by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 6:00 AM ET, Sat May 10, 2014
Summer fun has always been synonymous with the South and Atlanta in particular.
With it being the hub for Delta and Southwest/Airtran, and less than a day's drive from most of the Southeast, now is the time to plan your trip for the summer. Here are some highlights.
NEW BITES
Krog Street Market in the Inman Park area is going gangbusters with an expected opening around the end of July. Over 10 new restaurant /food stall concepts to be added include Fred's Meat & Bread from Chef Todd Ginsberg (he just came in on GQ's and Bon Appetit's best new restaurants list and No. 1 on Atlanta Magazine's list for his other haunt, The General Muir); "Top Chef" alum Eli Kirshtein's much anticipated American-style brasserie The Luminary; and Tex-Mex inspired restaurant Superica from Chef Ford Fry, who already has a slew of eateries open in the Atlanta area.
Buckhead Atlanta by Oliver Macmillan is coming July 7 with ten restaurants, including New York-inspired upscale French bistro Le Bilboquet; Thirteen Pies Pizzeria from Consilient Hospitality out of Dallas (known in other Consilient markets as Fireside Pies) and Doraku Sushi is a Japanese concept that first opened in South Beach, Fla., from Kevin Aoki, son of the founder of Benihana.
And then there's the burger, hot dog and frozen custard stand from New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer and Union Square Hospitality Group: Shake Shack will open its first Georgia location at Buckhead Atlanta.
Over 30 other new restaurants: There is a plethora of other tastes that are finding their way into the Atlanta Area with everything from the Ludacris owned Chicken-n-Beer in the airport to the "Top Chef" alum and Gunshow owner Kevin Gillespie getting ready to break out some barbecue.
NEW SIGHTS
College Football Hall of Fame: Come fall, college football fans can celebrate their favorite teams every day of the week rather than just on football Saturday. The 95,000-square-foot facility, adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, will recognize the game's top players and coaches and give even the non-fan a first-class entertainment experience.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights: Learn about the history of the civil rights movement and contemporary human rights movements in this highly anticipated 30,000-square-foot center set to open May 22.
Delta Flight Museum: Discover the history of Delta and aviation and explore the future of flight at the new Delta Flight Museum. Planned for summer 2014, the museum's opening will coincide with the 85th anniversary of Delta's first passenger flight.
Located adjacent to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the Delta Flight Museum will feature interactive exhibits on the past, present and future of Delta Air Lines and air travel; rare aviation items and aircraft; the only full-motion flight simulator open to the public; and unique event venues.
NEW HEIGHTS
The Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Atlanta plans to re-open the Polaris restaurant in June, the storied rotating attraction that closed about 10 years ago. Located on the roof, this should be a cheaper and easier alternative to the Sundial on the top floor of the Westin.
SkyView Atlanta (pictured below) gives you a one-of-a-kind, thrilling look at Atlanta from atop a 200-foot tall Ferris wheel. SkyView's luxurious, climate controlled gondolas circle high above Centennial Olympic Park from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.
NEW TIGHTS AND/OR FRIGHTS
Strap on your cape, grab your light saber and zombify yourself.
It's already time to get your presale on for Dragoncon. If you are a fan of sci-fi, comic books, or gaming, this is a must-attend event. It attracts over 50,000 people each year, they raise a ton of money for charity and do a blood drive that breaks records every year. This year's event is from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, 2014. Look for more about DC in the coming weeks.
COMING THIS FALL
Ponce City Market is going for what Bon Appetit is calling the "new food truck:" food halls. They have commitments from the likes of Dub's Fish Camp by James Beard Award-winning chef Anne Quatrano; H&F Burger by Linton Hopkins - another James Beard Award-winning chef. (These fantastic burgers are currently only available after 9 p.m. at night and Sunday brunch); and Jia, a Szechuan restaurant by Dahe Yang and chef Jiguo Jiang, operators of Tasty China and Peter Cheng's Tasty China 2.
The Porsche Customer and Driver Experience Center is coming in late 2014. Experience what it's like to drive a Porsche at the American headquarters of Porsche and North America's first Customer and Driver Experience Center. Located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the center features a restaurant, shop and, of course, a test track.
Atlanta has no shortage of things to do, places to be and people to see. Come on down and get a little of that Southern Hospitality you been needin'.
Tom Bastek is a voice actor and writer in the Atlanta Area. He has traveled to all 48 continental states and almost every stop in the Caribbean.
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