Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum
Though it sounds like something out of Disney World, the Atlanta Cyclorama was created in the 1880s, and the concept -- a huge, 360-degree cylindrical painting viewed from a rotating platform -- dates back a century earlier. Cycloramas were the rage of 18th- and 19th-century Europe, Russia, Japan, and later, the United States, depicting subject matter ranging from the splendors of Pompeii to Napoleonic battles. Enhanced by multimedia effects and faux terrain extending 30 feet from the painting into the foreground, they were the forerunners of newsreels, travelogues, and TV war coverage.The one you'll see here -- a 42-foot-high cylindrical oil painting, 358 feet in circumference (on about 16,000 sq. ft. of canvas) -- depicts the events of the Battle of Atlanta, on July 22 1864, in meticulous detail. It took 11 Eastern European artists, working in the United States in the studio of William Wehner, 22 months to complete the project.For 21st-century tourists, the concept and story of the Cyclorama are as interesting as the action depicted, and the restoration is incredibly impressive. Though painted on fine Belgian linen in the painstaking style of the 19th-century art academies, the work suffered in moves from city to city, and later (when motion-picture epics made cycloramas passé) from neglect. Well-intentioned but incompetent attempts at restoration caused further damage. In the 1970s, a severe storm waterlogged the painting, causing seemingly irreversible damage. But Mayor Maynard Jackson recognized the historic and artistic importance of the Cyclorama; under his auspices, $11 million was raised for its restoration. It took 2 1/2 years for renowned conservator Gustav Berger and his crew to repair the damaged work, a process that included mending more than 700 rips in the canvas. The fascinating story of the Cyclorama's development and restoration is related in a video near the auditorium entrance.Cyclorama's central theme is Gen. John B. Hood's desperate attempt to halt Sherman's inexorable advance into the city. Comprehensively narrated, and complete with music and sound effects, including galloping horses and cannon fire, it vividly depicts the troop movements and battles on the day that the Confederates lost 8,000 men and the Yankees lost 3,722. A figure highlighted far beyond his historic importance is Gen. John A. Logan of the Federal Army of Tennessee (who commissioned the painting at a cost of $42,000 as a campaign move in his bid for the vice presidency). He's shown gloriously galloping into the fray, bravely exposing himself and his men to enemy fire. The work was originally called Logan's Great Battle. A 14-minute film about the Battle of Atlanta precedes the Cyclorama viewing. The total program lasts about 35 minutes.The building housing the Cyclorama also contains a museum of related artifacts, the most important being the steam locomotive Texas from the 1862 Great Locomotive Chase. Other exhibits include displays of Civil War arms and artillery, Civil War-themed paintings, portraits of Confederate and Union leaders, "life in camp" artifacts and photographs, and uniforms. You'll need about an hour and a half to see the museum in full if you visit both floors.Note: No video cameras are allowed inside the Cyclorama auditorium.

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.

Georgia Dome
Atlanta's $214-million, 71,500-seat domed megastadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons, hosted Super Bowl XXVIII in 1994, several Olympic events in 1996, and Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. In addition, it is the site of the annual Peach Bowl each January, and hosted the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in 2002. The Dome also hosts tennis matches, tractor pulls, college basketball, track and field events, and Supercross events. The stadium's oval shape provides a good view of the action from every seat. Check the papers or call the number below to find out what's on during your stay. Parking is extremely limited and expensive; take MARTA and walk to the Dome.

Embassy Suites Hotel Atlanta-Perimeter Center
Boasting the best location in Atlanta's Perimeter Center/Dunwoody area, Embassy Suites Hotel Perimeter Center is footsteps away from shopping, dining & several business parks. Located in the northern suburbs, we are 7 minutes from Buckhead, 15 minutes from Downtown, 10 minutes from Peachtree Dekalb Airport, and 25 minutes north of Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, conveniently located next door to Crown Pointe Offices and 1 block from Perimeter Mall, 1155/1117 Perimeter Center West ...

Marriott Atlanta Airport
Marriott Atlanta ...

Best Western Inn at the Peachtrees
'From: The north: Take Interstate 75/85 South to Exit 249C (Williams Street). Go 2 traffic lights and turn left on West Peachtree Place. Go 2 blocks and turn right on West Peachtree Street. Go a ' block and the Best Western Inn at the Peachtree will be on the right. 'From: The south. Take Interstate 75/85 North to Exit 248C (Andrew Young International Boulevard). Turn left on International Boulevard and go to the 4th traffic light and turn right on Peachtree Street. Go 3 traffic lights and ...