The world came to Atlanta in 1996 for the Summer Olympic Games and millions of people keep returning to enjoy the all that City and the Metro area have to offer. Coming to the ITE Annual meeting is clearly a great choice for technical content…but we want you to come early, stay late and enjoy every moment of your visit. Be sure to walk to Centennial Olympic Park, just a few blocks from the hotel, to enjoy one of the great legacies from those games.
Many must see/must do things are close to the conference hotel. A few of my favorites are the Atlanta Botanical Gardens acres of gardens, forest, wildflower trails, and a 10,000 square-foot Fuqua Orchid Center, and an amazing Canopy Walk. Want to see live, work and play at its best – visit Atlantic Station for many great foodie opportunities, shops, entertainment including the Bodies exhibit, artifacts from the Titanic and world class architecture.
Surrounding Centennial Park are several of the most popular venues – the new Coca-Cola museum where you get to try flavors from all around the world. Be sure to get online before you arrive to reserve your time at the Georgia Aquarium. You will be mesmerized by many of the spectacular views – my favorites are the jelly fish and the giant tank! You can also take a studio tour of CNN and see yourself doing the weather report!
Coming with the young or young at heart – check out the Center for Puppetry Arts, or just spend some time at Piedmont Park with great trails, play spaces and places to eat. The Fox Theatre is also a great place to tour or to enjoy a show – we have our very own Phantom of the Theater. While you are in town, catch Cathy Rigby starring in Peter Pan or the new comedy The Addams Family.
Atlanta has many eclectic neighborhoods with great eateries, shops and things to see. Check out Grant Park where you can visit Zoo Atlanta, historic Oakland Cemetery, and Cyclorama which immortalizes the Civil War battle of 1864 in a most unique life sized diorama. If you loved the Uncle Remus stories, you can head over to the West End and visit the Wren’s Nest, home of Joel Chandler Harris.
Nearby is the Atlanta Historical Center with a farm, an old mansion and a great museum on the beautiful grounds. On your way there, be sure to check out the High Museum and Symphony Hall. If you are a history buff, you might also want to visit the Carter Center – you might even have the chance to see Jimmy and Rosalyn who are often there. The home of Martin Luther King, his church and the King Center are wonderful places to visit for inspiration and you can enjoy the Sweet Auburn neighborhood in which he lived.
You can catch Shakespeare productions at the Shakespeare Tavern or the Georgia Shakespeare festival.
Feeling more ambitious? You can spend a day at Stone Mountain Park visiting a colonial village, riding the train ‘round the mountain (watch out for cowboys with guns), walking or taking the tram to the top for spectacular views of the City – and if you want to stay for the evening, you can enjoy a picnic and a world famous laser light show.
A little further north, you can visit the North Georgia Mountains and stop by any of the dozens of wineries for a tasting. Wolf Mountain, BlackStock, Three Sisters, Cartecay, Frog Cellars, Tiger Mountain are just a few of those you can visit. Be sure to stop in Dahlonega and pan for some gold or eat some delicious homemade fudge or boiled peanuts on your way out to the wineries.
There are plenty of places to play golf or enjoy the Atlanta Braves and the Gwinnett Braves (minor league team) who will be in town. There are dozens of music venues, art centers, parks and theaters. Award winning chefs (look for winners of Chopped and Iron Chef, Cupcake Wars and more) and lots of great locals are creating farm to market treats.
By now, I hope it is obvious that I am passionate about sharing this great place with you– and your family if they can come, too. Let us know if we can help you plan your time outside of the meetings so you can a rich experience with a touch of southern charm.