J.B.
Sandy Springs is a nice area, but Roswell is even nicer! Yes, Atlanta traffic is terrible, but Roswell and Sandy Springs are not far apart, and there are several alternate routes. Both areas (especially Roswell) are very kid-friendly. Look at Dunwoody as well -next door to Sandy Springs, EXTREMELY child-friendly and full of families.
You should be able to rent a nice townhome in that area for a great price these days! Atlanta has a glut of condos and townhomes, and people are getting amazing rent prices. If I were you, I would telephone a ReMax or other reputable real estate agency and ask them if they handle any rental properties in those areas or if they know a good agency that does. Tell them you're relocating, have a small child, looking at family oriented areas, etc.
Weather -compared to MN, you'll think you've moved to Hawaii during the winter here! I have several friends from Minnesota down here, and they frequently camp all through January. It DOES get cold, but in the 20s and 30s -not the teens and below zero (only on rare occasions -maybe a few times a winter we have lows in the teens). We don't have snow, and when we DO -everything closes and it only lasts for a day to a week at the very most! We had a nightmare last January for a week -snow and ice -that shut everything down, but that's unusual. One thing -we are not prepared for snow and ice, so the roads are horrible when it happens. We usually get more ice storms than snow storms.
Yes, you will swelter in the summer. I'm a native, and it's still hot as hell here! We spend a lot of time in the 90s, and I think what gets people is that it only cools down to the 70s or even 80s at night. And it's VERY humid! We have high humidity all year long, so our winters are also very damp, and some people from the West say it's colder here because even without a bunch of snow, it seeps into you. So, compared to MN -you'll have mild winters but harsh summers.
You will most likely NOT need all of your winter clothing. It's comfortable here most of the time in a long sleeved t-shirt and a fleece. One good coat is a good idea, some type of windbreaker and a trench or raincoat is good. Sweaters are very comfortable, but you don't have to bundle up too much. I would recommend that you bring them and then decide. Don't donate them and then wish you had several things.
In Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Roswell you will find plenty of libraries and parks/playgrounds. In Dunwoody the Liane Levitan playground and park is great!
Highways to be familiar with and roads to orient yourself when looking at places to live:
285 -AKA "The Perimeter" -a ring around the city. You will hear "ITP" and "OTP" meaning inside the perimeter and outside the perimeter. The areas you're looking at are outside the perimeter -but Sandy Springs and Dunwoody are JUST outside of it. In relation to Dunwoody you'll hear of Perimeter Mall -a very nice mall and surrounding shopping area. You'll also hear "Chamblee Dunwoody area" -and there's a large road called Chamblee Dunwoody. I don't think the Chamblee part is really where you want to be.
GA 400 or just "400" - splits off of I-85 North and runs up into the N. GA mountains. Roswell and Alpharetta (north of Roswell) as well as Lake Lanier -further north. It's a toll road and runs across 285 on the north end and right by Sandy Springs/Dunwoody and Roswell.
75 North is the corridor into Cobb County and Marietta. When 75 and 85 merge through the city, it's called "The Connector." They then split again south of the city before the airport.
Buford Highway -amazingly long road that has an incredible variety of ethnic groups and their restaurants and specialties! Fabulous Asian and Mexican/Latin American places there.
Peachtree Street runs right through Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown. When it heads out of Buckhead into Brookhaven, it becomes Peachtree Road. Brookhaven has become a great area over the last few years too. Buckhead is often thought of as the "rich" or "wealthy" area, and there is plenty of wealth there and very ritzy homes. There are lots elsewhere in Atlanta too. Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza are across the street from each other in Buckhead and are the premier shopping malls in Atlanta -especially for higher end stores.
Decatur is a lovely little enclave next door to Atlanta and intown -inside the perimeter. Great schools, shops, restaurants, bars and VERY child friendly.
Intown Atlanta is great with many wonderful neighborhoods and lots of different experiences to offer. An enormous influx of young couples and families have moved into the city over the last 20 years. It's where we live. The key to enjoying intown is knowing exactly where and where not to go. Feel free to PM M. about that or anything else! I've lived here all of my life and in many different parts of the metro area. I know the city very well and now I know it from the perspective of having small children here.
If you wind up moving down here -welcome! It will be different for you for sure, but Georgia is a beautiful state with tons of things to do all within a few hours drive -mountains, beach/ocean, great rivers, huge lakes, nice hiking, the Okefenokee Swamp, and then we're only 5-8 hours from most but the very southern Florida beaches and attractions!
