Have you visited Atlanta? Or plan to visit Atlanta? For me this is the first city that I saw when I reached USA. My visit in the city was not for leisure trip but a business reason. But, I still tried to explore the city even my first 10 days has been raining. I still tried to explore this city at the south. And during my exploration, I enjoyed discovering Atlanta.
Below are rank of the places that I visited. What are yours?
What I like about this museum is the secret formula of the famous soda itself. Seeing the vault made me excited and felt that the secret itself is real.
One of the things that I dream to get inside of is the classic theater of the Fox. And I realized this dream when I got a chance to watch Shaping Sound contemporary dance artist.
When I learned about the movie “Gone With the Wind” and the author of the famous movie of all time has museum in Atlanta which was her former house and exhibits most about her, I felt excited as I got a chance to discover more about her and about the movie.
The museum made me cry as I felt in my heart the persecution that African-American experienced during the decades of sufferings, a part of USA history that I learned.
The name of the street itself is famous in Atlanta. And don’t be surprised if you will encounter lots of streets with the name “Peachtree”. It has its own reason, because it has historical significance in the city.
When the weather in Atlanta becomes better, I took my chance to walk in some part of the city during my last weekend and last Friday in the metropolis. I grouped my walk in six major places as listed below. The order of these places that I saw in my leisure walk around the city are not necessarily based on how I presented it here, but I used north (Midtown) to south (Downtown) direction to tell the story of the places that I had seen in the city.
1. Peachtree St NE (Midtown)
This is the part of the walk where the following places can be found : Margaret Mitchell House, Fabulous Fox and Georgian Terrace.
2. Peachtree Street NE (Downtown)
Here the following buildings can be found : Bank of America Plaza, Emory University Hospital, SunTrust Plaza and Hyatt Regency. Hardy Ivy Park can also be seen along this street.
3. Pemberton Place
It is the home of World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium and Center for Civil and Human Rights.
4. Centennial Olympic Park
A place where you can enjoy a walk with Atlanta Skyline view and not far from it you can decide to ride Skyview Atlanta.
5. Peachtree Street NW (Downtown)
The walk in this part of Peachtree Street NW can enjoy Margaret Mitchell Square, Flatiron Building and Woodruff Park.
6. Underground
This is the place where you can enjoy the oldest streets of Atlanta and understand why it was called city beneath the city.
The next place that I walked around was Centennial Olympic Park just beside Pemberton Place. While walking towards the park, I admired who did the urban planning of the area. Thinking how they carefully thought about the location of two major tourist destination Pemberton Place and Centennial Olympic Park. Because both locals and visitors can enjoy these places as it close to one another, a strategic objective with the mind for the guests welfare to appreciate this part of Downtown of the city.
The things that I immediately saw after crossing Baker St NW
At the same day of my first visit in Pemberton Place, I crossed Baker St NW to see the open park which they called Centennial Olympic Park. Coming to this part of Downtown of the city have some benefits for the tourist or visitor like me because I was able to see Pemberton Place a home of three major tourist buildings which just the other side of Baker St NW and the Centennial Olympic Park on the other side. Any visitors whom just wanted to chill out in a lovely day can just hang out in the park or if they like, they can easily decide to visit one of the museums which located just around the corner.
Skyline View of Atlanta from the park
I enjoyed my stroll in the park because it gave me a glimpse of the skyline view of Atlanta. Yes, it was not the complete skyline view and just part of it but I was still amazed on the urbanity that surrounds the park. There are things that can be learned and appreciated while walking within the park as it offers audio tour like additional learnings to everyone, though I haven’t tried it while I was in the park, I just saw this from information board when I entered the park.
I didn’t see all what the park offers but I found interesting information for the things that I had seen such as : the Gateway of Dreams, Hermes Towers / Centennial Plaza and the Fountain Rings. During the walk, I also got a chance to see the CNN headquarter in Atlanta.
Gateway of Dreams – Sculpture pays homage to the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and to the ideals of the Games.
Hermes Towers / Centennial Plaza
Hermes Towers – 65-foot high lighted towers encircle the Plaza. Named after the mythological messenger god Hermes, the “Hermes Towers” are stylized reproductions of markers that led the ancient Greeks to significant public spaces and events
Centennial Plaza – A 100 meters squared, which surrounded by official flags of Olympic Games and 23 national flags which represents the previous cities that hosted the summer games.
Fountain of Rings – World’s Largest Interactive Fountain
The Fountain of Rings is the centerpiece of Centennial Olympic Park and is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in Georgia. Millions of international and local guests visit the Park every year to enjoy the world’s largest interactive fountain featuring the Olympic Ring symbol. (Source : GWCCA website)
The famous Cable News Network (CNN), Atlanta Headquarters which used for weekend programming.
When I felt content with my walk in Centennial Olympic Park, I walked towards Skyview Atlanta, a 200 foot Ferriswheel to enjoy viewing the city in another way. Though during my visit, I never tried to ride on this one, I just a took a souvenir photo of it
Skyview Atlanta
The said Ferris wheel features 42 climate-controlled gondolas providing guests with breathtaking panoramic views of downtown Atlanta and the surrounding metropolitan area. (Source : Skyview Atlanta website)
Centennial Olympic Park Streetcar Station
And before I left the area I found a tram station of Centennial Olympic Park which they call it Atlanta Streetcar (Downtown Loop) before heading to Peachtree Street NW to continue my journey.
Notes:
1. Plan to visit Centennial Olympic Park ? – Please check latest information here 2. Entrance Fee – Walking in the city is totally free 3. Public Transportation Ticket – Use MARTA Breese Card, here’s the official website, here’s alternative site for the card
4. Directions to Centennial Olympic Park using train :
If you will ride within Red Line or Gold Line regardless which station you will come from, just remember to get-off at Peachtree Center Station.
If you will ride in any of Blue or Green Line, you are required to transfer at Five Points Station and take Red or Gold Line and get off at Peachtree Center Station.
Then exit at Peachtree Street, turn Right until you reach either Andrew Young International Blvd NW or Baker Street NW and turn left towards Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW to see the said park.
Discovery (Post#32) : Centennial Olympic Park – Fountain of Rings
While walking within Centennial Olympic Park, I found this interesting fountain that forms the Olympic rings. Below was the discovery that I learned about the said fountain. The photo is part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
The Fountain of Rings is the centerpiece of Centennial Olympic Park and is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in Georgia. Millions of international and local guests visit the Park every year to enjoy the world’s largest interactive fountain featuring the Olympic Ring symbol. (Source : GWCCA website)
Featuring Our World (Post#8) : Centennial Olympic Park
Coming from Pemberton Place, I only need to cross Baker St NW to be able to reach Centennial Olympic Park. And one thing that I enjoyed aside from the things that it offers within the park, was the chance to see a bit of skyline of Atlanta. Even though it was not the complete skyline but because of huge open space in the park, all the buildings that surrounds it made the park a beautiful spot for taking photos of the city. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
Arts and Craft (Post#15) : Gateway of Dreams by Raymond Kaskey
Within Centennial Olympic Park, I found this monument with Olympic Rings symbol and there is the statue of Baron Pierre de Coubertin who is considered as Father of Modern Olympic Games. The monument is to honor de Courbetin and the ideals of the game and made by American sculptor Raymond Kaskey. These photos are part of Atlanta Walks Photo Collection November 2015.
You must be logged in to post a comment.