The Decatur Square plaza located above the MARTA station.
Your Dekalb Farmers Market, 3000 Ponce De Leon Ave., +1 404 377-6400, . Although a grocery store is not high on most people's list of things to see, this international market is a spectacle that is worth the trip. The enormous store employs people from around the world (their name tags tell which languages they speak) and has nearly any type of meat, vegetable, fruit, spice, or otherwise edible item you could imagine. There is a cafeteria with low prices and international fare. Open 7 days a week.
DeKalb History Center, Decatur Courthouse, 101 East Court Square, maintains a small museum of DeKalb County history [. Step outside on the north side of the courthouse to view the "seated statues" and the south side to view the C.S.A. obelisk. Walk down to West Trinity Place to see the History Center's historic complex of three antebellum structures.
The Decatur Cemetery, on Commerce Drive about two blocks northeast of the square, is one of the oldest operating cemeteries in Georgia. Check out the Civil War graves (to your left at you enter), sit in the pleasant gazebo, or take a stroll around the lake. Look out for the ducks, which are aggressive. Also check out the circa-1880 Fraser Building, at the Church Street entrance to the cemetery.
The Fernbank Natural History Museum, 767 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, + 1 404 929-6300, , is located immediately west of the city. Also visit the museum's IMAX theatre, and hike through the adjacent 65-acre Fernbank Nature Preserve.
Emory University is located northwest of the city. Check out the excellent Michael C. Carlos Museum, 571 South Kilgo Cir., +1 404 727-4282 . Walk around the English Renaissance Lullwater House and nearby Candler Lake (formerly Lullwater Lake). The Lullwater House, located at 1463 Clifton Rd. on Emory's campus, is the official residence of Emory University's president and is not open to the public. However, the tree-lined loop road around the house is open to staff, students and escorted visitors.
Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave., a private college for women, is located 3/4 mile south of Decatur Square. Agnes Scott frequently hosts lectures, concerts, and other cultural events. A walk around the beautiful campus, which was featured in Scream 2, is also a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Nearby Columbia Theological Seminary on Columbia Avenue also has a beautiful campus.
Bradley Observatory, 141 E. College Ave., (404) 471-6266, , Agnes Scott College. Visit the observatory (and planetarium) during one of their "Amature Astronomy" open houses.
MAK Historic District (McDonough, Adams, Kings Highway), Decatur's oldest historic district is located immediately west of Agnes Scott College. Some of the oldest homes (on Adams Street) were developed from 1905 to 1912. Television show October Road and Hollywood movie Stomp the Yard were filmed on location in the MAK Historic District.
The historic Druid Hills neighborhood is located west of the city. This upper-class enclave includes several mansions owned by the Candler family of Coca- Cola fame, historic churches, a picturesque country club and provided the setting for the movie Driving Miss Daisy.
The Atlanta Preservation Center, 327 Saint Paul Ave., Atlanta, +1 404 688-3353 , offers walking tours of the Druid Hills neighborhood.
Check out some of the historic mansions built by the Candler family. Visit the circa 1917 Callanwolde Fine Arts Center at 980 Briarcliff Rd. (built by Charles Howard Candler); attend the circa 1916 St. John Chrysostom Melkite Church at 1428 Ponce de Leon Ave. (built for Lucy Candler in the style of a Roman villa - the peristyle court is now the sanctuary); and drive by the circa 1920 Asa Candler Mansion at Emory's Briarcliff campus, 1256 Briarcliff Rd.
In addition to the tree-lined estate homes in this affluent neighborhood is historic Olmsted Linear Park. The park consists of 50 acres broken up into six segments along Ponce de Leon Ave. The neighborhood and park were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. in the 1890s. The park is being restored based on Olmsted's original plans.
Original Waffle House & Museum, 2719 East College Ave.[] Visit a re-creation of the first Waffle House, which opened in Avondale Estates in 1955. The museum includes a 13-stool diner, vintage equipment, displays of old uniforms, exhibits of memorabilia and a jukebox. Open by appointment during the week, with limited weekend hours.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Decatur (Georgia)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Decatur (Georgia) - updated May 2024
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