Read more about the article Quarantine Quest – Vickery Creek Hike – Roswell, GA
Vickery Creek Dam

Quarantine Quest – Vickery Creek Hike – Roswell, GA

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area reopened in May after the mandated shelter-in-place restrictions lifted. We jumped at the chance to hike one of our favorite trails at the Vickery Creek Unit in Roswell, a northern suburb of Atlanta.

Cost, Fees & Parking

Parking is $5 per car if you park at the lot at 400 Riverside Rd, which is under the Chattahoochee River NRA (National Park Service) jurisdiction. Parking is free with an annual National Park Pass ($80) or an annual Chattahoochee River NRA Pass ($40).

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Read more about the article Kennesaw Mountain Hike

Kennesaw Mountain Hike

Thing 2 wanted to hike Kennesaw Mountain at sunrise. Since it was right after we’d changed our clocks forward, we thought it would be a great idea. Although we woke up a bit late, we hustled out the door and onto the highway in record time.

The Hike

From the parking lot, the 1-mile trail to the top of Kennesaw Mountain begins to the right of the visitor center. The path is wide and ascends quickly. I hadn’t stretched before taking the trail so I was trying to catch my breath.  Thing 2 was trying to reach the summit by sunrise so we hiked at a fairly fast pace. I should also mention that I was lugging the nicer camera with me, adding to the weight on the trail. Fortunately after one-third of the way to the top, the path flattens out for a short while when it follows an old road bed. Here the width of the trail spans at least 8 feet wide.

The trail begins

The entire trails climbs up the eastern side of the mountain so we had the beginnings of the sunrise at our backs. A hiker with two dogs passed us when the trail steepened again. This time, several stairs appeared. At about two-thirds to the top, a bench with a view of the sunrise met us. We sat down for a while and rested. (more…)

Read more about the article High Museum of Art – Atlanta, GA
Rodin's "The Shade" in front of the High Museum of Art

High Museum of Art – Atlanta, GA

From it’s humble beginnings in 1905, the Atlanta Art Association sought to bring visual art to Atlanta. Renamed the High Museum in 1926, the museum moved into the into the Woodruff Arts Center (formerly called Memorial Arts Building) in 1968, sharing space with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Alliance Theater.

By the early 1980’s, the museum raised enough funds for Richard Meier to build the iconic 4-story, 135,000 square, post-modern building adjacent to the Woodruff Arts Center. Then in 2005, architect Renzo Piano doubled the space by adding three cube-shaped buildings to the museum complex.

Visitors now enter the museum through the Wieland Pavillion. The 85-foot tall lobby also houses a cafe, covered terrace and a gift shop. The original Richard Meier building, (renamed the Stent Family Wing), is accessed via two sky bridges. 

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Read more about the article National Center for Civil & Human Rights – Atlanta, GA
A new museum for downtown Atlanta

National Center for Civil & Human Rights – Atlanta, GA

Opened in 2014, the National Center for Civil & Human Rights is one of Atlanta’s newest museums. In response to Pepsi sponsoring Super Bowl LIII right here in Coca-Cola’s home city, the Coca-Cola Foundation gave a $1 million grant providing free admission to the museum for the entire month of February. Not just Super Bowl weekend. Not just for visitors to Atlanta. It’s for everyone for the entire month.

Visitors enter on the second floor of the museum after going through a security checkpoint. Typically, they explore the second floor civil rights exhibit, then follow upstairs to the human rights exhibit. Because larger than average crowds, museum staff told us to start either on the first or third floors. (more…)