Atlanta, Georgia Sleeps & Eats
by David Wilkening
Georgia's fair city of Atlanta packs a lot of fun accommodations and good eating into a Southern vacation destination.
The Omni Hotel at CNN Center
100 CNN Center
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/659-0000
This hotel is in the heart of Atlanta next to the CNN Studios and offers good service. Child-friendly amenities include suitcases filled with games and books, a goodie bag during check-in, and kids menus. Parents are also provided a list of top family attractions, available local babysitters (through the concierge), useful local phone numbers, and a safety/first aid kit that includes a night light. The Omni has an upscale ambiance without too high a price -- you might get a room for under $200 with their regular family specials.
Ansley Inn
253 15th St
Atlanta, GA 30309
404/872-9000
High-speed Internet access and a Southern breakfast are among enticements at the 1907 Tudor-style inn , one of the city's first B&B's. We hear very good things about it, and room rates during weekdays can run under $150. [FTF Note: This inn is closed for renovations at this time.]
The Glenn Hotel
110 Marietta Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/521-2250
The Glenn has recently gone green to accommodate travelers looking to keep their carbon footprint down. By working to reduce overall energy consumption, new windows increase the hotel's insulating capabilities, added high-efficiency water pumps, and new thermostat and lighting systems that sense when a room is occupied or not. It's also within walking distance to CNN Center, Philips Arena, the Georgia Dome, the Georgia World Congress Center, Centennial Olympic Park, the new World of Coke and Georgia Aquarium.
Super 8 Motel
210 Sullivan Road
College Park, GA 30337
770/991-8985
An even better bargain may be the renovated, 58-room motel in College Park near the airport, where you might find a room for $59/N at the right time of year. There are no frills in style or decor, but there 's high-speed Internet and a free airport shuttle.
Wingate Inn Atlanta at Six Flags
65 South Service Road
Austell, GA, 30168
770/948-7877
Families with teens may want to be near tourist attractions such as Six Flags. This full service hotel in Austell has rooms for less than $100 but a variety of facilities that will make summertime touring a little easier. The hotel has a fitness center, spa and outdoor pool, as well as a guest laundry and a 24-hour business center.
InterContinental Buckhead
3315 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
404/946-9000
If you prefer always fashionable Buckhead, where it's said "old money lives and new money parties," the all-amenity and friendly InterContinental offers rooms with two double beds for under $400/N (Club Level and some special package rates include breakfast).
Embassy Suites Hotel Atlanta-Buckhead
3285 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
404/261-7733
This renovated, all-suite hotel has bedrooms with king beds and a living room with a pullout queen sleeper sofa. It's in the heart of Buckhead, just two blocks from Lenox Square and near the Georgia Dome. Cooked-to-order breakfasts and high-speed Internet are also offered, and a room will cost you less than $200/N.
Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta
181 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303
404/659-0400
If a gracious guestroom with a bay window view of the city's downtown skyline is what you crave, then the Ritz-Carlton is for you and your family. The hotel is in close proximity to public transportation, has a fitness center and two dining options: The Lobby Longue and the Atlanta Grill. Also offered for families of four is the Georgia Aquarium Family Package which, for $279+/family, includes accommodations, complimentary continental breakfast and un-timed VIP tickets to the aquarium. Finally, an insider's tip is to stay on the VIP floor where there is free internet access, five free food presentations daily, as well as shell and fish-shaped chocolate in a large fishbowl.
Favorite Eating Spots
The Varsity
61 North Avenue
Atlanta, GA, 30308
404/881-1706
The Varsity is a long-time favorite diner of classical design, the premier sock-hop of the area. It's been slinging slaw, and other diner food, since 1928. You'll get all the grease you ever need here, but lots of people love it for the food and very casual ambiance. It's also close just a few blocks from Georgia Tech's campus and Georgia State University's campus housing.
Mary Mac's Tea Room
Ponce de Leone Ave
Atlanta, GA 30308
404/876-1800 224
This is an Atlanta tradition where you can show kids the Old South, with Southern favorites such as macaroni 'n' cheese. Children can write their own orders on tickets that are given to the servers, and three courses cost under $10. The Southern sweet tea is extremely sweet. To give you an idea of this place, the actress Jessica Tandy in the film "Driving Miss Daisy" dined here regularly, not only because of the food, but to soak up the atmosphere.
Piedmont Park
400 Park Drive NE, Atlanta, GA, 30306
Anyone on a budget will be happy with the Urban Green Market at Piedmont Park, which on Saturdays from 8am to 1pm offers a variety of regional tastes and ingredients. The market features Georgia-grown produce, baked goods, food specialty items, fresh flowers and herbs, as well as chef demonstrations from some of the city's top culinary talent. There's also entertainment ranging from artwork to gospel music.
All-you-can-eat tacos are available for $14 on Mondays at the authentic Sala-Sabor de Mexico (404/872-7203; 1186 Highland Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306).
Atlanta has a huge variety of upscale restaurants that some parents might hesitate to take the chicken-finger-loving kids, but there are some exceptions if you are willing to try out the youngsters on gourmet fare. Park 75 at the Four Seasons Hotel has a three-course prix fixe dinner for $42 (404/253-3840; 75 14th St, Atlanta, GA 30309). Several restaurants offer pre-show menus such as City Grill (404/524-2489; 50 Hurt Plaza, Atlanta, GA, 30303), which has a two-course dinner for $25.
For more information, contact the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (404/521-6600).
David Wilkening, a Florida-based journalist, has contributed to Florida Trend, New York Times, Newsweek, Orlando Sentinel, Detroit Free Press, Palm Beach Post-Times, Toronto Sun, AAA magazines and the Wall St. Journal, and to travel trade publications such as Birnbaum's, Travel Agent, Travel Weekly, and Zagat's.
Piedmont Park photo courtesy of Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
