Heading to Atlanta later this month for the GA game. We'd prefer to avoid staying downtown but don't know enough about the surrounding areas. Any recommendations on best suburbs to stay?

What are you looking for? Night life? Quiet? Access to restaurants? Avoiding traffic? Not getting shot?

Tagging in here OP cause it looks like Kool has some suggestions. Wife and I are flying into Atlanta and driving over to Athens Saturday.

We would love recommendations for areas around downtown to stay. Looking to be at a place that we could park Friday AM at the hotel and walk for lunch dinner bars etc for Friday. Neither of us have ever been to Atlanta.

Thanks

Also going for the Georgia game and making weekend trip out of it. Staying in downtown Atlanta at Holiday Inn Express ($90/nt) because we're hitting the typical touristy places that we can walk to. Coca Cola, Aquarium, College Football Hall of Fame, and Falcons/Bucs game on Sunday to see Mike Evans so all walking distance. Not a lot of options for nightlife or places to eat but short Uber or metro ride to midtown.

Stay in Buckhead if you want to get a bit of the Atlanta flavor and probably not get shot. If gays and homeless people are your thing, stay in Midtown. Don't be afraid of MARTA during the day, it is a really good way to get downtown and see the Mercedes Benz stadium, our Aquarium, World of Coca Cola, CNN Center, and Centennial Park (it is my understanding that Eric Rudolph is still in The Big House).

If you want to stay out of town and just be more convenient to Athens for game day, stay in Gwinnett. Personally, I find Gwinnett uglier than homemade sin, but that's just me.

If you have a bit of extra time and the weather is good and you want to see some outdoor stuff, go over to Stone Mountain or up to Tallulah Falls.

If you have plenty of extra cash, stay at the Ritz Hotel on Lake Oconee. Oh, yes, it's a very nice.

Kool said:

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If you have plenty of extra cash, stay at the Ritz Hotel on Lake Oconee. Oh, yes, it's a very nice.

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I've stayed there many times. I love it there. Even better, it was never on my dime!!!

Plenty of different dining choices. If you want to do something that is more relevant to Atlanta, look into any of the Buckhead Life Restaurants. Safe bets
Buckhead Life Restaurants
Other local options, for a flavor of Atlanta, are Two Urban Licks
Two Urban Licks (wipe that smile off your face)
and South City Kitchen
South City Kitchen
And, of course, if loose stools and heartburn are your thing, there is ALWAYS
The Varsity

I am really not a huge foodie, I am sure there are other threads on this.

If you stay in Buckhead:

Steaks - Chops, Hal's, and Bone's. First two have a little more "life." Bone's is good but more old school vibe.

Sushi - Umi (book now) or Tomo.

Italian/Pasta - Storico Fresco for lunch or dinner. St. Cecilia for dinner.

Breakfast - Buttermilk Cafe and of course Waffle House

If you like vegetables, Miller Union is a great place to eat. Went there in September.

When you go to Coca Cola, make sure you try Beverly in the tasting room.

Oconee is legit.

We're staying in Braselton. It's about halfway between Atlanta and Athens.

Ag_N_Houston said:

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We're staying in Braselton. It's about halfway between Atlanta and Athens.

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Chateau Elan?

No. We're staying at the Holiday Inn. It was 100 cheaper per night.

We are staying near centennial Olympic Park. Family trip with teenage boys. Any restaurant suggestions in that area for Fri night dinner or a Sun lunch?

Bonus question: for an afternoon game, what time is traffic out of Atlanta going to start backing up getting into Athens?