If you’re coming to Atlanta for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, you’re in luck: Not only are you in for the excitement of the men’s tournament in a top-tier venue, State Farm Arena, but you’re also going to be spending the weekend in my personal favorite city in the United States.
Sure, my opinion’s biased because the greater Atlanta metro has been my home for over two decades now, and forever I love Atlanta. But the city also offers so much to see, learn, eat, experience, drink, and enjoy outside of the NCAA tournament.
Making the most out of game day in Atlanta
Here’s everything you need to know for the Sweet 16 (March 28) and Elite 8 (March 30) at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Traffic around the stadium will be bonkers on game day, and the best advice I can give you is: Please do not plan to drive yourself and pay to park. I’m telling you this because I care about you. Here’s an alternative: Consider getting brunch near a MARTA stop (recommendations below) and then take the train down to the stadium. It’ll cost you $5 round trip, or you could spring for a pass. $16 will get you anywhere you want to go by train for the entire weekend — well, as long as MARTA goes where you want to go. It’s far from perfect, but it’s definitely better than sitting in traffic.
Brunch recommendations:
Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern (Several locations; Brookhaven and Atlantic Station are your best spots for MARTA proximity)
Everything I have ever put in my mouth at Hobnob has been outstanding, and this is my go-to spot when I have friends or family in town. My favorites are the shrimp and cheese grits with roasted tomato and chipotle crema and especially the short rib hash, or you could go full Atlanta with the chicken and waffles, or indulge your sweet tooth with some Nutella French toast. Hobnob is known for their cocktails, and their mocktails are just as good. The Tavern bourbon cocktail and the alcohol free grapefruit basil spritzer are similar and they’re my favorites.
For more information, visit the Hobnob website.
The Flying Biscuit (Several locations; Midtown, Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Sandy Springs are the best locations for MARTA proximity)
The first Flying Biscuit was opened in Atlanta in 1993, and let me tell you: There’s a reason it’s now a regional chain with over 40 locations. If you’re into hearty southern breakfasts with fresh ingredients and huge portions, this is your place. They’ve got a much bigger menu than Hobnob, and it’s another spot where I really don’t think you can go wrong, no matter what you order. My favorites are the chorizo hash, an Oh My Grits bowl (strongly recommend the chicken sausage, goat cheese, spinach and mushrooms), and all of their omelettes/scrambles. If you’re into mimosas, theirs are great — try the lemonade mimosa.
For more information, visit the Flying Biscuit website.
The State Farm Arena experience
If you do decide to take MARTA to State Farm, if you’re coming in on either the red or green lines, you’ll have to switch trains at Five Points station. You’ll need to get on a blue or green line train heading toward the H.E. Holmes or Bankhead stations. I recommend getting off at the GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center station, which is the first stop after Five Points.
If you have time, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is right next door, and you can walk over there and take a photo with the huge metal falcon statue in front of the stadium. It’ll be a great memento, and fun to send to your Falcons fan friends with a 28-3 joke. Trust me, we all love this. (Do not trust me, your Falcons fan friends will hate you.)
Some other notes on State Farm Arena:
- One thing I particularly love about State Farm Arena: They do NOT have a clear bag policy. They do restrict any bags other than diaper bags and medical bags to no larger than 14” x 14” x 6”, and all bags are subject to search. Security is pretty tight at State Farm in my experience, so if you’ve got a Swiss Army knife on your keychain or something, take it off before you head downtown.
- If you do decide to drive to the stadium and park, I’d buy parking ahead of time. Otherwise you’re going to end up driving around very slowly in a sea of honking cars driven by annoyed drivers looking for a spot and you are straight up not going to have a good time. You’ll still drive slowly in a sea of honking cars to get to the spot you pre-paid for, but you’ll spend much less time doing it.
- The CNN Center food court is right outside of State Farm Arena security, so it’s a perfect place to grab a snack or a quick meal before heading inside. They have everything from Arby’s and Dunkin’ Donuts to bar food from Taco Mac and and higher-end burgers at BurgerFi.
- The food and drink options are abundant inside “Atlanta’s largest restaurant,” which is how the State Farm Arena website describes it’s concessions. Hit the Hawk Walk market for a full food court experience, J.R. Crickets for wings, or head to the 200 level north for some pizza and beer without missing a minute of the action at the Scofflaw Beer Barn.
- For more on visiting State Farm Arena, click here.
Things to do in Atlanta
Hopefully you’ll have at least a full day to spend enjoying Atlanta. If you’re lucky enough to be going to both the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games at State Farm Arena, you’ve got Saturday free, and here are some places you could spend it.
Family fun
Georgia Aquarium (Downtown Atlanta): I cannot get enough of the Georgia Aquarium. Ask if they’ve got reservations available for the dolphin and sea lion shows — they’re free with a general admission ticket ($67.99), but you need a reservation and you cannot make them in advance. Bring a refillable water bottle (they have several refill stations around the aquarium).
For more information, visit the Georgia Aquarium website.
World of Coke (Downtown Atlanta): The $26 ticket fee is worth the price just to taste all of the varieties of Coca-Cola sold around the world. You can also learn about the history of the company, explore the connections between our senses of smell and taste, and get your photo taken with the iconic Coke polar bear.
For more information, visit the World of Coke website.
Centennial Park (Downtown Atlanta): Make time to visit this monument to the 1996 Olympic Games. There’s an audio walking tour available on their website, so bring your headphones! Plan your visit around the schedule for the synchronized water and light show at the Fountain of Rings — that happens 365 days a year at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. For $20, hop on the ferris wheel for breathtaking views of downtown and the metro Atlanta area.
For more information, visit the Centennial Park website.
College Football Hall of Fame (Downtown Atlanta): If you are a college football fan, you do not want to miss this. Even if you’re not a college football fan, you do not want to miss this. It’s very interactive, great for kids, and a really fun way to spend an afternoon. Make sure to swing by the Kia Performance Challenge and run a 40 and do the vertical jump so I’m not the only adult who embarrassed myself there, please.
For more information, visit the College Football Hall of Fame website.
Pro tip: Save money and time with an Atlanta CityPass, which will get you into each of the attractions listed above, plus the Fernbank Museum and Zoo Atlanta, which are also worth visiting, for $99 plus tax for adults and $79 plus tax for kids. Normally I would also recommend visiting the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, but it’s closed until fall.
History and culture
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park (Atlanta): Visit the Civil Rights leader’s childhood home, the church where he worshipped and preached, and learn about his life and the path he marched toward equality. Now more than ever, his work, his words and the example he set must be remembered.
For more information, visit the MLK Jr. National Historic Park website.
Jimmy Carter National Historic Park (Plains, Ga.): Pay your respects to former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter, learn about how Carter’s rural upbringing shaped his life and his presidency, and visit Carter’s boyhood farm. Plains is about a 2.5-hour drive from Atlanta, so this is one you’ll have to plan ahead for.
For more information, visit the Jimmy Carter National Historic Park website.
High Museum (Midtown Atlanta): I love love love the High Museum. It’s easy to get to via MARTA, parking in their garage is relatively easy if you’re driving, and you can get lost in the exhibits for hours. They have a new digital tool called ArtMatch that emulates a dating site — swipe right on works you like and left on ones you don’t, and it’ll put together a custom tour based on your preferences. Admission is $23; children under 5 are free.
For more information, visit the High Museum website.
Atlanta History Center (Buckhead): The More than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron exhibit walks you through the Major League Baseball legend’s early life in Mobile, Ala., all the way through his exemplary career and his post-baseball life in business and charitable endeavors. They’re featuring artifacts from the Aaron Family, the MLB Hall of Fame, the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame and more, and it just so happens the exhibit is open on Elite 8/Sweet 16 weekend! For more information, visit the Discover Atlanta website.
Just for fun
The Beltline: It’s a 22-mile loop of walking and biking trails and parks with easy access to restaurants, shopping, breweries, local galleries, and more. If you like dogs, you’re going to see a lot of them on the Beltline. That’s basically all I need to know to be interested in any location, but it’s also great people watching and a lovely place to relax and enjoy the weather.
For more details, visit the Beltline website.
Krog Street Market: Walk the Beltline to Krog Street Market and work up an appetite — when you get there, you can enjoy just about any type of cuisine you can imagine. Superica Tex-Mex is my personal favorite, but they’ve got everything from Middle Eastern food at Yalla! to Sichuan at Gu’s Dumplings to vegan at Planta. With cute shops and lots of things to see, it’s a fun place to enjoy yourself.
Nightlife
Dark Horse Tavern (Virginia Highlands): You haven’t lived until you’ve seen someone karaoke Jimmy Eat World’s ‘Sweetness’ with a full live band backing them up. That’s what you’re getting into at Dark Horse Tavern. There’s no cover charge and Virginia Highlands is a great neighborhood for socializing so it’s definitely worth the short rideshare over there. Stop by The Original El Taco for dinner first — it’s my favorite spot in Virginia Highlands and one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta.
For more information, visit the Dark Horse Tavern website.
Dad’s Garage improv (Old Fourth Ward): Dad’s Garage is a nonprofit comedy improv theater, and the quality of the performances and the level of fun are both extremely high. It’s also easy to get to from the Beltline, so you could have dinner at Krog Street and then walk to the show!
For more information, visit the Dad’s Garage website.
What to eat in Atlanta
- I already mentioned El Taco, but it’s worth checking out the other restaurants owned by their parent company, Fifth Group. South City Kitchen has upscale southern food, Alma Cocina has incredible Latin-American flavors, Ecco has Modern European food, and Lure has fresh seafood and incredible cocktails. I highly recommend them all.
For more information, visit the Fifth Group website.
- Kyma has the best seafood in town and a large Mediterranean menu. It’s pricy but worth the splurge. Get the four-spread assortment to try all of their varieties of Mediterranean spreads. The wood-grilled octopus is to die for, and I cannot recommend each of their whole fish selections strongly enough.
For more information, visit Kyma’s website.
- Antico has the best wood-fired pizza with the freshest toppings in town. It’s a must-visit.
For more information, visit the Antico website.
You’ll notice I didn’t mention The Varsity. I love the Varsity, because I am a simple girl who loves even mid burgers and fries, but full disclosure, they are definitely mid burgers and fries. It is an Atlanta institution though, so if you want the experience of walking into a crowded burger shop and being greeted by yells of “What’ll you have, what’ll you have?” then definitely check it out.
Welcome to Atlanta, and if you check out any of the spots on this list or if you pet a cool dog on the Beltline or spring for the otter experience at the Aquarium and want to make me jealous, tell me about it in the comments!
