This national park is located on the site of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, the last significant victory for the South during their defense of Atlanta in 1864. The park features over 16 miles (26 kilometers) of mapped trails as well as a museum commemorating the historic battle. Picnic sites, battlefield markers and monuments are peppered throughout the forested mountainside, which features great views of Atlanta in clear weather. Maps detailing the trails and battle history are available at the visitor center.
A las sombras del centro de la ciudad, este espacio idílico es un recordatorio constante de la historia de la ciudad. Fundado allá por 1850, el cementerio representó el destino final para todos los habitantes de Atlanta hasta 1884, cuando comenzaron a surgir los cementerios privados por toda la ciudad. La parte más vieja del cementerio se encuentra cerca de la entrada principal, donde se encuentran enterrados la leyenda del golf Bobby Jones y la escritora Margaret Mitchell, aunque encontrar la lápida de Mitchell es todo un desafío. En las oficinas principales los visitantes podrán conseguir un mapa que los ayudará a encontrar las tumbas famosas y los sectores más interesantes. Entre los meses de marzo y octubre se ofrecen recorridos guiados.
Established in 1847, this mammoth cathedral has served as the seat of Atlanta's Episcopalian diocese for more that 150 years. The most peculiar aspect of the church's design is the Hall of Bishops, a 40-foot (12-meter) hexagon that features 11 circular paths that form a sort of labyrinth, meant to represent the pilgrimages of the Middle Ages. Tours of the facility are offered on Sunday mornings, or by appointment during the week. Services are also held daily throughout the week, with a special Spanish service on Sundays at 1:30p.
This 26-acre 10.5-hectare) facility is designed with kids in mind. Located just a few miles from downtown, the center provides a hands-on natural learning experience for kids from pre-school age on up. Among the learning facilities are a tree house classroom, a 650-gallon freshwater aquarium, and an interactive ecological playground called Naturescape. Nature tours, educational programs, and a wide range of special events are offered throughout the year. Admission is free.
This stunning Herndon Home was the abode of one of America's most successful African-American entrepreneurs, Alonzo Franklin Herndon, the founder of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Set on a sprawling estate, the house was designed in the Classical Revival style, and the interior boasts an eclectic array of various style permutations from Rococo to Renaissance Revival. Originally completed in 1910, the home has been fully restored, and is now maintained as an archive and museum, The Herndon Home Museum. Regular tours of the various rooms and exhibits housed within are regularly conducted; check the website for further details.
Peacefully residing in Douglas County, the Sweetwater Creek State Park is a breathtaking amalgam of history, nature, and biodiversity. Located within close proximity to downtown Atlanta, this state park is a serene sanctum, offering repose from the cacophony of the city. An incredible canvas of wilderness unfolds at the park, as rolling hills, meandering trails, and emerald thickets, all come together to form an ethereal site. The agile Sweetwater Creek slices through the diversified terrains of the park, whereas an assemblage of birds croons into densely wooded expanses. Amid all the blooming ferns, azaleas and magnolias, lie the enigmatic ruins of a cotton mill run by the erstwhile New Manchester Manufacturing Company. Anchoring a placid lake, picnic spots, a museum, yurts, campsites, and playgrounds, this state park hosts a range of activities like boating, birding, hiking, camping, fishing and more. The park's visitor center has gained much praise for its environment-friendly stride, housing exhibits, displays, and maps chronicling the region's history.