Atlanta, home of the Braves

We try to get to Atlanta at least once year and primarily during baseball season so we can see the Braves play. But we have also allowed ourselves to do other things, such as Stone Mountain, Buckhead, a Jimmy Buffett concert at Lakewood, Margaret Mitchell's apartment, and Cyclorama to name just a few of the many things there are to see and do in Georgia's state capital.

Many people often forget Atlanta is the capital since the capital ends up being almost hidden among the multitude of high rises that have been built around it.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around Atlanta is by car or by the MARTA.

To begin with anyone afraid of heights should avoid this hotel at all costs. All rooms have floor to ceiling picture windows, which gives one a great view of the Atlanta area but can be a little concerning for one who has problems with heights. The Westin Peachtree Plaza is reportedly the tallest hotel in the Northern Hemisphere at 72 stories.

We were fortunate to find a very good rate, $79 per weekend night, during the Atlanta Home Show, which is held at the World Congress Center, a short distance ($10 cab ride for four persons) from the Westin.

Since I do not do heights well, my wife and I compromised on taking a room lower than the upper floors she wanted to stay on. Upon checking in we were assigned a room on the 20th floor, but when we got to the room we found it had not been cleaned. After a trip to the front desk, we were assigned a room on the 39th floor, but upon opening the door to the room we found it to be in worse shape than the one we had just vacated. After calling the desk and being told a bellman would be up to move us to a new room, we waited for 30 minutes and no one showed up. At this point we went back to the front desk, where we found another couple who had found the room they had been assigned to have not been cleaned either, we were assigned a room on the 58th floor and assured we would find it was clean and made up. Although this was a lot higher up than I had originally planned to be I found it was not too bad if I kept my distance from the window.

The room was very nice and featured the Westin''s new heavenly bed. My wife liked the pillow so much I had to order one for her when we returned home. The hotel was 1,068 rooms and I believe they were all filled the weekend we were there because there was often a long wait for the elevator. While I would not pay the hotel''s regular rate, I would definitely come back again at the reduced rate.

The rates at this hotel are usually not as low as what we paid ($25) but that is the luxury you get when you travel with an employee of Holiday Inn - discounted hotel rooms. My wife and I stayed here at a later time, after taking the train over from Birmingham, and while it was more than $25 (it was $89), it was still less than a downtown hotel. This hotel is conviently located in Midtown and is just a short distance from most of the major attractions in and around Atlanta. There are 201 guestrooms, all with outside entrances, something I don''t like but there is a security guard at the entrance after dark checking all incoming vehicles.

Once again this low rate was because of traveling with an employee of Holiday Inn but the rates here are still reasonable for an airport hotel. We stayed here while in town to see a Braves baseball game. Although we were at the hotel, the MARTA station is just a short distance away, making it very easy to get to downtown. Being an airport hotel and despite having outside entrances, the rooms were relatively quiet and very rarely do you hear aircraft taking off from Hartsfield International Airport, which is located right across the street. We were awakened around 3:30 a.m. when it sounded as if the 747 getting ready to take off was going to come right through our room.

The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to the airport and the driver was nice enough to drop us at the MARTA stop both times that we went into downtown Atlanta. He also picked us up on our return. There is bus service from the downtown MARTA station at Five Points to Turner Field. The hotel has 190 rooms on six floors. Upon arriving home I discovered I had left my travel bag sitting on the bench outside the front entrance of the hotel. I called the hotel immediately, knowing that I would probably never see it again. They told me they would check for me and let me know. Within 30 minutes they called and said they had found it and would send it to me. They overnighted it to me and I had it the next day.

This hotel can be summed up in just one word, Luxurious. This was actually Atlanta''s first luxury hotel and it continues to lead the way - especially following a $10.5 million renovation in late 1999. The room I stayed in overlooked Peachtree Street but it got rather noisy since I was there during Freakneak. The hotel also took on a look of being under seige with the front doors barricaded and everyone having to use the auto entrance.

But that still couldn''t take away from the elegant surroundings of the public rooms and my guest room. While the hotel has 25 floors and 441 rooms, it seems much smaller. Among the things my room came stocked with were a mini-refreshment bar, an AM-FM clock radio with CD player, and even a bathrobe. If you can''t afford the regular rates of the Ritz Carlton, between Jan.1 and March 31, 2001, the hotel, inconjunction with American Express are offering rooms for $135 per weekend night and a rate of $224 per weekday night.

My wife likes to stay on high floors, while I like to watch airplanes take off and land. This hotel offered the best of both worlds for both of us. While we were first assigned to a room on the ninth floor, the very nice desk clerk changed us to the 15th floor, as high as you can go. This also turned out to be the executive floor but being a Friday night, the lounge was not open but we still got several more amenities than you usually get in a room. More to Come

What a fantastic hotel, especially if you get a room with a balcony and a view of Hartsfield International Airport. This 11 floor, 387 room hotel sits on the end of one of the airport''s runways, giving you an upclose view of the planes landing and taking off. More to Come

This is a four diamond hotel, located just minutes from Hartsfield International Airport. The 17-story hotel has 503 rooms, which include 63 Tower rooms. Rooms on the south side of the hotel have a great view of the airport. The hotel offers 24 hour a day transportation to the airport and to the nearby MARTA station. There is also 24 hour room service, as well as three restaurants and two lounges. If you want to get a workout there is a 6,000 square foot gym as well as an indoor and outdoor pool. More to come

While we didn''t stay at this hotel, we had a birds eye view of the hotel from our room at the Marriott. The hotel is like all other Embassy Suites, that it has all two room suites. A living room and a bedroom, with either a double or king size bed. There is a pool and an exercise restaurant. There is also a restaurant, with room service, as well as a lounge.

This 12-story, 378 room hotel is located almost directly across the street from the Holiday Inn Airport South. This hotel features an executive club floor with such amenities as complimentary drinks, a daily cocktail hour and a daily buffet breakfast. Each room is decorated in office style with a work area complete with data/fax ports. There is a coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and make up mirror in each room. Also each guest receives a complimentary morning newspaper. The hotel also has a restaurant and a 24 hour a day free airport shuttle that departs the hotel every 20 minutes. For guests bringing their own cars, there is complimentary parking.

Not realizing we had been upgraded to the Conceirge Level of the hotel, it took me a moment after getting in the elevator to realize I had to put my room key in the slot to enable me to push the floor I wanted.

Upon opening the door, and going inside, my wife''s first words were "What a room and what a view."

There weren''t two bottles of water on the dresser but two bottles of Vasa. In between the dresser and the desk was a honest to goodness electric shoe shiner - one side for dark shoes, the other for lighter shoes. Since I had only brought my sneakers I was unable to try it out. The bed had already been folded down for the night and on the pillow were several truffles to leave a sweet taste in your mouth before going to sleep.

From the window, you could see Hartsfield International Airport, but due to soundproofing, there was no sound of the planes taking off and landing. In the distance was the skyline of Atlanta.

In the bathroom were the usual amenities of soap and shampoo, along with cotton balls, qtips and a sewing kit.

This 495 room hotel, just a short distance from Hartsfield International Airport, recently underwent an $8 million renovation. A sister hotel to the downtown Westin Peachtree Plaza, the view at the airport hotel is not quite as spectacular as the hotel downtown. The hotel does have two restaurants, a lounge, and even a cigar bar. There is also a fitness center and an indoor/outdoor pool. One of my favorites is the 24-hour room service.

If nothing else, go for the view. Taking up the top three floors of the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, the Sundial Restaurant and Bar, revolves 360 degrees every hour, giving patrons a dramatic view of Atlanta and the surrounding area. While the view at night is awesome with all the lights - the prices are also very awesome so we opted for drinks - although those prices were a little steep also and ate dinner across the street at Aunt Pittypat's.

Our ride was free to the top, since we were guests at the hotel, but for those just wanting to sightsee, it is a $5 charge.

The only meals I have ever eaten here have been the breakfast buffet and the luncheon buffet but each time they have been very good. Breakfast is %5.60 while lunch is $6.99 which is not bad for Atlanta.

If you are looking for a good meal at a reasonable price in downtown Atlanta, then Mick's is the place. While Mick's has an assortment of sandwiches and entrees - I always have the meat loaf. On our last trip my wife had a pasta dish and she said it was delicious.

This restaurant is located in Underground Atlanta and has a slightly different menu that the Mick's on Peachtree. During our last visit I requested an outside table for people watching but that would have required quite a long wait so we opted for an inside table.

I ordered a pork chop and the carrot that came with it was so big - it hung over two sides of the plate. I had never seen a carrot that big so I took a picture, which is posted with this entry. My wife had po boy of andouille sausage and shrimp and said it was so good she wants to make another trip to Atlanta to make a return visit to Mick's.

This Hard Rock Cafe is like any of the hundred other Hard Rock's scattered throughout the world wherever tourists gather. Same decor, same menu, same souvenirs - just different city name on the t-shirts.
To me eating at the Hard Rock is about a step above eating at McDonalds except there is a lot more noise at the Hard Rock.
But like McDonalds or any other chain restaurant for that matter, you always know what you are going to get when you sit down.
I must say this is one of the better Hard Rock's that we have been to - maybe it was our waiter. He was very good.
My cheeseburger was very good and my wife's club sandwich was very good. It was so much we did not have room for dessert.

Located across the street from the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Pittypat's is named after Aunt Pittypat from "Gone with the Wind".

When I told some friends I planned to eat at Pittypat's during a trip to Atlanta they tried to discourage me by saying it was nothing but a theme restaurant like Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Cafe, both of which are located just up the street from Pittypat's.

While Pittypat's is a southern themed restaurant - it is nothing like a Hard Rock or a Planet Hollywood. I could have made a meal off of the appetizers and had a hard time trying to decide between the South Georgia Gumbo ($5.25) or the Hot Crab Dip with Lavosh Crackers ($5.95). The dip won out and it was delicious with lump crabmeat and artichokes with melted Parmesean cheese on top.

I also had the same problem when it came to choosing an entree because there were too many that sounded so good. I narrowed my choice between Aunt Pittypat's Fried Chicken ($17.95), Twelve Oaks BBQ Ribs ($17.95) and Savannah Crabcakes $23.95). The crabcakes, which are served on a roasted pepper and tomato sauce, and served with "Calloway Gardens" speckled heart grits, laced with cheese and pecans, won out.

All entrees are served with muffins, biscuits, cornbread and traditional Southern vegetables.

I can't give a report on the desserts because I was too full to have any but I am told the Classic Pecan Pie ($4.95) is outstanding.

Reservations can be made by calling or online by going to the restaurant's web site at www.pittypatsporch.com.

Affectionately, known as the Dump, this is the apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote "Gone With The Wind," while recuperating from a leg injury. The guided tour is full of antecdotes about Mitchell and her life. You will also see the original typewriter she used to type her manuscript and where she wrote in the living room of the small apartment she shared with her husband.

When visitors would call on her, she would place a towel over her typewriter and her manuscript to keep prying eyes from reading what she had written. Tours are given daily between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Underground Atlanta is not a place we visit on every trip to Atlanta but if you are a first time visitor you should definitely put it on your list of things to see and do.
There are over 100 restaurants, nightclubs and shops located in this 12 acre that was at one time the actual street level of the city of Atlanta. Also being underground, one doesn't have to worry about the weather.
Underground is also just a short distance from the World of Coca Cola.

This is a definite must see on any trip to Atlanta. Although there is an admission charge it is definitely worth the price and you can almost get your money back by drinking all the free coke. There are so many things to see and do with many of the exhibits being interactive.

One of my favorite things was the soda fountain exhibit while my wife liked watching all of the Coca Cola commercials throughout the years. But the most fun is trying the different flavors of Coca Cola from throughout the world. A quick tip on saving money on the admission to World of Coca Cola. Look in the numerous publications about Atlanta that are available at your hotel. Generally on the inside of these you can find a coupon good for one free admission with the purchase of another admission.

Located in Buckhead, this 30,000 square foot museum is a great place to learn the history of Atlanta. My favorite part of the museum is the exhibit on golfer Bobby Jones. Unfortunately the day we visited was wet and cold so we were unable to see the 1845 Tuttle Smith Farm or the 1928 Swan House Mansion. We did have lunch at the Coca Cola Cafe inside the museum. We were told that if you plan to visit the museum, the farm and the mansion to plan on spending the day.

It is becoming a family tradition that we go to Atlanta at least once a year to see the Braves play in their new home -Turner Field. But a word to the wise - If you want good seats you better order early. I have had good luck using Ticketmaster.com to get good seats but I order as soon as the tickets go on sale.

We usually try to make a weekend out of our trip so I usually try to get tickets for a Saturday game, allowing us to leave home on Friday afternoon and return on Sunday afternoon. With it being a night game on Saturday we are able to take in some of the sights of Atlanta during the day before going to the ball game that night. I think the best place to stay for a game would be at the Holiday Inn Express next to the stadium but we have stayed at different places around the city and have had no trouble getting to the stadium. Just allow yourself plenty of time before game time because there is a lot of traffic. If you don't want to drive to the stadium, MARTA offers a shuttle service to and from the game, which we have used several times.

If you have never been to Turner Field then plan to get to the game early so you can walk around the stadium. If you have children I am sure they will want to do the interactive games. Eating at the ball park is expensive so if you are watching your pennies you might want to eat before you go to the game. From my experience there is not a bad seat in the park - some seats are just more expensive than others.

One other thing, be sure and watch the Coca Cola bottle when the Braves hit a home run. Going to see a game is a lot of fun - so what are you waiting for - order your tickets now.

This is a great way to get around the Atlanta area and avoiding the hassle of driving and getting caught in traffic jams. The MARTA costs just $1.50 to ride and parking is free at their many parking lots adjacent to their stations. We have many friends who drive over from Alabama for Braves games who park at the first MARTA station on Interstate 20 and ride the remainder of the way on MARTA. For schedules call 404-848-4711.

Beginning 90 minutes before game time at Turner Field, fans can board a shuttle bus at the Five Points MARTA station in downtown Atlanta for a quick ride to the ball park. The shuttle also runs after the game and while they say they run until the park is empty - don't dilly dally around or you will get left.