A Weekend trip to atlanta
There are many perks to living in Western NC, and one of them is how close residents are to other states. Taking a drive south to Atlanta is a great option for a fun getaway. Atlanta has so much to offer that there can be trips made for any age, stage and budget. Recently, Brian and I traveled with my parents to Georgia and had a fantastic time!
Whenever I put together a trip, I like to ask all of the people going a few questions so that their time away can include at least one thing they want to do. Have you ever been on a vacation and you ran yourself ragged keeping kids or other adults content, but you didn’t get to do one thing you wanted? Not on my watch! My Mama requested checking out the unique Chick-Fil-As in the Atlanta area, I hoped to visit the zoo, and my Dad and Brian were interested in checking out the College Football Hall of Fame…I’m happy to report that we were able to do it all!
Did you know that there is a Hawaiian-themed Chick-Fil-A called Truett’s Luau? It is located in Fayetteville, GA, about 30-40 minutes outside of Atlanta. At this location, guests have the option of a table service or counter service experience. The table service restaurant has a big menu with many tropical dishes that you can only get there. The counter service side provides Chick-Fil-A staples as well as some fun, unique options. For our trip, we ate on the counter service side and tried the different kinds of tacos and the burger along with some tasty, frozen drinks. Both sides provide an immersive experience with floral and ocean-inspired decor. As always with Chick-Fil-A, the service was top tiered. We also visited The Dwarf House which is where Chick-Fil-A started. The original restaurant has been updated, but there is still magic from the older building. Complete with a little red door entrance, a seven dwarfs moving art piece, and a hidden door where a dwarf can be found, The Dwarf House provides whimsy to the Chick-Fil-A franchise. Again, guests can choose between table service or counter service. This time, we chose the table service option so we could try the variety of southern comfort foods. We sampled every side they make (the sweet potatoes are a must), chicken and waffles, a burger, and even took some pies back to our hotel! The final spot on our Chick-Fil-A tour was inside the College Football Hall of Fame where we ordered from a typical menu and were able to eat on their indoor field! This opportunity is only given to guests who visit the Hall of Fame, but there is a “regular” Chick-Fil-A attached to the building. My Mama’s checklist was met!
If you visit Atlanta and plan on doing at least two of the following attractions, the Atlanta CityPASS is a great value. It includes: Zoo Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca Cola, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The pass allows you to pay one price to visit five attractions. At the time of this piece, the CityPASS is $106 for an adult and $86 for a child IF you purchase online in advance. If not, the price jumps up exponentially. If you look at the prices of each indivual attraction, you can easily break even with the purchase of just two places to visit. I highly recommend the CityPASS.
Zoo Atlanta is an educational, entertaining, and exciting place to visit when in Atlanta. The facility is well-designed with large pathways for crowds, scooter and strollers. The exhibits allow guests to be close to the animals. There are engaging guides stationed throughout the zoo to give information to visitors. Visitors are able to experience a great time with the general admission ticket, but there are several options for an additional cost. Parking is a bit of a problem on busy days. There is a main lot, an auxiliary lot and some street parking. Our favorite parts were visiting the gorillas and aviary!
The Georgia Aquarium is stunning. The layout allows for crowds to disperse and spread out through the venue. There are fantastic shows to see involving dolphins and sea lions. When you purchase your tickets or the City Pass, you are able to make reservations for free on the day of your visit for tickets to these shows. You do not have to have tickets to attend the shows, but the people with tickets are the ones who are seated first. The aquarium has a beautiful variety of aquatic creatures to visit. The large tanks are captivating...gazing on the beluga whales and huge manta rays is stunning. Every exhibit, big or small, is designed to draw in the visitor to the underwater world! The highlights for us were the Beluga whales and sea lions!
We have visited the World of Coca-Cola a few times. The most recent visit was our least favorite. I'm guessing because of the spring break crowds, some of the exhibits weren't interactive. Guests were being herded from one area to another. The staff wasn't very helpful. The World of Coca-Cola takes visitors through the history of the beverage, allows them to create their own beverage, has exhibits of nostalgic Coca-Cola products and invites guests to taste beverages from around the world. Unfortunately, because of the chaotic crowds and limited assistance or guidance from staff, our party was unable to participate in a few of the exhibits. The tasting room was so insane that we visited one side of one station and left. People were literally elbowing and pushing people to get to the machines. Not worth it! I will say, the Pineapple Fanta from Greece that I was able to tast was delicious!
The College Football Hall of Fame is a great spot to visit in Atlanta especially if you have a sport fanatic in your life. Upon arrival, visitors receive a card and create a profile. This allows visitors to interact throughout the museum and take some crazy photos! If you are not a football fan, that is a super-fun feature everyone can enjoy. For football fans, there are films, photos, trophies, awards and more that show the history of college football.
While we had the option to visit either the Fernbank Museum of Natural History or the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, we ran out of time. BUT, we can add them to our list the next time we take the drive to Atlanta!
