MARTA Guide » Sports and Outdoors

MARTA to the BeltLine Eastside Trail

MARTA Guide — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:51:23 +0000

The BeltLine is Atlanta’s hopeful light-rail project that operate in a loop around intown Atlanta neighborhoods using existing rail beds. It will also include trails, the first of which will be the Eastside Trail, scheduled to open in 2012 and run from near the King Memorial MARTA Station to Piedmont Park.

MARTA currently crosses this trail in several places. Choose from:

King Memorial Station – at street level turn right and walk about a block along Dekalb Avenue for the south end of the trail.
Five Points and Candler Park Stations – board bus 3 on weekdays to reach the Eastside Trail in the Inman Park neighborhood. If getting on the bus at Five Points, make sure the destination of the bus is to the Candler Park Station. Exit the bus around Krog Street and Serpas. The bus will literally go over the trail.
North Avenue, Candler Park and Decatur Stations – board bus 2 to connect with the Eastside Trail at Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ponce City Market. The bus travels underneath the rail bed and a new pedestrian ramp will be created there. Exit by the huge brick building at the stoplight (across the street is Whole Foods/Home Depot).
Midtown Station – Bus 36 and 99 have stops next to the Eastside Trail, which runs along Park Tavern and Piedmont Park. Exit around 10th Street and Monroe Drive by the Grady High School stadium.

For more information, see:
How to Ride MARTA Buses
Best of MARTA: Fun/Recreation
10 Easiest Destinations to Get to on MARTA

Filed under: Bus 2, Bus 3, Bus 36, Bus 99, E2 King Memorial, E4 Candler Park, E6 Decatur, N3 North Avenue, N4 Midtown, Sports and Outdoors, Tourist Attraction

MARTA to the Chick-fil-A Bowl

MARTA Guide — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:49:30 +0000

The Chick-fil-A Bowl takes place in the Georgia Dome, which is right next to the Dome/Philips Arena Station on the blue/green rail line. If you are traveling from the airport get on any northbound train, or from north of the city, ride any southbound train to the Five Points Station. Exit the train and follow the signs to the Westbound train platform. Get on the first train that arrives and ride one stop to the Dome Station. After exiting the train, look for signs pointing to the Georgia Dome for direct access to the building without having to go outside.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m. The last trains will depart the Five Points Station at 2 a.m., so plan to be back at the Dome Station at least 20 minutes early. There will also be heavy crowds downtown for the Peach Drop and riders should expect crowded trains and lines at the Breeze Card machines. It is advised that you purchase your fare in advance and make sure you have enough for a roundtrip ($5 for adults) to avoid waiting.

For those parking and riding, the closest free daily parking lot to the Dome is at the Ashby Station at 65 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. Otherwise, parking at any other station on the blue/green rail line makes for an easy commute: H.E. Holmes, Westlake, Inman Park, Candler Park, East Lake, Avondale, Kensington or Indian Creek. See this map and station links to click on the station name to get addresses and schedules.

For more information, see:
New Year’s Eve Weekend MARTA Schedules
Dome Station Restaurants
Top 5 MARTA Stations to Park and Ride

Filed under: Sports and Outdoors, W1 Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena

MARTA to the Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade

MARTA Guide — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:21:11 +0000

The 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade takes place Dec. 31 from 12:30 – 2 p.m. just outside the Peachtree Center MARTA station on the red/gold rail line. All north/soundbound trains stop at this station, and all station exits will take you to street level where you can view the start of the parade. Or if coming from the blue or green rail line, exit at the Five Points Station and follow the signs to the Northbound train platform and get on the first train that arrives and go one stop to Peachtree Center.

The other option is to exit at the Dome Station on the blue/green rail line and follow the signs to the Philips Arena exit. Go up the escalators and keep walking straight ahead along Centennial Olympic Park Drive (Philips Arena will be on your left). A few blocks up the parade route travels on Andrew Young International Blvd. through the park (see walking map). If you are coming from the north or south rail line, be sure to exit at Five Points and follow the signs to the Westbound platform for the correct train.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl Fanfest will take place next to the Dome Station at the Georgia World Congress Center after the parade and the football game will take place in the Georgia Dome next door.

For more information, see:
MARTA to the Chick-fil-A Bowl
New Year’s Eve Weekend MARTA Schedules
Navigating the Peachtree Center Station
Dome Station Restaurants
Peachtree Center Station Restaurants
Top 5 MARTA Stations to Park and Ride

Filed under: Art, Music and Culture, Festival, Holiday, N1 Peachtree Center, Sports and Outdoors, W1 Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena

MARTA to the Atlanta Half-marathon

MARTA Guide — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:10:22 +0000

The Atlanta Half-marathon is one of the largest races in the U.S. and takes place every Thanksgiving Day. There is also a 5K run. All races start and end near Turner Field, which is closest to the Georgia State Station on the blue/green rail line. It is a 25 minute walk to Turner Field, making it a good warm-up for the race. There are two bus routes, 32 and 55, which go by Turner Field, but it is likely there will be road closures the day of the race and these buses will have adjusted routes. You can connect to both buses at the Five Points Station, and check itsmarta.com for route changes.

If you plan to walk from MARTA, take the Piedmont Avenue exit out of the station and turn left on Piedmont Avenue. Turner Field is straight ahead and you’ll pass the capitol building and walk over I-20 on the way. Be advised that MARTA runs on a Sunday schedule on holidays, so trains should be running approximately every 20 minutes and slightly more frequent on the red/gold rail line where both the Doraville and North Springs trains run. Also, the closest MARTA parking to the start of the race is at the King Memorial Station. Daily parking is free.

For more information, see:
Top 5 MARTA Stations to Park and Ride
How to Ride MARTA Buses
10 Easiest Destinations to Get to on MARTA

Filed under: Bus 32, E1 Georgia State, Sports and Outdoors

MARTA to the Candler Park Fall Fest

MARTA Guide — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:56:03 +0000

The Candler Park Fall Fest takes place every fall in the park, usually in October, and features a 5k run, music/entertainment, artist market and more.

The closest station is the Candler Park station on the blue/green rail line that runs east and west through the city. If you are coming from the north or south, be sure to transfer at Five Points to the Eastbound platform and get on a train labeled “Candler Park” or “Indian Creek”.

After exiting the fare gate, follow the exit marked Candler Park. Head east (away from downtown) on Dekalb Avenue then turn left on Mell Avenue. This street dead ends at the park. Total walking distance is about one mile (see walking map).

For more information, see how to use Google Maps for MARTA directions and the weekend train schedules for the Candler Park station.

Filed under: Art, Music and Culture, E4 Candler Park, Festival, Sports and Outdoors