Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the best locations for business trips in the United States. However, as with anything, a successful business trip depends on a lot more than just booking flights and confirming meetings. Travel between appointments, hotel location, and workspace all influence how much you can get done during your stay. Spending a little extra time planning out those details before you travel can make your diary much easier to manage once you arrive in Atlanta. So, to help you out, here are some tips for planning a business trip to Atlanta:
Decide how you will travel around the city
Atlanta is a big place, so it’s a very good idea to check out and sort your transport options before you get on the plane. If your meetings are spread out across the city, we recommend looking into Atlanta airport rental cars rather than relying on public transport. While Atlanta public transit isn’t terrible, it also isn’t the most reliable. Having your own rental car will give you freedom and peace of mind.
If most of your appointments are close to central Atlanta, MARTA trains and buses can probably cover much of your journey without the cost of hiring a car. If you need to get further afield for the odd meal or catch-up, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are popular throughout the city.
Choose your hotel carefully
If you can, book your hotel as close as possible to the places where you expect to spend most of your time. Saving just twenty minutes on each journey will quickly add up over several days.
Downtown Atlanta is good for many conferences and corporate events, while Midtown has plenty of restaurants, offices, and hotels within walking distance. Buckhead is a decent choice if you have meetings in the northern part of the city.
Remember to compare parking charges as well as room rates if you’re bringing or renting a car. Atlanta parking is generally pretty reasonably priced, but central locations do sometimes charge more.
Build realistic gaps between meetings
Atlanta traffic can change dramatically during the morning and evening rush hours. Check journey times before confirming appointments instead of assuming every meeting can fit neatly into the diary.
If you can, build plenty of buffer time into your schedule. Adding extra travel time leaves room for delays without forcing you to apologize for arriving late. And, if you end up with too much time on your hands, fill it with something fun, like going to see a show or taking yourself for a nice meal. Calendar apps like Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook also make it easier to keep track of addresses, meeting times, and reminders.
Find somewhere to work between appointments
A hotel room is not always the best place to answer emails or prepare for your next meeting. Luckily, Atlanta has plenty of good coworking spaces where you can book a desk for a day or even a few hours. Companies like Industrious and Regus have locations across the city, which can be very useful if you need reliable internet access and a quieter working environment.
Coffee shops can also be a good choice for shorter tasks, although they are less suitable if you need privacy for online meetings or confidential phone calls.
Leave time for professional networking
Check the local business calendar before you travel. Industry events, exhibitions, and networking evenings may coincide with your visit, which gives you the chance to meet potential clients or contacts outside your scheduled meetings. If your diary already looks busy, try to fit in just one networking event. Even a single networking session can introduce you to people you would not otherwise meet during a standard business trip.
See something beyond the meeting room
If your schedule leaves you with a free afternoon or evening, spend a little time outside the business district. You could visit the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, or one of Atlanta’s museums before heading back to your hotel.
If you are staying close to Midtown or Downtown, you can also walk to restaurants, bars, and public spaces after work without spending extra time in traffic.
Check everything the day before you leave
Confirm your flights, hotel reservation, meeting times, and transport arrangements before traveling. Charge your laptop and phone, pack the correct chargers, and keep important documents somewhere easy to reach.
Those final checks take only a few minutes and reduce the chance of dealing with avoidable problems once your trip begins.
With the right preparations and a bit of advance research, you can have a great, productive, and stress-free business trip to Atlanta. Good luck!
