Carol Thalimer - Explorers Guide Atlanta: A Great Destination (Explorers Great Destinations)

A COMPLETE GUIDE

ATLANTA

The golden dome of the Georgia Capitol shines brightly

A COMPLETE GUIDE

FIRST EDITION

Carol & Dan Thalimer

To Maizie Hale, Liz Lapidus, and Melissa Libby, whove been keeping us current on the Atlanta restaurant scene for yearsas well as keeping us well fed.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please contact Great Destinations Guide Editor, The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091, or e-mail .

Website URLs listed in this book were current at the time of publication. If you find information that has changed, let us know at and we will use that in preparing future editions.

Copyright 2008 by Carol and Dan Thalimer

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any way by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

ISBN 978-1-58157-086-1

Cover photo isifa Image Service s.r.o/Alamy
Interior photos by the author unless otherwise specified
Book design Bodenweber Design
Page composition by Susan McClellan
Maps by Mapping Specialists, Ltd., Madison, WI The Countryman Press

Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, Vermont 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110

Printed in the United States of America

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MARIETTA

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THE SOUTHERN CRESCENT

MCDONOUGH, HAMPTON, LOVEJOY, AND LOCUST GROVE

NEWNAN

Although weve written 15 other books about Georgia and the South, this one was one of the most pleasurable because this time weve been writing specifically about our hometown of almost 30 years.

Wed especially like to thank our editors at The Countryman Press: Kermit Hummel, Jennifer Thompson, and Kathryn Flynn for their guidance, suggestions, and infinite patience.

No matter how long weve lived in the Atlanta metro area or how much traveling weve done throughout the state, we could never keep up-to-date with all the latest activities, attractions, lodgings, restaurants, shopping, and events without the assistance of the state regional representatives at the Georgia Department of Economic Developments Tourism Division. For this book we are particularly grateful to Brittney Warnock, the Atlanta Metro representative, and Alison Tyrer.

Weve had assistance from the staffs at almost every convention and visitors bureau, chamber of commerce, welcome center, and travel association in the area. Just a few of them include: Alpharetta CVBCandice Cocco and Brooke Atha; Atlanta CVBAmanda Dyson and Lauren Jarrell; Cobb County CVBJudy Renfroe; DeKalb CVBJeff Mills; Gwinnett CVBCricket Elliott and Gay VanOrt; Henry County Chamber of Commerce/CVBSarah Robbins and Michelle Lassiter; Historic Roswell CVBMarsha Saum; Marietta Welcome Center and Visitors BureauChristy Duffner and Theresa Jenkins. These and many others too numerous to list can be found in the Guidance section of each chapter. Were sure these professionals will be as helpful to you as they have been to us.

The restaurant scene in the metro area is in constant flux. It would be impossible to keep up with all the changes without the assistance of Maizie Hale of Maizie Hale Public Relations, Liz Lapidus of Liz Lapidus Public Relations, and Melissa Libby of Melissa Libby and Associates, among others.

To the countless others at specific activities, attractions, lodgings, restaurants, shopping venues, and eventsthank you.

When we moved to Atlanta in 1979, we were as guilty as many others in saying, Atlanta is a fantastic place to live, but I wouldnt want to visit there. Now we have to admit our own ignorance about the number and quality of the attractions that awaited if only we had taken the time to search them out. But we were smug in thinking that our chosen city was no New York City, no San Francisco, no Los Angeles, no Washington, D.C., or the like. Of course, the fact that Atlanta was not one of these supercities was one of the very reasons we had decided to live here.

For seven years we owned three travel agencies and jetted all over the world. When people asked us about where to go or what to see in Atlanta, wed glibly reply, The only place we know how to get to is the airport. But when we started writing about travel we finally started investigating what was in our own back yard, and we were amazed at the variety of attractions. Sure, maybe theyre not as well known as the Statue of Liberty, Fishermans Wharf, Disneyland, or the Washington Monument, but theyre worth seeing nonetheless.