Atlanta Things to Do Tips by dustmon Top 5 Page for this destination

Center for Puppetry Arts, Midtown Atlanta

My son and his wife both work here, so I am a little biased, but this is the foremost Puppet Museum/Theater in the United States, the Executive Director is Vince Anthony, who was influential in Jim Henson's beginnings. The inside displays in the Museum includes original Kermits, an original Big Bird (wow!), videos, shows, artwork, and lots of really cool stuff for folk interested in puppets. You can make your own puppet in a workshop, you can have a birthday party for a very special child, you can go see an x-rated adult only performance at times!!! Just today, I went to see my son in a performance of Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox, where he played the part of Paul and also did some of the hand puppets, as well as singing a few songs. (Can you tell I'm proud?) They have puppetry for all tastes and you should definitely give it a chance, if you have never been----

updated Oct 2012---only for a couple of more weeks, The Ghastly Dreadfuls Show is a wonderful spooky experience with scary music, puppetry, film and more--with a bar just down the hall and for ages 16 and over---this is the last year they will be doing this show.....About $12 for adults and shows are at 8pm.

Address: 1404 Spring Street NW Atlanta

Directions: close to Peachtree Road and Spring Street

Phone: 404-873-3089

Website: http://www.puppet.org

Atlanta Jazz Fest 2012

Happens in Piedmont Park in downtown Atlanta and it's free! This year it is from May 26 to the 28th and some of the performers include Edy Martinez and his Orchestra, Grace Kelly Quintet, Tito Puente Jr, and the excellent Roy Ayers---see the website for times and stages...they will have food and other stuff for sale as well.......

Address: Piedmont Park

Phone: 404-546-6820

Website: http://atlantafestivals.com

Atlanta Botanical Gardens Botanical Gardens Review

Just had a nice trip to the gardens with my girlfriend, lots of spring flowers in bloom like tulips, rhododendrons, daffodils and much more---they also had an Orchid show with lots for sale and more to lust over----lots of pitcher plants as well, one of my favorites. About $30 for the both of us plus $7 for parking, definitely worth it (take MARTA buses to save a bit). There is also a great vegetable garden already started with collards, carrots and more----definitely recommended!

Address: 1345 Piedmont Ave 30309

Directions: next to Piedmont Park

Phone: 404-876-5859

Website: http://atlantabotanicalgarden.org

Chastain Park and Art Center

Located in north Atlanta close to Roswell Road and Wieuca Rd, Chastain has been a great little park close to where I went to High School--we used to cut class and hang at the park for sure! It actually used to be a prison for undesireables, a prison farm and a few poorhouses. The Chastain Arts Center used to be the African-American Almshouse, but now houses wine and cheese receptions on some fridays for local artists---Chastain has lots of swings, slides and jungle gyms for the little ones, but also has tennis, 18-hole golf course and a public swimming pool in the summer.

Directions: between Powers Ferry and Roswell Road at Wieuca Road

Website: http://chastainpark.org

Academy of Medicine Building

1941 building designed by noted local architect Philip Shutze in the Neo-Classical style----easy to find building for those who like old buildings----sometimes they give tours and they have a small medical museum inside as well.

Address: 875 W Peachtree St

No more fortune telling in Buckhead-Madam Bell

Madam Bell was found dead recently in a pool of water only a few inches deep----a fortune teller for years in the same location----guess she din't see that one coming......
RIP

Address: Corner of Piedmont and Cheshire Bridge

Georgia Aquarium Georgia Aquarium Review

A fairly new addition to Atlanta, right on Centennial Park and next to the World of Coke---parking available for all in the big deck. The aquarium has Beluga whales, sharks, dolphins and lots more---touching areas for kids of all ages where you can touch a small shark or other harmless fish---a great 4-d movie (extra $$), and a Wolfgang Puck food court area....
check out the webcams on their website!

Address: 225 Baker Street 30313

Directions: on Centennial Park

Phone: 404-581-4000

Website: http://georgiaaquarium.org

State Farmers Market

Open all year, the State Farmers Market is in Forest Park, just south of the airport. Anything grown in Georgia is in one area, you just drive down the rows of sellers and stop to look at something good! There are also plants, and Thomas' Restaurant serves fresh cooked veggies with the meals.....

Address: 16 Forest Parkway

Website: http://pickyourown.org

Princess Diana Monument/World Athhletes

Prince Charles was one who financed the making of this statue on Peachtree Road to honor the world's athletes, but it turned out that immediately after its completion, the Princess died, and the monument turned into a sort of a shrine for her devotees, getting covered in flowers and such for weeks. It is hard to actually get to, being on a small triangle of grass near an expressway on-ramp but you can see it driving past anyways...
Sculptor---Anton Glikine

Address: Peachtree Road

Directions: near Pershing Point

Get a hair cut/hairdo in Midtown

Henry James Salon is a full service salon/spa across from Piedmont Hospital on Peachtree Rd in Midtown, convenient to anywhere in just a few minutes.
tues-fri 11-7
sat 9-5

Address: 1923 Peachtree Road

Directions: Midtown
next to Jimmy Johns

Phone: 404-351-7400

Website: http://henryjamessalon.com