Adair Park

Adair Park is a revitalized community on the west side of Atlanta. This neighborhood lies adjacent to Metropolitan Parkway and appears to be a bright spot for an area that could use brighter days. Adair Park is accessible from downtown Atlanta by Interstate I-20 and lies minutes south of the Atlanta University Center which houses Morehouse, Spelman and Clark Atlanta University. An area known for its poverty and crime, Adair Park is slowly emerging as a close knit, progressive community. Pending the completion of the Beltline Project, Adair Park seeks to grow even more significantly with access to additional transportation opportunities.

If you’re a Atlanta Braves fan, Adair Park is walking and biking distance from Turner Hill. The downside of this area is that outside of its close proximity to downtown Atlanta and renovated homes and parks, the area does not have a strong shopping options. The retail center for west Atlanta has been The mall at West End for years. Unfortunately, this mall and the surrounding areas only offer up low cost apparel shops and sneaker stores. Soul Vegetarian restaurant, however is a local favorite that offers a pleasant variety from the numerous fast food establishments. Adair Park in five years may be an awesome place to settle as Atlanta transforms.

It seems nearly every time I venture out on my old blue Schwinn cruiser (by bike is possibly the best way to see the city; though I’m also partial to a good pair of walking shoes) I turn a corner to find yet another perfect little dream house with a perfect little dream yard on a perfect little dream street. But before you start picturing Thomas Kinkade paintings (see review title), let me mention that my version of the perfect dream home nearly always revolves around a decades-old bungalow, approximately the size of a Dunwoody garage, with an unmowed backyard twice its size, at least one massive, knarled tree and a porch big enough to hold an entire living room’s worth of furniture. I’m talking real corners of the world that make you just wanna pull up a lawn chair and watch the world go by – a.k.a. Adair Park.

Yes, for every handful of Quillbilly-approved dream homes there is a dilapidated old relic that is probably housing a nest of opossums. Yes, there are parts of the neighborhood you’ll want to avoid from twilight onward. Yes, there are also parts sporting clusters of garish fast-food chains (most actually just across the tracks in West End). But what’s a neighborhood without a few blemishes for the neighborhood association to complain about? And speaking of neighborhood associations, Adair Park’s is top-drawer. Credit for the area’s amenity-rich, kid-friendly green spaces (Bonnie Brae and Adair Park itself) and an impressive list of community events (an annual “pie off” looks especially tempting) is due to Adair Park Today.

In addition to its own charms, Adair Park is also a short drive (or bike ride) from the charms of some of my other favorite Atlanta ‘hoods – West End, Grant Park, Inman Park, etc. Each of which boasts enough perfect little dream houses to put Thomas Kinkade to shame. Cheers!

Multi-cultural neighborhood with historic touches in southwestern area of downtown Atlanta! Craftsman bungalows, Tudor, Victorian and mid-century houses with modern touches are pleasing to residents from various socio-economic levels. But, it’s a mixed bag of gorgeously maintained residences to more scary places off the beaten path.

But alas, there are some cool places to visit there, including the Wren's Nest and the Atlanta University Center, with Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, the historic Gillette Mansion, the Stewart Avenue United Methodist Church (which was built in 1921), as well as the teeny West End Mall. Adair Park restaurants include Georgia basics like Popeye’s and a selection of vegetarian and soul food restaurants. I admit my favorite restaurant is not really a restaurant at all, it’s a bakery. Krispy Kreme doughnut shop is there within walking distance!

Downtown Atlanta is never too far away. Adair Park is very close to the West End MARTA train station and local bus lines, and is immediately accessible by Interstates I-20, I-75/85 and Highway 166. So that means, you can get to Underground Atlanta, Moreland Avenue shops and boutiques, and all that downtown has to offer by car, train, bus, or even by foot (if you’ve got the guts).