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Updated September 2020.
Virginia-Highland—or VaHi, for the connaisseurs—is an affluent urban community in Atlanta, Georgia, with a variety of bars, unique dining, boutique shops, dog parks, and coffee shops, inviting all the people in search of good times. It is home to many young professionals who often move to the area while still attending university.
The Virginia-Highland neighborhood is delimited by Amsterdam Avenue and the Morningside community to the north. To the east of the area is the Atlanta city limit and the Druid Hills community, while the southern limit of the neighborhood is Ponce de Leon Avenue. The neighborhood of Poncey-Highland stands behind the limit of the avenue, further south, and to the west by the Beltline Eastside Trail, you’ll find Piedmont Park and Midtown, Atlanta.
Lifestyle
This is a very upscale, laid-back neighborhood, where dining at a local dive with friends and family for any time of the day is the norm. It’s also the place where you can relax and really enjoy the outdoors, and spend quality time with your pets.
What to Do
Enjoy some fresh air, strolling through the recently renovated Orme Park; bring a friend or your favorite book and relax, doze off on swing benches or go turtle sighting by the creek. Orme Park has no shortage of activities for all age groups, in its 6.6-acre surface, and the scenery is sure to set the mood and provide outstanding stress relief.
Since this area is a walkable community with many young families, there are plenty of other parks to be explored, such as the 20-acre Virginia Highland Park, a green haven enclosed by suburban surroundings, where everyone, from the sportiest gym rat to the laziest of couch potatoes can find something to do. Have fun with your pets, play frisbee, get the blood pumping on the various sports fields, or lounge around on your blanket – autumn provides quite a spectacle in Virginia Highland Park, so make sure to catch some of the October sun visiting it.
Are you a blooming virtuoso or a novice eager to play an instrument? Look no further than the Highland Music Studio, where both you and your young ones can sharpen your skills and even gain new ones. Pass the time as a family at their Music Together classes or follow your dreams of becoming a world-class musician by taking their adult classes. They offer lessons in piano, guitar, violin, ukulele, and even canto, for those looking to find their voice.
Where to Eat & Drink
Brunch is a big deal in this neighborhood, so be sure to arrive early if you want to get some of the delicious biscuits served at Callie’s Charleston Biscuits. They cater to all tastes, so you are sure to find everything from the sweetest of treats to some deliciously satiating entrees. Your taste buds won’t be disappointed.
If you skip breakfast, don’t worry; Neighbor’s Pub not only serves great late-night meals, but they also have an all-day breakfast menu and, if you’re a fan of a tasty burger that also happens to be affordable, then a treat is what you’re in for. It gets even better: you can bring your dog! Neighbor’s has a pet-friendly patio where owners can cool off and enjoy a drink with their furry friends.
Residents enjoy dining out in this trendy area, which is why you’ll find lunch specials at popular spots like Atkins Park, one of the area’s oldest restaurants and a local legend, standing since the early 80s. With a come-up story not many can boast about, Atkins Park is a deli turned smart-casual restaurant that offers an upscale fine dining experience you should not miss out on.
Where to Take Your Pets
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Rhea, one of our groomers, doing some final touches! #piedmontbark #grooming #doghaircut
Being the pet-friendly neighborhood that it is, VaHi has the right place for dog owners to pamper their pets. The professional pet groomers of Piedmont Bark promise no less than the very best for your four-legged family members. From professional grooming and washing to daycare and even dog birthday parties, they take care of everything for you.
Moving to Virginia-Highland
Re-gentrification—which began during the 1980s—has continued until now and has brought with it a variety of apartment complexes, new shops, galleries, specialty shopping, and new walking and biking trails along the Beltline Eastside Trail, which ultimately brought back an affluent clientele to the community. It continues to grow and thrive today, which is why it has become a popular destination for many moving to Atlanta.
Real Estate Snapshot
The area’s architectural style includes older Craftsman bungalows and English Cottage style buildings, and yet the new constructions are seamlessly blending in with the old ones.
The median home value in this community is approximately $554k, while the average rent price is $1,801. A majority of 56% of the residents in the area own their homes, but the distribution is rather balanced. Considering all the area has to offer and its proximity to major business and leisure hotspots, it’s easy to see why VaHi is the favorite neighborhood of many locals. If you choose to call it home, you’ll see just how inviting it is.
Schools & Employment
There is one primary school and one secondary school in Virginia-Highland. Inman Middle School is one of the highly rated schools in the area. There are 1,091 students attending, in grades 6 to 8. Test scores reveal that 69% of the school’s students are at least proficient in math, and 67% of them are proficient in Reading. The public schools that are located here are part of the Atlanta Public School system.
Major media outlets—such as Turner Broadcasting and CNN—are situated in downtown Atlanta, which is why many who work there also live in this part of the city. Cox Enterprises is also another large media enterprise headquartered in Atlanta, with many of its employees living in the Virginia-Highland area.
Transportation
The Virginia-Highland community is served by several MARTA bus routes and rail lines, which include 2 on Ponce de Leon that goes to the North Avenue rail station, Inman Park or Candler/Park Edgewood MARTA stations. The neighborhood is only a 22-minute drive to Virginia-Highland from the Atlanta-Hartsfield Jackson Airport.
VaHi is certainly one of the most desirable communities in Atlanta, which is why there doesn’t appear to be a shortage of housing options here. Find out what you can afford for your money by reviewing helpful rental information on RentCafe. If you’re looking for a community with plenty to see and do, you certainly wouldn’t go wrong by choosing this in-town neighborhood.
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Daniel is a marketing content developer with an acquired taste for real estate and a keen interest in writing. Currently majoring in multilingual communication and translation, he is passionate about deepening his mastery of different languages. While out of the office, Daniel enjoys being social, improving his friends' photography skills by having them take his picture and staying active.
If you want to contact Daniel, you can reach him via e-mail at daniel.ilies@yardi.com
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