Information and Events

• Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau
• www.atlanta.net
• The official site of the city’s tourism board is a useful portal for finding events, restaurants, hotels, and insider tips to Atlanta. The site’s breadth of content is impressive, with loads of information aimed at the convention market, as well as plenty of tidbits for tourists and new residents. Also offers advice for planning reunions in the city.

• Atlanta Performs
• www.atlantaperforms.com
• The go-to guide for a comprehensive list of theater, dance, and kids’ events in the city. It’s the official site of the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts, which has more than 170 member organizations. The user-friendly show calendar lets you search by title, neighborhood, venue, or company. It’s also the only place online to purchase half-price same-day theater tickets, via AtlanTix.

• Central Atlanta Progress
• www.atlantadowntown.com
• Central Atlanta Progress, founded in 1941, is a private not-for-profit corporation dedicated to advancing Downtown’s business district. The site is an exhaustive resource for local history, entertainment listings, and current city-improvement projects. The neighborhoods section delivers a helpful guide to anyone still learning their way around town.

• City of Atlanta
• www.atlantaga.gov
• The official site of the City of Atlanta offers lots of handy information to newcomers, including a downloadable new residents kit. From recycling questions to procedures for obtaining city permits, the site offers a user-friendly response to common concerns. Also includes links to city government offices and county agencies.

• Explore Georgia
• www.exploregeorgia.org
• Anyone considering a day trip outside of Atlanta should first consult Explore Georgia, the state’s official tourism site. With a search engine of statewide events, attractions, and accommodations, the eye-catching site makes travel planning easier. Check out the “Special Offers” section to get deals on hotels and tourist spots.

News

• Atlanta Daily World
• www.atlantadailyworld.com
• This daily newspaper is aimed at the city’s African-American community, with a history dating back to 1928.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• www.ajc.com
• The city’s venerable daily newspaper. Its entertainment and culture coverage falls under the AccessAtlanta (www.accessatlanta.com) sister site.

• Atlanta Magazine
• www.atlantamagazine.com
• One of the oldest city magazines in the country, Atlanta is a timely journal of local culture and personalities. The site features a couple of noteworthy blogs.

• Creative Loafing Atlanta
• www.atlanta.creativeloafing.com
• Creative Loafing, the city’s main alternative weekly newspaper for more than three decades, delivers an independent take on local news and extensive entertainment listings.

• Rolling Out
• www.rollingout.com
• An urban culture, fashion, and entertainment guide, this is a primo resource for young African-American professionals.

• Southern Voice
• www.sovo.com
• Atlanta’s long-standing gay and lesbian newspaper features daily updates on local and national queer happenings. Sibling magazine David Atlanta (www.davidatlanta.com) covers gay nightlife.

• Sunday Paper
• www.sundaypaper.com
• An alternative weekly newspaper started by former Creative Loafing staffers, the Sunday Paper tends to take a conservative slant on the news.

Parks and Recreation

• Atlanta Track Club
• www.atlantatrackclub.org
• Founded in 1964, this running group produces the annual Peachtree Road Race and a handful of other 5Ks and marathons around town.

• Centennial Olympic Park
• www.centennialpark.com
• As one of Atlanta’s busiest public spaces, Centennial Olympic Park offers programming year-round. Its official site includes complete event listings, directions, and special deals on area attractions.

• PATH Foundation
• www.pathfoundation.org
• Outdoor lovers will want to spend some time on the official site of the PATH Foundation, an organization devoted to developing local trails for walkers, joggers, cyclists, and skaters. The site includes maps and thorough trail information.

• Piedmont Park Conservancy
• www.piedmontpark.org
• Official site of the nonprofit agency that works to preserve and promote Piedmont Park. Includes detailed listings of events in the park and beyond.

Best Atlanta Blogs and Podcasts

• The Blissful Glutton
• www.blissfulglutton.blogspot.com
• For up-to-the-minute news and reviews of Atlanta’s restaurant scene, you could definitely do worse than the Blissful Glutton, a spicy journal by food critic Jennifer Zyman. The dish is particularly flavorful for foodies.

• Drive a Faster Car
• www.driveafastercar.com
• Editor Tessa Horehled delivers a delicious blend of happenings and Atlanta gossip, with an emphasis on indie music. Definitely a great read for anyone seeking out underground arts.

• Have You Heard
• www.haveyouheard.net
• This locally produced podcast is one of the best in town. Weekly shows feature riffs on music news and reviews, live recordings, and tracks from Atlanta artists.

• Live Apartment Fire
• www.liveapartmentfire.com
• Veteran broadcast journalist Doug Richards watches Atlanta’s nightly news programs so you don’t have to. His entertaining blog supplies biting commentary on local media, written with charm and precision.

• Pecanne Log
• www.pecannelog.com
• Written by a trio of Southern belles who are anything but sweet and submissive, this fiery gossip and humor site takes an irreverent look at life in the city. It’s always a witty read.

© Tray Butler from Moon Atlanta, 1st Edition