. Only the Beltline is even close to downtown, but if you find a place to stay within a short distance of any of those trails, you're in business.

All of those options are paved. If trail running is more your style, it's hard to beat Kennesaw Mountain. Various loops and sub-loops that you can string together for up to 20 miles, including some serious elevation. Several shorter loops as well. Cochran Shoals on the Chattahoochee River is also an option. Flat as a pancake and fairly crowded, but very wide, clean, gravel trails. Less manicured trails branch off from there (Paper Mill), and you can get some decent climbing and a bit of the wilderness on those.

FWIW, I live less than a mile from Kennesaw Mountain and five miles from the Silver Comet. I also work in midtown several days a week. I've run in all of those areas a lot. I don't have any advice about hotels and such, but if you've got more specific running questions, fire away.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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Please bring some sunshine with you. Someone referred to it as a '70 Year Rain'. Don't know if that means it will rain for 70 years or if it means that it's the longest stretch of rainy days in 70 years.

This long stretch of drizzle and rain will def have had some impact of those trails. Some sections could be washed out if things don't dry out before you get here.

I've been indoors since Nov so I can't advise you on the latest but I'm sure if you check in here closer to your arrival that you'll prob get some good feedback.




"Outwork your talent." Kevin McHale
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [2lazy2tri] [ In reply to ]
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From Buckhead it's an easy subway ride to midtown to get to Piedmont Park. You can catch any southbound train at either the Buckhead or Lenox stations and can get off IMat the third stop, the midtown station, and you'll be about .5 miles from the park after a ten minute train ride.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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Just about anywhere you stay within the city is going to charge for parking and the rates are going to be high. Downtown parking is the highest simply because of supply and demand. Most hotels near the Aquarium, Centennial, all the other tourist things also host a ton of conventions and business travel in general. I work near there and there is rarely a week where there isn't a large scale convention going on. If you want proximity to the typical tourist attractions, then stay Downtown. I will say that restaurant choices are limited outside of chains because it's basically a tourist trap. You can easily run from downtown to Piedmont Park or other areas. I used to do this on my lunch break when my office was 1 block from Centennial.

If you want something trendier, maybe Midtown. It's only a couple of miles north of downtown but there are more dining choices and it's where Piedmont Park is. Or if you want proximity to shopping, stay in Buckhead. It's a bit more high end and the shops/restaurants tend to skew toward luxury. I live there and my normal route is to Chastain Park. It's hilly but it's a nice run or down West Paces Ferry which is where the Governor's mansion is along with some of the larger mansions in the city. Most places in Buckhead are no more than 1-2 miles from Chastain Park.

What are you looking for in your run? No matter where you stay, you can step outside your hotel and get your mileage (unless you stay in the suburbs). I do almost all my running just on sidewalks which may not be what you want. But I rarely drive anywhere specifically to run.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [Iron Dukie] [ In reply to ]
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It literally has never crossed my mind to do that. There is a stop 2 blocks from my usual hotel but I’ve never even considered taking the subway. You don’t think of these things when you are not from a big city and have never used public transportation lol. Whenever I visit Atlanta I always think it would be a cool place to live. Then I try to find a parking space and change my mind.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [2lazy2tri] [ In reply to ]
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2lazy2tri wrote:
It literally has never crossed my mind to do that. There is a stop 2 blocks from my usual hotel but I’ve never even considered taking the subway. You don’t think of these things when you are not from a big city and have never used public transportation lol. Whenever I visit Atlanta I always think it would be a cool place to live. Then I try to find a parking space and change my mind.

Yes, our parking and traffic situation is terrible, which is why I generally try not to get in my car Mondays - Fridays when avoidable. I do need my car to get to my pool, though I try to make sure that's only one weekday per week and then try to have anything else that requires a car (such as my PT appointments or work meetings not near a subway stop) scheduled on that same day. I find my stress level and overall quality of life are much better on the weekdays that I don't drive and I'm fortunate to live and work near train stations.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [jkuo] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for all the feedback. We ended up booking a room at the Embassy Suites in Buckhead. Between my Hilton points and getting them to waive the parking charge, it’s going to be a fairly cheap (less than $100 total) for 4 nights.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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That's in a nice area. I live 1/2 mile down the road. If needed, you're across the street from the MARTA station which will take you to the tourist attractions downtown in ~15 minutes. That would save you on exorbitant downtown parking rates near the attractions. You're also near Lenox/Phipps malls as well as Buckhead Atlanta which is a very high end outdoor shopping area. Chastain Park is maybe 1.5 miles away, you could run straight there from the door of your hotel.


logella wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback. We ended up booking a room at the Embassy Suites in Buckhead. Between my Hilton points and getting them to waive the parking charge, it’s going to be a fairly cheap (less than $100 total) for 4 nights.
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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And you are within walking distance of two Brazilian steakhouses. Hope you’re not vegetarian!
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Re: Running in Atlanta? [2lazy2tri] [ In reply to ]
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2lazy2tri wrote:
Hope you’re not vegetarian!

Ha, that’s very funny.
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