The Atlanta Traveler

Often when you live in a town with spots that attract tourists, you put off visiting them unless you have out-of-town company. Well, if you have missed seeing the Cyclorama, or haven’t been in a while – now’s the time to go.  According the AJC the budget is tight and some staff have been furloughed. Hours are from 9 – 4:30 Tuesday through Sunday and the website is www.atlantacyclorama.org.

Claudine wrote about the Cyclorama here in June. See http://www.theatlantatraveler.com/what-is-a-cyclorama-in-atlanta-anyway/

It is truly an icon here in Atlanta. The painting was completed in 1896 and it depicts the Battle of Atlanta. It was given to the city by George Gress, the founder of the Grant Park Zoo, in 1898. The diorama was added in 1936. This is old Atlanta, but worth your time.

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I  recently went to the Titanic Exhibit at the Aquarium and I left with the impression I’d been on luxury liner. A lot of the display is about class – there were first, second and third class passengers. In fact, one of the reasons that there were enough lifeboats for only half of the passengers is that the British shipping company, the White Star Line, had made the decision that all those boats cluttered up their luxury ship.
You will walk through a first-class cabin and a third-class room.  There are eye witness accounts, photos and many exhibits, including pieces of …read more

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If you’re a nature enthusiast, you will be glad to know that Charles Seabrook’s column on natural Georgia will be back at the Atlanta Journal Constitution this Sunday. Among the many changes the paper is making to try and survive, Seabrook’s column got canned. But the newspaper leadership listened to its readers and will return the column.
If you’re not familiar, Seabrook writes about places in Georgia with unique flora and fauna as well as explaining when you can expect to see which variety of hummingbird coming through or what kind of owl it is in your neighborhood making that strange …read more

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Whoops – it’s Saturday morning and you haven’t made plans. Or there’s lots to do, but you just don’t want to go very far today. Log onto the website of your nearest small town. Everyone is having some kind of Christmas festival, Tour of Homes or Lighting of the Tree. Here are just two examples:
In Clayton County, the Festival of Trees and Lights at Clayton County International Park until December 21. $7 per car wkends, $5 Tue-Thur.
The annual Celebration of Light will be at the Norcross Cemetery beginning at 5 p.m.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an interesting list: www.ajc.com/holiday/content/atlanta-holiday-guide/entertaining/great-holiday-decorations.html
Let us know …read more

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Nothing to do with the holidays but ending December 31 is the Breman Museum’s exhibition, “Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited.”

This is the truly tragic story of a murder that happened in 1913 that had a tremendous effect on Georgia and the nation.  Very briefly, Leo Frank was a manager at a pencil factory and was accused of murdering 13-year-old Mary Phagan in the basement of the factory. The eye-witness was an African-American janitor. It was a very racially charged and sensational story, but was built on and used by politicians and competing city newspapers to inflame people even …read more

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In the German tradition of combining food, music and entertainment with markets of imported and local Christmas specialties, Georgia’s “Alpine” village is holding its first annual Christkindlmarkt. Long a tradition in Chicago, there are Christkindlmarkts in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Ohio. You can enjoy Georgia’s in (relatively) much warmer weather this weekend and next. The Helen Christmas parade is Dec. 6. Bands are scheduled during various times and Santa will be there too. (Christkindlmarkt is German for Christ child market.)

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About an hour north of Atlanta, Lake Lanier Islands offers six and a half miles of lights and a carload price. It bills itself as the “world’s largest animated light extravaganza” and includes a live nativity scene, carnival rides, pony rides and the Santa Shop. The Holiday Village includes a bonfire for roasting marshmallows. The price is $40 per car Friday through Sunday and holidays, $30 Monday through Thursday. Discount tickets are available at Publix and McDonalds (good for $5 off) or make your reservations on-line at www.lakelanierislands.com for the same discount. Lake Lanier Islands Resort has partnered with Toys …read more

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With gas prices so low at the moment, you might consider driving south of town to the Fantasy of Lights at Callaway Gardens, just over an hour away. Famous for its azalea trails in the spring, the gardens light up for the holidays with 8 million lights. If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, you can take the tram. It is open and this is a cold drive, so bundle up and bring a thermos of something warm. (You can purchase hot chocolate in the Christmas Village and under the Pavilion on the way to the trolley.) By the …read more

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I had heard a lot about the Dillard House before I went. The food is delicious, the service is great, it’s just something you have to do in the mountains – so my expectations were high. There is a long line at traditional meal times, but it moves quickly. (You can admire the view from the porch rocking chairs while you wait.) When we were seated, the server promptly came and took our drink orders. The menu on the wall outside had listed fried chicken, steak and gravy, sliced country ham and catfish. It was hard to choose but I …read more

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There you are driving along enjoying the mountain views and trying to ignore whatever the kids are doing in the backseat when the clamor becomes a little louder, “Those are sheep!” and “No they aren’t. It was goats on that roof. Dad, tell her that goats have horns.”

What? Indeed there are goats on the roof. This little place makes a great pit stop on your way north. There is specialty coffee for the adults and the kids can get a little exercise pedaling the stationary bicycle that moves a cup of goat food up to the roof.
Under that roof is …read more

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