Virginia-Highland

Drive south on the Interstate 75/85 connector northeast of Atlanta. Take the 10th Street exit east to Virginia-Highlands neighborhood. Travel just a few blocks until it ends at Monroe Drive. Turn right and go just a few more blocks to Virginia Avenue and turn left. You will very quickly find yourself in one of Atlanta’s best neighborhoods. “The Va-Hi” was formed in the early 1900’s around the intersection of Virginia and Highland Avenues Northeast.

Walk the short blocks or learn Tai Chi and Kung Fu at the Chinese Shaolin Center. Enjoy people watching while sipping a specialty coffee at a sidewalk café. Buy one of the unique cottages nestled along the tree-lined Monroe Drive, and enjoy southern welcomes from neighbors as you take your ease on your front porch. Your children have easy access to Springdale Park Elementary School, Inman Middle School and Henry W. Grady High School.
The Church of Our Savior Anglo-Catholic church is nearest of many churches.

Los Angeles may have Rodeo Drive, but Virginia-Highlands has a selection of eclectic shops like Armour & Company and Dakota J’s. One evening at Blind Willie’s blues club and you will never want to leave.

Virgina-Highlands is one of my favorite little areas to hang out (especially in the summer). This neighborhood is essentially located where the two streets Virginia Avenue and North Highland Avenue intersect, creating “Virginia-Highland”. Up and down the streets, you will find restaurants, boutiques and fun bars. The homes in this area are older country homes with lots of space inside. This attracts many professionals and small families. There are also several nice apartments in walking distance (for the younger crowd).

Lets talk food! Virginia-Highlands has several really great restaurants that are the talk of the town. If you are ever close-by, you might want to try Fontaine’s Oyster House or Murphy’s. I like to rotate between these two places when I’m in the area and feel the need to treat myself. After dinner, you absolutely have to try Paolo's Gelato Italiano & Desserts. They have tons of gelato flavors to try. I think the flavors rotate too, so you do not have to worry about getting tired of the same choices.

The nightlife in this area is pretty vivid as well. Local bars bring out young professionals and college students in droves. The only thing I do not like about this area, is that street parking is really bad. On weekends it can sometimes get ridiculous. So, bring a little patience with you when you stop by.

The Virginia-Highland neighborhood (or VaHi as it is sometimes called) is a microcosm of some of Atlanta’s best qualities. Centered at the intersection of Virginia and Highland Aves, the area features many boutique shopping options and unique eateries. A number of Atlanta’s most popular summertime festivals take place in this clean, diverse metropolitan neighborhood.

Besides being a shopping and eating destination for in-town residents, Virginia-Highland is also a popular residential neighborhood, located within the school districts of Springdale Park Elementary, Inman Middle School and Henry W. Grady High School. Surrounded by Midtown, Poncey-Highland, Druid Hills and Morningside, the area also takes a little flavor from each of these neighborhoods, by essentially being a smaller, hipper version of Midtown mixed with the family-friendly qualities of Morningside.

Don’t forget, however, that this is still an urban neighborhood. Several violent incidents taking place in VaHi have recently made the news, including a murder and a sexual assault. These shouldn’t deter visitors and potential homeowners from checking out the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, but it serves as a warning to always be aware of your surroundings.

Younger folks appreciate the VaHi for its nightlife – with popular bars such as Dark Horse and Limerick, or Hand in Hand for those who appreciate crowds but can’t quite deal with Buckhead or Midtown clubs. For this reason, bars in the neighborhood tend to have a casual, dressed-down feel more suited to people who aren’t looking to dress to the nines and pop the Cristal, but instead prefer jeans, a hoodie and a beer with some buddies. VaHi appeals to almost every Atlanta demographic and is good for a night out or a shopping day well spent.

Cheers!

Virginia Highland is a great neighborhood in Atlanta. Its streets are lined with trees and filled with cute cottages and great stores, bars and restaurants – what’s not to like! This area of Atlanta is known for its great ethnic restaurants and trendy bars, and it should be, they are great, but I think that the shopping is better. This neighborhood has the greatest and most diversified list of stores, including some great antique stores and book shops. It’s also easy to lose an afternoon people watching at one of the sidewalk cafes or checking out one of the many interesting art galleries.