<p>ive heard some stuff that atlanta has some crime though its dropped considerably. im not afraid or anything. but id rather chill with friends in a clean and not shady neighborhood. is downtown atlanta as well as other fun areas of atlanta shady?</p>
<p>It isn't shady as a whole, but there are definitely bad parts, like in any big city.</p>
<p>Emory kids mostly stick to Virginia Highlands, Mid-town, etc. on the weekends.</p>
<p>is downtown bad?</p>
<p>Atlanta has some really nice areas, but it also has some ghettos in which students from Emory stick out (west end, for example). </p>
<p>I don't think downtown is where students tend to socialize. Mid-town and Buckhead seem to be far more popular spots. They offer more clubs, restaurants, and attractions than downtown. To answer your question, though, downtown is not too bad, depending on the area of downtown. Olympic Park is not bad, but Five Points at night is bad.</p>
<p>Why would you ever go Downtown? Haha unless you have a meeting with an accounting firm or something.</p>
<p>Atlanta as a whole is not "shady." The Emory area us very upper-middle class.</p>
<p>i wasnt really asking about the area around emory. i was asking about the areas kids hang out</p>
<p>Virginia Highlands, Midtown, and Buckhead. They are all really nice. Buckhead is home to Atlanta's wealthiest citizens and largest homes. Midtown has a ton of great restaurants and is very "sheek." </p>
<p>These areas are very safe and I have never felt any of them "shady."</p>
<p>City of Decatur is a nice area on the square with restaurants, a bar or two, ect... - Agnes Scott College (women's college) is within walking distance and Decatur has it's own Marta Station. Buckhead is considered trendy but has had bad press here in Atlanta over the last couple of years (an occasional shooting, robbery, etc... especially late night)</p>
<p>If my kid was going out at night to have fun , I'd encourage Decatur over Buckhead...and Midtown maybe (but in Midtown you will see more homeless people, street people, etc...) , but you should always travel in groups - don't go around "confronting" strangers or mouthing off (invites trouble). And if faced with any street "taunts" - ignore them and be on your way. </p>
<p>There are developers who are trying to develop the Emory area with more restaruants/shopping/condos - perhaps sooner or later the night life will come to Emory rather than Emory students having to find it themselves.</p>
<p>my emory friends like to hang out at: GT football games, spring street, atlantic station, decatur (although at 2 in the morning, this is more shady than downtown) lenox square and phipps plaza (adjacent), emory village, VA highlands, Little 5 Points, midtown, and buckhead. of those, the only that could really be considered shady would be L5P, spring street (but only at night), and decatur (only at night). I dunno if you've ever been but Little 5 is very similar to the Chelsea area in London, England, lots of people with weird hairdoo's, lots of stoners, record stores, bong stores, resturaunts, great shops, but there is a police station right in the heart of it and its only like 2 blocks each way from the intersection so still very safe.</p>
<p>essentially, you are safe, just don't go south of edgewood or east of decatur (edgewood) and you be fine</p>
<p>I explore Atlanta for at least a day almost every week:</p>
<p>Parts of downtown can get sketchy at night when the bums come out. Last weekend when I walked out of McCormick and Schmicks by Philips Arena and Centennial Olympic Park there were hobos everywhere and I was afraid my parents car was going to get stolen or that we were going to get robbed. Further West by Georgia Tech it gets a little sketchier. I wouldn't walk around there at night. During the day, there is nothing like that anywhere in downtown though. There is a huge police presence and daytime office workers and tourists are everywhere. The only place I would be afraid of during the day is anything South of the State Capitol Building. </p>
<p>Midtown (including Atlantic Station) is safe any time of day or night. The police presence is huge. I would never fear being in those areas.</p>
<p>Buckhead is safe all the time. There is really no point in going there late at night though because everything closes kinda early. </p>
<p>I can't speak to Little 5, Decatur or Virginia Highlands because I don't go there as often, but I get the impression that they are all safe areas too.</p>