Guide To Atlanta

TEMPE, Ariz. – ASU football will make its first trip to Atlanta since 1970. The last time the Sun Devils went down to Georgia, they beat North Carolina 48-26 in the 1970 Peach Bowl. It is safe to say a lot of things have changed in the city of Atlanta since that time.

Here are some tips and recommendations for things to do, places to eat, and game information for Atlanta and the Peach Bowl from an Atlanta native.

Arriving In Atlanta

Atlanta is the world’s busiest airport in terms of passenger volume and can be quite daunting if you have never traveled through it before.

Coming from Phoenix, most of the flights will be on Delta Airlines meaning that you will arrive in the A concourse. If you arrive on any other airline outside of Delta, you will be in terminals B, C, D, E, or even T. If you arrive in terminal T, it is your lucky day as you will not have to take the train to baggage claim. Terminals A-E will have to take the train to go to baggage claim.

Make sure you read the sign on the train to make sure you get off at domestic baggage claim instead of terminal T; they are separate.

Once you get off the train you will go up escalators towards baggage claim. If you took Delta Airlines, you will go to the left, and any other airline you will go to the right.

Each side will have large boards displaying what carousel your bags are at. Once you have your bags, if you are taking a rideshare to your location, you will take the escalators or elevators downstairs to where the pickups are. If you are renting a car you can take the Skytrain which will then take you to the rental cars.

How to get to the skytrain. (link on how to get to the skytrains).

Departing Atlanta

When leaving Atlanta after the game. it is important to get to the airport very early.

Unlike Phoenix or other destinations, precheck, clear, or any other FastPass through security is not quick. Precheck and clear still take at least 20 minutes at that airport, maybe longer during the holiday season.

The airport usually recommends that you arrive AT LEAST two hours before your flight to ensure you are able to board with plenty of time.

Hotels In Atlanta

Staying in downtown Atlanta can be expensive for the Peach Bowl and for New Year’s. If you have a rental car or rideshare app, there are plenty of places just outside of the city that are an easy drive on gameday.

Here are some last-minute hotel options just outside of Atlanta if you still need one:

1. Hilton Garden Inn Midtown Atlanta. $118 dollars per night from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2. It is only 2.2 miles from the stadium but will require a drive as you will cross a highway. This is a good location just off the highway with great places to eat nearby and close to the stadium for cheap.

2. Starling Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. Another hotel that is under five miles from the stadium and is a lot less expensive. It is near Colony Square which has plenty of places to eat and shop to pass the time.

Starling Hotel

3. Another great area to stay nearby is Atlantic Station. It offers numerous places to eat, great shops to walk around, a bowling alley, and even a movie theater. The Embassy Suites is a newer hotel just down the street that is going for under $200 a night. It is about a 10-15 minute drive to the stadium depending on traffic.

Embassy Suites Atlantic Station

4. Another solid option is to stay in Buckhead, which is 20-25 minutes from the stadium. The Hyatt has a great deal for New Year’s day around the Peach Bowl. It is right near Lenox Square, which has plenty of places to eat and shop to kill some time. If you do not have a car it is also near MARTA, the local transit station that is a viable option if you do not have a car.

Hyatt Buckhead

Places To Eat

Whether you are staying in downtown Atlanta or just outside of the city, there are plenty of great places to eat.

Waffle House: A southern staple serving up breakfast food 24/7. No matter what time it is, Waffle House is always open and ready to serve you. If you have never gone to a Waffle House before, I would recommend trying the “All Star Special.” Included is a waffle, of course, hash browns or grits, bacon or ham, eggs, toast, and a drink. All of that food is about $15. You can order hamburgers and other lunch items as well, but Waffle House is all about the breakfast. Usually the food is served in no less than 10 minutes so it is a very quick option if you do not have time.  Waffle House locations.

Another iconic restaurant in Atlanta is “The Varsity.” If you are driving through the city of Atlanta, you will not miss the iconic “V” sign just off of the highway. Think of The Varsity as just a bigger sonic, in a way, format wise. You can either go into the restaurant itself or you can even get it delivered to your car, like you are at Sonic. If you go into the restaurant make sure you know what you are ordering before you go to the counter because they will be ready for you right away.

The menu is very simple; hamburgers, hot dogs, onion rings, etc. I would recommend a “naked dog,” aka a plain hot dog or one of their classic hamburgers. You absolutely cannot go wrong with a “pc,” aka plain chocolate, which is chocolate milk with ice and a fried apple pie. It may sound insane but trust me it is delicious. There are PLENTY of places to sit inside even when it is crowded and televisions to watch any games that may be on at that time. Lastly, when you go you have to get one of their iconic red hats, available at the counter. The Varsity is located at 61 North Avenue NW, Atlanta, GA 30308. The menu is located here.

Stats Brewpub: If you are looking for a more traditional sports bar in Atlanta then look no further than stats. Located just steps away from the CFB Hall of Fame and the heart of downtown, stats is a great place to eat. Serving traditional sports bar food of hamburgers, chicken tenders, chicken wings, etc. Note: Stats is on the smaller end of the size spectrum so it is best to go for lunch rather than dinner because it can get quite crowded.  Stats is located at 300 Marietta St NW Suite 101, Atlanta, GA 30313. Menu is located here. 

Atlantic Station: If you are staying just outside of the city or want to get away from the chaos of the city, go to Atlanta Station. As I mentioned earlier, there are plenty of places to eat, shop, watch a movie, bowling, etc. Here is a list of all of the restaurants in Atlantic Station.

If you are staying just outside the city, another place along with Atlantic Station is Colony Square. Colony Square has numerous places to eat in a small area. Some places are sit down, some are fast food, whichever you would like. Here is a complete list of places to eat there.

If you are staying in Buckhead away from the city, here is a list of hundreds of restaurants in that area that you can filter by price range. It also includes a place to make reservations if it requires one.

CNN Center: The former global headquarters of CNN offers a great place to eat. Right next door to the stadium, CNN Center offers a food court sort of vibe with tons of grab and go food if you are in a rush. CNN Center is located at 190 Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Things To Do

Time may be tight while your in Atlanta, but there is plenty of things to do downtown if you have some extra time.

College Football Hall of Fame: The HOF is located in the heart of downtown just two blocks away from the stadium. When you arrive, you will go to a desk and get a “badge” that will tailor to your whole experience. You will fill out your name and also select your favorite team. When you go around the museum you will scan your badge and it will correspond to your favorite teams so the activities are tailored to your favorite team. For example, there is a station where you sing a fight song. When you scan your badge and have ASU as your favorite team, it will play the ASU fight song. There is plenty to do but do note that it does get very crowded during game weekends. The HOF is located at 250 Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313. Parking is available right next door if needed.

The World of Coca Cola: The Coca Cola museum is located in downtown Atlanta and offers a look at the history and products of Coca Cola. Usually you will spend about two hours in the museum to go through the history of the soda, watch some films on the company, etc. At the end, there is an entire tasting room full of Coca Cola flavors from all around the world. For New Year’s, it will open a little bit later, usually around 11 a.m. Tickets are better to purchase online so you can go at your desired time if you choose. Tickets can be purchased here. It is located at 121 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313.

Georgia Aquarium: The world’s largest aquarium is located in downtown Atlanta. The Peach Bowl is putting on a fan pep rally on 12/31 at 5:30 p.m. More information can be found here. Other than fan night, it is a great place to explore sea animals from all around the world and even see some shows involving sea lions and other animals. It is a great place to go with family and kill some time if you have it.

Centennial Olympic Park/Ferris Wheel: The park is located just two blocks from the stadium and offers a great place to walk or relax if you need some time to yourself. Next to the park is a ferris wheel that runs almost all day long and provides great views of the city, especially at night. If you have some time the ferris wheel is highly recommended but can get very crowded at night.

Getting To The Game

There are plenty of ways to get to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a timely manner. You can take the train (MARTA), Rideshare, or car if you have a rental.

1. If you take MARTA you will get off at the station of GWCC/CNN Center and walk a block to the stadium. There will be signs to guide you.

2. If you take a rideshare you can get pretty close to the stadium but possibly not all the way there. Some of the roads around the stadium may be blocked off so it may be best to get out a few blocks earlier and walk the rest of the way. When leaving the game, you will have to go down a block or two to get to the rideshare area to be picked up. More info in the link below.

3. !f you are driving yourself to the game, parking can be expensive to buy. The recommendation is to not buy an expensive pass and find a lot when you arrive. Most lots a few blocks down the street will cost around $25 dollars instead of the more than $100 right next to the stadium. Trust me, the walk from a few blocks away is not that bad. A map of available parking lots is located here. I would recommend parking in any of the blue lots as they are less expensive.

Other transportation information can be found here.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

“The Benz” as most people call it is one of the newer stadiums in the NFL and has hosted several big events including the Super Bowl.

One of the unique features of the stadium is the big screen, also known as the halo board. The board is suspended high above the field shaped like a circle. This gives you a great view no matter where you may be sitting.

For those who love food, the concession prices are very affordable.

(Photo by Front Office Sports)

That is what $20 looks like in terms of food quantity. Beers usually range in price from $8-$10 as well.

Another perk of the concessions are the drinks. You can purchase a drink along with free refills for just $2. Yes, you heard me right, FREE REFILLS on sodas. Throughout the concourse there are soda machines that you can access until around halfway through the fourth quarter. Don’t worry, there are plenty of machines around the concourse so that the lines do not get too long.

Every seat is a good seat so sit back, relax, and cheer on the Sun Devils.