Visiting Atlanta for a few days

[Mr. Big]

My family and I are going to be visiting Atlanta for the first time during Thanksgiving week. We have planned:

Coca Cola Tour
CNN Studios tour
Georgia Aquarium tour

We will be there for 3 full days, and will have a rental to go outside of Atlanta if there is something interesting nearby other than Stone Mountain...

Any suggestions to visit, and maybe some good Southern home cookin' restaurant (we are vegetarians but might be flexible).

Thanks and looking forward to seeing the city soon!

[unc70]

1. Maybe the Botanical Garden

I really enjoyed the topiary exhibits this summer on a visit. I was told the Botanical Gardens have great decorations for the holidays. I would expect them to be up by Thanksgiving.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

2. Umm...

...sounds like you have your days packed already. That Aquarium tour is wonderful, but it can get exhausting for kids. So much so that we needed a day of rest afterwards.

[No Vested Interest]

3. The Carter Library?

I've never been there myself, but would consider looking into whatever might be there of general interest.

I've been to Plains GA and environs ca about 20 years ago on an adult education program; we went to Jimmy's Sunday School class on our own and had photos taken with Jimmy & Rosalyn.

[Glorfindel]

4. Gibb's Gardens, about a one-hour drive north of Atlanta

https://www.gibbsgardens.com/

The High Museum of Art in downtown Atlanta also is worth a visit.

[NightWatcher]

5. You must eat at The Varsity.

It's not fine dining but a tradition and an institution.

[Lithos]

6. I work for a major Atlanta company

There are a few things they always recommend if you can actually get out of the company in a meaningful time frame:

- CNN Tour
- Coca Cola Tour
- Georgia Aquarium
- Walking Dead Tour
- Cartoon Network Tour
- MLK tour (houses, etc.)
- Stone Mountain
- Botanical garden
- Olympic Park
- FOX Theatre (Not the FOX TV FOX, but original 1920's)
- Jimmy Carter Library
- Zoo Atlanta


Plus, there are some interesting Restaurants and live things to do:

- Varsity
- Dwarf House
- Buckhead (in general)
- Stone Mountain

If you get out of the city:

- Athens GA
- Helen Georgia
- Boiled Peanuts
- Chattanooga, Tenn...

[Sedona]

7. Don't waste your time with the Coca-Cola museum

Your time would be much better spent at the MLK or Jimmy Carter locations. In addition the aquarium is holding some dolphins, whale sharks and beluga whales in tiny captivity and should be outlawed.

Just my two cents from Suburban Atlanta

[alfie]

8. Drive north into the mountains to Dahlonega

And eat at the Smith House. You eat family style and they will keep bringing platters of fried chicken and ham, bowls of veggies, cornbread, yeast rolls and if you can hold it, a dessert. I think Helen is tacky town...just me, though.

[brer cat]

9. Mary Mac's on Ponce

is the place for Southern home cooking and offers a big choice of vegetables as well as vegan and gluten-free items. Note that many vegetables are cooked with pork...that is traditional seasoning in the South for beans, peas, and greens.

The Fox Theatre is well worth a tour even if there isn't an event you wish to attend. It is a mosque-style structure built in the 1920s and is very lavishly decorated and furnished. It has 250,000 square feet and contains the world's largest Moller organ, the Mighty Mo. I guarantee that children whatever their age will be awe-struck.

[klook]

14. +1

Mary Mac's is great and a real institution. Easy to eat vegetarian there, too. And it's one of the few places where you'll always find an integrated crowd. Highly recommended.

And yes, the Fox Theatre is jaw-droppingly beautiful. If I recommend one place to visit, the Fox would be it.

[Guppy]

10. I have lived here since'82

and I first came here in '73. I also lived here '76-'78. This city has really come alive in the last 6 years. All in all pretty boring as far as sight seeing. It however has had a revitalization in the city.
The beltline has been built and it extends from Krog st. past Ponce city market to Piedmont Park. It will eventually go to West provision. Ponce city Market is the old Sears building and has been converted to a "mall" but it is ok. Food in there is unique to this location. No chains. From there you can walk up the the beltline and walk to Krog St or Piedmont Park. It is worthwhile to go here. It will have the greatest concentration of people there and if you are in the mood for music "City Winery" is there. I recently saw Suzanne Vega there.
Good acts go there(Hot Tuna).

Ponce De Leon is the closest to a "downtown" venue in Atlanta as it is close to many things
Piedmont park
Botanical Gardens,
MLK Center
Carter Library
Fox Theater


Piedmont Park is the biggest park in Atlanta and it is where the Botanical Gardens are.
MLK center is close to here.

Downtown is a bore.

This is also close to the Carter Center.
There are two neighborhoods near here. Virginia Highland and 5 points. Both will give you a taste of urban living in Atlanta.


This is also close to Mary Mac's. It is a unique southern food experience.
i personally think CNN and Coca cola are boring. The aquarium is worthwhile. Stone Mountain is OK. I would go out of my way to go there.

The biggest problem is it is like LA. A big suburb.

[Mr. Big]

11. We are staying in the Buckhead area

Thank you for the suggestion. My wife is definitely interested in the Ponce City Market. My 9 year old kid would have to be interested too.

Any other kid friendly ideas? Six flags over Georgia? Is it warm enough in November? No idea.. that's why I came over here and ask.

[Guppy]

12. My kids live here in Buckhead

It is prettty ritzy. There is Lenox mall but that is just a mall. There is the shops at Buckhead. My daughter lives right there. Cafe Agora has good greek food. The best Gyro in town. Reminiscent of Chicago greek town. I live 10 miles from Buckhead straight up Peachtree. My wife said some people like world of coke. Buckhead is only 20 minutes from Ponce city market. Take an uber

[Guppy]

13. Six flags

Is pretty far away and the last time I wsd there it was dirty. It is at least 45 minutes from buckhead.