Atlanta Weekend Escape

Atlanta is Georgia’s capital and largest city. In the late 20th century, the city experience tremendous growth and became a major commercial center: It is home to Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, UPS and CNN, among other large companies. Atlanta was also one of the major centers of the American Civil Rights movement. Martin Luther King was born in the city, and his boyhood home and his tomb at the center of the reflecting pool at The King Center are popular attractions for visitors interested in history.

Downtown Atlanta contains much of the commercial activity of the city. All the places to see here are within a 10-minute walk of each other. Highlights include Centennial Olympic Park, CNN Center, the Georgia Aquarium (the largest in the world) and Imagine It! Children’s Museum. You can also take a tour of the World of Coca-Cola and get a drink of various Coke products from around the world. Midtown Atlanta is the area immediately north of Downtown and is a major restaurant and arts quarter.

Families with children may enjoy the Fernbank Science Center and Museum of Natural History, with its planetarium, dinosaurs and IMAX theater.  

With business, shopping and the arts at your door and service that lends new distinction to Southern hospitality, Four Seasons is dynamic Atlanta's premier hotel address - offering mid-town views, ultra-spacious rooms and peerless meeting space and dining.

This National historic landmark was built in 1929 as a Shriners temple, but through most of its storied history it has served as Atlanta's premier theatrical venue. A marvel of Middle Eastern Revival architecture that spans a full city block, it is one of the largest theaters built in America during the golden age of the movies. Today, the theater maintains a steady schedule of Broadway shows, operas, symphonic performances and rock concerts. Tours are available, but the best way to experience the Fox is through a night on the town.

This modest turn-of-the-century home is an architectural find in itself, but most notable because it houses the apartment where Margaret Mitchell penned most of the world's most popular novel, "Gone with the Wind." Having survived arson and many seasons of decay, the house has been completely restored. Guided tours feature a wealth of historical and anecdotal information on Mitchell, the house and Atlanta in general. A museum shop is also on site.

It is hard to miss this ultra-modern, stark white structure on Peachtree that houses Atlanta's finest collections of classic and contemporary art. A towering atrium soars to four interior levels, with the galleries moving from 18th- and 19th-century collections near the ground floor to the cutting edge of art on the upper levels. The High has increased in size to 312,000 square feet (29,000 square meters) with three buildings designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano: the Susan and John Wieland Pavilion, the Anne Cox Chambers Wing for galleries, and an office building. The High plays frequent host to the most important touring collections as well, hosting exhibitions featuring artists like Pablo Picasso and Norman Rockwell. The High also displays old prints of Abe Lincoln and of General William Tecumseh Sherman.

One of the older suburban neighborhoods in Atlanta, Ansley Park was designed in 1904 in hopes of attracting the city's elite. It's notable for the wide, winding roads and feeling of being in a public park, even in the midst of housing divisions. A variety of architectural styles are present in the neighborhood, from Colonial to Queen Anne. Guided walking tours are offered sometimes, check the community website for more information.

Founded in 1976, this 15-acre (six-hectare) 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.

Authentic ingredients are the key to this hotspot's menu, with piononos, pupus and causa de pollo taking center stage. Imported chili peppers, banana leaves, yuca, platanos and jicama are some of the goodies employed in turning out this special brand of Latin American cuisine. The earth-toned room with black-and-white photos of Latin America is small, but makes for cozy dining in this former coffee shop. A patio is also available. The wine selection is limited to selections from Chile, and the homemade lime ice cream alone is worth a visit.

A few blocks to the east of downtown, the Sweet Auburn neighborhood is home to the birthplace of America's most influential Civil Rights leader. Operated by the National Park Service, this historic site contains Dr. King's boyhood home, his crypt and the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Tours are conducted daily on the hour beginning at 10a. During the summer, tours are on the half-hour, starting at 9:30a. Since the historic site covers several city blocks, visitors are advised to stop at the Visitor Center upon arrival for a map and touring advice. Free admission.

In the shadow of downtown, this bucolic expanse is a constant reminder of the city's history. Dating from the 1850s, the cemetery was the final destination for all Atlantans until 1884, when private burial grounds began appearing throughout the city. The oldest section is near the main entrance, where legendary golfer Bobby Jones and author Margaret Mitchell are interred, although locating Mitchell's plain headstone can be a challenge. A brochure from the cemetery office will help you find famous graves and interesting sections. Tours are offered March through October.

Created mostly with land granted by Colonel Lemuel Grant, the "Father of Atlanta," Grant Park is the oldest surviving park in the city. Its lands were part of the defensive line against Union forces in the Civil War, and the breastworks of Fort Walker remain as evidence of the Confederacy's defeat. The Cyclorama, a circular building filled with the world's largest painting, tells the story of the battle. The park's other main attraction is Zoo Atlanta, one of the only places in the USA that you can see a set of giant pandas.

Outside the gates of Zoo Atlanta on the grounds of Grant Park stands a stark, white marble structure housing the world's largest oil painting, the Atlanta Cyclorama. Painted in 1885-1886, the Cyclorama is a 365° mural depicting the Battle of Atlanta, which in 1864 helped doom the South's fate during the American Civil War. A collection of artifacts and historical documents rounds out the museum, but the focus is on the one-of-a-kind centerpiece. Guided tours are available daily.

A renovated corner gas station is the setting for this high-end denizen of the Virginia Highlands dining scene. The "Global American" menu features pork, beef, chicken and seafood, uniformly delicious and prepared with an artist's touch. Lots of patio seating is available for those divine Atlanta spring evenings. Inside, the arresting decor is every bit as stylish and pleasing as the food. Reservations are accepted for groups of five or more; smaller groups can call ahead one hour in advance for waitlist seating.

Atlanta's most exclusive shopping address, Phipps Plaza is home to three upscale department stores, a 14-screen theater, five restaurants, an elegant food court, and over 100 specialty shops. Opened in 1968 as the first enclosed two-level shopping center in the Southeast, Phipps draws fashionable browsers from across the state, while the Tavern plays host to the hippest after-work crowd in town. The center is easily accessible from all over Atlanta by public transportation. Concierge parking is available and is stationed between Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. See website for complete list of restaurants, shops and services.

This stretch of Peachtree Road could well be considered the Rodeo Drive of the South, and nowhere is that more evident than at this upscale mall. Several hundred glitzy boutiques and specialty shops are spread throughout two levels, along with national anchors Neiman Marcus, Macy's and Rich's. Arguably Atlanta's best French and sushi restaurants are located within the mall, as well as a cinema complex and atrium-covered food court. A complementary shuttle runs from Lenox Square across the street to Phipps Plaza, the second gem in Atlanta's shopping crown.

This comprehensive museum of Atlanta's past is located a few blocks from the Governor's Mansion in residential Buckhead. Exhibits cover the gamut of the region's history, including special sections on the Civil War, Southern folk crafts, African-American history, and the Civil Rights movement. The museum is surrounded by 33 acres (13.5 hectares) of gardens that feature the historic Swan House, the fully-restored Tullie Smith Farm, a library and archive, and several restaurants. Visitor maps are available in five languages.

The former head man at Buckhead's Ritz-Carlton, chef Guenter Seeger continues to impress with this French enterprise, which has been named Restaurant of the Year by Esquire magazine. The luxuriously-appointed dining room sets an elegant scene for romantic dates or business dinners. This swank restaurant can easily be deemed one of Atlanta's priciest restaurants, and is said to possess quite possibly the city's best all-French wine list.