How can we get the most out of Six Flags, Atlanta and IKEA?

May 30, 2006 8:43 AM

How can we best enjoy a trip to Atlanta & Six Flags?

This coming weekend (June 9-11th) I'm taking a 6 hour road trip to Atlanta with my roommate, my best friend, and my new girlfriend. (Thats 3 completely different people by the way). My Best Friend and my Roommate are not romantically linked but they certainly enjoy each others company. We are going to drive to Alanta Friday evening and get there late, go to Six Flags Saturday, then dinner and possibly a bar or two that night. Sunday we'll spend the day at IKEA while the girls pick out furniture for my house and I eat meatballs.

What tips do you have for enjoying a 'double-date weekend'? How can we get the most out of Six Flags, Atlanta and IKEA?

Looking for any and all advice!

Notes:
We're all in our early 20s, the girls are pretty low-maintenance, and we're going for 'fun' not romantic.

posted by ZackTM to grab bag (14 comments total)

Little Five!
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 8:47 AM on May 30, 2006

Dress appropriatly for Six Flags. It's usually hot, muggy, and you're likely to get wet. Bring towels, a change of clothes, sunscreen, and lots of water. It helps if you hit the place early in the morning or late in the evening - to avoid both the heat and the peak crowds.
posted by wfrgms at 9:00 AM on May 30, 2006

appropriatly = appropriately heh...
posted by wfrgms at 9:01 AM on May 30, 2006

Second L5P. Never make a trip without visiting. Lots of fun stores and some good local (hippie? counterculture?) flavor.

The problem with Atlanta is its soooo freaking spread out. If you have limited time, it is good to have some ideas and some google maps printed out ahead of time. It you can get a hard copy of the Loaf it will help you find some things that are going on.
posted by spartacusroosevelt at 9:10 AM on May 30, 2006

See also .
posted by solotoro at 9:39 AM on May 30, 2006

Six Flags is approximately one million miles from everything else, just so you know. You won't really be able to do much else on Saturday if that's your plan. For what it's worth, do not sleep in on Saturday. Get out there early, and then if you decide you'd rather eat dirt than hang out in the heat at 1pm or so, you've had time to do something other than stand in line. SUNSCREEN. EVERYWHERE. On your ears. Trust me. wfrgms has it -- dress appropriately -- some people show up in swim trunks and tshirts, girls I've seen in bikini tops and board shorts -- it's totally acceptable, and honestly preferable if you plan to ride the water rides.

If I recall correctly, Publix is running a Six Flags deal. So, find a Publix on Friday night and see if you can get a discount. Six Flags can get really expensive fast. (I see you are in NC -- Publix is a grocery store, if you are not familliar. They are all over the place.) I don't remember if there is a promotion running on Coke cans at the moment, but that's another likely place to find a Six Flags deal.

IKEA will be fairly mobbed no matter what day you go, so keep that in mind. I've only been there once that I can think of that it wasn't totally bearable -- just be aware. There will be a metric ton or so of people per square foot.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:31 AM on May 30, 2006

When I went to atlanta I had more fun than should be allowed at the star bar. It should be noted that it was a little rough and tumble the night i was there and i was also fairly punk rock at the time...but right around there are a lot of shops and record stores and such...
posted by nadawi at 10:42 AM on May 30, 2006

atlanta aquarium

sopo bikes

sevananda
posted by eustatic at 11:05 AM on May 30, 2006

re: Six Flags
Buy some 12-ounce coca-cola in Atlanta. I'm drinking one right now that passes as a $15 off coupon.
If you spend a good chunk of the day at six-flags, you all will most likely be too whipped out to really live up the bar experience. Just standing all day in line in the scorching heat (you will be standing in line for a long time come afternoon) and the adrenaline rushes gets exhausting.
posted by jmd82 at 12:11 PM on May 30, 2006

Regarding Ikea: Go early. It will be nearly as bad as Six Flags. Sometimes, there is a 30 minute wait just to park your car. So get up and get in there.

Ikea has a third floor that is all "showrooms." This part of the store is a maze, intentionally trying to get you to pass as much merchandise as possible. If you are just going for the "experience," then it's fine to linger here. But I suggest going through this part very quickly. Write down any big things you want to get (My first time at the store, I spent a whole hour on the top floor, and with the traffic and all, this made the trip into something north of 3 hours -- Gah!). Then head quickly to the second floor. The 2nd floor is full of accesorries, $6 lamps, $20 rugs, $3 picture frames, dishes. etc. Then on the bottom floor is the warehouse where you pick up your big shit before heading to checkout.

My advice: If you get done at Ikea, don't go to Atlantic Station.

Instead, hit Piedmont Park. Much better way to while away the afternoon. There's a licquor store / bodega at 10th and Piedmont that you can use to charge up for some public drinking. Be careful, of course, drinking in public is illegal and ticketable. "The Flying Biscuit" is also a great Atlanta place for a snack. If you fancy a movie instead / after, there are theaters at Atlantic Station and just at the eastern tip of the park (10th and Monroe Drive), which is called the Midtown Arts or Midtown 8. If you go to the Midtown 8, afterward is a nice spot for a drink or food called "Apres Diem."
posted by zpousman at 2:18 PM on May 30, 2006

Oh! I had just forgotten how much I missed the Flying Biscuit!
posted by occhiblu at 2:26 PM on May 30, 2006

You definitely don't want to stay near Six Flags. It's in an industrial area. If you like the Little Five Points recommendation, maybe try East Atlanta, too.

If you're not going to eat breakfast at IKEA on Sunday, West Egg is probably a half mile away and has a great breakfast.

If you like greasy food, hit The Varsity. It's the world's largest drive-in.

Do not go to Underground Atlanta unless you're going to The World of Coke. Even then, it is a terrible attraction unless you're into being hassled by homeless people.

Former professional wrestler Abdullah The Butcher has a restaurant south of Atlanta.
posted by Frank Grimes at 4:40 PM on May 30, 2006

If you like bars, music, and lots of good American/Spanish fusion tapas, I recommend Eclipse di Luna. It's definitely bar-slash-restaurant and very good.

I second skipping Underground Atlanta. The World of Coke is fun, but not worth it if you have only a couple days.

I hear the aquarium is mind-blowing, but it's also really big, and deserves a day in and of itself.

If the girls in your group are big shoppers, they might have fun at Phipps Plaza, which has all kinds of ridiculously expensive designer-ish stores.
posted by anjamu at 11:38 PM on May 30, 2006

oh we just got back from there--went Memorial Day weekend --didn't know they had an IKEA...anyhoo, go to 6 flags in the evening for pete's sake, it is just too dang hot during the day....You must go to the "new" Georgia (downtown) Aquarium--really nice. And eat a Pappadeaux's
posted by sandra194 at 12:03 PM on May 31, 2006