Even though Atlanta has been torn down and rebuilt a number of times, the city is steeped in history. You can still find historic buildings dotted throughout the city - from the Civil War to the civil rights movement and everything in between. Instead of putzing around a stuffy library, visit one or two of these places to get a real taste of Atlanta history:
Sweet Auburn Curb Market - This market was first established in the early 1900s and is still a functioning municipal market today. During segregation, blacks were only allowed to shop the stalls along the curb, hence its name. Today, the market is located downtown near the Georgia State Campus. It has a number of stalls that sell meats, fish, and produce. There are also a number of small, popular eateries like Grindhouse Burgers and Bell Street Burritos. This is not a gentrified, downtown, touristy market like Chelsea Market in New York and Pike Street Market in Seattle. Its appearance is a little rough around the edges, but that just adds to the charm and authenticity of the place.
After stocking up on groceries and getting a bite to eat at the curb market, head north one block and walk along Auburn Avenue. This is the Sweet Auburn district, a historically black business district and home to Ebenezer Church and the birth home of Martin Luther King, Jr. You can still see some of the facades of the historic businesses that shut down decades ago like the famous music club, The Royal Peacock. If you want a guided tour of the area, get in touch with the Atlanta Preservation Center for more information.
Not too far north of the Sweet Auburn district is Margaret Mitchell House on Peachtree Street. You can take a tour of the famous writer’s apartment and see where she wrote Gone with the Wind. If you’re looking for a grander house museum, head north on Peachtree and check out Rhodes Hall, the home of Rhodes Furniture founder Amos Rhodes. Peachtree Street used to be lined with mansions and Rhodes Hall is one of the only remaining ones today. It was built to look like a small German castle and the interior does not disappoint.
Just south of downtown is Oakland Cemetery. It’s the resting place for many famous Atlantans like Margaret Mitchell and Maynard Jackson, and has a number of beautiful mausoleums scattered throughout the grounds. Stop by the Visitors Center, take a self-guided tour, or come for one of the events hosted at the cemetery. If you think cemeteries are creepy and/or boring, a trip to Oakland Cemetery will change that mindset.
Not far from Oakland Cemetery is the Cyclorama located in Grant Park. It’s a giant, panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta fought during the Civil War. The best part is that you get to sit on a rotating platform during the tour of the painting, which is complete with music, educational facts, and lighting. There’s nothing else like it in town. Make sure to stop by the small exhibit on how the Cyclorama was installed and how, at one point, it became overrun with rats.
Last, but definitely not least, head west to the Wren’s Nest. In the West End neighborhood, it is the oldest house museum in Atlanta and the home of Joel Chandler Harris, the creator of Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit. Plan ahead and make sure to come for a tour and storytelling. It’s fascinating to tour the home of one of the most popular authors of the 19th and 20th centuries. The storytelling is geared towards kids, but it’s equally as fun for adults.
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Things To Do In Conyers
Xtreme Paintball Conyers
Up to 52% Off at Xtreme Paintball Conyers
With protective gear and a semi-automatic marker, players compete on three-acres of obstacles and speedball fields
Conyers
64% Off Dance Classes
The Ladies Den
Conyers
$45 $16
Local businesses like this one promote thriving, distinctive communities by offering a rich array of goods and services to locals like you
55% Off Personal Fitness Program
Coach Krystie
South Rockdale
$800 $360
Local businesses like this one promote thriving, distinctive communities by offering a rich array of goods and services to locals like you
Up to 53% Off Paintball Outings
Wildfire Paintball Games
Multiple Locations
$26 $13
Pipes and inflated obstacles fill the indoor arena’s warehouse-like space; shacks and pipes challenge players outdoors
Up to 50% Off Obstacle Race
BattleFrog Race Series
Georgia International Horse Park
$109 $54
Course designed by Navy SEALs challenges runners with 25+ water and land-based obstacles that test strength and agility
50% Off Kids' Summer Camp
Peachtree Academy
Conyers
$250 $125
Kids play games, engage in educational activities, go on field trips, and splash about the onsite water park during two weeks of summer camp
Select Local Merchants
The Great Bull Run brings the thrill of Pamplona's historic event to cities across the United States. Modeled after the Running of the Bulls, this one-day event enables participants to race live bulls, keeping one step ahead of the charging animals to finally prove that toes are better for running than hooves. While the historic Pamplona event has had few serious injuries in its 102 years of existence, The Great Bull Run staff takes even more precautions to ensure runners stay smiling from beginning to end. Additionally, the bulls are given the full respect they deserve, and are not antagonized or harmed before, during, or after the run.
Following the race, runners and newcomers can gather together for a good old-fashioned food fight. Tomato Royale arms entrants with juicy fruit that they can fling at each other. Additional post-run activities include an after-party, live entertainment, and games as well as food and beverages.
1996 Centennial Olympic Pkwy
Conyers,
GA
US
Starting in the mangrove swamps of South Florida as Tarzan’s Cup, The Jungle Cup tests runners’ warrior instincts and brute strength with a bevy of jungle-inspired challenges. Lone wolves, coed pairs, or teams of four take on the 5K course’s rivers of mud and swinging vines with the hope of winning the coveted Jungle Cup—or at least a finisher’s medal. Obstacles vary based on the run’s location, but contestants can rest assured that their endurance will be put to the test through primal trials such as leaping over fire pits, hurling javelins, and swimming through water hazards. After the race, athletes cool down with a frosty beverage at the Jungle Party, which celebrates their victories with fire shows, hula hoop-offs, and costume contests.
1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway
Conyers,
GA
US
Golfers across Texas, Arizona, and Georgia get an expert's opinion on their local private and public courses through AvidGolfer Magazine. The professionals also offer some basic instructions, in-depth product reviews, and careful explanations of why a lower score is better. Besides expert advice, the magazine releases an annual passbook that grants subscribers entry into several local courses.
2271 Flat Shoals Rd SE
Conyers,
GA
US
Splash into ART offers guided painting workshops for aspiring artists or casual paint-slingers of any and all skill levels. Whether you've been a paint-based hobbyist since receiving your first set of childhood watercolor paints or still believe that paint is rainbow juice, you'll find fun by burrowing into an evening of group painting. A skilled instructor guides students step-by-step through the process of recreating a featured painting, from vivid fall leaves and neutral tree landscapes to dragonflies, which symbolize the desire to win the lottery. All supplies are provided for students, from brushes and paint to paintbrushes. You'll leave with a painting to take home and display or lock in the attic for immortality purposes. The two-hour classes are all BYOB and snacks, so you can sip on libations and loosen up artistic inhibitions while gabbing with pals or meeting new people. You also have the option of upgrading to one of the three hour classes by paying the difference. Check the schedule for upcoming classes and featured paintings.
2009 Iris Drive Southeast
Conyers,
GA
US
As the fall season approaches, softball players in Conyers, Georgia start to get butterflies. They grab their gloves and head to their first team practice with the Rockdale Girls Softball Association, which has taught young girls the tenants of softball and good sportsmanship since Jimmy Carter legalized fun in 1980. Their coaches can teach both fastpitch and slowpitch to a player from the time she is three to when she leaves high school at the age of eighteen. However, kids don't have to pick up the game when they're toddlers. At each age level, coaches draft teams with a mix of new and skilled athletes.
These teams train at RGSA's eight fields and six batting cages. They then test their skills every week during games or special tournaments, such as the Fallen Angels Tournament, which honors former RGSA players who have passed away.
2709 Old Covington Road Northeast
Conyers,
GA
US
Players advance and retreat across three acres of battlefields at Xtreme Paintball Conyers, semi-automatic markers clutched tight. Weaving in and out of dense obstacles, firing at opponents attempting to snipe from forts and bunkers, or running and ducking on the fast-paced speedball fields, warriors of all stripes can find the backdrop suitable to their preferred brand of action. Xtreme Paintball even offers up gaming formats for the strategist: capture the flag or attack and defend. And to ensure that first-time players can compete, the staff rents out markers, hoppers, CO2 tanks, and protective masks that keep adversaries from seeing nostrils flare in surprise.
2565 Old Covington Highway Southwest
Conyers,
GA
US
