After a few years of renting in Los Angeles, my partner and I were ready to buy something of our own.
We wanted to move somewhere more affordable where we could have a backyard and still maintain our city lifestyle. After extensive online research, a few places met our criteria — and Atlanta was one of them.
Neither of us had ever been to the Georgia city, but we figured we’d give it a try. It took us some time to get used to living here, but it’s become our home over the past four years.
From the unexpected beauty of Atlanta’s nature to its pleasantly diverse queer scene, here are a few things I’ve been most surprised about since making the move.
Being outdoors feels like a way of life here
Considering Atlanta is a major city, I wasn’t expecting it to feel like a lush metropolis made for people who like spending time outdoors.
I’d gotten used to where I lived in Los Angeles, where greenery felt mostly limited to a few palm trees dotted between skyscrapers and busy roads.
Instead, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the trees, streams, and wildlife in Atlanta and the area just outside it.
I can easily stroll along the Beltline, a famous 22-mile stretch dotted with trees, trails, and parks; watch the sunrise at Stone Mountain Park; and kayak the Chattahoochee River. I’ve even spotted rabbits, hawks, and deer on one of the many local nature trails.
Despite being an inland city, Atlanta has beaches
Growing up in Australia, I’ve always loved beaches. Luckily, there were plenty of options for enjoying them in Los Angeles. One of my favorite things to do was swim at beaches in Malibu or Santa Monica.
When we moved to Atlanta, an inland city, I thought I’d have to give up my beachy lifestyle. Instead, I just had to adjust my expectations.
Although Atlanta has no oceanfront beaches, it has lake beaches. They’re essentially lakes with sand on the foreshore to create the impression of a beach.
Before moving to the South, I’d never come across a lake beach. Now, I love them. Our local lake beaches turn into a party on major summer holidays as crowds fill up on the sandy shores to blast music, eat barbecue, and watch fireworks.
During the cooler months, reading by the calm waters is one of my favorite solo activities.
My curbside recycling is more limited
In Los Angeles, I was able to easily recycle most items curbside — including plastic, cardboard, and glass. However, in Atlanta, recycling rules vary depending on where you live.
About a decade ago, the county we live in stopped allowing glass in curbside pickups. As a result, we have to drop off the glass containers at a specific location 10 minutes from our house.
This means my partner and I often have to store big bags of glass containers in our garage until we’re ready to make the trip.
Sidewalks aren’t as common as I expected
When we moved to Atlanta, I was surprised to find that sidewalks weren’t as widespread as I had anticipated, especially in residential areas.
This means that walking around isn’t as easy or safe in certain parts of the city. Turns out, this has been a major local issue for several years.
On the bright side, the city seems to be working toward improving its walkability. In 2022, the year we moved, Atlanta voters approved an infrastructure program to invest over $196 million into sidewalks and trails.
When it comes to art, Atlanta’s got something for everyone
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the diversity of Atlanta’s art scene.
The range of all that the city offers, from street murals and basement art parties to well-established museums with high-profile exhibitions, is impressive.
Plus, it has some places that just can’t be found anywhere else — such as the Trap Music Museum, which celebrates the origins of the musical genre.
There’s also a large local queer scene
In Los Angeles, I had so many opportunities to be an active part of the local queer community. I worried that would change when I made the move from liberal California to a more conservative swing state.
Fortunately, I’ve discovered a strong LGBTQ+ community in Atlanta, with many spaces, events, and groups to get involved in.
There’s also Atlanta Pride every October, which coincides with National Coming Out Day. Plus, an annual pride festival in June, hosted by Southern Fried Queer Pride (SFQP), that celebrates Black queer and QTPOC communities.
All in all, Atlanta feels more like home every day. I’m not sure if I’ll stay here forever, but between its abundance of nature and strong queer culture, this city is somewhere I’ll be happy to call home for many years to come.
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