It's Smarter by Marta

Story and photos by Kathleen Walls

Atlanta skyline

With gas prices through the roof, what better time to leave the driving to someone else?  Visit Atlanta 's aquarium and see all of the old favorites of this upbeat Southern city without breaking the gas budget or fighting Atlanta 's freeway traffic. For just $15.50 for a week or $9.50 for two days, the visitor's pass allows you unlimited system-wide traveling.

A Segway tour

Atlanta's newest treasure, the Georgia Aquarium is located in the heart of downtown facing Centennial Olympic Park . The park, an attraction in itself, acts as a plaza for not only the Aquarium but the National Museum of Patriotism, World of Coca-Cola, CNN Studio and Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta.

City Segway Tours , located across the street from the park, is another way to save your feet and get a great overview of Atlanta.   Segway tour guide, Jamaine , is very patient in explaining how to handle the machine. He comments, "Even if you've never ridden one you will soon be zipping along." The three-hour-tour takes you most of the main attractions. You also visit places that have become a local traditions such as Varsity Restaurant, the World's Largest Drive-in. Jamaine describes it, "Varsity serves all those foods that give you a heart attack; hot dogs, fries, burgers but they're so good you want to eat them anyway."

If you stay downtown, you can walk to most downtown attractions. The Peachtree MARTA station is located next to the Ellis Hotel. This station or the Georgia Dome Station are the two closest to downtown attractions. No matter where you are, from any station, you can connect with almost anywhere in the Atlanta Metro Area.

Tunnel in Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest. Its five galleries, Georgia Explorer, River Scout, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest and Tropical Diver, entered from the central atrium, offer an in-depth look at different aquatic environments. Mackenzie Whalen, the Aquarium's Public Relations Coordinator, comments, " Even though the Aquarium has the world's two largest tanks, we are able to recycle all but one-percent of our water."

This is the only aquarium in the United States that has whale sharks and a graceful manta ray. It's also home to two Beluga whales. Ms. Whalen explains how the whales arrived. "They were brought in to the loading dock just like apples or oranges. A gantry was then lowered and attached to a tarp to hold the whales and then raised and taken straight into the Ocean Voyager Exhibit."

Jenny Miller, visiting with her youngster, comments, "We come a lot. The Aquarium's 'Mommy and Me Pass' admits you and children under five at a very low price,"

Young guests pose with the Coke Panda

Next door a different liquid is the main event. The new World of Coca-Cola ., moved from its former location in 2007 and already is garnering praise for the new facility. Jacquie Wansley, Marketing Manager, stated, "This new facility is large enough to house 1,200 artifacts from around the world. It showcases the history of the country's favorite carbonated beverage."

One visitor, Donna Potter, remarked, "I never realized Coke has been a part of our history for so long."

A nostalgic tour of Coke-inspired pop-art and a 4-D movie combine to make this attraction fun for all ages. Everybody agrees the best part is the tasting. You can sample Coke products from all over the world.

Coke Ambassador, Joyce White states, "In 1956, the company raised the price of Coca-Cola from five cents to six cents. Everyone was outraged. Don't you wish you could still buy a coke for a nickel?"

Museum of Patriotism

Changes in perception are also found in the Museum of Patriotism . This museum explores what it means to be an American. From the immigration experience through 9-11, this place will touch everyone's heart. It honors military and civilian heroes. Gina Hernandez, Lead Ambassador at the museum, feels strongly about the museum's impact on visitors. She says, "To be here, where every day is a celebration, every day I go home energized because someone had shared what America is to them and how they have lived and benefited. It's just a great inspiration."

Chris Lett at CNN

At the other end of the park, CNN Studios offer an inside look into one of the world's busiest news studios.. Bill McElhaney, CNN Tour director, explains, "People have no idea what goes on behinds the scene. The average reaction when they see the newsroom is a look of astonishment. Their eyes light up."

Brandon plays at Imagine it!

Ask any Atlanta child his favorite place and you most likely will hear " Imagine It! The Children's Museum. " Lisa Bokovoy, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, describes the musuem as " teaching while it entertains." She describes the Fundamentally Food section as "where kids get to experience food and where it comes from. They pick the food at the farm; deliver it to the grocery; and then bring it home to prepare."

Another popular activity is the entertaining skits preformed by the museum's Imaginators . This is a child's paradise.

Capital from Veterans Memorial

The Capital is just about two blocks from the Georgia State MARTA Station. Incidentally, the Capital Commons just across the street is a wonderful place to eat. You will get fresh food at reasonable prices.

For foreign visitors, it's the present-day activities that are so interesting at the Capital . Polly Haines from London commented, "It's a very impressive building. But for me it's so exciting to go into the representatives chamber. You see so much of this sort of thing on television."

Gloria Henderson, Capital Guide, tells about the Capital's history. "The Capital has been here for 130 year. Everything within is from Georgia."

The entire fourth floor is a museum filled with artifacts of natural and cultural importance. The kids will gravitate to the two-headed cow and two-headed snake.  

Lady Freedom, who graces the top of the gold-plated dome, is a story all by herself. She is Georgia's version of the Stature of Liberty.

Antique car in Underground Atlanta

Underground Atlanta is situated in Five Points just a few steps away from that MARTA station. Ashley Hesseltine, Underground Atlanta's Publicist comments. " Underground Atlanta gets a bad rep sometimes, but it is very safe, especially if you are visiting in the afternoon. You will see a lot of security officers around, making sure it's safe. I go over there all the time and never feel unsafe."

  Inside it's glitter and glitz. Shopping and dining to suit anyone's taste. There is some serious history there also. The antique cars you see are a clue to the story.

As Atlanta grew in the 1920s, a series of viaducts for automobiles to cross the railroad tracks, elevated the street system.. Merchants moved operations to the second floor on a level with this new traffic pattern. The lower stories of the buildings became storage and service. They remained as they were in that era. In the 1980s, that long abandoned part of Atlanta was named a National Historic Site giving birth to what is now Underground Atlanta. 

Living room at Margaret Mitchell Apartment

For any Southerner, "Gone With the Wind" (GWTW) is the top Southern classic. A visit to the Margaret Mitchell House ranks more as a pilgrimage than a tourist attraction. The author had only a tiny apartment in this beautifully restored Victorian home. According to tour guide Melissa, "Margaret referred to her apartment as ‘the dump.' But she really loved the apartment because it was small and easy to clean. Best of all, it was only one-bedroom, giving her an excuse to avoid overnight guests. Margaret detested overnight guests."

It was here that she wrote her famous novel. Mitchell was a voracious reader, so when she was housebound with an injury, her husband, John, would bring her four or five books from the library each day. Finally in despair, he brought her home an old Remington typewriter and told her, "If you want something to read, write your own."

The rest is history. Today, the tiny apartment is only part of the shrine to a great Georgia author. Besides the apartment, there is a gallery with photographs and artifacts from her life. Across the courtyard is a wonderful tribute to the movie based on Mitchell's book.

Visitors can get the inside scoop on why Clark Gable did not want to play Rhett, how Leslie Howard got talked into the role of Ashley, how Butterfly McQueen was transformed into Prissy and all you ever wanted to know about the making of GWTW.

Carter Presidential Library and Museum

Another part of Georgia history is preserved at the newly renovated Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta. The facility celebrating President Jimmy Carter's life and work was rebuilt, refurbished and reopened on Carter's 85th birthday, Oct. 1, 2009. Jay Hakes, the center director, explains, "We built the highest-tech presidential museum, the most energy-friendly and environmentally friendly."

The state-of-the-art museum includes an exact replica of the Oval Office, plus a permanent exhibit of noteworthy events occurring during Carter's life and political career includes photographs with interpretative text. The library consists of an archives and a museum. Unlike a conventional library, it is both a research facility and a museum.

The Ruling Dinosaurs diorama in A Walk through Time in Georgia courtesy of Fernbank Museum of Natural History_photography by Daemon Baiza

From dinosaurs to barrier islands, everything is fair game at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. This attraction has something for everyone. Small fry will enjoy exhibits in the Children's Discovery Room, like Farmer Giggle's Garden, the Shadow Cave, Habitat Wall, Shady Swamp and others. They can fish in the Okefenokee Swamp or dock their boat at the Jekyll Island Pier. Adults should not miss A Walk Through Time in Georgia. All ages will be enthralled by the Giants of the Mesozoic. Other features include an IMAX theater, a cafe and museum store.

Zoo Atlanta's most unique display is its Panda exhibit. Not only will you find traditional pandas but the cutest red panda you'll ever see.. The gorilla exhibit is something special but then all of the exhibits are awe-inspiring. Simone' Griffin, Zoo Atlanta's Public Relations Coordinator, describes it as, "Real live fun!"

One young mother, Joanne Ford, who brings her four boys to the zoo often, said "You would never think that there is a fabulous place like this in the middle of Atlanta."  

The zoo isn't the only natural place in Atlanta. The Botanical Gardens is a treat for city-weary eyes. It's an island of floral beauty in a very polished urban area.  

Six Flags over Georgia is different type of fun. It's bursting with life and excitement from March through October. From its. gravity-defying rollercoaster, Goliath, to its cutesy Thomas the Tank Engine, there are rides for all ages and tastes.

Stone Mountain

Getting to Stone Mountain is a little trickier but can be managed. MARTA's express bus comes into Stone Mountain Village, about one-half mile from the park's west entrance. Then you can hike into the park's main section or rent a scooter at Stone Mountain Scooter Rentals.

The mountain, that huge granite outcropping with its Confederate heroes carved in giant scale, is riveting. It's eye-candy in the highest form. Jolie Varner, a local resident, says,. "It's beautiful. If you go up there and relax or see the sunset, it's so peaceful."

You can hike or take the SkyRide to the peak. From the top you can see all the way into downtown Atlanta and beyond. Doug Elrod, a SkyRide operator, sees the mountain as "one of the wonders of the world."

Winter is special at Stone Mountain Park with what's known as Snow Mountain. From the end of December to the beginning of March here, you can snow-tube, build a snowman or just enjoy the white stuff that is exceedingly rare in Atlanta.

What isn't rare in Atlanta are the many wonderful places to see and explore. Here, visitors will find Southern hospitality is at its finest, starting with world-class restaurants, cultural attractions, historic districts, museums and more. Daytime or night, Atlanta aims to please, and always does.

For more informatiouseum.org

Georgia Aquarium. www.georgiaaquarium. org

Georgia State Capitol www.sos.ga.gov/archives/tours/about.html

Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta www.childrensmuseumatlanta.org

Jimmy Carter Library and Museum. www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov

Margaret Mitchell House. www.margaretmitchellhouse. com

National Museum of Patriotism. www.museumofpatriotism.org

Stone Mountain Park. www.stonemountainpark.com

Underground Atlanta. www.undergroundatlanta.com

World of Coca-Cola. www.worldofcocacola.com

Zoo Atlanta. www.zooatlanta.org

MARTA. www.itsmarta.com