Atlanta Vacation

Leslie and Elliot ontop of Stone Mountain

Well we just got back tonight and everyone is asleep except for me. I took Friday and today off from work for a little vacation. The vacation was taken under the guise of being my birthday, but in all actuality we just needed a vacation.

We headed down to Atlanta to go to the Atlanta Zoo and Stone Mountain. We had a really great time. We got down there on Friday evening and checked into the Holiday Inn express which was about five minutes from Stone Mountain. After changing rooms because the first room was dirty we left because the second room was a bit nasty. We were pretty disappointed because Holiday Inn Express had been our hotel of choice. For the last six or so years we have always sought them out because they were always very clean and they would have a newspaper at your door when you woke up, but this one was really bad. We left the Holiday Inn Express and headed down the street to the Country Inn and Suits. It was perfect.

After the whole hotel change we did not have a chance to do anything on Friday so we ordered a pizza from this little pizzeria in a strip mall. I think I can say that it was the best pizza I have ever had. They also had these baked pretzels, which were very good.

Elliot on the train ride

On Saturday we got up and headed to the park. I was pretty excited about going because I have all kinds of fond memories of Stone Mountain from when I was a kid and use to go there with my Aunt Sandy. I was a little nervous because I though it might not be as good as I remembered. It was even better. Well, except for the lasershow. John David totally freaked out when the fireworks started. And there were hicks screaming “The South will rise again” during the show, but I guess that is what you should expect when you visit a park that themed off of President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson being carved on the side of the mountain. I digress.

John David before the Laser Show

On Saturday we went up the Mountain, rode the train, did the lasershow(kind of) and went for a swim.

On Sunday we rode the boat, went up the mountain, drove around the park, went to the mill, and visited the plantation. We could have easily spent another day or so just hiking, doing the water slide, and visiting the museums. We will most certainly go back again.

It is getting late and I need to get some sleep before work tomorrow.

...Oh yea, and today we went to the zoo. I've been to better zoos but the Atlanta Zoo beats the Chattanooga zoo by a mile. Though, the Chattanooga Zoo is worth going to just because it is sooo sad. Really it is. By the way, I hope the link I just provided to the chatt zoo is not the official zoo home page because if it is it just proves my point.