|
|
Experience
Atlanta - Georgia's Southern Belle
It
took considerable persuasion to convince me the most exciting way to
tour the great city of Atlanta was on a Segway, one of those new
self-balancing two-wheel transportation devices. I ultimately agreed to
give it a try with City Segway Tours, a company unique to Georgia's
capital city and one of the newest additions to the local entertainment
scene. Offered is a variety of guided excursions that provide
participants with drive-by visits to some of Atlanta's most significant
sites.
No
special skills are required and
following a brief orientation, groups like the one I joined are off and
rolling in single file along city sidewalks on one- to three-hour
outings. Tours typically take
in places such
as the CNN Center world headquarters, Centennial Olympic Park, the
Martin Luther King Historical Area, the State Capital building, the
Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola. In effect, these tours are
designed to provide an overview of the city and, for me, an opportunity
to determine which of the sites I wanted to explore in greater depth.
|
Atlanta's
Centennial Olympic Park - the city has a rich history and is the home
of CNN, Coca Cola, major sports teams and world headquarters for Delta
Airlines
|
To begin with, Atlanta is a city steeped
in history. Burned to the ground during the American Civil War, it rose
from the ashes like the phoenix to eventually become the exciting
metropolis it is today. However, there are many who never think about
Atlanta without associating it with Gone With The Wind, one of the best
selling novels of all time penned in 1936 by hometown writer, Margaret
Mitchell. Although the Pulitzer Prize winning book about the Civil War
period in Atlanta--romanticized by lead characters Scarlett O'Hara and
Rhett Butler--is totally fictional, the epic novel that was followed by
a movie of the same name remains a powerful presence. Over the years,
plenty of fans of the book and movie have arrived in Atlanta for the
express purpose of visiting Tara Plantation (Scarlett's fictional home)
only to discover it was merely Mitchell's literary creation and never
really existed.
While
some may be disappointed
there's no Tara, this is a city that has oodles to offer without the
presence of the famous fictional plantation. In terms of attracting
visitors, what gave Atlanta a huge shot in the arm was its selection to
host the 1996 Olympic Games which led to a host of new hotels,
restaurants, sports venues and a state-of-the-art transportation system.
|
The spectacular Coca
Cola Museum
|
For instance, tourists arriving at the
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport can board high speed
rail cars for the 10 mile ride to the downtown core for a mere $2.15
fare. Also a legacy of the Games is Centennial Olympic Park, a 21-acre
multi-purpose jewel built in the heart of downtown, plus Olympic
Stadium which is now Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves
professional baseball team.
Out and about
While the city is rife with interesting things to see and do there are
certain ones that make a must-see list. Among the top attractions is
the awesome Georgia Aquarium, the largest water exhibit in the world. This
venue has more aquatic life (over 100,000 sea creatures) than any other
facility and includes species many visitors have never seen before.
For
instance, this aquarium is the only one outside of Asia to possess
whale sharks. Also in the must-see category is the CNN Centre where
visitors can do behind the scenes tours of CNN's world headquarters
that include witnessing actual newsroom activities and news anchors
live on camera.
|
CNN offers popular
behind-the-scenes tours
|
Another key attraction is Atlanta's World
of Coca-Cola, a facility that celebrates the past and present of the
most popular soft drink on the planet. Previously housed in a downtown
building, the new site that opened in May 2007 offers a multi sensory
experience, a 4-D theatre and more than 1,200 never-before-seen
Coca-Cola artefacts from around the world. This is a fun place to visit
for adults and children alike with plenty of hands-on exhibits.
For many, a trip to Atlanta would not be complete without attending a
theatrical or musical performance at the famous Fox Theatre, the grand
facility that hosted the very first screening of the Gone With The Wind
movie.
Dining out
Greater Atlanta has thousands of restaurants and a reputation not just
for Southern cuisine but a vast selection of ethnic eateries
representing cultures around the world. Among highly reputed dining
spots is Bacchanalia voted Atlanta's top restaurant for the last 10
years. Housed in a former factory that has been done up to the nines,
this place oozes sophistication and the cuisine is outstanding.
Rathbun's is another good choice. Almost every significant food
magazine names this restaurant owned by Chef Kevin Rathbun one of the
hottest in the country.
Chops
Lobster Bar is an Atlanta icon
ranked among the top ten steakhouses in the U.S. Fresh seafood and
prime aged beef are served daily. Peasant Bistro is an up market
two-story restaurant with windows overlooking Centennial Olympic Park
and the Atlanta skyline. The focus here is traditional bistro
favourites with French and Mediterranean influences.
|
The Georgia Terrace is
Altanta's premier hotel and historic property
|
Atlanta's
Grand Dame
Anyone who knows Atlanta knows The Georgian Terrace, the iconic queen
of city hotels that turns a century old in 2011.
While metropolitan Atlanta has at
least 772 properties (5th largest supply in the U.S.) only The Georgian
Terrace can claim a long history of hosting presidents and celebrities
such as Charles Lindbergh, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Clark Gable and others
from around the globe.
|
The Georgia Aquarium
is the world's largest
|
Situated across the street from the
Fox Theatre and dubbed "The Grande Dame of Atlanta," this hotel on the
National Register of Historic Places also hosted the 1939 world
premiere reception for the Gone With The Wind movie. Designed as a
Southern interpretation of a Parisian hotel, The Georgian Terrace isn't
just a hotel, its part of the city's history and a must-see property.
It's also one of the South's great places to stay.
| TRAVEL PLANNER |
| Information:
Call 1-800-ATLANTA (285-2682) or go online at www.atlanta.net. |
|
|
|
