{"id":41707,"date":"2015-06-16T14:04:30","date_gmt":"2015-06-16T21:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/?p=41707"},"modified":"2015-06-16T14:04:30","modified_gmt":"2015-06-16T21:04:30","slug":"things-to-know-about-living-in-atlanta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/things-to-know-about-living-in-atlanta\/","title":{"rendered":"30 Things You Need To Know About Living In Atlanta"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. No One Says \u201cHotlanta\u201d<\/h2>\n

\"Willie<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Niklas Hellerstedt<\/div>\n

Despite this word\u2019s constant presence in popular media, \u201cHotlanta\u201d is really reserved for new residents and tourists and not for people living in Atlanta. Once you\u2019ve spent a decent amount of time in this city, you should really stop saying it all together to avoid embarrassment.<\/p>\n

2. Even A Rumor Of Snow Shuts This City Down<\/h2>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

Source: William Brawley (cropped)<\/div>\n

Thanks to an infrastructure that\u2019s not built to handle winter storms, a little snow on the ground in Atlanta<\/a> tends to cause some major traffic problems. Even just the report of flurries will have people calling off sick and grocery stores shelves getting emptied. In all honesty, unless you want to spend half your day commuting, staying home can definitely be worth it.<\/p>\n

3. Everyone Is A Dog Person In This City <\/h2>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Georgia Peanut Commission<\/div>\n

Come college football season, the entire state of Georgia<\/a> seems to stand still for several hours every single week. A ton of residents here will be backing the ever-popular Georgia Bulldogs, especially if they\u2019ve moved to the city from somewhere else in the state.<\/p>\n

4. And Yellow Jackets Are The Good Guys <\/h2>\n

\"Cheerleaders<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User brookenovak<\/div>\n

The college sports team, not the stinging insects. Another hugely popular college team in Atlanta is the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. If you see someone in the A sporting white and gold on game day, that\u2019s probably who they\u2019re cheering for.<\/p>\n

5. Spaghetti Junction Is Not A Delicious Restaurant<\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Source: Wikimedia Commons <\/div>\n

While its common name makes the Tom Moreland Interchange sound like an awesome place to get food, it\u2019s actually a massive tangle of roads forming connections between I-85 and I-285. It\u2019s very confusing and notorious for its crazy traffic, though it does look pretty neat.<\/p>\n

6. There\u2019s No Beating This Heat <\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Instant Vantage<\/div>\n

If you\u2019re in Atlanta during the summer, you\u2019ll be sweating. It\u2019s best if you just accept your fate and stop trying to fight it. A side effect of being in a place that\u2019s always so warm, pit stains are no reason to judge around here.<\/p>\n

7. Be Sure To Know The Area Codes<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User makelessnoise<\/div>\n

With three different area codes used in Atlanta, it\u2019s important to know and recognize all three. Keep in mind that when most people give you a number, they\u2019ll probably just write out the first digit of the area code and then the actual number as a means of saving .1 seconds.<\/p>\n

8. Every Soft Drink Is \u201cCoke\u201d<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User JeepersMedia<\/div>\n

There tends to be a debate around the country when it comes to what people call their soft drinks. Some say \u201cpop\u201d, some say \u201csoda\u201d, and some say \u201ccoke.\u201d In Atlanta this isn\u2019t something you need to worry about, it\u2019s always \u201ccoke\u201d thanks to heavy historical presence of the Coca-Cola brand in the local area.<\/p>\n

9. You\u2019d Be Brave To Ignore The Braves <\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Charles Atkeison<\/div>\n

The Braves might not be the best team in baseball, but that doesn\u2019t mean this city loves them any less. Be careful about talking trash when it comes to this home team. Instead, go have an awesome time at one of their games. Tickets are usually pretty cheap.<\/p>\n

10. Expect Some Serious Southern Hospitality <\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User lwpkommunikacio<\/div>\n

This shouldn\u2019t be too shocking, you are in the South. Even though it\u2019s a big city, expect people from Atlanta to keep their manners in check. \u201cSir\u2019s\u201d and \u201cMa\u2019am\u2019s\u201d tend to get thrown around quite a bit.<\/p>\n

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11. Your Real Neighbors Aren\u2019t The Ones You Live Next To<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User unclepockets<\/div>\n

While it\u2019s important to know where you need to go in the event of an emergency, it\u2019s also important to know where the local hospitals are here for a completely different reason. Instead of using a high school or suburb to describe where they\u2019re from, folks from Atlanta tend to mention the hospital they were born at instead. Grady and Northside are two of the more common ones, but you\u2019ll need to be familiar with them all.<\/p>\n

12. Zombies Are Everywhere<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Su\u2014May<\/div>\n

Okay, not really. But if you\u2019re familiar with the popular AMC television show Walking Dead, you\u2019ll recognize scenes all around this city from the series. If you\u2019re wondering why everything looks so familiar, that\u2019s probably it!<\/p>\n

13. You\u2019ll Have To Look Hard To Find A Native Atlantan<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: WordPress<\/div>\n

Like you might expect in any Georgia city, the Southern accent tends to be prevalent in Atlanta. However, it\u2019s not the only accent that you\u2019ll hear. Atlanta tends to be a melting pot of people coming from all over the country thanks to the presence of several huge worldwide companies. There\u2019s actually a seemingly slim chance that someone you\u2019re talking to was actually born in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

14. \u201cUnsweetened\u201d And \u201cTea\u201d Are Two Words That Don\u2019t Mix<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User MzScarlett \/ A.K.A. Michelle<\/div>\n

Following suit with the rest of the South, the people in Atlanta love their tea ice cold, sweet, and served with a slice of lemon. They tend to refuse to have it any other way.<\/p>\n

15. Peaches Really Are That Big Of A Deal<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Bruce Tuten<\/div>\n

It shouldn\u2019t be much of a surprise that the word \u201cpeach\u201d tends to be very prevalent everywhere in Atlanta\u2026Georgia is known all around the world for this fruit, after all. Tons of organizations, streets, restaurants, and stores all take advantage of the regional connection to this word, inconveniently giving them all similar names. Just try not to get two peachy places confused, especially when it comes to multiple \u201cpeachtree\u201d roads you\u2019ll run into.<\/p>\n

16. Waffle House Has A Secret Language<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User hoyasmeg<\/div>\n

A staple amongst the cheap and easy breakfast places of the South, Atlantans love everything about Waffle House. Of course, over time they\u2019ve developed their own way of ordering their favorite dish, the hash browns. \u201cScattered\u201d means spread on the grill. \u201cSmothered\u201d means there\u2019s onions in it. \u201cCovered\u201d means there\u2019s cheese. \u201cChunked\u201d means there\u2019s diced ham\u2026the list goes on, but you get the picture.<\/p>\n

17. Geeks Flock Here Once A Year<\/h2>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User PatLoika<\/div>\n

Dragon Con is an awesome event in Atlanta during the late summer that tends to attract thousands of costumed fanboys and fangirls to the streets of the city. You\u2019ll see everything from your favorite Star Wars characters to poor superhero imitations to very convincing takes on the living dead. It\u2019s worth going to just to check out the crazy costumes.<\/p>\n

18. Learning Those Suburbs Might Take A While<\/h2>\n

\"Street<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr user chippenziedeutch<\/div>\n

Atlanta has a huge sprawl, meaning tons of people that say they\u2019re \u201cfrom Atlanta\u201d when they actually live in the suburbs. With dozens of different communities all around the city, it can take quite a bit of time before you really know your way around.<\/p>\n

19. But Everyone Knows If They\u2019re OTP Or ITP<\/h2>\n

\"Traffic<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr user greeblie<\/div>\n

Forming a ring around Atlanta, I-285 is used as a border that marks what\u2019s in the city and what\u2019s outside of the city for locals. You\u2019ll hear the term OTP float around quite a bit. This basically just means that something is outside of the city or \u201coutside-the-perimeter.\u201d<\/p>\n

20. It\u2019s Safe To Eat Food From The Back Of A Truck (Sometimes) <\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User TimothyJ<\/div>\n

In recent years, the number of food trucks in Atlanta have been growing rapidly. There\u2019s even a food truck court where you can choose from a number of options. When it comes to this style of restaurants, if there\u2019s a long line forming by the window, it probably means it\u2019s worth waiting for.<\/p>\n

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21. These Folks Are Obsessed With Birds<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Georgia National Guard<\/div>\n

\u2026not the type of birds that actually fly. Two other professional sports teams in the area are the Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta Falcons, both very competitive in their respective sports. If you want a truly explosive sports experience, cheering from stands at one of these home games will always deliver a great time.<\/p>\n

22. Hope You Love To Party<\/h2>\n

\"Guys<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Mixtribe Photo<\/div>\n

Blame it on the warm weather, but Atlanta seems to constantly be hosting a festival of some sort. They range from neighborhood fests, like the Kirkwood Spring Fling, to ethnic festivals, like the National Black Arts Festival, and everything in between.<\/p>\n

23. Who Needs Cannes When You\u2019ve Got The AFF<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User NASA Goddard Photo and Video<\/div>\n

Starting in 1976, the Atlanta Film Festival has really taken off in recent years. Featuring an international selection of independent films in genre like horror and sci-fi, a trip here is definitely a cool way to spice up your free time come the month of April.<\/p>\n

24. Centennial Park Is One Touristy Spot Worth Checking Out<\/h2>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User jramspott<\/div>\n

More times than not, tourist attractions aren\u2019t worth the hassle. That\u2019s not the case when it comes to Atlanta\u2019s Centennial Park. In the vicinity of the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and the CNN Center, there are plenty of attractions here worth checking out at least once.<\/p>\n

25. Music Lovers Rejoice<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User basherrtome<\/div>\n

One Atlanta festival that tends to top the rest, the Music Midtown fest held in Piedmont Park brings huge artists to the Atlanta area on an annual basis. Past acts include people like the Foo Fighters, Weezer, and Coldplay.<\/p>\n

26. Don\u2019t Forget To Leave The City Once In A While<\/h2>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User anokarina<\/div>\n

Atlanta is so deep in the heart of the beautiful South that its most common nickname used to be \u201cthe city in a forest.\u201d While the city is much larger now and there are less trees, there\u2019s still plenty of nature to explore within driving distance in the surrounding area. Stone Mountain is a great place to start, as it gives you a good workout and a great view of the skyline.<\/p>\n

27. Piedmont Park Is The Park Of The Locals<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User limascarjuliet<\/div>\n

Home to tons of festivals, markets, and active residents, there\u2019s always something going on at Piedmont Park. It\u2019s a great place to go whether you want to relax or you\u2019re looking to liven up your day.<\/p>\n

28. Avoid Driving On Certain Roads Like The Plague <\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Herkie<\/div>\n

Several places are notable for horrible traffic in Atlanta, though making a list of every single place you should avoid could probably put you to sleep. It\u2019s best to avoid driving at rush hour altogether if possible, but if you have to be on the road, at least go out of your way to dodge the Connector downtown where I-85 and I-75 meet.<\/p>\n

29. Southerners Don\u2019t Stop At The Moonshine<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Wrecking Bar Brewpub Via Facebook<\/div>\n

A recent shift in consumer taste has resulted in tons of craft breweries popping up all around town. They\u2019re all pretty delicious, but a few of the most popular ones include Wrecking Bar Brewpub, Orpheus, and SweetWater Brewing Company.<\/p>\n

30. MARTA Trash Talk Will Win Over Anyone Living in Atlanta<\/h2>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Jeherv<\/div>\n

If there\u2019s one thing most Atlanta residents can agree on, it\u2019s that their public transportation is a bit\u2026lacking. Outdated and often inconvenient, bashing the MARTA is basically a pastime around here. It\u2019s sure to make you a few new friends.
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