When we planned to visit Atlanta several months ago, I sent out a plea on one of the yahoo groups I belong to asking for some recommendations of what we should or could do in the city. One of the suggestions I received over and over was to eat at The Varsity, the world's largest drive-in restaurant. Though we planned to go several times, we just hadn't made it. Until today. And it was worth the wait. Visible as soon as you exit I-85, the famous red V icon beckons you.
Around back, a delivery truck was unloading. According to the brochure, that's only one of three or four that arrive throughout the day guaranteeing that only the freshest ingredients are used to prepare the treats that are served to thousands of visitors a day. Check out these facts: 2 miles of hot dogs, 2500 pounds of potatoes, 300 gallons of chili, and 3000 pounds of onions are devoured each day at The Varsity!
Stepping inside, you'll see the wall of fame, a collage of notable Who's Who that has eaten the world famous cuisine/fare. Elvis, our favorite redneck Jeff Foxworthy, Ryan Seacrest and Presidents Carter, Bush and Clinton, have all darkened the threshold of this landmark.
Instantly you'll hear the famous What'll ya Have, What'll ya Have bellowing from the food service workers waiting to introduce you to the taste of a Naked Dog, Rings or famous F.O. Yes, The Varsity even has a lingo all their own. The service is quick and well practiced. It's clear to see how they could serve 30,000 people on game days.
Fascinated with the diner decor, we chose a window booth on the upper floor overlooking the parking lot where we had a magnificent view of downtown Atlanta.
The fries and onion rings were so delicious, we ordered a second time. I've not ever eaten greasy rings like them but they were yummy. The F.O. or Frosted Orange was like drinking a push-up, the first few sips were yummy, but after that the tangy sweetness was a bit much. My husband didn't care for the chili on the hot dogs, comparing it to Skyline Chili and though my kids loved the burgers, it was certainly the onion rings that got our vote for favorite menu item served at our table.
So, if you find yourself passing through the Atlanta area, don't pass up an opportunity to eat at the World Famous Varsity! Just be sure to grab a napkin or two on the way to your table.
Thumbs up from our family!
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Live the Adventure
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I have to admit, after our first experience in Atlanta, I swore I'd never step foot in the city again. Well, I know the Lord has a sense of humor, because it wasn't long before my husband’s job led us back to the very place I intended to avoid for the rest of my life. Though I wasn't initially excited, a friend challenged me to make the best of our visit by finding five really cool attractions to visit. Well, that was a challenge I was up for and when we returned, not only did I find some really awesome outings to go on with my family, but I also discovered some reasons to return ... again ... and again ... and again....
This past week, we were drawn back to the metropolis to see Disney’s Christmas Carol Train. The once-in-a-lifetime event was held at the Southeastern Railroad Museum in Duluth, a suburb of Atlanta. I don't know who was more excited, my daughter, or me. We'd been planning to attend since we first heard Disney’s announcement and intentions to transform an Amtrak train into a museum on rails, to tour the country and stop in 40 select cities. After watching just a brief preview of the train on TV, we knew it would be well worth seeing. Not only had Disney spared no expense on the exhibit, they also teamed up with the technology of HP to provide a state of the art, cutting edge experience for all who attended this free, over the top publicity stint to promote the upcoming, soon to be released Dickens holiday classic, remade Disney style.
Anticipating a large crowd, we arrived an hour early and were surprised to see very few cars in the parking lot. Instead, we mainly saw volunteers milling around the grounds. We waited in our car for a bit and when we could stand it no more, we decided we'd take a sneak peak at things. I'm so glad we did because we were given a ticket and permitted passage to the train cars with the volunteers and local news crew. The absence of long lines meant we were able to go through at our leisure and really look things over without feeling crowded or rushed.
The first two train cars contained the 'portraits' of the movies characters along with the complete outfits that the performers wear in the animation, and the highlight for me- books and other materials on loan from the Charles Dickens Museum in London.
In the Model Car we were shown all the minute details that truly went into the animating process as each page from Charles Dickens book came alive down to the last detail. There was no need to waste time scouring England for the props needed, they just created them.
Two train cars were devoted to giving us a behind the scenes look at the technology that was used to make the movie come alive through animation.
If we were forced to choose a favorite aspect of the train, it may possibly be the interactive morphing stations where our own face was photographed and transformed into Scrooge, Marley, Belle and Tiny Tim before our very eyes.
The final car provides a perfect backdrop for a photo op before exiting the train; a roaring fireplace at one end to stand beside and a table laden with festive decorations and foods at the other, while through the windows you'll see a beautiful Dickens Christmas Scene.
But the fun doesn’t end when you step off the train, because Disney couldn’t send us away without giving us a sneak peak of the movie, even though production is not yet complete. To do this, a portable miniature theater was set up on the grounds, with seating for 100. Wearing our special 3-D glasses, we watched clips of interviews with the actors, producers and director before sitting mesmerized at the final preview of the featured film. Having just re-read The Christmas Carol so it would be fresh in our minds, the kids and I were amazed at the attention to detail. The animation is both spine-tingling and spellbinding. We can’t wait to watch what is sure to become a Disney classic on November 6th!
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Live the Adventure
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When we first found out we'd be leaving home and embarking on our full-time travel adventure, my boys had one request. They wanted some of their friends to visit them wherever we were, before the summer was over. My husband and I thought it was a great idea but after trying to plan something, it just wasn't coming together. Last Sunday, we talked and decided now was the time. If it was going to happen, it had to be NOW. So, on Tuesday, the kids and I headed off to Ohio to swap my daughter for two more teen boys. My daughter was excited to visit her friends and family and the boys were eager to finally show their friends around their new home base.
My husband wanted to make sure that when our sons’ friends visited, their time spent with us could be really special and something they’d always remember.
Of course our boys had been planning some wonderful adventures with their friends- in fact, since arriving in Alabama, every time we’ve gone somewhere they really enjoyed, they commented how fun it would be to return with their Ohio friends. So they’ve been planning, planning and planning. But my husband also had a special surprise in mind. A trip to Stone Mountain in Atlanta, to see the incredible laser show.
While doing some last minute research, I found out that after 4 p.m., Stone Mountain offers a Twilight pass. For $16.50, you have access to all the open attractions except the Ducks. That’s a $10 savings per ticket. Boy, was I excited! Since we were buying six tickets, the $60 in savings was the difference between us only enjoying the free laser show or actually enjoying some of the other perks at the park. And what a fun evening it turned out to be!
Our first stop was the 4-D movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth. If you’re like us, you may be wondering exactly what 4-D means. In a word…INCREDIBLE! If you thought 3-D was cool, 4-D will knock your socks off! As I understand it, 4-D is a 3-D movie enhanced with an additional layer. The result is simply amazing and it looks so real! We felt like we were truly part of the movie. And not only did we see the movie, we also felt the howling wind against our faces, the spray of water against our skin and the trembling of our seats as boulders crashed on screen.
Our next destination was the Summit Sky Ride, a gondola type ride to the summit of Stone Mountain. The least desirous aspect of the ride was that we were packed into the cable car like sardines. I kid you not, there could not have been one more person shoved into the mass of sweaty, stinky people and still have been able to close the doors. I spent the few minutes climb up the mountain nearly pressed against someone I did not know, with a little girl shoved into my chest, clearly embarrassed. If I’m painting a terribly awkward picture… good...you understand. Clearly, the ride conductors were engaging in some sick game to see who could shove the most visitors in the cart at one time.
Thank goodness the ride to the top is quick...3 minutes, actually. By the time you step onto the platform and onto the mass of granite, your discomfort is almost forgotten and you feel for a minute like you're standing on top of the world...well...almost...
The view is incredible. Even on a hot, hazy day, you can still make out the skyline of Atlanta in the distance. The cooler breeze and view enticed my husband and me to sit and relax for a bit while the boys ran around exploring and taking in the scenery. I think the boys would have wandered all night, but we had other things to see so reluctantly, we called them back and began our descent. This time the Sky Ride was not nearly as crowded and we actually had room to move around a bit and position ourselves to watch a bit of the ride down.
The boys really wanted to maneuver the pedal boats around the lake so we began walking to the Riverboat Marina Complex to continue the adventure. Originally, my husband and I were going to sit this attraction out and watch the boys while we relaxed on the pier, it looked like so much fun we couldn’t resist. By the time we were in our boats and on our way, the boys were nearly across the lake. Though we had ideas of out running them, once we began pedaling our old legs tired out and we decided not to keep up with the teeny-boppers, instead relaxing and enjoying our boat ride. After all, since the shuttle wasn’t running, we did have a bit of a walk back to the next attraction.
When the boys finished up, we couldn’t resist a ride on the Paddlewheel Riverboat, the Scarlett O’Hara. The ship’s captain pointed out some of the interesting features along the Stone Mountain Lake while we enjoyed the breeze off the lake and watched in wonder as the clear weather began to show signs of an impending storm.
As we heard the rumble of thunder, we began to wonder if we’d make it back to the main park before the downpour began. We quickly stopped by the Sky Ride complex to get a drink of water out of the fountains and saw that they’d closed the attraction due to the weather. Deciding to forgo the laser show, we began a somewhat quick walk to the car, arriving just as the storm let loose. Perfect timing! Though we were disappointed not to see the laser show, we all felt that we’d had an awesome day. I began the long drive back to Huntsville, with a vehicle full of tuckered out passengers.
This wasn't our first trip here. Several months ago, while visiting Atlanta, we did enjoy the laser show. If you want to read about that first visit to Stone Mountain and see pictures from that trip, you'll find a link here.
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Live the Adventure
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Well, we've spent just over a month in Atlanta this year off and on. I must admit that after our first visit, I never wanted to return, but it seems that the big city has lured us in and isn't so bad afterall. Yes, it's busy, yes it's crowded and there are certain times of the day when you really should avoid travel on I-75 or I-285 unless it just can't be avoided. But taking all that into consideration, the Atlanta area has some really wonderful attractions nearby and even though it's a big city, some of the suburbs, like Marietta, certainly have a small town feel to them and the people we've met seem to be genuinely friendly. Since arriving there's been one place that we really wanted to visit, but just didn't ever manage to fit in. We weren't eager to leave the area without a glimpse of Stone Mountain, Georgia's most popular attraction. So when my husband suggested that we take a quick drive after dinner, even the kids couldn't resist! The huge hunk of granite has Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, three well known figures from the Civil War, carved into it's side. The carving is certainly the focal point of the park and the largest bas-relief in the world. Though we had intended to just 'peak' at the mountain and head back to the hotel, we ended up staying for part of the free laser show. The laser show was wonderful and we would certainly have stayed for the entire program if my husband didn't have to get up at 4 in the morning to drive to Alabama and work. He was barely awake for the drive back to the hotel. If we return to Atlanta, we'll certainly spend more time enjoying this amazing attraction which is listed in Frommer's 500 Places to Visit with your Kids Before they Grow Up and also as one of the "35 Natural Wonders to See in Georgia Before you Die". I know the kids and I drove away last night hoping that we'll be sent back to Atlanta...just one more time...
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Live the Adventure
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Though we haven’t always traveled full-time, we have always enjoyed traveling and finding new destinations to explore. In order to stretch our hard earned monies as far as we could and to allow us to travel as many miles as possible, we’ve always forgone expensive attractions and instead sought out the free or low-cost sights. In addition to visiting area zoos and museums using our reciprocal memberships, we’ve always found city, state, and national parks to offer an excellent opportunity to further our knowledge and appreciation of this wonderful country that we live in as well as allowing us to explore the great outdoors. Naturally, when we found ourselves in Georgia, it didn’t take long to locate some of the outdoor wonders near our hotel. I’d read that Georgia State Parks are rated as number 7 in the nation for Best State Parks. Judging from what I’ve seen so far, that very well may be true. So far, we’ve found Civil War battlefields, Indian mounds, scenic landscapes and cascading waterfalls to explore.
Since we homeschool, my kids have always been required to do a bit of work while on the road and one small way we’ve accomplished that is through some of the programs that are offered through the local park systems. We’ve learned about tree identification, insects, seining in the sea, catching crabs and how to tell time using the sun while visiting various state parks. We’ve watched movies, gone on ranger led walks, listened to lectures and earned prizes from scavenger hunts. In Georgia, children between the ages of 6-12 may enjoy the Jr. Ranger programs while Children ages 7-14 can earn a free “Get Outdoors Georgia” badge. My 12-year old daughter has already completed enough activities to earn the Jr. Ranger badge and is currently working on earning the GO Georgia badge, just by doing what we normally do; explore, explore, explore. If you’re in Georgia, or plan on visiting, you may want to take a peek at the Jr. Ranger or Get Outdoors Georgia booklets online so your child can see what is required to earn their badge. They can also be obtained for free at the parks you visit. To earn the badges, your child will choose from a list of activities designed to encourage them to get outdoors and explore nature from a wide range of activities such as identifying trees or animals, hiking or biking, learning a new outdoor skill, taking outdoor photography or documenting a trip through writing and sketches. If you’d like to visit one of the diverse parks that Georgia offers, you may be able to do it for free by getting a pass to a state parks or state historic sites at a Georgia public library when you show your library card, so be sure to ask on your next library visit.
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Live the Adventure
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