A question if I may...

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone.

I’m attending Dragon*Con for the second year, and have decided to venture out beyond the hotels a little this time around. I’m planning to do the World of Coca Cola, Aquarium, and if I have time, Centennial Park as well since they’re close together.

What I’d like to check from those who know the area better than I is if it’s doable to walk to these? They don’t look too far away on the map, and I’m not opposed to a walk but obviously not if it’s a lot farther than I think.

My questions therefore are:
1. How long do you think it’ll take to walk there? Is the walk uphill (a vast amount of Atlanta seems to be from what I’ve seen so far).

2. Is it okay to walk there? I don’t imagine it’s a dodgy neighbourhood but thought it best to check before heading out.

3. Is there anything else I should know?

If anyone could help me with these I’d be very grateful. Thanks!

Comments

[fluffydragon.livejournal.com]

world of coke: no idea

But we attended the aquarium in costume. It's a LITTLE far to walk, so I'd take a cab, but the park is easy to walk too, just go during the day.

I don't recommend walking anywhere alone in Atlanta, especially if you aren't familiar with the area, but you can take a horse cart at night, or a cab anytime.

[ninepointfivemm.livejournal.com]

World of Coca Cola is right in the same area as the Aquarium. It's quite literally a 5-minute walk across the green from the Aquarium.

[ubiquitous-a.livejournal.com]

A word to the wise on cabs. They charge you a flat rate of $8 to take you from one place to another in the downtown area, even if it's only a few blocks! Found out the hard way my first D*C when I didn't want to walk back to my hotel after the Saturday night parties by myself.

[melodicblue.livejournal.com]

Walking to those sites is do-able, though it is very hilly, it's safe to walk there, and depending on your walking speed and footwear, it can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes (10 being you walk on a somewhat regular basis and have reasonably comfy shoes, 20 being you don't walk much at all on a regular basis and/or you're trying to make the walk in 4-inch-heels.)

Are you aware of the Dragon*Con event at the Aquarium? GAI is hosting Dragon*Con for a few hours on Saturday, Sept. 4th. From 7p-11p, you can get in with the Dragon*Con Discount! If you order your tickets through the online promotion page (here: http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/acb/stores/1/newclubfishlink.aspx?Conv_Id=347 ) before Sept. 1st, you can get in for $17. That's about $10 off, at least. Plus, they'll be playing music from a number of the Dragon*Con fandoms in the atrium of the aquarium, and they'll be projecting video from Dragon*cons gone by.

If you don't mind skipping out on the Dawn Contest, I'd recommend that you walk down to World of Coke around 5:30p. That day, they'll be open until 7:30, and it takes about 90 minutes to go through there. That would put you at getting out of WoC just in time to go the few hundred feet across the Pemberton Place green into the Georgia Aquarium for the D*Con event. As far as I know, WoC doesn't have a special promotion for D*Con goers, though.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I don't mind the walk and as long as it's not super steep it should be fine (a little exercise can't hurt!). I'm planning to go on Wednesday so it doesn't interfere with the con, but thanks for the DC event info. :)

[lunascura.livejournal.com]

World of Coke is right next to the Aquarium, if I recall correctly.

My husband and I walk to the Aquarium from the Hyatt every year (unless it's raining like last year). There are hills, but so long as you're in fairly average shape it isn't a miserable walk. Takes about 20 minutes to walk it, I think.

If Centennial park is where I think it is, it's on the way to the Aquarium, so definitely walkable.

Just wear comfy shoes and bring a bottle of water.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. That sounds about what I thought. :)

Walking

[watcher652.livejournal.com]

Did you know you can get walking directions on Google Maps? Being a Mapquest user, I just recently discovered that Google Maps not only gives you directions by car, but also by mass transit, by foot and by bike.

http://maps.google.com/maps

Re: Walking

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

Didn't know that - thanks! I'll be using that a lot...

[noelleleithe.livejournal.com]

1. Ten minutes or so to the park, another 10 or so through/around it to the Aquarium and World of Coke. I recommend walking there and going through the park, so you get to see it on the way. It'll be uphill coming back. :)

2. It's fine, especially during Dragon*Con with so many con people around. Usual precautions for walking in a big city downtown, and maybe not a great thing to do at night unless you're with a crowd.

3. Wear comfy shoes, drink plenty of water (it's summer in Atlanta), and watch out for sudden thunderstorms--be prepared to grab a cab if needed. (Also see above note about uphill; you may want to take a cab back either way.)

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I'm going on the Wednesday, but I'll be going early so it should be fine. :)

[magpie63.livejournal.com]

That area seems like quite a hike to me -- especially in hot weather on a busy weekend when sore feet are going to be an ongoing issue. I'd recommend taking MARTA from the Peachtree Center station to the World Congress Center station, which is central to most of those attractions.

[dch4.livejournal.com]

You're actually increasing the walk to the Aquarium/WoC if you go to the Phillips Arena/WCC/GA Dome station (not to mention the mass crowds going there for the football game that weekend). It's a straight shot down any of the E/W streets to Centennial Park from the D*C Hotels.

It'll be uphill until you hit P'tree going there and then downhill from there. All three things are right there together and the walk isn't horrible.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. :)

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

I thought there would be a shuttle between the con and the Aquarium... thought I read that somewhere...

[maxineofarc.livejournal.com]

Only on Aquarium Night-- and even then I hope they've improved organization and availability since last year when nobody could find the very few buses.

[cindyloufett.livejournal.com]

Not a bad walk to the Aquarium. I'd say 10-15 minutes. You should be perfectly safe during the day. The Aquarium is awesome, but I thought the Coke Museum was very lame. I don't know about Centennial Park - is that the park right across the street from the Aquarium? If so, it's very pretty.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure the park is in front of it (I did walk past it last year, but it's all so fizzy I can't recall much. LOL).

I'm expecting the World of Coke to be a bit naff, but I'm there, so I might as well do it. LOL

[blood-sorbet.livejournal.com]

It's a relatively very short walk. I might just be used to walking a ton on my college campus, but I have back issues sometimes, and the walk barely even bothered me. It is uphill though...I don't remember if its uphill on the way there or the way back, but one of them is. It's also incredibly easy to locate, you just walk out the Hyatt and keep going down the street basically. It's incredibly easy to get there from the con :)

(I'd do the aquarium night like someone else suggested, if I were you!)

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm not the fittest person, but I survived walking all around Vancouver last year (though I don't recommend walking back from Stanley Park to the Wall Centre in the rain!) so I should be okay. I'm going On Wednesday as finding spare time during the con isn't going to happen, but I might keep it in mind if they do it again next year. :)

[radegund-lj.livejournal.com]

I've walked to Coke World and the aquarium from the con. If memory serves, it's uphill going back, so save some energy for the walk home.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

[jackob.livejournal.com]

The Coke World and Aquarium are close enough that you can buy a combined ticket to both at either and save a few bucks. Walking from the host hotels is very doable, even if the sidewalks are crap and downtown Atlanta isn't really the nicest place to walk, if you, like me, like to walk in big cities.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks. You say it isn't the nicest place to walk, is there anything in particular I need to be worried about?

[jackob.livejournal.com]

Nah, it's just boring and the sidealks are crap - living in Copenhagen, I am spoiled when it comes to city walking. *G*

[abby-i.livejournal.com]

Ah, fair enough. I live on the outskirts of London, so I know the feeling!

[archersangel.livejournal.com]

1. about 15-20 minutes. depending on how fast you walk. it might be uphill on the way back like others said. (i can't recall) it not too steep, just take your time. (if you're not late for a panel that is. if you are, get a taxi.)

2. it OK if you go while it's daylight. like any place, be aware of your surroundings.

3. world of coke isn't all that great IMHO. but if you have the time & $15 to spend, go ahead. they have samples of soda pop from around the world. just stay away from something called beverly. trust me.

[eperidani.livejournal.com]

lol beverly. it was nasty.

[thejennamckay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. :)

[sffilk.livejournal.com]

The World of Coca Cola and the Georgia Aquarium are less than 1/4 mile from the front door of the Hyatt. They are in Centennial Olympic Park. If you decide to go and spend some time at either or both places, be advised they are not inexpensive to get into. Also, you're very close to the fountain that was created in the shape of the Olympic rings and if you go there at around, I'm guessing, 3PM, you'll get to see a music and water show on a much smaller scale than you'd see at, say, the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Dodgy neighborhood? No. Just don't go at night. You're talking DOWNTOWN ATLANTA.

Honestly...

[kbuff.livejournal.com]

While the aquarium is pretty cool, The World of Coke and Centennial Olympic Park aren't all that great. Frankly, I think you'd be bummed you weren't conning it up. I do understand if you want to check out some different things, though.