2 days in Atlanta
 

What are must dos for a very short stay in Atlanta. I will have a car but would rather take public transportation. Staying in Peachtree area. <BR>

The first rule of driving in Atlanta is that you absolutely stay off all major interstates and thoroughfares during rush hour unless you really enjoy sitting in traffic! I live in the greater Atlanta area and there are a number of great things to do here. MARTA is the public transportation mode for both buses and the train. If you would like to E-mail me back with more specifics about how many days you'll be here, and what you're interests are (shopping, historic sights, amusement parks, night life), I'll be happy to help! Peachtree area is kind of vague; there's a Peachtree City south of Atlanta, Peachtree/Dunwoody area north of the city, Peachtree St. and every variation of that Peachtree name you could possibly think of all over the city.

I suggest a visit to the High Museum of Art. It is on Peachtree Street, just north of Mid Town, close to 17th Street. <BR>Marta goes close to the museum, but you can find parking around it, too, depending upon when you go. <BR> <BR>

If you are in downtown, Peachtree Center, then you can easily get to World of Coca-Cola (very commercial promotion of the company, its history, ads, but samples of their products from around the world), but when crowded you must line up outside in the heat, so go as soon as it opens. If you like behind-the-scenes stuff, you can tour CNN (for a charge). You can walk through Centennial Olympic Park to see the statues and fountains. You can go to an Atlanta Braves game. A popular tourist restaurant downtown is PittyPat's Porch, but there are also Hard Rock, etc. You can take MARTA to midtown to the many theaters. Be careful if you do this at night--I would recommend driving then. You might catch a show at the old Fox Theater on Peachtree Street-great for architecture. Take your car and drive out east to Stone Mountain Park. You can climb the mountain or take a cable car. See the carving. Go for the evening laser light show. Hope this gives you some ideas.

Good suggestions from previous posters. Additionally I would suggest the Carter Presidential Center, Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the Atlanta History Center. For shopping: major stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks, Tiffany et al are located in Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza which are across the street from each other-there is a shuttle that runs back and forth-you can get there on Marta by going to the Lenox station. For antiques, gifts and art try Bennett Street, Miami Circle or West Buckhead Village. For lots of restaurants and some shops there is the Virginia Highland area which is packed on weekend evenings. For something a little funkier in the way of shops and restaurants visit either Little Five Points or East Atlanta Village. For top drawer dining suggestions would include Dining Room at Ritz Carlton Buckhead, Bachanalia, Hedgerose or Seegers(all in the Buckhead area). More casual but still very good restaurants are: Floataway Cafe(in an old warehouse complex fairly near Emory University), South City Kitchen(midtown), Harvest and Dish(both in Virginia Highland). For Southern soul food try Thelma's Kitchen(near downtown-lunch only). While Atlanta does have a rapid rail system it is still easier to get most places by car.