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10 Hotlanta Things Not To Miss
As cities go, Atlanta is a Southern belle with enough charm to delight visitors every day of the week. Whether it's history, live music or great food, you'll find plenty to occupy your spare time at November's convention. Our list of Atlanta attractions has something for everybody. 1. Combine the petroleum business and pleasure by dining at the award-winning Watershed Restaurant. This eccentric eatery was formerly a gas station, but don't expect to find rotating hot dogs here. The Watershed features an array of creative entrees with organic ingredients, masterminded by Executive Chef Scott Peacock. Do lunch on a tighter budget, but be sure to take advantage of the extensive wine cellar. (www.watershedrestaurant.com)
2. Explore the ocean without scuba gear at the Georgia Aquarium, opened in 2005, where eight million gallons of display space contain the world's largest collection of undersea wildlife. A 100-foot underwater pipeline immerses visitors in the Ocean Voyager exhibit, where most of the aquarium's 100,000 animals live. 3. Slip on a fire suit and put your hands on the wheel of a thundering race car, then drive it 150 mph around the Atlanta Speedway. The Andretti/Gordon Racing School (1-877-ANDRETTI) or the Richard Petty Driving Experience (1-800-BE-PETTY) are two of the four driving schools available. For those who don't like to wear fire suits, $5 will get you an official track tour, including the garages and Victory Lane, and two laps in the Speedway van. (www.atlantamotorspeedway.com)
4. Atlanta was the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and it is also the civil rights leader's final resting place. At the King Center, located a few blocks from downtown on Auburn Avenue, visitors can tour exhibits detailing his life and legacy, as well as tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Rosa Parks. Pay your respects to one of America's greatest public figures at King's tomb, which graces the center of a five-tiered reflecting pool. 5. Head over to Sweetwater Brewery for happy hour Thursday afternoon and enjoy some of Atlanta's best locally brewed beer in an atmosphere that caters to a younger crowd. Take a guided tour of the micro brewery, where six dollars will get you a souvenir mug and samples of all six Sweetwater offerings. Be sure to try their famous 420 Extra Pale Ale.
6. Take a high-speed cable car 825 feet up to the summit of Stone Mountain at Stone Mountain Park, a beautiful park with a troubled past. Once the site of Ku Klux Klan ceremonies, Stone Mountain features an enormous carving of Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis—the largest bas-relief sculpture on Earth. Now a family-oriented park with a riverboat cruise and two championship golf courses, Stone Mountain is definitely worth checking out. The park is located about 10 miles from Atlanta.
7. Atlanta is the hometown of the world's most available beverage, Coca-Cola, as well as a museum dedicated to the soda fountain staple. The newly opened World of Coca-Cola houses the biggest collection of Coke stuff on the planet, and a miniature bottling facility gives you an inside look at production. The best part? Samples of Coke products are included with your $14 admission ticket. 8. For a romantic night out, take that special someone to the Sundial Restaurant, located 723 feet above the street at the top of the headquarters hotel, the Westin Peachtree Plaza. This three-story dinner spot includes a restaurant, cocktail lounge and viewing level, all of which rotate—you'll make a complete circuit of Atlanta's cityscape in about half an hour. Afterward, go downtown on Peachtree Street to Bazaar and watch the ebb and flow of Atlanta nightlife from a couch in this trendy European-style lounge. Next door is the lavish Fox Theatre, built in the roaring '20s.
9. Escape the bustle of the city at Atlanta's premier art gallery, the High Museum of Art, which houses over 11,000 works in its permanent collection. Expanded in 2005, “the High” has an ongoing partnership with the Louvre that brings artwork from the Paris landmark across the ocean to Atlanta. Those who can't afford a trip to France will appreciate the museum's $15 admission fee.
10. For the serious music fan, a trip to Churchill Grounds is a must. This Peachtree Street jazz club books some of the best artists in the genre, but chatterboxes beware: the intimate stage area (known as the Whisper Room) is best-suited for music appreciation, not socializing. Step out into the bar before raising your voice. Want to see more local sights?
Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau |
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