Atlanta Hotels

I find that Atlanta is a lively, thriving city, the capital of Georgia, and a center of commerce and the arts. Many fortune 500 companies have corporate or regional headquarters in Atlanta, and young professionals are moving there in ever increasing numbers.

Many visitors come to Atlanta looking for the Old South stereotypes: white columned mansions surrounded by magnolias and owned by languidly moving, elegantly dressed ladies wearing white gloves and hoop skirts, and speaking in a southern drawl.. What they find is much more cosmopolitan and a lot more interesting, though it is still possible to relax with a glass of lemonade under a peach tree. Atlanta has spent the last 135 years building what has been described as the Capital of the New South and the Next Great International City.

Consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the world in which to do business, Atlanta is headquarters for hundreds of corporations, including Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Holiday Inn, Georgia-Pacific, Home Depot, and BellSouth and Cox Communications. A major convention city and a crossroads where three interstate highways converge, it's home to the country's second busiest airport and is the shopping capital of the Southeast. Although the city limits are only 131 square miles, the metro area is vast and sprawling. With 3.5 million in population and still counting, there seems to be no limit to its growth.

Atlanta is the city of Martin Luther King, Jr., father of one of the country's most important social revolutions, and of Ted Turner, who brought the world a revolution of another sort. The dramatic downtown skyline, with its gleaming skyscrapers, is testimony to Atlanta's inability to sit still, even for a minute. And its role as host for the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996 (it had already hosted Super Bowl XXVIII in 1994 and the Democratic National Convention in 1988) finally convinced the rest of the world that Atlanta is a force to be reckoned with as well as a great place to visit.

There are major art, science, nature, and archaeology museums, a vibrant theater community, an outstanding symphony, a well-regarded ballet company, opera, blues, jazz, Broadway musicals, a presidential library, Confederate and African-American heritage sites, and dozens of art galleries.

Add to that entertainment attractions such as Georgia's Stone Mountain Park, a regional theme park, a botanical garden, and major league sports teams and you have the ingredients for a family friendly city. The culinary spectrum ranges from grits and biscuits to caviar and sushi. Fried chicken and barbecue are available, but Atlanta also serves up Thai, Ethiopian, and Russian cuisine.

MARTA rapid-transit trains began running in 1979, and today most of Atlanta: city center and vast suburbs, is accessible by bus or subway.

In 1980, a revitalized black neighborhood called Sweet Auburn became a National Historic District, its 10 blocks of notable sites including Martin Luther King, Jr.'s boyhood home, the church where he preached, a museum, and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change. It is probably the major black history attraction in the country, and in the last several years, has undergone a major revitalization and restoration.

The 1960's saw the beginning of downtown development with the rise of the million-square-foot Merchandise Mart, designed by an innovative young Atlanta architect named John Portman. It became the nucleus for the nationally renowned Peachtree Center complex. Portman's futuristic design for the downtown Hyatt Regency in 1967 introduced a towering atrium-lobby concept that at the time was considered to be quite revolutionary. Today, Peachtree Center, a 14-city-block "pedestrian village," contains three Portman designed mega hotels as well as the Atlanta Market Center, 200,000 square feet of retail space, many restaurants, and six massive office towers. Its various elements are connected by covered walkways and bridges.

Media mogul Ted Turner inaugurated CNN in Atlanta in 1980, following with Superstation TBS, Headline News, and TNT. The High Museum of Art opened its doors in 1983. In 1989, Underground Atlanta, a retail/restaurant/entertainment complex with a historical theme, came into being.

The city prepared for the 1996 Olympic Games with new parks, hotels, and sports venues. In the center of downtown is Woodruff Park, which recently underwent a $5 million renovation. The Olympic Village, erected just north of the central business district, now provides housing for Georgia State University students. South of the Olympic Village and stretching to CNN Center is the 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park: a major gathering place during the Olympics, with its dramatic Olympic Ring fountain, lawns, and gardens. Reopened in 1998, it regularly hosts concerts, street festivals and other cultural events and anchors the city's efforts to revitalize commercial and residential development in a once neglected corner of downtown. The Olympic Stadium, the site of the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the track and field events, has been reincarnated as Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

Atlanta's arts community has deep roots. The Atlanta Ballet is the oldest Ballet Company in America. Visitors come to Atlanta for a taste of the South and find they have discovered an international flavor. Atlanta's position as the cultural capital of the South affords patrons an array of options. The presence of both traditional and experimental arts organizations means that neither the classics nor avant-garde works are neglected. A typical year's offerings include traditional Shakespeare, symphony and grand opera as well as child and adult-oriented puppet theater, post-modern psychological drama and alternative productions of well-known works.

There are a wide selection of offerings in the visual arts too. Besides the architecturally renowned High Museum of Art, Emory University's Michael C. Carlos Museum and The High Museum of Art Folk Art and Photography Galleries, the city has many private and public galleries that sponsor a variety of artists and styles. Traditional, primitive and modern painting, sculpture, studio crafts, drawing, and photography are part of the wealth of artistic offerings on view at any given time.

Atlanta enjoys four definite seasons. Warm summers and mild winters allow nearly year round golfing, fishing and outdoor living. The Stone Mountain nightly laser show and the park's many recreational opportunities keep millions of visitors coming back. Nightlife is hopping at Buckhead where young sophisticates gather for dancing to great music until 4:00AM. Families keep a lively pace visiting the bounty of fun -filled and educational offerings from the Atlanta zoo to Cyclorama and SciTrek. There is no limit that can be placed on the possibilities of an Atlanta vacation!

Things to Do

Atlanta History Center
130 W Paces Ferry Rd
Atlanta, Georgia 30305-1380
404-814-4000
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00am to 5:30 pm, Sun 12:00pm to 5:30 pm
Admission charged.
A contemporary atmosphere marks this historical center, which holds the largest, most comprehensive Civil War exhibits in the South, and touches on aspects of Southern and Atlanta history, including the civil-rights struggle. Two historic homes on the 23-acre grounds of the center are open for touring: an authentic 1840s-working farm (The Tullie Smith House), and a 1928 grand Italianate mansion (The Swan House)

Atlanta Botanical Garden
1345 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30309-3366
404-876-5859
Hours: Tue-Sun 9:00am to 6:00pm
Admission charged. Free on Thursdays
The Garden features several distinct exhibit areas. The Fuqua Conservatory is a giant greenhouse enclosing different climate-controlled ecosystems. The steamy Tropical Rotunda features colossal-leaved plant life and towering rubber trees. Visitors feel like they are in a real rainforest. Outdoors, there are numerous paths to guide guests through planned nature walks. The influence of Japanese architecture is evident throughout, and quiet spots to sit and absorb the beauty of the landscape are abundant. Children are special guests at the Botanical Gardens. An interactive "kid's space" is scheduled to be completed in 1999.

Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Park is clean and well-maintained space, featuring a decorative mosaic of grass-green patches and various geometric shapes composed in red brick. The Quilt of Remembrance, a memorial to those killed by the bomb planted here during the 1996 Olympics, is the most notable of the park's many artistic adornments. Every day at noon sharp jets of water suddenly burst from the six rings of an Olympic logo in a beautiful water display that includes programmed music.

Center for Puppetry Arts
1404 Spring Street
Atlanta, GA 30309-2820
404-873-3391
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm
Admission charged.
Located in a former elementary school, the 22-year-old center prides itself on being the largest organization in the U.S. devoted to puppetry. The center offers puppetry classes, daily performances by center puppeteers and various companies, along with a great interactive museum that includes figures like the Muppets.

CNN Center
1 CNN Center
Atlanta, GA 30303-2762
404-827-2491
Hours: Daily
The global headquarters of the CNN News Group and Turner Broadcasting and also an entertainment-shopping-dining-hotel extravaganza. The crown jewel of the Center is the CNN Studios tour, a must-see for an impressive behind-the-scenes look at global news in the making.

Fabulous Fox Theatre
660 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308-1929
404-881-2100
Box office opens all day on day of show
This beautiful 1920s structure was built as an Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque and features Moorish designs inside and out, including onion domes, minarets, and arches. An open-air Arabian courtyard serves as the auditorium. The Fox showcases a colossal theater organ with four keyboards, 3,622 pipes, 376 stops, and 42 ranks. This attraction is one of Atlanta's most beloved landmarks.

Grant Park
Corner of Berne Street and Boulevard Atlanta
In 1883, Colonel Lemuel P. Grant bequeathed 85 acres of his private estate to Atlanta for use as a public park. The city won 44 more acres of land before opening the park in 1891. The park has cozy glens, abundant small hills, gazebos and open pavilions. Grant Park also contains the Atlanta Zoo.

Kennesaw Mountain National Park
900 Kennesaw Mountain DR NW
770-427-4686
Hours: Daily 8:30am to 5:00pm
Admission: Free
Kennesaw Mountain National Park commemorates the 1864 Civil War battle for Atlanta. Union forces under General Sherman assaulted the heavily fortified Confederate positions on Kennesaw, losing more than 5,000 men. Eventually, Confederate forces retreated amidst the horror of hand-to-hand combat. Today, the park encloses 2,882 acres of protected land and boasts 16 miles of hiking trails. Over 11 miles of Confederate trenches form visible rings on the mountainside. Historic markers and memorials provide information about significant battle sites and events. A small museum displays Civil War-era artifacts. Guests often picnic here and enjoy views of Atlanta and even Chattanooga, Tennessee. Over 1 million people visit this park each year.

Lake Lanier Islands
6950 Holiday Rd
770-932-7255
Hours: Fri-Sat 10:00am to 7:00pm, Sun-Thu 10:00am to 6:00pm
Admission charged.
Lake Lanier Islands is a resort and waterpark spread across 1,200 acres There are numerous hotels, golf courses, boat rentals. But the biggest attraction is the Waterpark, featuring water-slide rides, a king-size wave pool, a mile and a half of white sandy beach, volleyball, and live music and DJs.

Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site
450 Auburn NE
Atlanta, GA 30312-1504
404-331-6922
Hours: Daily 9:00am to 5:00pm
Admission: Free
A half-mile stretch of Auburn Avenue east of downtown is marked by its association with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These sites include the Queen Anne-style house where he was born, Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached, and the memorial tomb at the King Center where he is buried. The Visitor Center offers outstanding exhibits on the life and times of King.

Piedmont Park
Piedmont Ave NE at 14th Street
Hours: Daily 6:00am to 11:00pm
Admission: Free
Piedmont Park is now the center of outdoor and recreational activities in Atlanta, where virtually any game or activity imaginable can be found here. Piedmont also hosts various statuary and memorials that bear witness to the city's history.

SciTrek Science & Tech Museum
395 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308-3406
404-522-5500
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00am to 5:00pm, Sun 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Admission charged.
SciTrek, Atlanta's museum of science and technology, prides itself on its hands-on exhibits. More than 150 permanent exhibits explain science through doing, touching, and playing. The many activities and regularly scheduled science shows are educational and fun for kids of all ages.

Six Flags Over Georgia
7561 Six Flags Way
770-948-9290
Hours: Seasonal Hours. During the week 10:00am to 9:00pm Weekends 10am to 10pm A 331-acre, state-of-the-art theme park, Six Flags has over 100 rides, attractions, and shows. Water Flumes, roller coasters, stage shows, musicals, carnival food, restaurants, and more greet millions of visitors to this regional attraction each year. Check it out for a wild and fun time!

Stone Mountain Park
770-498-5690
Hours: Daily 6:00am to 12:00am
Admission per car
Stone Mountain is located 20 minutes outside of Atlanta, and features a three-acre sculpture of Confederate leaders etched into the mountainside. Stone Mountain also has a restored Antebellum Plantation, featuring 18th and 19th century colonial mansions, slave cabins, coach houses, and barns. The Park's 3,200 acres contain numerous lakes, hiking trails, paved recreational paths, and a 1.3 mile climb to the top of Stone Mountain. From the top one can see Atlanta's modern skyline and the nearby Appalachians. There are also a wildlife preserve and petting zoo operates year round. Finally, there is a nightly laser show that recreates historical events.

World Of Coca-Cola
55 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-676-5151
Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm, Sun 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Admission charged.
This museum is dedicated entirely to the history of the world's most recognizable brand: Coca-Cola. Thousands of Coke objects, commercials, radio jingles, and billboards from Coke's 114 year history can be found within. Visitors learn how Coke is bottled, and see Coke's international side. A Coke tasting session caps off the tour, where visitors can sample Coke from around the world.

Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
441 Freedom Parkway
The Only presidential library in the southeast United States honors the early life, political career, and presidency of Jimmy Carter. Museum open to the public 7 days; designed for a relaxed, leisurely visit. Enjoy a 30 minute historical film on the Presidency, visit the Oval Office and enjoy an exact replica of the beautiful Crown of St. Stephen, a gift from the people of Hungary. Ongoing temporary exhibits are offered. September thru April 1999, visitors will enjoy a realistic recreation of Camp David and participate in the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Camp David Accords. Free cultural/educational programs featured throughout the year. The public is encouraged to picnic at concerts on the lawn, attend book signings of best-selling authors, or lunch on the terrace at the Copenhill Café. Stroll through the lovely gardens, sit by the pond, and take photos of Atlanta's skyline.

Underground Atlanta
Six city blocks in the heart of Atlanta have been transformed into a spirited underground, climate-controlled, urban marketplace featuring 12 spectacular restaurants, over 100 specialty shops, and entertainment emporiums, as well as street-cart merchants.