Sample Itineraries for the Leisure Guest

With all the wonderful things Atlanta has to offer, a little planning may be in order. The following itineraries are helpful suggestions on the best ways to get the most out of your experience.

The heart beat of shopping.

"All Week" Itinerary

If you have the need to fill some shopping bags, we have all the stores to get them loaded! Atlanta's best shopping malls, shopping centers and free-standing specialty stores in the metropolitan area are within minutes of Emory.

Lenox Square Mall and Phipps Plaza--two of Atlanta's oldest and finest shopping locations are found at just 15 minutes up LaVista and Lenox Roads. There's Macy's, Nieman Marcus and Rich's as well as Parisian and more than 250 specialty shops, services and restaurants.

There's North DeKalb Mall located at I-285 (exit 29), Hwy. 78 at Lawrenceville Highway with Uptons, Rich's, Steinmart, AMC-16 Theaters and 60 specialty shops and nine eateries.

Of course, don't miss Northlake Mall at I-285 (exit 28) to shop at Macy's, JCPenney, Sears, Parisian and a unique mix of 125 other stores and services.

You are bound to find a sale at one of our suggested spots. There's Perimeter Mall located at I-285 (exit 21) at Ashford-Dunwoody Road. You'll find JCPenney, Macy's, Rich's, Banana Republic and PGA Tour Shop.

If it's International Shopping you are seeking, be sure to visit Asian Square, Korea Town Plaza and Vietnamese Town on Buford Highway. China Town Square is on New Peachtree Road just around the corner. Have more time and money and need more suggestions? Simply ask around and you are bound to be shopping for another week!

Art Lover's Package

If "fun and funky" are in your vocabulary, this itinerary will tickle your fancy. When it comes to the arts community, Atlanta offers some of the best.

During the day, you need to visit Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. This mansion was built in 1920 as the home of Charles Candler, eldest son of Asa Candler, founder of the Coca-Cola Company. The home was occupied by the family until 1959. After his death, Mrs. Candler donated the estate to Emory University. After several other transactions, it was saved from destruction by an ambitious neighborhood organization and opened in 1973 as a community arts center.

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, a Gothic-Tudor style mansion contains a fascinating blend of architectural details from different periods and various nations. The music room--especially designed and built for the house--has a music system that is truly a unique feature. The heart of the system is a magnificent 3,752-pipe Aeolian organ. The largest of its kind in playable condition. Its outlets extend from the tone room to every major room in the mansion!

The entire 27,000 square foot mansion is centered around an enclosed courtyard. Of the original 27 acres of ground, 12 remain featuring formal gardens, nature trails, a rock garden and a conservatory. The mansion is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Self-guided tours are free; guided tours carry a most reasonable tariff.

The Center boasts a variety of performances for the public to enjoy. Further information may be obtained by dialing 404-872-5338.

ART Station, housed in the Old Trolley Station in the heart of Stone Mountain, is a non-profit arts center that explores, teaches and shares the arts with all people throughout the Atlanta area. ART Station celebrates the arts by making them a part of daily life. Here, the visual, literary and performing arts are not reserved for special days, but they make each day special. Call for current performance schedules and rates at 770-469-1105.

Georgia Shakespeare Festival, a professional summer repertory theatre company, produces comedies, dramas and new musical adaptations of classic plays. Set amidst the picturesque Gothic architecture of Oglethorpe University, a causal night out at the Festival can begin with a picnic dinner and pre-show entertainment on the grounds outside the Festival's new $5 million performing arts center..

In the last 25 years, the Alliance Theatre Company has become Atlanta's leading professional resident theatre and one of the largest and most-respected regional theatres in the country. One of four divisions of the Woodruff Arts Center, the Alliance offers a vibrant and innovative season on contemporary plays, including world and regional premieres as well as classics, in the 800-seat Alliance Theatre and 200-seat Alliance Studio Theatre. The Company is committed to the creation of a variety of theatrical experiences for a socially and culturally diverse audience. Performance schedule and rates may be obtained by calling 404-733-4690

Family Fun-Thrilling Theme Park Adventures

Morning

Visit Six Flags Over Georgia, with sensational roller coasters, rides for kids and cool water journeys. With eight roller coasters with names such as the Ninja, VIPER or Georgia Cyclone, it is no wonder that Six Flags takes Atlanta by storm each summer. 275 Riverside Parkway, SE Austell GA 30168 Phone: (770) 948-9290

OR

For sensational action, visit SpeedZone racing park. Compete in four types of extreme racing, play over 80 games and shoot pool in the billiards room. Entry into SpeedZone is always free and is open year round. 3005 George Busbee Parkway Kennesaw GA 30144 Phone: (770) 514-8081

Afternoon
Cool off with a nice float down the Little Hooch at White Water Theme Park, or conquer the Cliffhanger Freefall and Run-A-Way River raft ride. Don't miss Dive-In Movies Friday nights in the summer with top ranked family box office hits on the big screen. 250 Cobb Parkway, North Marietta GA 30062 Phone: (770) 424-WAVE

Atlanta History - The Civil War Legacy

Morning
The 1864 Civil War Battle of Atlanta revolves around visitors in the form of a painting at the Atlanta Cyclorama , created in 1885, giving an in-depth look at the battle that shaped our city through art and narration in five languages. 800-C Cherokee Ave. (10 minutes east of downtown Atlanta) 404-658-7625
$4 Children (6-12 years) $6 Adults (13-59) $5 Seniors (60 and up)

The historic 1850 Oakland Cemetery is a treasure trove of Victorian funeral statuary and the final resting place for confederate soldiers, Georgia governors, Atlanta mayors, Gone With the Wind's Margaret Mitchell and golf great Bobby Jones. Plots are still available! 248 Oakland Ave. (8 minutes west of downtown Atlanta) 404-688-30312 FREE

Afternoon
At the Atlanta History Center, "Turning Point: The American Civil War," is a fabulous permanent exhibition. Visitors are also invited to tour the historic homes on the property built before and after the Civil War: the 1840s Tullie Smith Farm and the 1928 Swan House. 130 West Paces Ferry Rd. NW (15 minutes north of downtown, in Buckhead) 404-814-4000
$12 Adults. $10 Students & Seniors. $7 Children 4-12. Children under 4 free.

OR

The 2,882-acre Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, marks part of the 1864 Atlanta Campaign during the Civil War. A small museum with a slide show, picnic areas, and hiking trails up to 16 miles and 11 miles of original earthworks are also part of the park.
900 Kennesaw Mtn Drive , Kennesaw (35 minutes from downtown/ exit 269 off of I-75)
770-427-4686 FREE

Stone Mountain Park, is the world's largest mass of exposed granite surrounded by a 3,200-acre park. Confederate heroes General Robert E. Lee, General "Stonewall" Jackson and Confederate president Jefferson Davis are immortalized on a memorial carving on the north face of the mountain. The "Discovering Stone Mountain Museum" and Antebellum Plantation are among attractions and a nighttime laser show on the face of the mountain is shown during summer. PO Box 778 Stone Mountain, GA (35 minutes east of downtown/ off Highway 78)
770-498-5690 within the metro Atlanta area or 1-800-317-2006 outside metro Atlanta.
$7 one-day parking pass, and $16 Adult, all-day pass. $13 Children, all-day pass

Must-See Attractions - Downtown Daytime Excursions

Morning
CNN Center is the global headquarters of Turner Broadcasting System, plus the studios and newsrooms for CNN's international networks. CNN Center also houses eateries and specialty stores, including the Turner Store. Visitors get a first-hand look at global news in the making on the CNN Studio Tour or participate in Talk Back Live, an interactive television town meeting providing a forum for citizens to speak on issues affecting their lives. CNN Studio Tour One CNN Center 404-827-2300 $8 Adults. $6 Seniors. $5 Children 6-12

Centennial Olympic Park is a 21-acre legacy from the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Splash in the Fountain of Rings, the world's largest fountain utilizing the Olympic symbol of five interconnecting rings with 25 water jets. Centennial Park Right across the street from CNN FREE

Afternoon
At the New World of Coca-Cola Atlanta, the story of the world's most famous soft drink - past, present and future - is told through fascinating exhibits, an eye-popping collection of memorabilia, classic radio and television advertisements, a fanciful representation of the bottling process, a futuristic soda fountain and a shop featuring a large selection of Coca-Cola merchandise. 121 Baker St. N.W. 1-800-676-COKE

At Underground Atlanta, adjacent to The World of Coca-Cola, six city blocks, mostly underground, have been transformed into a spirited urban marketplace featuring 12 restaurants, more than 100 specialty shops and entertainment emporiums, and dozens of street-cart merchants. See the historical side of Atlanta as much of Underground is housed in buildings from the turn of the century. 50 Upper Alabama St. 404-523-2311 FREE

Visit The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site with Dr. King's grave, the King birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he preached. The surrounding historic "Sweet Auburn" District, centered around Auburn Avenue, was the thriving center of black enterprise in Atlanta from the 1890s through the 1940s. The street runs east from downtown's Five Points intersection. 450 Auburn Ave. (5 minutes east of downtown) 404-331-6922 FREE

Family Fun For All - Nature Lovers

Morning
Nature-lovers will enjoy the many parks, gardens and nature centers in Atlanta. The Chattahoochee Nature Center, in Roswell is a wonderful place to enjoy a leisurely hike and learn about native wildlife. The nature center sits on 127 acres of land and includes indoor educational exhibits, trails through the forest and a boardwalk onto the Chattahoochee River.
Chattahoochee Nature Center 9135 Willeo Rd Roswell, GA (40 minutes north of downtown Atlanta) 770-992-2055 $5 Adults. $3 Children

OR

The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a tranquil oasis right in the heart of Midtown adjacent to Piedmont Park. See tropical, desert and endangered plants from around the world year-round in the Fuqua Conservatory. Visit the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Children's Garden that will include a child-sized amphitheater, a maze, Peter Rabbit's den, an area for digging fossils, a treehouse and butterfly garden. Children will learn how plants have been used through history and can visit special areas set aside for quiet play. Atlanta Botanical Garden 404-876-5859 $7 Adults. $5 Seniors. $4 Students/ children 3 & over.

Afternoon
Zoo Atlanta is located in historic Grant Park, just minutes from downtown Atlanta and is one of the 10 oldest zoos in continuous operation in the United States. The zoo's collection consists of nearly 1,000 specimens, representing 250 species of animals from all over the world, living in natural environments. Favorites are Starlet, the painting elephant and Giant Pandas, Lun Lun and Yang Yang. Zoo Atlanta
Grant Park (10 minutes east of downtown Atlanta) 800 Cherokee Ave.
404-624-5600 $15 Adults. $11 Seniors. $10 Children 3-11

OR

Travel outside of Atlanta to visit the Yellow River Wildlife Game Ranch. More than 600 native Georgia animals, some of them rarely seen, roam the 24 wooded acres on this wildlife reserve and can be petted and photographed. Yellow River Wildlife Game Ranch
4525 Highway 78 (40 minutes northeast of downtown Atlanta) Lilburn, GA ,
770-972-6643 $6 Adults. $5 Children 3-11

Atlanta History - Celebrating Civil Rights

Morning
Atlanta was an important city in the Civil Rights movement. It takes pride in its strong heritage and diversity. Start off the morning by strolling down Sweet Auburn Avenue, the hub of African-American culture at the turn of the century. Many of Atlanta's black leaders, entrepreneurs and artists congregated in the Sweet Auburn district, and although the area experienced a period of decline, tremendous preservation efforts have brought a rebirth to the area. The Sweet Auburn district is the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a historic site that includes a visitor center depicting the story of Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement, the restored King Birth Home, Ebenezer Baptist Church where both he and his father preached, a restored Firehouse Museum, the King burial site and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
450 Auburn Ave. (5 minutes east of downtown Atlanta) 404-331-6922 FREE

Afternoon
Take a walking tour of the West End neighborhood or the Atlanta University Center with the Atlanta Preservation Center. The West End is one of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods dating back to 1835 and is predominately African-American today. Some attractions in this area include the Wren's Nest, the home of author Joel Chandler Harris and birthplace of the Uncle Remus tales, and the Herndon Home, home of former slave and Atlanta's first black millionaire Alonzo Herndon who founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Also tour the Atlanta University Center, the largest concentration of African-American colleges in America including Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, the Interdenominational Theological Center and Morris Brown.
Wren's Nest
1050 R.D Abernathy Blvd. SW (8 minutes west of downtown Atlanta)
404-753-7735 $3 Adults. $2 Seniors & Teens

Herndon Home
587 University Place, NW (8 minutes west of downtown Atlanta)
404-581-9813 $5 Adults. $3 Students.