Many people have heard of Emory University (i.e., the “Harvard of the South”) but what most people don’t know is that Emory is located in the exceptional neighborhood of Druid Hills. In addition, the Center for Disease Control and Emory University Hospital also reside in this large, affluent neighborhood.
Druid Hills is one of the largest “suburbs” of the city. Home styles in Druid Hills include Georgian, Tudor, Jacobean, and Italian Renaissance, to highlight a few of the more popular designs. Fun fact – in filming Driving Miss Daisy, Druid Hills served as the location for Miss Daisy’s mansion. Very Cool.
While visiting Druid Hills, you must not miss out on driving south along Clifton Rd. It’s one of the most stunning drives that you can take in the city. The curvy tree-lined street is sandwiched between the Fernbank Forest on the east and the Druid Hills Golf Club on the West. Sprinkle in some estate homes and historic mansions, and you’ve got yourself the perfect drive.
Still not satisfied? Take a drive down Ponce de Leon going east and you will see exactly why I adore this city. You see, in the early 1900s when the Olmstead brothers planned this neighborhood, they wanted to create a major avenue that was surrounded by parks on either side with mansions located on the outermost fringes of the parks. Introduce Ponce de Leon Ave (or Poncey, for short) and Olmstead Linear Park. The SIX! linear parks running alongside the street are lush in flowers, foliage, and ancient trees; park benches are picturesquely placed, with walking trails winding through all of the parks. Simply put, there is nothing else like this street – it reminds me of something out of the movie, Notting Hill. One of the six park’s, Deepdene Park, is unbelievable. At 22 acres, it’s the largest of the parks. Densely wooded, several trails run through the park, as well a natural stream. It’s like hiking in the city!
Druid Hills is a beloved area. It offers excellent public schools and universities, many opportunities for work in the healthcare profession, easy access to transportation (especially because of the student population), a plethora of options for shopping and dining (see Emory Village and Emory Point for starters), and outstanding real estate. What’s not to love?!
