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United Airlines Flights from Washington (IAD) to Atlanta (ATL)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on United Airlines, which operates 2 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Washington (IAD) to Atlanta (ATL), departing between 8:45am and 9:45pm, and 2 additional non-stop flights, departing between 12:38pm and 12:40pm on select days of the week. The average travel time from Washington, DC to Atlanta, GA is 1 hour and 56 minutes.
During your Atlanta vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
CNN Studio Tour
This tour of the world's largest newsgathering organization is lots of fun, and a uniquely Atlanta experience. The CNN Center is headquarters for CNN, CNN International, and Headline News. During 40-minute guided walking tours, visitors get a behind-the-scenes look at the high-tech world of 24-hour TV network news in action.You'll find the tour desk in the main lobby near the base of an eight-story escalator. While you're waiting for the tour to begin, you can have a videotape made of yourself reading the day's top stories from behind a CNN anchor desk. The tour starts in an exhibit area where you'll find timelines covering the history of CNN and Turner Broadcasting, interactive kiosks where you can surf the CNN websites or access clips from the top 100 stories that CNN has covered, memorabilia from some of those events, and a journalism ethics display. A theater that re-creates CNN's main control room allows you to experience the behind-the-scenes elements of a news broadcast.Next, you'll enter a special effects studio and get a glimpse of the technology that goes into the production of global news. Here you'll discover the magic of a high-tech Blue Chromakey system (it's what's used to broadcast that big map behind the weather folks), see how on-air graphics are made, and learn the secrets of the TelePrompTer.On another level, visitors get a bird's-eye view of the main CNN newsroom from a glass-walled observation station. You'll see the hustle and bustle of writers composing news scripts. If a live broadcast is in progress -- and chances are good that one will be -- you can see CNN newscasters at work. Tour guides are knowledgeable and can answer virtually any question.The longer, more extensive VIP tour allows visitors to actually step out onto the main CNN newsroom floor and explore production areas not normally accessible to the public.After your visit, stop by the Turner Store, which carries network-logo clothing and gift items, along with MGM movie paraphernalia. For sports fans, there's the Braves Clubhouse store, featuring the Atlanta Braves logo on every item you can imagine. There are several restaurants and numerous fast-food outlets in the atrium of the CNN Center, as well as a few shops. Keep in mind that this tour includes quite of bit of walking and a very steep escalator ride, which carries you to great heights to begin the tour. Those afraid of heights might want to consider skipping the tour.
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.
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
A magnificent Gothic/Tudor-style mansion built for Coca-Cola heir Charles Howard Candler in 1920, Callanwolde today serves as a fine-arts center for city residents. Ongoing classes are given in pottery, painting, photography, drawing, and more, and there are numerous workshops for adults and children. The estate occupies 12 acres in the Druid Hills section of Atlanta, an area planned by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park. You may be surprised that most of the rooms are bare; only Callanwolde's exquisite walnut paneling, beautifully carved ceilings and moldings, grand staircase, magnificent marble and stone fireplaces, and leaded-glass windows evoke its luxurious past.Visitors are welcome to peruse shows of local artists in the Petite Hall gallery upstairs; enjoy the lawns and formal gardens, which are maintained by the county; and take in the concerts, storytelling evenings, one and two-day workshops, and dance performances on offer. Check the website to see what's going on when you're in town, because attending an event here is the best way to experience the estate. Especially memorable is Christmas at Callanwolde, when the entire house is decorated for the season and craft shops are set up in different rooms.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Atlanta area, including:
Courtyard Atlanta Buckhead
Built in 1996, this lovely full-service hotel provides a lot of bang for the buck. It's a favorite among business travelers, but any traveler will enjoy it. The hotel has a terrific location, near everything that Buckhead has to offer, and within 2 blocks of the Atlanta Financial Center, the Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza shopping malls, and a MARTA station.The rooms are large and bright, and the suites -- perfect for families in town for a few days -- have a full-size pull-out couch. Some of the rooms are equipped with whirlpool tubs, which are surprisingly located in the bedroom rather than the bathroom. Ask for one of the end rooms, which are a little larger than the others. Eight of the rooms are equipped for travelers with disabilities.There are architects' drawings on display throughout the hotel, with a large concentration in the aptly-named Atlanta Architects Grill and Bar. Be sure to seek out the rendering of the opulent Atlanta mansion owned by heavyweight world champion boxer Evander Holyfield, displayed in the restaurant.
Howard Johnson Plaza Suites at Underground Atlanta
If huge, convention-oriented hotels turn you off, check out the Howard Johnson Plaza Suites. This 16-story hotel was originally a 1918 office building to which 10 stories were added in 1990. The style is elegant and understated, attracting a clientele that prefers the intimacy of a European-style hotel. Each suite has a small living room, a separate bedroom, and a marble bathroom, some with Jacuzzis. Many of the rooms have views of the downtown skyline, and all are elegantly appointed with solid cherry furniture and modern prints.The hotel is on the top level of Underground Atlanta, within walking distance of the downtown business area and close to the main MARTA station, where all the lines converge, making it easy to travel to Midtown, Buckhead, and the airport. Seven rooms are accessible to travelers with disabilities.
Omni Hotel at CNN Center
A major $100 million expansion brings 593 new rooms (in a 24-story tower) and a complete personality change to this hotel, wiping out the blah sterile convention atmosphere and injecting class and sophistication. Plus, the Omni still offers an excellent location -- especially if you're attending a sporting event. It adjoins the Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena, the Georgia Dome, and the CNN Center, and is across from Centennial Olympic Park and Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta. Many of the rooms have balconies that overlook the bustle of the CNN Center atrium; the rest have views of Centennial Olympic Park or the downtown skyline. The location of the Omni inside the CNN Center is convenient if you want to do a little shopping, grab a bite to eat, or just let the kids burn off steam.Rooms are appointed with cherry furnishings, including oversized headboards and armoires. Bathrooms feature marble floors and Chinese granite countertops. Impressive views of the downtown skyline or Centennial Olympic Park are available from some rooms -- be sure to request one. The suites here include huge living/dining areas with wet bars. If you're in Atlanta for a very special occasion and don't have a problem dropping $2,000 a night, ask for The Omni Suite. This three-bedroom, four-bathroom, two-level suite extraordinaire is where media mogul Ted Turner stays when he is in town. Sadly, a room search for Turner relics came up empty; not even a forgotten workout video was to be found. Eleven rooms have been modified for visitors with disabilities. Signs around the hotel are written in Braille, and each guest room has a strobe fire alarm for deaf guests. While these digs are comparable to the Embassy Suites just across the street, service here is just a tad better. If you're traveling with kids, don't forget to ask about the Omni Kids program.
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