At a Glance
History enthusiasts will want to visit the Atlanta History Center and its gardens to see exhibits on the history of the city and to tour its two house museums.A fine small museum, the African-American Panoramic Experience, chronicles the history of blacks in America.
In Grant Park, the Atlanta Cyclorama has a huge painting of the 1864 Battle of Atlanta. The Chattahoochee National Recreational Area is a great spot for joggers, walkers, hikers, and nature lovers. At Stone Mountain Park, you can see the Confederate Memorial (the world’s largest sculpture), two Civil War museums, and the Road to Tara Museum.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 7 Day Weather Forecast
The lack of a grid system in most parts of the city will confuse drivers. Some streets change their names, including the city’s most famous thoroughfare, Peachtree Street. Adding to the confusion, 60 other streets in the metropolitan area use the word Peachtree in their names. Before setting out anywhere, get the complete street address of your destination, including landmarks, cross streets, or other guideposts, as street numbers and even street signs are difficult to find.
Places to Eat
THE ABBEY 163 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, GA, USA Phone: 404/876-8532 $20 to Over $50 Downtown Southern User Rating: Rate It Established in 1968, the restaurant is housed in a former church. Stained-glass windows and celestial music played by a harpist in the former choir loft reinforce the ambience. Dishes range from the dramatic lobster claw salad with mâche, mango, and apple to a grilled elk chop with dauphinoise potatoes and turnips. Desserts, such as the white chocolate and roasted banana napoleon, let you finish a meal with sweet abandon. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.
BACCHANALIA 1198 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, GA, USA Phone: 404/365-0410 $35 to Over $50 Downtown Continental User Rating: Rate It A favorite among dining critics, this swank restaurant is newly situated in an impressive former industrial space. Dazzling dishes inspired by Mediterranean and occasionally regional cuisines fill the four-course prix-fixe menu. The plentiful options may include saut̩ed foie gras, Georgia white shrimp, veal sweetbreads, or American farmstead cheeses. Desserts are incredible Рas are most other items on the menu. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.-Mon. No lunch.
CITY GRILL 50 Hurt Plaza, Atlanta, GA, USA Phone: 404/524-2489 $20 to Over $50 Downtown Southern User Rating: Rate It This posh, breezy restaurant has made the most of its grand location in the elegantly renovated historic Hurt Building. An impressive wine list accompanies the equally impressive menu. City Grill is a top Atlanta power-lunch spot. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
FOOD STUDIO 887 W. Marietta St., Atlanta, GA, USA Phone: 404/815-6677 $20 to $50 Downtown Contemporary User Rating: Rate It A piece of a former plow factory, this stylish restaurant gleams with high-tech and industrial touches. The Studio is known for innovative American food, but has added a few more traditional dishes. The grilled veal chop with broccoli and spaghetti squash is a prime example. Desserts range from the parfaitlike frozen lemon basil bombe to chocolate gold mousse cake. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends
MUMBO JUMBO 89 Park Pl., Atlanta, GA, USA Phone: 404/523-0330 $20 to $50 Downtown Seafood User Rating: Rate It A long bar skirts the left side of this establishment, guiding the eye to the rear dining room. Sleek young staffers conduct guests to tables. The menu emphasizes game in cool weather, fish and shellfish in summer, and regional ingredients and locally grown produce all year round. Dishes that tempt include heirloom tomatoes with milk-sweet buffalo mozzarella, rabbit, and the famous Mumbo Gumbo, a light seafood gumbo. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.
Places to Go
ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER 130 W. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA, USA Phone: 404/814-4000 Educational Institution The museum highlights materials native to Georgia, with a floor of heart pine and polished Stone Mountain granite. Displays are provocative, juxtaposing Gone With the Wind romanticism with the grim reality of Ku Klux Klan racism.
Also on the 33-acre site are the elegant 1928 Swan House; the Tullie Smith Farm, with a two-story plantation plain house (1840s); and McElreath Hall, an exhibition space for artifacts from Atlanta’s history. COST: $7. Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30, Sun. noon-5:30. www.atlantahistorycenter.org
Getting Around
Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (off I-85 and I-285, 13 miles south of downtown, PHONE: 404/530-6600; www.atlanta-airport.com/) is one of the biggest and busiest airports in the country.
Atlanta Airport Shuttle (PHONE: 404/766-5312) operates vans every half hour between 7 AM and 11 PM daily. The downtown trip ($12 one-way, $20 round-trip) takes about 20 minutes and stops at major hotels. Vans also go to Emory University and the Lenox area ($18 one-way, $28 round-trip).
By Taxi From the airport to downtown, the taxi fare is $20 for one person, $22 for two, and $25 for three or more, including tax. From the airport to Buckhead, the fare is $30 for one and $32 for two or more.
With a reasonable advance reservation, Carey-Executive Limousine (PHONE: 404/223-2000) will provide 24-hour service. Buckhead Safety Cab (PHONE: 404/233-1152) and Checker Cab (PHONE: 404/351-1111) offer 24-hour service.
By Train If your luggage is light, take the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority; PHONE: 404/848-4711) high-speed trains between the airport and downtown and other locations. Trains operate 5 AM-1 AM weekdays and 6 AM-12:30 AM weekends. The trip downtown takes about 15 minutes to the Five Points station, and the fare is $1.50.
By Bus Greyhound Bus Lines (232 Forsyth St., PHONE: 404/584-1731 or 800/231-2222) provides transportation to downtown Atlanta.
By Car The city is encircled by I-285. Three interstates – I-85, running northeast-southwest from Virginia to Alabama; I-75, north-south from Michigan to Florida; and I-20, east-west from South Carolina to Texas – also crisscross Atlanta.
By Train Amtrak (1688 Peachtree St., PHONE: 404/881-3060 or 800/872-7245) operates its Thru-Way bus service daily from Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama, to Atlanta’s Brookwood station. Another bus goes daily from Atlanta to Macon, Georgia.
CityGuide Links
Need more? Try these links for additional information about Atlanta, Georgia.
The I-95 Exit Information Guide
“Flat out, the single best website for auto travelers on the Net” — Yahoo’s Internet Life Magazine
SleepCritique
Lodging reviews from travelers like you!
Lodging2Go
Discount hotel reservations.
