Adventure in Atlanta

By Traci Drummond and Courtney Chartier, Host Committee Chairs

With ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2016 just around the corner, here are updates, logistics, and practical advice in advance of your visit to Atlanta.

The SAA 2016 Host Committee Blog

The 2016 Host Committee blog is full of information about repositories and tours; neighborhoods and MARTA stops (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority); and places to visit and dine. We will be adding information up until the annual meeting so make sure to check the blog regularly.

The All-Attendee Reception

This year’s reception will start at The World of Coca-Cola and move to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, located across the lawn from one another at Centennial Olympic Park. If you don’t catch the shuttle from the hotel to the museums, it’s a half-mile walk west taking Harris Street/John Portman Boulevard to Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

#SAA16

When posting about the annual meeting on social media, use the designated hashtag so that other attendees can easily find your Twitter threads and Instagram photos. You don’t have to wait until the meeting starts: a quick search on Twitter shows that the hashtag is already in use!

Tours, Tours, Tours!

Thirteen pre-conference tours have been scheduled for August 2 and 3. Most are for metro Atlanta repositories (academic, corporate, private, and government) but Crawford Media is also providing a tour of their media management and post-production facility. Check out the complete list on the Host Committee blog and schedule a tour today!

Service Activities

Tuesday, August 2, 9:00am

Gardening at Historic Oakland Cemetery

Archivists will help staff at Historic Oakland Cemetery replant irises. Easy work even for the untrained gardener, but it will be hot. Oakland will provide tools and gloves (but if you have a pair you love, bring them). Don’t forget sunscreen and weather-appropriate clothing. Look for more information including sign-up, directions, and hours on the blog. Oakland is about a mile and a half walk from the hotel and a two block stroll from the MLK MARTA station.

Thursday, August 4, 11:00am–4:00pm

LifeSouth Blood Drive

Donate to the LifeSouth blood drive right on site! This community nonprofit supports more than 100 hospitals in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

Getting to the Conference Hotel

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located 12 miles south of Midtown. Here are options for getting from the airport to the Hilton Atlanta.

MARTA

Taking the train from the airport to the hotel is easy. Purchase either a Breeze Card for $2.00, which is reloadable for as many trips as you need, or a Breeze Pass for a limited use ticket for one way, round-trip, or one day. Follow signs from the baggage claim area to MARTA, purchase your ticket, and take the train north to the Peachtree Center Station. From within the station, you can enter the Peachtree Center Mall which connects to the host hotel. You’ll walk through the Hyatt Regency and the Atlanta Marriott Marquis before getting to Atlanta Hilton (all three are connected by SkyBridge).

If you prefer to see a bit of the city, exit the station at Peachtree Street, head north two blocks to Harris Street/John Portman Boulevard and make a right. Walk two more blocks and cross Courtland Street—the Atlanta Hilton will be on your left.

By Cab

A cab ride from the airport to downtown (and the Atlanta Hilton) is about $30 (and $2 for each extra person). Follow signs to ground transportation from baggage claim.

Rental Car

The ATL SkyTrain will take you from the airport to the rental car center. It’s about a five-minute train ride from the airport. Directions from the airport can be found on the Atlanta Hilton website.

Around the Hotel

There is a CVS Pharmacy just a few blocks away on Peachtree Street. Take Harris Street/John Portman Boulevard west two blocks and make a left on Peachtree.

A Publix grocery store is located about a mile north of the hotel at 595 Piedmont Avenue.

The closest liquor store to the hotel is Sol’s Liquor, located at the intersection of Andrew Young International and Courtland Street, just a few blocks south of the hotel.

If you don’t want to rent a car for your entire trip, there are a few car rental agencies nearby the hotel for day trips.

Check out the Host Committee blog for a guide to area churches if you’d like to attend services while in town.

Three hotels in downtown Atlanta are connected by SkyBridge— Atlanta Hilton, Atlanta Marriott Marquis and Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Keep this in mind when navigating the area around the conference to stay protected in hot or rainy weather. If you’re a fan of architecture or design, make sure to visit the Hyatt Regency Atlanta to see John Portman’s stunning, influential atrium design from the late 1960s. The SkyBridge eventually leads to the Peachtree Center Mall and Food Court, which has more than 35 eateries. 

Speaking of hotels, there’s free WiFi in the Atlanta Hilton lobby.

Use the Host Committee blog to find restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and more. Most of all, have a great time at ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2016 and be sure to schedule in some fun!