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.

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.

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).

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.

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