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US Airways Flights from Washington (IAD) to Atlanta (ATL)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on US Airways, which operates 4 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Washington (IAD) to Atlanta (ATL), departing between 8:37am and 10:15pm. Usually an Embraer 170 or Canadair Regional Jet 700 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Washington, DC to Atlanta, GA is 1 hour and 55 minutes.*
* Some flights must connect with additional service on any airline.
During your Atlanta vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Six Flags Over Georgia
One of the state's major family attractions, Six Flags offers a great day's entertainment. Arrive early (at least 30 min. before opening), note where you've parked in the vast lot, and take 10 minutes or so to plan out your show and ride schedule.The park's 10 areas have themes centered around different regions, from Southern (Cotton States, Confederate, Georgia, Lickskillet, and Promenade), to European (France, Britain, Spain), to American (U.S.A.), to Gotham City (featuring Batman The Ride). Costumed Looney Tune characters (Sylvester, Daffy Duck, and others) roam the park greeting kids (hint: check out the gazebo in the Promenade section to meet that wascally wabbit Bugs Bunny).Thrill rides include several watery options, such as Splashwater Falls (plummet down a soaring 50-ft. waterfall), a log flume, and Thunder River (a simulated whitewater rafting adventure). White-knuckle coasters include the Georgia Scorcher (one of the Southeast's tallest and fastest stand-up roller coasters), the Viper (which goes from 0-60 mph in less than 6 sec. and has a 360-degree loop), Ninja (the "black belt" of roller coasters, turning riders upside down five times and offering thrilling loops, dives, and corkscrew turns), the Georgia Cyclone (a classic wooden roller coaster with 11 dramatic drops, patterned after Coney Island's famous thrill ride), the Great American Scream Machine (another classic wooden coaster), and Mind Bender (a triple-looper). Other highlights are Batman The Ride (a twisting roller coaster with ski-lift-like seats), Great Gasp (a 20-story parachute jump), Riverview Carousel (a merry-go-round from the early 1900s), and Free Fall (ever wonder what it would be like to fall off a 10-story building?). A less dizzying adventure is Monster Plantation, a Disneyesque boat ride through an antebellum mansion haunted by over 100 animated monsters. And there's much, much more.Shows vary from year to year, but they usually include a major musical revue, a country music show, a golden-oldies show, thrill cinema adventures on a 180-degree screen, and an animated character show. In addition, headliners such as SheDaisy and John Michael Montgomery play the 8,072-seat (with lawn seating for 4,000) Southern Star Amphitheatre.There are restaurants and snack bars throughout the park, though you might consider bringing a picnic.
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Founded in 1886, Ebenezer was a spiritual center of the civil rights movement from 1960 to 1968, during which time Martin Luther King, Jr., served as co-pastor. King's grandfather, the Rev. A. D. Williams, dedicated the church to "the advancement of black people and every righteous and social movement." His son-in-law and successor, Martin Luther King, Sr., worked for voting rights and other aspects of black civil and social advancement, following Williams's activist example. Later, Martin Luther King, Jr., would join his ancestors in pursuing justice for African Americans.The congregation has built a new sanctuary directly across the street, but the older building, where Martin Luther King, Jr., preached, continues to be open to the public. Short but informative tours of the sanctuary, conducted by members of the Ebenezer congregation, are given Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm, and Sunday 2 to 4pm. One of the best things to do is attend a Sunday morning worship service in the new sanctuary. The public is welcome -- and you'll realize just how welcome when the members of the congregation leave their seats at the beginning of the service to shake the hands of as many visitors as possible. It's a living testimonial to all that the church's most famous son stood for. Sunday services are at 7:45am and 10:45am. The sanctuary is usually packed, so it's a good idea to arrive well ahead of time. Groups of 6 or more should call the church office at tel. 404/688-7263 to make reservations. An ecumenical service also takes place here every year during King week (January 9-15).
Margaret Mitchell House and Museum (Birthplace of Gone With the Wind)
Six decades after it was first published, Gone With the Wind continues to fascinate people around the world. But until this attraction opened in 1997, after a 10-year effort to preserve the house from demolition, disappointed pilgrims found precious little evidence here of the famous book or its author. Now the house and museum are a must-see for visiting GWTW fans.It's rather surprising that it took so long for restoration efforts to get underway on the dilapidated Tudor-revival apartment house where Margaret Mitchell wrote most of her epic novel and lived with her husband, John Marsh, from 1925 to 1932. The structure was built as a single-family dwelling in 1899, then moved to the back of the lot in 1913 and converted into a 10-unit apartment building 6 years later. It remained an apartment building until 1979, when it was abandoned and eventually boarded up. When the newlyweds moved in, they called it "The Dump." It was not an affectionate nickname; according to a friend of Mitchell's, she disliked living there (finances left few alternatives) and would probably be offended by the notion of its restoration. But the house has been attracting its share of visitors -- from all 50 states and more than 70 countries.The house and museum tell the complex story of the famous novelist. Guided tours, which last an hour to an hour-and-a-half, begin in the visitor center. Before beginning the tour, guests enter the theater to see a 17-minute film titled "It May Not Be Tara," featuring an overview of Mitchell's life, and interviews with some of her friends and family members. Also in the theater is an exhibition of photos taken of Mitchell in her teens and 20s. The tour of the house includes a visit to the Mitchell-Marsh apartment, which is furnished much as it was when the couple lived here. Mitchell wrote much of her novel in the front room, seated at a typewriter and desk below the beveled glass windows in the small corner alcove. Like most writers, she preferred to keep her literary efforts private and would throw a towel over her typewriter when friends dropped in -- which was often.The museum contains movie memorabilia and chronicles the making of the movie, its premiere in Atlanta, and the impact that the book and movie had on society. The tour concludes in the museum shop, which features a variety of GWTW collectibles and memorabilia. If you finish your tour around mealtime and you're ready for a real change of pace, walk a few blocks south on Peachtree to the Vortex, a rowdy burger joint and bar that serves some of the best hamburgers in town.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Atlanta area, including:
Westin Buckhead Atlanta
If the Ritz-Carlton is the Rolls Royce of Atlanta hotels, the Westin is the Ferrari. Its fresh Euromodern design makes it a favorite among trendsetters visiting the city, and its excellent location -- in the heart of Buckhead between Lenox Square and the Atlanta Financial Center -- makes it a top choice among business travelers and serious shoppers.Formerly the Zurich-based Swissôtel, the Westin Buckhead boasts postmodern European architecture, including a pristine white-tile exterior with a graceful curve. Interior spaces use minimalist Bauhaus design elements, and feature original works by renowned contemporary artists including Warhol, Rauschenberg, Chagall, Schnabel, and Stella.Rooms are sleekly furnished with Beidermeier-style maple pieces with black lacquer accents, oversize desks with plug-ins for laptop computers, and ergonomic chairs. Westin's signature Heavenly Beds are so cushy you might miss breakfast. Marble bathrooms offer cosmetic mirrors, TV speakers, hair dryers, and upscale, biodegradable toiletries. The corner king rooms are especially luxurious. Nineteen rooms are accessible to travelers with disabilities. Pets are allowed at no charge and receive special pet amenities.The superb Palm restaurant offers one of the best lobster dinners in town.Facilities: Restaurant; indoor lap pool; a small but nicely equipped health club offering exercise equipment, a sauna, a steam room, and a personal trainer; spa; concierge; complimentary shuttle to any destination in a 2-mile radius; airport shuttle; business center; unisex salon; 24-hr. room service; massage.
Renaissance Concourse Hotel
If you're an airplane buff or you just travel with one, this is the ticket. Built on the site of an old airport terminal in 1992, the Renaissance is literally on the edge of the runway. Each of the 387 newly renovated guest rooms opens onto the beautiful 11-story interior atrium. Half the rooms also open to the runway, so you can step out on your balcony and watch the planes take off and land; on the other side, rooms have views of the downtown skyline. Sounds noisy, but the soundproofing is more than adequate, and back in your room, you'll hardly know you're at the airport. The rooms themselves are luxuriously decorated, light, open, and quite large, with spacious bathrooms. Twenty rooms have been specially modified for travelers with disabilities; 19 have roll-in showers.Facilities: Restaurant; medium-size outdoor pool; indoor heated lap pool; fully equipped fitness center w/steam rooms and sauna; Jacuzzi; 24-hr. concierge; complimentary airport shuttle; business center w/audiovisual support and secretarial services; 24-hr. room service; laundry service.
Embassy Suites Atlanta Buckhead
This all-suite hotel stacks up well to the more expensive hotels in the same area. A favorite with business travelers, the suite arrangement is also ideal for families, and the location can't be beat, with Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza, and many fine restaurants within walking distance. The Buckhead MARTA station is less than a block away, so it's easy to connect quickly with other parts of the city and with the airport.Each elegantly appointed 800-square-foot, two-room suite was renovated in 2004 and has a queen-size, fold-out sofa in addition to a bed. Bathrooms offer marble vanities and hair dryers, and there is a separate sink in the bedroom. Although the entire hotel is accessible to travelers with disabilities (most of the participants in the wheelchair division of the Peachtree Road Race stay here), 10 of the suites are completely equipped for those with disabilities; 2 have roll-in showers.Two popular bonuses: the complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast served in the 16-story atrium lobby (check out the waterfall!), and complimentary cocktails served each afternoon. Because almost everyone takes breakfast in the lobby, room service does not serve breakfast.
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