Peachtree Plaza Hotel & the Sundial Restaurant and other Atlanta, GA Things to Do Tips

Once the tallest hotel in the world at 723 ft, the Peachtree Plaza is a good place to start your tour of Atlanta. You can take a glass elevator ride to the top, and dine in the Sundial Restaurant, which rotates 360 degrees, giving you an awesome view of the city.

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Directions: Downtown, Central Business District, on Peachtree Street
Website: http://www.sundialrestaurant.com/

Atlanta is the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr, the non-violent civil rights activist. He was also buried here after being assassinated in Memphis, over 30 years ago. There is a history center here & also his tomb & the "eternal flame" monument.

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Phone: (404) 526-8900
Address: 449 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta
Directions: Check website for directions
Website: http://www.thekingcenter.com

Stone Mountain is the largest piece of exposed granite in the world. It is around 400+ feet high, and if you can make it all the way to the top, you get a sweeping view of the Atlanta skyline. If you're lazy, you can take the sky lift. It's not just a giant rock, but also an amusement park. There are water parks, so during the summer you can swim, boat, & fish. There's also a theme train that goes around the mountain, picnic areas, and there are also festivals & events held here from time to time. There is also one of the largest carvings in the world on the mountain, a tribute to the Confederate heroes, Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. Prehistoric people once lived on the mountain, and there are rare mosses found nowhere else in the world. Furthermore there's a lot of wildlife in the park - once while walking down a seculded forest trail, I remember seeing a rattlesnake here - so watchout!

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Phone: (770) 498-5600
Directions: Several miles east of Atlanta, see website.
Website: http://www.stonemountainpark.com/

The Bank of America Plaza is the tallest building in the United States outside of Chicago or New York. It was built in 1993 and originally called Nations Bank Plaza. It has 55 stories and is 1,023 ft high (312m). It's the 19th tallest building in the world.

It is crowned by a pyrimid shaped spire covered mostly in 24k gold. Originally the beams supporting the spire were to be enclosed, but the cost restraints of adding additional floors to construction forced the builders to leave it open. Lights within the beams radiate out, causing the spire to glow at night, like an ember in a fire.

Currently there is not an observation deck open to the public. But the lobby is open, often exhibiting art work for free.

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Directions: Located on Peachtree Street in Midtown Atlanta

Centennial Olympic park is located close to downtown, the CNN Center and the Georgia Dome. You can get a great view of downtown Atlanta. Parking is a bit of a problem, so I suggest you take Marta to get there. Exit Peachtree Center and walk a few blocks west.

The showcase of the park is the 82.5 diameter fountain of rings. You can also see lots of music here. Check out the website.

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Phone: (404) 222-7275
Address: 265 Park Avenue West, Atlanta
Directions: See website for directions
Website: http://www.centennialpark.com/

The Georgia State Capital building was built in 1889. Its dome is covered in Georgia gold leaf. The building houses a Georgia Hall of Fame, including exhibits of the Georgian signers of the Declaration of Independence and other notable people, and a museum of Science and Industry. Its architecture is neo-classical.

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Website: http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/geo.htm

Ok, so Atlanta is not really thought of as the media center of America. But, I think it should be the 'media capital' because of one network that changed the face of how Americans, much less the world, get their news. You MUST visit CNN Center. Yeah, it's just a building with a lot of shops and restaurants. But this is where history was made. CNN is know all over the world. Though I don't think it's the best news channel, if I ever want news at any time of the day, I know that I can turn to CNN and it will be broadcasting. Alongside CNN Center is Olympic Park, the Georgia Dome and Convention Center, and Philipps Arena.

Old history of the building: it used to be known as the 'Omni' and once housed an ice-skating rink. I skated there when I was a child, and I think the place was a lot cooler back then.

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Phone: (404) 827-2300
Address: 1 CNN Center, Marietta Street, Atlanta
Directions: Please see website for directions
Website: http://www.cnn.com/CNNCenter/