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During your Atlanta vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Center for Puppetry Arts
Don't miss this place if you're traveling with the kids. In fact, you might not want to miss it even without kids in tow. The center is dedicated to expanding public awareness of puppetry as a fine art and to presenting all of its international and historic forms. Opened in 1978, with Kermit the Frog cutting the official ribbon (he had a little help from the late Jim Henson), it contains a 300-seat theater, a smaller theater, gallery space, and a permanent museum. The puppet shows are marvelous -- sophisticated, riveting, full-stage productions with elaborate scenery. Some are family oriented; others, with nighttime showings, are geared to adults. Call ahead to find out what's on; reservations are essential. You can also call a week or so in advance to enroll yourself or your kids in a puppet-making workshop.The center's permanent exhibit, "Puppets, The Power of Wonder," is stunning, featuring one of the largest and finest puppet collections in North America. The exhibit includes such treasures as ritualistic African figures, Punch and Judy, Henson's Pigs in Space, turn-of-the-century Thai shadow puppets, Indonesian wayang golek puppets used to tell classic stories (a centuries-old tradition), Chinese hand puppets, rod-operated marionettes from all over Europe, original Muppets, pre-Colombian clay puppets that were used in religious ceremonies circa A.D. 1200, and Turkish shadow figures made of dried animal skins. Visitors have the opportunity to use joysticks to manipulate over 350 of these puppets. A video hosted by Jim Henson provides an overview of puppetry and takes visitors around the world to meet masters of the art. Another gallery features visiting exhibits from all over the world. Reservations are required for guided tours of "Puppets, The Power of Wonder"; the tour lasts about an hour.The gift shop is like no other, with oodles of marionettes, one-of-a-kind handmade puppets, masks, videos, and other related items.
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.
Georgia State Capitol
It wasn't until after the Civil War (1868) that Atlanta became, once and for all, the state capital; its present capitol building, completed July 4, 1889, was hailed as a testament to the city's recovery. Modeled after the nation's Capitol, another neoclassical edifice atop a "crowning hill," its 75-foot dome, covered in gold leaf and topped by a Statue of Freedom, is a major Atlanta landmark. The building is fronted by a massive four-story portico with a pediment supported by six Corinthian columns set on large stone piers. In the rotunda, with its soaring 237-foot ceiling, are busts of famous Georgians, including signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The governor's office is off the main hall. The capitol building's public spaces are currently being restored to their 1889 grandeur.Grand staircases in both wings rise to the third floor, where you'll enter the House of Representatives, and, across the hall, the Senate chambers. The legislature meets for 40 days, beginning the second Monday in January (it can also be called into special sessions); all of its sessions are open to the public. The fourth floor houses legislative galleries and the Georgia Capitol Museum, with exhibits on cotton, peach, and peanut growing; cases of mounted birds, fish, deer, insects, and other species native to Georgia; rocks and minerals; American Indian artifacts; and more. Note, too, the museum displays on the first floor.Tours begin on the main floor, and this level also serves as an information center for city and state attractions. The tours take 60 to 90 minutes; allow at least another 30 minutes to browse around on your own after the tour. Highlights of the grounds are detailed in a brochure available at the tour desk. Note: For security reasons, your bag will be searched when you enter.If you're visiting in December or January, take note of two special treats: A beautifully decorated 40-foot tree adorns the rotunda at Christmas, and on January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, there's a memorial program featuring speeches by local dignitaries, including the governor.
Residence Inn by Marriott Buckhead Lenox Park
Residence Inn by Marriott is designed to make you feel at home for a day, a week, a month or more. Our suites give you fifty percent more space than most traditional hotel rooms. The Residence Inn Atlanta Buckhead Lenox Park is located six miles north of downtown, adjacent to the offices of BellSouth and one half mile from Atlanta Plaza, Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza and Resurgens Plaza. Complimentary shuttle service is provided within a three mile radius of the hotel 7am-12noon and 3pm-8pm ...
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