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Visited Atlanta for the first time in 10 years - holy moly what a shithole!
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:36 pm
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:36 pm
I remember that city being a decent place with terrible traffic. Maybe I didn’t spend enough time in downtown then but to say it’s an absolute shithole and a disgrace to their taxpayers would be a massive understatement.
Thug graffiti everywhere, the roads make NOLA roads look acceptable, buildings are physically dirty, thugs and homelessness everywhere. Add to that lots of empty buildings with boards on the windows, and traffic jams that made me long for Baton Rouge traffic at 5:00pm on a Tuesday. One hour ten minutes to drive 7.2 miles.
That city is lost and if you know anything about me, it’s that I despise New Orleans, and I’d rather visit New Orleans every day of the week for the rest of my life than to ever go back to that god forsaken place. I’ve read about how terrible downtown Atlanta is but I didn’t realize it was 100% true.
I highly recommend avoiding ATL like the plague and I have new respect for anyone who chooses to stay there.
Thug graffiti everywhere, the roads make NOLA roads look acceptable, buildings are physically dirty, thugs and homelessness everywhere. Add to that lots of empty buildings with boards on the windows, and traffic jams that made me long for Baton Rouge traffic at 5:00pm on a Tuesday. One hour ten minutes to drive 7.2 miles.
That city is lost and if you know anything about me, it’s that I despise New Orleans, and I’d rather visit New Orleans every day of the week for the rest of my life than to ever go back to that god forsaken place. I’ve read about how terrible downtown Atlanta is but I didn’t realize it was 100% true.
I highly recommend avoiding ATL like the plague and I have new respect for anyone who chooses to stay there.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:38 pm to TDsngumbo
I assume the upscale suburbs are still decent
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:38 pm to TheWalrus
I stayed in Buckhead and it was decent there. Most of my time was spent in downtown and traffic near downtown, though.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:39 pm to TDsngumbo
Jesus, I haven't been to Atlanta in 20 years but it's hard to imagine it that much worse than current New Orleans
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:39 pm to TDsngumbo
I was just there and it wasn't that bad at all. maybe we stayed in a different area though I was by the olympic park area a few weeks ago.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:40 pm to Smeg
quote:
hard to imagine it that much worse than current New Orleans
New Orleans is gorgeous compared to downtown Atlanta.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:41 pm to Smeg
quote:
Jesus, I haven't been to Atlanta in 20 years but it's hard to imagine it that much worse than current New Orleans
It’s not
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:42 pm to TDsngumbo
Last time I went to Atlanta was for the aquarium last summer.
Workers were smoking weed on the parking deck during their break. Aquarium was overcrowded by a factor of 100,000 to 1. Avoid this place like the plague.
When leaving my in laws insisted on eating at the varsity. Paid a shite ton of money for mediocre food.
While trying to leave ended up on some random street. Super narrow street. A guy wearing an orange parking attendant vest holding a pit bull puppy stopped the car ahead of us and made a drug deal.
I drove in the peach pass lane without a sticker and paid the parking ticket 5 months later for $46 with a smile. Best money I’ve ever spent.
That city sucks.
Workers were smoking weed on the parking deck during their break. Aquarium was overcrowded by a factor of 100,000 to 1. Avoid this place like the plague.
When leaving my in laws insisted on eating at the varsity. Paid a shite ton of money for mediocre food.
While trying to leave ended up on some random street. Super narrow street. A guy wearing an orange parking attendant vest holding a pit bull puppy stopped the car ahead of us and made a drug deal.
I drove in the peach pass lane without a sticker and paid the parking ticket 5 months later for $46 with a smile. Best money I’ve ever spent.
That city sucks.
This post was edited on 5/20/24 at 6:46 pm
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:43 pm to TDsngumbo
If you had to visit the government buildings downtown downtown by the capital, which is a relatively small footprint of the overall city, I can agree with you. Otherwise, your post is 100% bullshite.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:43 pm to Smeg
quote:
Jesus, I haven't been to Atlanta in 20 years but it's hard to imagine it that much worse than current New Orleans
Every major city is shittier nowadays than 20 years ago, but Atlanta is much better than New Orleans. Sounds like OP stayed down by Grady Hospital and the jail
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:44 pm to TDsngumbo
Were you north or south of I20?
North is nicer.
Were you east or west of 75/85?
East is nicer
South west is worst.
North is nicer.
Were you east or west of 75/85?
East is nicer
South west is worst.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:45 pm to TDsngumbo
Steelersbravesdawg (lolz) is gonna be so mad at this 

Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:47 pm to TDsngumbo
Not worse than NO, but the decline is real.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:48 pm to TDsngumbo
quote:
I’ve read about how terrible downtown Atlanta is but I didn’t realize it was 100% true.
Only thing downtown is Georgia State and government buildings, you sure you were downtown?
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:49 pm to SloaneRanger
quote:
Not worse than NO, but the decline is real.
Homeless have gotten considerably worse in downtown (five points/GSU/Govt buildings) since 2020. Crime has also kicked up. I’ve been going to downtown Atlanta weekly since the late 1990s.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:50 pm to TDsngumbo
I moved to ATL in 1989, it was great and Buckhead was starting to be a lot of fun. The last 10 - 15 years I was there the food scene drastically improved and you could find just about any type of food you wanted. Downtown was always sketchy, it is what it is, but I got tired of the chronic growth, perpetual traffic and road work/expansion. Definitely need to know the better routes to drive. The last few years prior to moving it was nice living close to the Battery and Braves stadium.
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:52 pm to TDsngumbo
Sounds like every major Dem. run city! But I'm in ATL a lot, much of the same with NOLA. Both are nice for a quick day. The difference, Ga has a bunch of nice cities surrounding ATL. NOLA, no so much.
This post was edited on 5/20/24 at 6:53 pm
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:52 pm to TDsngumbo
You’re right! I’ll move to Louisiana immediately!
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:54 pm to TDsngumbo
Most downtown bigger cities have declined greatly post COVID. Work from home and hybrid schedules have become the norm. Results of that:
People have relocated to outer edges. Half the building sit empty, local business, nightlife, and restaurants that haven’t closed their doors are struggling. This has magnified the bad elements of downtown areas.
It’s sort of scary to think what big downtowns of cities will look like in another 10 years.
People have relocated to outer edges. Half the building sit empty, local business, nightlife, and restaurants that haven’t closed their doors are struggling. This has magnified the bad elements of downtown areas.
It’s sort of scary to think what big downtowns of cities will look like in another 10 years.
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