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From Wikivoyage

Sandy Springs is a city of 110,000 people (2019) in Metro Atlanta. It promotes itself as having "small town charm on the banks of the Chattahoochee just around the corner from downtown Atlanta."

Get in

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Map
Map of Sandy Springs

By plane

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Hartsfield-Jackson airport is also the terminus of the southern branch of the MARTA rail system (see 'Get around' below), and for travelers going to locations in downtown, midtown or northern Atlanta this forms a convenient, and at $2.50 per one-way ticket, economic way of getting there. Most MARTA stations have taxi stations to aid completion of the journey, and some hotels have free shuttles which will collect from either the airport or nearest MARTA station on telephone request.

By train

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Being so close to Atlanta, visitors are welcome to travel by train via Amtrak ☏ +1-800-872-7245. Amtrak's Crescent train runs daily and serves New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans (and vice-versa). Southbound, the train leaves New York just before 3PM, calls at Atlanta at around 9AM and reaches New Orleans by 8PM. Northbound, the train leaves New Orleans at around 7AM, calls at Atlanta at around 8PM and reaches New York by 2PM.

In Atlanta, the Amtrak station is located at 1688 Peachtree St. N.W., which is several miles north of the airport and downtown. Unfortunately, there are no direct connections between the MARTA trains and Amtrak. However, MARTA Bus routes 23 and 110, which can be transferred at the Buckhead Station and the Arts Center Station, stop in front of the Amtrak Station.

By bus

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Greyhound Bus Lines, ☏ +1-800-229-9424, provides bus service to Atlanta from many locations throughout the United States. Buses arrive at and depart from the Greyhound terminal at 232 Forsyth Street, located in a less affluent neighborhood on the southern edge of the downtown area and directly beneath MARTA's Garnett Station (see 'Get around' below).

By car

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Atlanta is linked to the rest of the US by the interstate highway network. The principal interstates serving the city are I-75 (serving traffic from Detroit to Florida), I-85 (connecting the Mid-Atlantic to New Orleans) and I-20 (connecting Texas to South Carolina), all of which cross through Downtown.

I-285 (commonly called the Perimeter by Atlantans, and the Atlanta Bypass on overhead signs) circles the city at a distance of about 10 miles out, crossing and connecting with all the above freeways as well as the airport.

Get around

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By transit

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Sandy Springs is served by MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), ☏ +1 404-848-4711, which operates both rapid rail and bus networks in the counties of Fulton and Dekalb.

For out-of-town visitors, MARTA is a convenient way to travel from the airport to all stations on its network. Those who need to travel alone at night, however, may be better served by taking taxis, hotel buses, or renting a car, as the system often becomes empty or rowdy at nighttime, and travel may feel unsafe to those who do not know the city. Most destination stations have Taxi service available for local trips.

The rail network is comprised of two principal lines making up a cross. One line runs north-south across the city, while the other runs east-west. The north-south line runs from a southern terminus at Hartsfield-Jackson airport through downtown and midtown Atlanta, before splitting into two branches running north, one which terminates in Sandy Springs at the North Springs station and the other which terminates at the Doraville station. The east-west line runs from a western terminal at Hamilton E. Holmes to an eastern terminal at Indian Creek. The Five Points station in downtown Atlanta is the only station where passengers may change trains between the north-south and east-west lines. Trains run from 5AM until 1AM Monday-Friday, and from 5AM until 12:30AM on weekends and holidays. Trains run on all lines every 10 minutes during peak periods, reducing to every 20 minutes on Sundays.

The bus network comprises over one hundred different bus routes, with many routes operating approximately every 20 minutes. Bus service on some lines (generally including the most popular tourist areas) runs from 5AM until 1:30AM Monday-Friday and from 5AM until 1AM on the weekends and holidays.

A single ride on MARTA costs $2.50. The fare includes transfers. Single use Breeze Cards are sold in vending machines at all rail stations or at RideStores at Airport. When starting the journey by bus, swipe the card at the fare post next to the driver. When starting the journey by train, swipe the car at the fare gate, your now cash depleted card will act as your transfer. When transferring to a bus, give the operator your breeze card. When transferring to a train, swipe the transfer ticket through the reader on the turnstile.

Note for Weekend Travel: MARTA has a tendency to run slower on the weekends. Typical wait times are 30 minutes for trains and up to an hour for buses. Be sure to accommodate for this.

By car

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If MARTA Rail does not service all the areas you need, cars are the most popular form of transport in order to get around the city to experience various shopping, events and more. Renting a car is recommended. Rush hour runs almost continuously but peaks 6-10AM and 3-7PM on weekdays and often results in congestion when traveling intown in the mornings and outbound in the afternoons. Downtown/Midtown and major shopping districts such as Buckhead will also get crowded on weekends. Most restaurants and shops in the area offer complimentary or low-cost valet services ($1-3 tip expected) and on the rare occasion where parking is scarce, public lots are usually nearby for a fee. Free road maps are available at [9].

Car rental companies:

See

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  • 1 Anne Frank in the World: 1929-1945, 5920 Roswell Rd. Suite A-209 (exit off of I285 1/10th mile on the left on Roswell Road in Parkside Shopping Center), ☏ +1 770-206-1558. Tu-Th 10AM-4PM, F 10AM-2PM, Sa Su noon-4PM, M closed. Free admission. (updated Aug 2015)
  • 2 The Heritage Sandy Springs Museum, 6110 Bluestone Road, ☏ +1 404-851-9111 x2. W 11AM - 2PM, other days by appointment. It is dedicated to the history of the Sandy Springs community and is located in the repurposed Williams-Payne house at Heritage Green. It tells the changing story of Sandy Springs as the home of Native Americans, rural farmers, and modern suburbanites; and features a collection of 20 photographs of Georgia's Barrier Island taken by Dr. Curt Hames Jr. (updated Jun 2020)

Do

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  • 1 Steel Canyon Golf Club, 460 Morgan Falls Road (take GA-400 to exit 6- Northridge Rd; travel west to Roswell Rd; turn left and go approximately 1½ miles to the second traffic light which is Morgan Falls Rd; turn right; Steel Canyon Golf Club is down 1/2 mile on the left), ☏ +1 770-390-0424. Summer hours 7:30AM – 9PM. (updated Aug 2015)
  • 2 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Island Ford Unit. The annual Chattahoochee River Summer Splash, held in July, is a 6-mile (10 km) float along the Chattahoochee River, beginning at Morgan Falls Dam and finishing at Cochran Shoals-Powers Island National Recreation Area. After completing the float, participants can enjoy an afternoon of live music, food and fun during festivities at Powers Island. Guests can bring their own kayaks, canoes, or rafts, or rent them from several local outfitters. (updated Nov 2016)
  • Sandy Springs Festival, ☏ +1 404-851-9111, . The Sandy Springs Festival is the largest community event in Sandy Springs, with approximately 30,000 attendees. The festival features a juried artist's market, civic and business expo, performances by regional acts and community bands, a children's area with crafts and activities, a teen territory with bungee jumps and inflatables, the annual Kiwanis Pet Parade, a 10K/5K race, and a food court. 
  • Act3 Playhouse, 6285-R Roswell Road, ☏ +1 770-241-1905, . (updated Jun 2016)
  • Sandy Springs Artapalooza. A free fine arts festival iate September where 125 to 150 notable artists from across the country have the opportunity to participate. 

Buy

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

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Connect

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Go next

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  • Chatahoochee River Fun — Over 20 miles of Chattahoochee River shoreline and three National Park Sites, including; Island Ford, East Palisades, Powers Island Parks. Canoeing and kayaking year around. Rentals available at local outfitters like Shoot The Hooch[dead link]. In addition, the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell offers education environmental programs, canoe trips and other recreational activities.
  • Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags White Water — is a family amusement park open weekends, March through October, and daily, June through mid-August. The park features the tallest roller coaster in the Southeast, Goliath, and the world’s largest interactive theme park water play structure, Skull Island. Si offers a variety of thrilling water rides, slides and waterfalls, including Tornado, the Ultimate Storm and Cliffhanger, one of the tallest freefalls in the world.
  • Stone Mountain Park — Georgia's #1 attraction, Stone Mountain Park, is just east of Atlanta and has over 3,200 acres of natural beauty. The park offers recreation activities, special events, lodging, camping entertainment, themed attractions and the famous Lasershow Spectacular.
  • Lake Lanier Islands[dead link] — The closet beach to Atlanta can be found at Lake Lanier Islands Resort, with its lakefront beaches, water park, golf courses, boating, spas, and more.
  • Chateau Elan Winery and Resort — Chateau Elan, a 16th-century-styled French retreat, is just 30 minutes north of Atlanta and has a festive atmosphere that encourages guests to tour the vineyards, visit the winery, have lunch at a sidewalk café and play a round of golf.
  • Callaway Gardens — Located in Pine Mountain, is a premier vacation spot with tons of activities for the entire family.
  • Wolf Mountain Vineyards — Located in Dahlonega,Wolf Mountain Vineyards offers a perfect get-away to taste award winning wines and enjoy a beautiful scenery. The vineyards and winery provide the perfect setting for Sunday brunch, café lunch, and gourmet dinners.
Routes through Sandy Springs
Asheville ← Roswell ←  N  S  → Atlanta → Albany
END ←  N  S  → Dunwoody → Downtown Atlanta


This city travel guide to Sandy Springs is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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