If you ask Atlantans about their beloved city, be prepared for a rapid outburst of their favorite places. Rather than being jealous of their cool hometown, plan your own trip to Atlanta this spring. Here are a few must-see Atlanta attractions that will constitute a perfect weekend away.
The Varsity
Photo by Kevin C. Rose. The Visitors’ Atrium at the World of Coca-Cola museum is decorated with its own pop-inspired art.
The Varsity is the world’s largest drive-in restaurant. Join the throngs of people who have come to love the repeating chorus, “What’ll ya have?” After glancing at the menu, you can reply in The Varsity lingo, “I’d like a Naked Dog and an F.O.”
► www.thevarsity.com
World of Coca-Cola
Mosey on over to the World of Coca-Cola museum for refreshment. See the pop art collection, a 4D show, a full Coca-Cola assembly line, or an exhibition about what makes people around the world happy.
► www.worldofcoca-cola.com
Stone Mountain
The summit at Stone Mountain offers a beautiful panoramic view of downtown Atlanta. Carved into the side of the mountain are figures of General Robert E. Lee, Confederate president Jefferson Davis, and General Andrew “Stonewall” Jackson. In the late spring,
you can finish off the day with a laser show, but don’t be surprised when the three Southern leaders ride off the face of the mountain to the accompaniment of music.
► www.stonemountainpark.com
Photo by Atlanta Stock Photos. Stone Mountain offers a variety of activities in addition to hiking.
Fox Theatre
Still want to party out the night? The Fox Theatre features stars on its stage and stars on its realistic sky ceiling—complete with moving clouds. The building exemplifies 1920s theater palaces, with architectural influences from Egypt and the Middle East. The theater hosts organ concerts, musicals (Les Misérables in April), movie festivals, and even masquerade balls.
► www.foxtheatre.org
—Stephanie Smith
Wow, you guys really got it right! I’m a GA girl myself, and there’s a lot to love about ATL, but Stone Mountain, Coca-cola world & these others are definitely on my must-see list. A less-known but no less beloved landmark is Junkman’s Daughter, an indie shopper’s paradise.
I also really enjoyed the articles that explored different cities, especially “Take Me Back, Tokyo” — cities like Tokyo and Berlin are so outside of where I’ve travelled they can seem like total abstractions, but y’all broke them down into pieces I could really appreciate and somehow made the cities more appealing destinations than ever! One thing I did notice was that those two articles begin the exact same way, with how overwhelming the city can be, but then you’re going to give us the in, which is great, but it looses its charm when it’s repeated.
The airline article really stood out among a lot of good pieces, maybe because the content was so helpful and varied. (And that Pan Am photo? Now I remember why vintage became popular in the first place.) The box “How to Survive a Long Flight” was especially well designed, as is the whole site, really: keep up the great work!
Thanks for including the websites for these attractions! I was able to easily visit the sites myself to get more info.