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Atlanta Travel Guide
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| Atlanta |
First-time
visitors may envision Atlanta
as having a serene antebellum ambience, with dogwood-framed
mansions inhabited by ladies in lace dresses who serve mint
juleps to slow-talking southern gentlemen. On the contrary,
Georgia's capital, fondly known as "HOTlanta" to
locals, is now a bustling, world-class city, with a skyline
full of impressive architectural designs that complement rolling
hills and abundant foliage. Atlanta is consistently ranked
as one of the best places to do business in the U.S., and
more than 750 of Fortune's Top 1,000 businesses have offices
there.
A fast-paced, ready-for-the-future attitude is evident in
its booming convention business, pulsing nightlife, showplace
museums, sophisticated fine-arts facilities and painstakingly
restored historical landmarks.
Atlantans are fiercely proud of their city.
They bubble over with enthusiasm for Braves baseball, Hawks
basketball, Thrashers hockey and Falcons football. The city
has hosted two Super Bowls. News of Atlanta's special formula
for friendliness combined with pride emerged during the
1996 Olympics, when the city opened its doors and made the
world feel welcome.
Downtown Atlanta has several hubs of activity:
the World Congress Convention Center; CNN Center, home of
Ted Turner's 24-hour Cable News Network; and Peachtree Center,
a combination of grand hotels, upscale retail and modern
businesses. Cultural events include a myriad of outdoor
fairs, festivals and concerts.
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| Atlanta
Travels & Tours |
Underground Atlanta
This vast collection of shopping, dining and entertainment
outlets (100+) is located in the heart of downtown's business
district. Covering six city blocks, the underground mall
is anchored by the World of Coca Cola Museum, which sits
behind a 138-foot light tower at the entrance. Many specialty
retailers and restaurant chains are represented between
Upper Alabama and Central Avenue, while the rustic-themed
Lower Alabama street market is home to smaller stores, quaint
eateries and several nightlife options. Business hours may
vary.
World of Coca Cola
Atlanta's most famous invention is also the world's most
popular soft drink, and nowhere is this more clear than
at this unique downtown museum. As centerpiece of Underground
Atlanta, the museum draws many visitors, and features an
exhaustive look at the history, manufacture, and distribution
of Coca-Cola. Perhaps the most popular phase of the tour
is the final stop, where guests are invited to sample vast
and various recipes of Coke as it is marketed throughout
the world.
Zoo Atlanta
Just minutes from downtown Atlanta in historic Grant Park,
this exciting zoo features the Southeast's most impressive
collection of wildlife from around the globe. Legend says
that the zoo got its start when the owners of a traveling
animal show went bankrupt and suddenly fled town. Today,
popular exhibits include daily elephant demonstrations,
orangutan feedings, and the recently-acquired Chinese pandas.
Georgia's Stone Mountain State Park
Just east of Atlanta, this 3,200-acre park centers on the
world's largest exposed granite mountain. Skylift gondolas
whisk visitors 825 feet to the top, where commanding views
of the Georgia countryside await them. The north face's
90-by-100-foot bas-relief memorial to Jefferson Davis, Robert
E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson is the world's largest. An
antebellum plantation, a riverboat, an antique auto museum
and a petting zoo are all located within the park, as are
camping, dining and lodging accommodations. During the summer,
there are evening laser light shows on the mountain.
Piedmont Park
The most expansive and popular of Atlanta's city parks was
originally laid out for the Cotton States and International
Exposition of 1895, and it now attracts more than 2 million
visitors annually. Dog owners, sun seekers and sports enthusiasts
flock to the park to enjoy the fair weather, largely unaware
that this was the spot of the Battle of Peachtree Creek
during the Civil War. The 189-acre facility is home to the
Atlanta Botanical Gardens and scenic Lake Clara Meer, and
plays host to many of Atlanta's favorite concerts and festivals.
Centennial Olympic Park
This park, created for the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta,
has 21 acres of green space, rock gardens and artwork. The
nearly 500,000 commemorative bricks that make up its main
walkway were part of fundraising efforts for the Games.
During scorching Atlanta summers, children frolic in the
ground-level Olympic Rings, which periodically shoot streaming
arcs of water in time to the seven light and music concerts
put on throughout the day. Flags honoring the nations that
have played host to the Olympics in the past surround the
fountain.
Atlanta Braves
Constructed for the 1996 Olympics, Turner Field has since
served as the home of the Atlanta Braves, one of Major League
Baseball's most successful franchises. Tickets for games
are available in a wide range of prices depending upon seating
(USD12-USD45). The Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall
of Fame is also open during the off-season, a 4,000 square
foot shrine featuring more than 200 artifacts from the Braves'
history, including the 1995 World Series trophy.
Château Élan
Chateau Elan is more an experience than a hotel. Located
in the rolling countryside about 40 minutes north of Atlanta,
the grounds feature a golf course, an equestrian center,
conference facilities, a full-service spa and an operating
winery. Fashioned after the chateaux of the Loire Valley,
the dramatic inn features an indoor garden atrium, a charming
French restaurant and guest accommodations that range from
relatively standard hotel rooms to lavish, distinctively
decorated bed-and-breakfast suites. Special packages are
available throughout the year for romantic getaways and
spa treatments.
Varsity (The)
This local legend is billed as the world's largest drive-in
and has been a staple on the Atlanta dining scene since
1928. Countless burgers, fries, shakes and more than two
miles of hot dogs are served here every day, along with
more Coca-Cola than anywhere else in the world. Dine in
your car, seat yourself in one of the many cafeteria-style
rooms, or simply order your greasy lunch at the 150-foot-long
stainless-steel counter and go. The white-tiled diner theme
is a welcome throwback to days when drive-ins ruled the
fast food scene.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Founded in 1976, this 15-acre expanse of natural wonder
is located adjacent to Piedmont Park. A hardwood forest
intertwined with walking trails surrounds the Fuqua Conservatory,
which houses a Japanese garden, rock garden, and displays
of flora from all over the globe. In addition to the Southeast's
most comprehensive showing of indigenous plants, the conservatory
maintains an amazing collection of carnivorous specimens
and roses. Moonlight garden walks and seasonal shows are
also sponsored.
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| Nature
and Adventure |
| Atlanta's
climate yields many varieties of plants and flowers, which
may be a nuisance to hay-fever or asthma sufferers. Currently,
Atlanta is also experiencing record-high levels of air pollution,
which causes many residents respiratory distress, especially
in the summer. If you suffer in these conditions, avoid
going outdoors during late afternoon and early evening.
Local news broadcasts track the air-pollution levels.
The city's public transportation system, which includes
buses and high-speed trains, is excellent, but stops are
not located near all attractions. Allow plenty of time to
get between destinations.
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