About Athens, GA

Athens is an amazing city with so much to offer you during your residency. It is a city bustling with life, from its downtown energy to the rural farmlands. Whether you are looking for a busy downtown scene, outdoor activities in nature, or an abundance of sports events, Athens is a place you will love to call home.
 

Athens is a vibrant college town, home to the University of Georgia, America’s first state-chartered university and the birthplace of the American public higher education system. At the heart of Athens is a downtown packed with live music venues, bars, restaurants and eclectic shops.

Live music has been a staple in the Athens social scene since the late 70s. The Athens music sound has exploded and given rise to countless famous bands, such as R.E.M., The B-52’s, Drive-By Truckers and Widespread Panic, who have all gone on to achieve international acclaim. Live music is always thriving in Athens, with regular performances at venues throughout the city, such as the Georgia Theatre, The Foundry, The Classic Center and the 40 Watt Club.

If live music isn’t your idea of a good time on a Friday night, fear not, Athens is also home to an eclectic array of casual and fine-dining restaurants. A food scene truly created with "a little something for everyone" in mind. Available cuisines range from traditional Soul Food to Nuevo Southern and branch out into an exciting range of food from around the globe; Thai, Indian, Korean, Latin American and Mediterranean are only a few of the cultural foods available throughout the Classic City. For the fans of craft beer, Athens has an abundance of it. Breweries such as Terrapin Beer Co., Creature Comforts, Southern Brewing, Akademia and Athentic Brewing offer a wide range of craft beers to choose from and outdoor space to hang out with friends.

Many areas in Athens provide a venue to walk, run, bike, skate, picnic, kayak, fish and hike. The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Sandy Creek Park, Oconee Rivers Greenway, Bishop Park and UGA Intramural Trails are just a few of the places you can go in Athens to get fresh air. Beyond the city limits, there are many hiking trails within an hour's drive that provide beautiful scenes of the Georgia Blue Ridge mountains.

Athens, GA, will satisfy you with its rich history, endless restaurants and bars, variety of outdoor activities, museums, passionate sports scene and more. If you choose the Piedmont Athens Regional for your residency, you can be sure that your life outside of the hospital will be filled with rich experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.

Many words can be used to describe the Classic City –Athens: vibrant, picturesque and most importantly, unique. Yes, it’s a small college town, but it is full of life. Small in terms of not having to drive long distances to get to your destination, which I believe is essential during residency when all you want in the morning is to sleep for a few more minutes and in the evening to get home as soon as possible. Ever since I came here, there have always been fun activities during the week and definitely over the weekends, including live music and one-of-a-kind local eats that you can never get enough of. Also, for those interested in art and culture like me, Athens can fulfill this interest with its beautiful Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia. And whenever you miss the big city, then Atlanta is only an hour and 15 minutes away, an easy and smooth drive.” 

- Huda Al-Bahadili, MD,  Graduate

Athens Accolades

• "United States of Pride," USA Today, June 2024

• "Best Places To Retire In 2024: Las Cruces And Other Unexpected Hot Spots," Forbes, May 10, 2024

• Nowhere Bar was named one of "The South's Most Legendary Dive Bars," Southern Living, March 16, 2024

• "The South's Best Cities 2024," Southern Living, March 6, 2024 

• Pete Amadhanirundr of Puma Yu's is a semifinalist for the James Beard Awards 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards. He has been nominated under Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV).

• "30 Cheap, Beautiful Places to Retire in U.S. With Just $500,000 in Savings," GoBankingRates.com, January 18, 2024, Athens is Ranked #1

• "Best Places to Eat and Drink in Athens," Christiane Lauterbach, Atlanta Magazine, December 2023

• "8 Small Town Getaways In Georgia Perfect For Families," WorldAtlas, October 2023

• "The Three Best College Towns for Golf Trips," PGA of America, October 27, 2023

• "9 Best Places to Live in Georgia, According to Local Realtors" (Athens ranks #3), Travel + Leisure, October 24, 2023

• "5 Places to Retire that are Just Like Florida but Way Cheaper" (Athens ranks #1), Yahoo! Finance, October 15, 2023

• "Best College Towns in America" (Athens ranks #2), Yahoo! Finance, October 4, 2023

• "Best College Towns in America" (Athens ranks #5), BestColleges, September 25, 2023

• "Explore These 10 Most Beautiful Towns In Georgia During The Fall," The Travel, August 27, 2023

• "This American city ranks as having the best weather" (Athens is #23), Baltimore Sun, August 21, 2023

• "America's Hidden Gems of Live Music" (Athens is #7), CheapoTicketing, August 4, 2023 

• "Most Charming Cities in Georgia" (Athens is ranked #2), WorldAtlas.com, June 16, 2023

• "Best Places To Retire In 2023: Pittsburgh And Other Affordable Hot Spots," Forbes, May 12, 2023

• "Georgia’s Two ‘Five Points’ Present A Stark Contrast In Style," Forbes, April 16, 2023
  "Five Points is a 1920s-era neighborhood that offers the perfect blend of traditional charm and retro flare.?" 

• “Best Cheap Vacations in the U.S.," U.S. News, April 2023

• "Best Places to Travel in 2023," Forbes Advisor, January 2023 
  "There’s so much more to this college town than just football." 

• "10 US College Towns Worth Visiting Even If You Don’t Have a Kid There," InsideHook, January 26, 2023