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AirTran Airways Flights from West Palm Beach (PBI) to Atlanta (ATL)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on AirTran Airways, which operates 2 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from West Palm Beach (PBI) to Atlanta (ATL), departing between 8:00am and 5:15pm, and 2 additional non-stop flights, departing between 3:15pm and 3:17pm on select days of the week. Usually a Boeing 717 or Boeing 737-700 is flown for this route. The average travel time from West Palm Beach, FL to Atlanta, GA is 1 hour and 47 minutes.
During your Atlanta vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Kennesaw Mountain/National Battlefield Park
This 2,884-acre park, run by the National Park Service, was established in 1917 on the site of a crucial Civil War battle in the Atlanta campaign of 1864. Some 2 million visitors come annually to explore the Confederate entrenchments and earthworks, some of them featuring Civil War artillery.The action began in June 1864. A month earlier, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had ordered Sherman to attack the Confederate army in Georgia, telling Sherman to "break it up, and go into the interior of the enemy's country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can upon their war resources." In response to this order, Sherman's army, 100,000 strong, pushed back Confederate forces composed of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's 65,000 men. By June 19, Union troops had driven Johnston's men back to a well-prepared defensive position on Kennesaw Mountain. Southern engineers had built a line of entrenchments in its rocky slopes, allowing the Confederates to cover every approach with rifle or cannon. An Ohio officer later commented that if the mountain had been constructed for the sole purpose of repelling an invading army, "it could not have been better made or placed."On June 27, following a few weeks of skirmishing, Sherman, underestimating the strength and still-feisty morale of the rebels, attempted to break through Confederate lines and annihilate the troops in a grand no-holds-barred assault from two directions. Confederate Gen. Samuel French described the onset of the attack: "As if by magic, there sprang from the earth a host of men, and in one long, waving line of blue the infantry advanced and the battle of Kennesaw Mountain began." Weeks of torrential rain had turned these battlegrounds into a muddy mire, adding significantly to the misery on both sides.Sherman's men were repelled by massive bursts of firepower and huge rocks which the Confederates rolled down the mountain at them. Union casualties far outnumbered Confederate losses in this first attack. Meanwhile, 8,000 Union infantrymen in five brigades attacked from another angle; in this battle, the Union lost 3,000 men, the Confederates 500, resulting in a tremendous Confederate victory on these grounds.Allow at least 2 hours for exploring. Start your tour at the visitor center, where you can pick up a map, watch a 20-minute film about the battle, and view exhibits of Civil War artifacts, medicine, and memorabilia. On weekdays, you can drive or hike up the mountain to see the actual Confederate entrenchments and earthworks, some of them equipped with Civil War artillery. On weekends, it may be too crowded to drive, but you can take a shuttle bus for a nominal fee or you can hike (the steep trail is about 2 miles round-trip, so wear comfortable shoes). You'll find interpretive signs at key spots, and, on weekends and holidays Memorial Day through Labor Day, interpretive programs give further information about the battle. You'll also want to drive to Cheatham Hill, site of some of the fiercest fighting. There are 16 miles of hiking trails for those who want a more extensive tour (trail maps are available at the visitor center), and picnicking is permitted in designated areas, some of which boast barbecue grills. The scenery is gorgeous, so even if Civil War battles are not your thing (that is, if you're reluctantly accompanying an enthusiastic spouse or friend), you'll find some beautiful hiking or driving.
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
Set on 30 acres of gardens, lakes, and waterfalls, this impressive presidential library houses some 27 million pages of documents, memoranda, and correspondence from Jimmy Carter's White House years. There are also 1 1/2 million photographs and hundreds of hours of audio- and videotapes. The library's hilltop site is a historic one; it was from this spot that Sherman watched the Battle of Atlanta.In the extensive museum, you'll find an exact replica of the Oval Office during Carter's presidency -- an exhibit enhanced by a recording of Carter speaking about his experiences in that office. A large display of "gifts of state" runs the gamut from a Dresden figurine of George and Martha Washington (a gift from Ireland) to a carpet from the Shah of Iran. You'll also see the table setting used when the Carters entertained Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping and his wife in the State Dining Room; a video of artists such as the late pianist Vladimir Horowitz performing in the East Room; campaign memorabilia; and a large display devoted to the activities of Rosalynn Carter. Other exhibits focus on Carter's support of human rights (there's a letter from Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov and Carter's reply); his boyhood days (his sixth-grade report card and a photo of the Plains High basketball team are two of the items on display); and his pre-presidential life as a peanut farmer, governor, and state senator.There are informative videos throughout, including an interactive "town meeting" video through which visitors can ask Carter questions on subjects ranging from world affairs to his personal life. Another intriguing participatory video lets you choose your response to a terrorist crisis and learn the probable consequences of your choice.Consider having lunch here. There's an excellent cafeteria, run by one of the city's top catering companies, with patio seating overlooking a Japanese garden and pond. If you're still in a political mood, stop by nearby Manuel's Tavern, a local pub at 602 N. Highland Ave. that's popular with journalists and politicians. President Carter stops in occasionally.
Yellow River Game Ranch
Bordering the Yellow River, this 24-acre animal preserve offers close encounters of the 4-legged kind -- a chance to view, pet, feed, and generally mingle with some 600 animals (always including quite a few babies) who live in open enclosures or right out in the open, along a 1-mile oak- and hickory-shaded forest trail. Owner Art Rilling knows every animal on the ranch by name and can give you chapter and verse on each one's personality, preferences, and in some cases, romantic history. The animals know they're among friends here and are highly socialized, so you have a unique chance to study them up close. Keep in mind that all these animals smell like, well, animals. If a barnyard atmosphere bothers you, don't visit.Inhabitants include donkeys named Rhett and Scarlett, Georgia black bears that stand up and beg for marshmallows, goats, dozens of rabbits in Bunny Burrows (kids can pet the bunnies), an assortment of interesting-looking chickens, a herd of buffalo, sheep, burros, goats, ponies, a skunk named General Sherman (we are in Atlanta, after all), and a groundhog named General Beauregard Lee who lives in a white colonnaded Southern mansion complete with miniature satellite dish.Consider packing a picnic lunch. There are tables throughout the property, and one especially nice picnic area overlooks the river.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Atlanta area, including:
Shellmont Inn
This charming two-story Victorian mansion looks like a fairy-tale house, its exterior embellished with ribbons, bows, garlands, and shells. It has both a front porch and a small veranda out back, with wicker rocking chairs overlooking a flower garden and fishpond. The building, which dates to 1891, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a city landmark. Innkeepers Ed and Debbie McCord have done a superb job of restoring the place, meticulously researching original paint colors, stencil designs, woodwork, and period furnishings, and reproducing them with 100% accuracy.There's a living room downstairs, and up the stairs are the four guest rooms. On your way up, be sure to stop on the landing to check out the five-paneled stained-glass window that the McCords believe is an authentic Tiffany. Rooms have elegant queen-size beds (perhaps you'll get the one with the 6-foot oak headboard embellished with carved ribbons and bows), leaded-glass or bay windows, and Oriental rugs on pine floors. Three rooms have whirlpools. The carriage house offers a luxurious master bedroom, a modern bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen, a living room, and a dressing area.Breakfast consists of fresh-squeezed juice, fresh and dried fruits, an entree (perhaps Belgian waffles or frittatas), cereals and granolas, and tea or coffee.
Westin Peachtree Plaza
You wouldn't expect that a 73-story, 1,000-room hotel could be described as cozy, but that adjective fits the Westin, which completed a $30 million renovation several years ago. The 300-square-foot rooms are both elegant and intimate, and floor-to-ceiling windows provide dramatic views of the city. Westin's "Heavenly Beds," boasting a custom designed pillow-top mattress set, a down blanket, three luxury line sheets, a comforter, a duvet, and five of the softest pillows ever, guarantee you a good night's sleep. The revolving Sun Dial Restaurant, on the 71st floor, offers sophisticated American fare and an impressive 360-degree view of the city skyline. The revolving Sun Dial bar, on the 73rd floor, is a good spot for cocktails and light fare. The Cafe restaurant, located in the atrium lobby, serves buffet and a la carte breakfasts. The Starbucks Coffee Bar is open daily for coffee, drinks, tea, sandwiches, and pastries. There's also the Lobby Bar and the adjoining Sidewalk Cafe. Twenty-eight rooms are accessible to travelers with disabilities.
Grand Hyatt Atlanta
The towering Grand Hyatt Atlanta offers a winning combination of 18th-century American architecture and Japanese flavor. The lobby overlooks a 9,000-square-foot garden with traditional Japanese plantings, rock formations, and splashing waterfalls created by noted Kyoto landscape architects. A collection of museum-quality Japanese art, spanning 4 centuries, is displayed throughout the hotel.Rooms are furnished with 18th-century mahogany reproductions, and the Japanese aesthetic appears in the form of crane-motif headboards, fresh orchids, and Japanese prints in black lacquer frames. Every luxury is provided at this plush establishment -- you'll even find an umbrella in your closet.Facilities: 2 restaurants; lovely outdoor pool and sun deck; fully equipped fitness center (w/TVs and VCRs on the exercise bikes, Life Trim equipment, stair machines, aerobics videos, steam, and sauna); toys/activities for children; 24-hr. concierge; airport shuttle; complimentary town car within a 2-mile radius of the hotel; comprehensive business center; 24-hr. room service; massage; babysitting.
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