Welcome to Atlanta

The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is your tour and sightseeing expert for your visit to Atlanta GA.

Our blog will serve as a tool to help you plan and visit the city of Atlanta Georgia. Over the life of our blog we will add features, video clips, tour guide recommendations, local tips, advice and information we feel will be helpful to you when you plan your trip.

Visit our website: http://www.atlantatrolleytourline.com/

Monday, October 27, 2008

Neighborhood Spotlight: Grant Park

Grant Park is an the in-town neighborhood surrounding Grant Park, It is Atlanta's largest historic neighborhood in Atlanta and includes the 48 acres of Oakland Cemetery, and many Civil War dead are buried. The Grant Park area is where a significant portion of the Battle of Atlanta was faught on July 22, 1864. The battle was part of General Shermans Campaign to the Sea and was the major objective in that campaign.

The Grant Park neighborhood was named for Lemuel P. (L.P.) Grant, a civil engineer for the Georgia Railroad who has been called the "Father of Atlanta." Grant Park, as a neighborhood, began to be populated in the 1890's. Craftsmen built many of the architecturally distinctive homes in the neighborhood. The streets are line with late 19th and early 20th century Victorian, Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts style homes.

Lemuel donated the 100 acres of Grant Park to the city.

Grant Park Neighborhood is also home to the oldest park in Atlanta. It is the fourth largest park in the city.

Grant Park has two major attractions besides the park itself: Zoo Atlanta, established in 1889 and originally known as the Grant Park Zoo; and the Atlanta Cyclorama featuring the 1864 Battle of Atlanta.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Neighborhood Spotlight: Midtown Atlanta GA


Midtown Atlanta is a neighborhood in Atlanta GA. The neighborhood is located between the SoNo District that begin at North Avenue to the south and the residential and commercial district of Buckhead that starts at the bridge that spans 85 North. Midtown includes about one-third of the city's high-rises. It is known as the Center of the Arts in Atlanta.

Midtown is awash with busy thoroughfares, including Atlanta's famous Peachtree St. The area where Piedmont Avenue and Tenth Street meet is the focus of Atlanta's thriving gay and lesbian population. The length of Peachtree St that stretches from the famous Fox Theater to the High Museum of Art is known as the Midtown Mile. Along this mile you will find skyscrapers, high rise condos and great shopping and some of the best place to eat in the city. Some of the best restaurants in Atlanta can be found up and down Peachtree St., and mingled in to the side streets of the neighborhood.

Midtown is also home to Atlanta’s largest park, Piedmont Park. The streets are lined with late 19th and early 20th century Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts style homes.

Midtown was also home to Atlanta’s most famous writer, Margaret Mitchell. The famous writer of the novel “Gone With The Wind” lived in several place in midtown and along Peachtree St. You can visit the “apartment” where she lived when she penned her famous novel.

The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line has 5 stops on its tour route located in Midtown Atlanta. They include:

Piedmont Park
Woodruff Arts Center
Center for Puppetry Arts
Margaret Mitchell House
The Varsity

Any trip to Atlanta should include time to explore this most vibrant Atlanta neighborhood.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

The only comprehensive way to see Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Trolley Tours Lines is an Atlanta Georgia based trolley tour, charter and rental service. Our mission is to serve the needs of the local tourism industry in providing tour and transportation services.

Unlike a bus or guided tour where one must stay with the same vehicle for the entire trip, the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line provides daily tours where the customer can disembark the trolley at designated stops. The stops on the route coordinate with the major attractions, convention center, shopping areas and hotels in the downtown and midtown Atlanta neighborhoods. By having a set tour route and stops guest are able to make easy and informed choices on how they want to spend their time and money.

Atlanta Trolley Tour Line will also provide transportation for weddings and other special events.
It’s the best transportation to see your way around the city.

Friday, October 24, 2008

One of the first press stories

A reprint of one of the first stories about the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line.

By MATT SCHAFER Southern Voice, FEB. 29, 2008

If there’s a new way to see Atlanta, Joseph St. Jean will probably find it, bring it to the city, and lead tourists around in it.Formerly known as “Segway Joe” for his role with Segway Personal Transport tour, St. Jean's unofficial nickname at the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau recently changed to “Trolley Joe,” in light of his new occupation. Last month, St. Jean got his Atlanta Trolley Tour Line up and running. It is Atlanta’s only trolley company to have a fixed route with scheduled stops.“Everything has been 100 percent positive,” says St. Jean. “No one has said, ‘Oh, it's a horrible idea.’ Everyone, the chamber, the hotels, they’ve all said this is something they’ve needed in the city for the long time.”After purchasing two used trolleys, St. Jean started running routes on Jan. 15. While ridership has been light, he wanted to do a soft opening to quietly raise awareness and work out the bugs before warmer weather and tourist season hits later this year. He plans a grand opening in late March.Amanda Dyson Dana, sales manager for the ACVB, says the trolley tour will fill a gap in Atlanta’s mass transit plan.“I think this is something the city has needed for a long time,” Dana says. “When you look at other major cities like Boston or San Francisco, they all have something similar, and we haven’t had anything like this in Atlanta.”Tourism is a major economic driver for Atlanta, with 25.7 million visitors coming for vacations in 2006. Without including convention and business travelers, vacationers accounted for $6.2 billion of Atlanta’s 2006 economy.“There is really nothing that connects all the major attractions and places to visit in the city at all,” St. Jean says. “Even MARTA doesn’t attach them all together, and we’re doing it in a fun, entertaining way.”THE ENTERTAINMENT COMES in the form of tour guides/trolley drivers. Willie Mae Whitlock, one the first drivers St. Jean hired, waited for her boss to walk out of earshot before saying that, yes, she really does add her own personal history to the tour.“I try to add in a little of my own experiences,” Whitlock says. “I was here for the Olympics and so I talk about that, add in a few of my own little stories.”Currently the tour is a 115 minute loop, starting at Centennial Park, heading north to Atlantic Station and south to Grant Park and Turner Field. St. Jean hopes to quickly expand so that trolleys make scheduled stops, and tourists can see sights like the World of Coke at their leisure. Eventually, he would like to expand to tourist draws outside the perimeter as well.“We’ve arranged stops throughout the city, so if someone wants to go to the zoo they can catch the trolley, get off and catch the next trolley that comes by,” he says.Taking tourists up 10th Street to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens isn’t only so they can observe Brazilian Cattleya amethystoglossa or the blooming Japanese anise tree.“The route was very deliberate,” St. Jean says. “Bringing them into the heart of Midtown was important for me.”Beyond the loop, St. Jean’s trolleys are also available for weddings and chartered events.“We’ve had a family reunion request,” he says. “If anyone wants to late night party we’ll do that, that’s fine.”So far most of the business has come from travel sites like Expedia.com and Priceline.com. Local hotels, the Visitors Bureau, and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce are helping to spread the word as well.“People are really just starting to see us now, so it's really just starting to catch on,” he says. With years working for tourism companies in Boston, Key West and Atlanta behind him, St. Jean says he feels an entirely different level of satisfaction working for himself.“After the first day we actually opened, and we actually had customers on the trolley, I went home that night and I was tired, I was dead, but I was smiling the entire night I was so happy. It was kind of like ‘Oh we actually did it,’” he says. “It was just this total release of this energy, I can’t think of the word to describe it.”Atlanta Trolley Tour Arrives Want to get from the Aquarium to the Zoo or from Underground Atlanta to the Atlanta Botanical Garden? What is the best way to do it? Well! Park the car and leave the driving to the newest tour service in the City of Atlanta; The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line. The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is the newest sightseeing service catering to visitors and locals alike. Vintage style trolley buses are used to provide travelers with a unique and entertaining experience of Atlanta. Located in the heart of the city, The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line stops at different historic locations, major attractions and retail centers while at the same time provides customers with tidbits of information about the city and its history. Joseph St Jean, President and Founder of the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line, is extremely excited to be the only permitted sightseeing company in Atlanta, Georgia. “The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is ideal for tourists and residents living in Atlanta because it offers two great services all in one trip. The trolleys provide transportation while sightseeing around the city with a well-educated tour guide,” Mr. St Jean said. “Our goal is to give the visitors to Atlanta an educational and entertaining trip while at the same time promoting the city and all it has to offer in a positive and exciting manner.”The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line operates from the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau visitor’s center located at Underground Atlanta on Pryor Street seven days a week with 4-6 tours on a daily basis. Tickets can be purchased on the same day customers plan to ride the trolley or they can purchase them on line. The tour takes about an hour and a half to ride and leaves from stop number one located Pryor and Alabama Streets.Tours usually start between 9:00 and 10:00 AM and conclude around 5:00 PM. Guests have the opportunity to get off at different location and spend time visiting the sites. Guests will be picked up from the location by a trolley at a later time. “This service is brand new to the city and so far in our first six months of operation there has been an amazing response. It’s been overwhelming. I expect to see even more of a response over the holiday season when families are visiting. Tours are already selling out and filling up everyday,” Mr. St. Jean said.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Best Way to see Atlanta is Your Choice

The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line provides visitor’s with an excellent resource for seeing the city, for getting information about the city and as a way for transportation to the different attractions and sightseeing locations around the city. Your ticket is good for all day riding
There are several ways to utilize your trolley tour ticket.

1. Use your ticket to ride the 1 ½ hour tour loop first. This will give you a great orientation of the city and help you plan out what sites you would like to go back and visit at a later time.

2. Use your ticket and begin to get off the trolley and visit locations as you make your trip around Atlanta.

3. If you only have a very short time or lay over at the airport the tour will give a grand tour of the city in a short time. You will be able to return to your meeting or flight without problems.

We have found that all 3 methods of touring are about as equal in popularity.

With option 1, this is perfect for those people who have never visited Atlanta before and will be in town for several days. The tour will help orient you to the city and where our most popular locations are located. You can the return to your favorite spots a later time or take the next trolley and start your visitations.

With option two, this is perfect for those who already have sights they want to see in mind or have a planned agenda for their day. You can plan your agenda based on the trolley stops and start your visitations right away on the first tour.

With option 3, our airport is the busiest airport in the world and many visitors to Atlanta have only a few hours to enjoy their stay. Trolley stop #1 is also located at the 5 points Subway stop which is just a quick 15/20 minute ride from the airport by subway. This is perfect for the quick trip into the heart of f downtown and your tour of Atlanta.

No matter which way you decide to see the city the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line will give you a fun, entertaining and educational experience.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Atlanta Tour and Sightseeing Route

if you go to http://www.atlantatrolleytourline.com and click on the trolley stops page you will find a list of all the locations that our sightseeing tours goes by. We have built into the tour loop 11 stops where a visitor can get off the trolley and go visit attractions, parks, and historic locations.

It is not easy to devlope a loop that tries to hit many of these locations while at the same time trying to find a route that will showcase the city and its highlights and history.

Traffic flow, locations of sites, driving through streets that have interesting strories and history and time constraints are just some of the factors that go into developing the route.

After lots of thought and research it was decided to keep the tour based on Atlanta's main street, Peachtree Street. Peachtree is like the spine of the city and it moves North to South through the heart of the city. It was then decide to base the route as a continous weaving actions across this most famous street.

From there it was easy to see which attractions and sites the route would hit. After several months of trial runs the tour began with 13 stops. This included a stop at Atlanta Station.
Once the 14th street bridge was closed for replacement the Atlanta Station stop had to be discountinued due to an overwhelming increase in traffic volume. During the first 3 months of trial runs the route changes a total of 6 times

The tour is designed to take 1 1/2 hours through the city. We have found that a majority of people want a good short tour of a city. They also want options as to being able to visit attractions along the route.

We began with the timing, placed Peachtree St at the center of the route and then made a list of all attractions, historic locations, parks, buildings of interest and shopping locations along this street.

We then spent several weeks in our cars ( at some of the highest gas prices ) and drove around the city zig zagging across Peachtree St. After another month of trial runs in the trolley during the winter of 08 we finally tweeked the timing and the route.

The tour routes goes through several neighborhoods of the city:

Downtown, Somerhill, Grant Park, Cabbagetown, Sweet Auburn District, SoNo District, Midtown, Ansley Neighborhood, Georgia Tech Campus, Centennial Olympic Park and the Luckie Marietta District.

If you look at a map of Atlanta you can see that Peachtree St. runs pretty right throug the center of all these neighborhoods. We also have stops located at almost every major attraction and site in these neighborhoods.

It took some time to develope our route and we think it serves a great purpose. The route, like anything else, is always evolving and changing. This only helps to make the tour experience even better.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Atlanta Visitor's Center A Must for Visitors and Locals Alike

Atlanta is a large city spread out over many miles. It can be overwhelming trying to find your way around locating the places you want to visit.

The first stop on anybodys list before they venture into the city and environs is a stop the at the cities main Visitor's Center. Managed by the Atlanta Convention and Visitor's Bureau, it is the best place to learn all about what Atlanta has to offer. The center is located at 65 Alabama St. in the heart of downtown at Underground Atlanta. Underground has several levels but you will find the visitor's center on street level.

The first person you will probably encounter is a viberent red headed lady named Mary Ann. Her welcoming and southern charm makes you feel right at home. We have dubbed Mary Ann "The Queen of all Information." And she is. Like a magician who can pull a rabbit out of a hat Mary Ann can pull information from out of no where. It is an amazing feat to see. And her knowldege of downtown history is unmatached.

The center is divded in to 4 sections:

1. Information Counter: If it has a brochure you will find it here. This is also the Royal Court of Mary Ann. Mary Ann is an Atlanta attraction in her own right.

2. Atlanta Trolley Tour Line Ticker booth: Once you have all your information and know what you want to visit, you can then stop here to purchase your tickets for Atlanta's best sightseeing tour.

3. Atlantix: This is where you can find 1/2 price tickets for local theater productions and Atlanta attractions

4. Display Area: You will find many exhibits on the attractions in Atlanta as well as a small history section on downtown and Underground Atlanta.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Excellent Visitor Resource

One of the best places to search for information for anyone visiting the City of Atlanta is http://www.atlanta.net/. The Official Atlanta, Georgia travel guide. Find details on Atlanta events, attractions, dining, shopping, vacation packages, accommodations and much more.



The site is easy to navigate and is broken in to several sections: Eat, Fun, Stay, Play and Explore.



Search through each section to find the things you are interested in seeing and doing while you are visiting.



One way to get to many of the attractions, eating places, play places etc is to hop on board the Alanta Trolley Tour Line. You will also receive a great narration of the city while being able to get to the places you want to visit.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Atlanta Trolley Tour

Want to get from the Aquarium to the Zoo or from Underground Atlanta to the Atlanta Botanical Garden? What is the best way to do it? Well! Park the car and leave the driving to the newest tour service in the City of Atlanta; The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line. The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is the newest sightseeing service catering to visitors and locals alike. Vintage style trolley buses are used to provide travelers with a unique and entertaining experience of Atlanta. Located in the heart of the city, The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line stops at different historic locations, major attractions and retail centers while at the same time provides customers with tidbits of information about the city and its history.

Joseph St Jean, President and Founder of the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line, is extremely excited to be the only permitted sightseeing company in Atlanta, Georgia. “The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is ideal for tourists and residents living in Atlanta because it offers two great services all in one trip. The trolleys provide transportation while sightseeing around the city with a well-educated tour guide,” Mr. St Jean said. “Our goal is to give the visitors to Atlanta an educational and entertaining trip while at the same time promoting the city and all it has to offer in a positive and exciting manner.”

The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line operates from the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau visitor’s center located at Underground Atlanta on Pryor Street seven days a week with 4-6 tours on a daily basis. Tickets can be purchased on the same day customers plan to ride the trolley or they can purchase them on line. The tour takes about an hour and a half to ride and leaves from stop number one located Pryor and Alabama Streets.

Tours usually start between 9:00 and 10:00 AM and conclude around 5:00 PM. Guests have the opportunity to get off at different location and spend time visiting the sites. Guests will be picked up from the location by a trolley at a later time.

“This service is brand new to the city and so far in our first six months of operation there has been an amazing response. It’s been overwhelming. I expect to see even more of a response over the holiday season when families are visiting. Tours are already selling out and filling up everyday,” Mr. St. Jean said.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Atlanta's official symbols


The City of Atlanta has chosen the Phoenix along with the word Resurgens to symbolize the seemingly continual rebirth of the city after several devastating fires, most notable of which are General Shermans's burning of the city during the Civil War on November 15, 1864 and the Great Atlanta fire of 1917.
This view of the Phoenix can be seen in Woodruff Park at Five Points in downtown Atlanta. The title of the sculpture is "Atlanta from the ashes." Information from http://www.atlantapublicart.com/ tells us about this sculpture:
Considered the symbol of Atlanta’s rebirth, The Phoenix—as it is popularly known—was commissioned in 1969 by the Rich Foundation to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its historic downtown department store. James Siegler, who worked in Rich’s planning department, conceived of a sculpture of a woman lifting a bird of hope to the heavens, and drew the original drawings. Ultimately designed and cast in Italy, the sculpture became associated with the Phoenix, the mystical bird of Egyptian times, who was consumed by fire and rose from the ashes. Now the unofficial symbol of Atlanta, it represents the city that ascended from the ashes and devastation of the Civil War to become an important international city.
Any trip to Atlanta or visit to downtown should include sometime in the 5 points area. This is where Atlanta was born with the laying if the first train tracks. This is where first mayor was elected. This is where the first Coca Cola was ever served. It was also home a famous underground well that served Atlantans there water supply for sever decades.
Sites that should not be missed when in the 5 points area include:
Underground Atlanta, Georgia State University, The Fairlie-Poplar District (one of the oldest sections of downtown with a range of building history from the 1870's to the present), Broad Street ( lots of outdoor cafes with many different styles of food to choose from), The Candler Building (office buiding to Asa Candler, once owner of Coca Cola), The Rialto Theater and the Theatrical Outlet ( 2 of Atlanta's best theaters).

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Atlanta Trolley Tour Line and the gas crisis

We have received so many calls and emails to see if we are up and operating during the Southeast's current gas crisis of late. Well, the answer to that questions is YES!

We were never hit by the gas crisis. The trolleys run on diesel fuel and there was never a shortage for us.

It was actually one of our busiest times of the year in tour and sightseeing for the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line.

The weather in the fall brings out so many people both local and from far away. The air is crisp and clean. It is warm but not hot and humid. Everyone has a feeling of excitment in the change of the season. The fall is the perferct time of year to explore many of the outside locations and parks all across the city.

There are so many parks to visit in the city of Atlanta, so many outdoor cafes to eat at and numerous fall festivals.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Halloween in Atlanta

The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is proud to announce that we will be working with historic Oakland Cemetery for thier annual halloween events.

Capturing the Spirit of Oakland - 2008
Join us this year and hear first-hand about our city's past, narrated by a host of Oakland's "residents" including the Atlanta golfing legend himself, Bobby Jones. You'll also see gorgeous mausoleums and hear tales "told" by some of Atlanta's early African American, Jewish and Civil War leaders.

Don't forget your flashlight and wear comfortable walking shoes for this one-of-a-kind, guided walking tour ... and, of course, feel free to wear a costume! After all, it is Halloween.
Limited free parking is available near the main entrance and on neighboring streets. Carpooling or taking MARTA to the King Memorial Station is highly recommended. Parking is also available at Underground Atlanta for $3 per vehicle, plus $1 per person round trip for a seat on the Atlanta Trolley Tour Line Shuttle to and from Oakland's main gate. Please allow ample travel time if taking the shuttle.
Please visit Oakland Cemetery's website for all the information on the event and on the cemetery. http://oaklandcemetery.com/
Oakland is one of our favorite historic places in the City of Atlanta. You can also see Oakland on the Atlanta Trolley Tour. The cemetery lies betwen three historic neighborhoods in Atlanta; Sweet Auburn district to the north, Grant Park to the South and Cabbagetown to the east.
This event and location is a must see to any visitor to the city of Atlanta.

Atlanta's Tour and Sightseeing Experts

The Atlanta Trolley Tour Line is your expert guide to visting the city of Atlanta Georgia.
Information on our tours and services can be found at our website www.atlantatrolleytourline.com