Little Five Points, or L5P, is widely considered the coolest neighborhood in the entire city – and is our pick for the coolest in America too. That’s largely down to its colorful, charmingly ramshackle storefronts, with rows of shops selling vintage gear, vinyl, and quirky gifts.

But it also has that certain something – a free spirit, creativity, a sense of community – that marks certain districts out above others. It’s especially lively in the evening, with dive bars, burger joints, Ethiopian restaurants, and live music at venues like the Variety Playhouse, a converted 1940s cinema.

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