Atlanta - Great to Meet the Travelling Faithful

At the start of the season, I published on blog on possible places for UK fans to visit and I took my own advice and I decided to go to Atlanta and share the experience of witnessing a regular season game in the United States away from Levi's.

Let's start with the Basics -

Travel to the USA, is very easy from the UK, I found flights and my accommodation through British Airways. My hotel, Regency Hyatt Atlanta #HyattRegencyAtlanta was lovely, close to all the main hotspots in the city, everything was in walking distance and the staff were exceptional.

Experiencing the Food 

One of the benefits of the US, is that each state has its own cuisine, culture and vibe. I must say, Atlanta stood out, the food was amazing, be that breakfast, lunch or grabbing a meal in the evening. 

What was great, everywhere I went, I bumped into travelling 49ers fans, the fans took over. For example, I visited the Atlanta Breakfast Club - Restaurant in GA (atlbreakfastclub.com), #_Atlantabreakfastclub. The restaurant was packed with fans and the staff were excellent and I had their famous Chicken Waffle and well it was great, but I could not finish it!

The Fan Experience

For a travelling fan, getting to meet new people and fans is truly amazing, a big thank you goes to John Chapman @JL_Chapman and Wayne Breezie @WayneBreezie and they hosted two great events on the Saturday and Sunday as part of the 49ers Rush Road Trip. If any fans are looking to go to a game, I would recommend connecting with John and his team, very welcoming and its a great way to meet fellow 49ers fans from across the US.

Things Outside the 49ers 

Whilst I was in town, there was set of Premier League games being played both on the Saturday and Sunday, being a Spurs Fan, I decided to do some research and found the Spurs Atlanta Club, who every Spurs game host an event at a local bar, at Manny's Grant Park. Again, this was a great way to spend the afternoon and connected with a new bunch of fans from across the Pond.

In addition, I took the time to explore Atlanta, at like most US cities there is plenty to do, it my short stay, I visited the World of Coca Cola, CNN and walked around the Olympic Park, but there was so much that you can do if you have the time.

The Stadium Experience

The NFL is going through a real renaissance when it comes to stadium design, fan experiences and it seems that every City wants to make a mark and their NFL Stadium is definitely a symbol of pride to the local fans. The Mercedes Benz Stadium is truly amazing, firstly, the stadium is located in the city, and I do think this is something that adds to atmosphere and the surroundings. The stadium was easy to get to and when inside you can only be impressed with the facilities, how helpful the staff were and although the 49ers lost, the actual day and watching a game at the Mercedes Benz arena was excellent.