Atlanta, GA
and Callaway Gardens

March or April 2009

Atlanta is cosmopolitan in every sense of the word but it has also managed to maintain its historic character. During the American Civil War, Atlanta became the target of a major Union invasion in the American Civil War as part of Union General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea. Union forces entered Atlanta on September 2nd, 1864 and Sherman ordered Atlanta burned to the ground on November 11.  As a consequence almost all of buildings in Atlanta date from after 1864. It wasn't long after Atlanta burned to the ground--an event immortalized by native author Margaret Mitchell in Gone With The Wind--that the city, with dignity befitting a true Southern belle, brushed itself off and rose from the ashes. Today, Atlanta is a thriving urban center that we will enjoy seeing together.

Callaway Gardens is at its best in the spring when the landscape transforms into an explosion of vibrant color.  The entire season is filled with natural beauty everywhere you look, and activities that delight are found throughout the Gardens.  Callaway Gardens celebrates in a big and colorful way–with the world's most spectacular collection of 20,000 azaleas, mountain laurel, dogwoods, daffodils and daisies.  This breathtaking setting provides the backdrop for exciting hands-on activities, fascinating educational experiences and invigorating guided hikes.
(See tentative itinerary below)

We are currently in the process of planning this trip.
Once we have all the activities, hotels and other details confirmed,
and the price finalized, we will remove this information and post
a completed itinerary with the price.

If you are interested in learning more about this trip,
make a pre-reservation.
It is very important to make a no-obligation pre-reservation.
Those who have made a pre-reservation will be notified first
when the full itinerary and pricing is posted.

 Make a Pre-Reservation

A pre-reservation does not require any money.
Once the tour is finalized and a tour price available, those who have pre-reserved
a space will be contacted via email and asked to decide if they
want to make a deposit. If you are not interested, you don't have to do anything.

Tentative Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive Atlanta, Georgia

Arrive Atlanta. Welcome Dinner

Day 2 - City Sightseeing, Free Afternoon

Begin your day with a sightseeing tour of Atlanta, starting with a visit to the CNN Studios. This is followed by a visit to Cyclorama to learn about the battle of Atlanta in 1864. Travel along famous Peachtree Street before heading into Atlanta's chic north side neighborhood, Buckhead. You will see the beautiful homes and gardens and the Greek revival-style Governor's mansion.

The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore this city on your own.You might want to explore Underground Atlanta, six city blocks in the heart of downtown Atlanta that has been transformed into a spirited marketplace with  restaurants, specialty stores, entertainment emporiums, and street-cart merchants.  Another idea is to visit the World of Coca-Cola in downtown Atlanta. It is the only place where you can explore the past, present and future of the world's best-known brand. See a 4-D movie experience, a fully operational bottling line and sample more than 70 Coca-Cola products around the world.

Day 3 - Pine Mountain Georgia - Callaway Gardens

Depart Atlanta on our way to Pine Mountain GA.  Spend the day visiting the many attractions of these beautiful gardens. You can wander through four distinctive gardens, each showcasing the wonders of Mother Nature in its own special style.  One of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of this Pine Mountain getaway is to walk the unique trails.  Most trails in The Gardens range from one-half mile to one and one-half miles and provide easy to moderate walking. You can have an up-close encounter with magnificent birds of prey that are featured in the Callaway Gardens outdoor, free-flight shows or escape to North America’s largest, glass-enclosed conservatory, home to 1,000 tropical butterflies, plants and birds.

 DAY 4 - Stone Mountain Park

Stone Mountain Park is Georgia 's number one visited attraction. The Park is over 3,200 acres of natural beauty and offers recreational activities, special events, entertainment, and themed attractions.  Soaring to the top of Stone Mountain in the Skyride, riding around it on the Scenic Railroad and cruising by it in a Paddlewheel Riverboat are just a few of the fun things you can do or enjoy the 1870s town of Crossroads that includes live shows, craft demonstrations, shopping, dining and attractions.  One of the major attractions is the huge stone representation of Robert E Lee, Jefferson Davis and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The images have been carved into the cliff-face and can be climbed or take a cable car to the top.  Also in the park is the antebellum plantation, comprised of original buildings built between 1790 and 1845, which represent an authentic, pre-Civil War Georgia plantation.

DAY 5 - Margaret Mitchell House and Museum, Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

This morning we will tour the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum, centered around the apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone with the Wind. Exclusive photographs and archival exhibits tell the story of Margaret Mitchell beyond the book. The Gone with the Wind Movie Museum illuminates the making of the movie and legacy with memorabilia and the doorway of Tara from the movie set.

This afternoon we will visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and Sweet Auburn District. This area served as the thriving center of black enterprise in Atlanta from the 1890s through the 1940s and is the birthplace of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Explore his birth home, historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and The King Center, where Dr. King's Nobel Peace Prize is on exhibit. The gravesite of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King are also located at The King Center. The Visitors Center features exhibits telling the Civil Rights Movement story. 

DAY 6 - Return Home

All previous information has been superseded.