MaidMirawyn

If you love roller coasters, here’s a tip: Get to the park early. Then, go straight to the back corner of the park and ride Superman: The Ride. It’s incredible, and the lines get VERY long later in the day. If you’ve ever wanted to know what Lois Lane felt like in the first Superman movie, this is it.

There are several locations of River Street Sweets now, including several in Atlanta. But believe me: as awesome as those are, the candy is the best at the original River Street location! I recommend the pralines; get them fresh, and dig in!

I visited Magnolia Plantation twenty years ago, when I went with my Girl Scout troop. It was so much fun! My best friend and I rented bikes and rode all over the place… Sadly, I don’t seem to have any photos of it.

I so want to go back and take my husband!

If you’re at the aquarium, you’ll notice a Mellow Mushroom is right there, practically across the street.

Keep walking. Not only will Lupi’s, just two blocks down, have better food, but it’s much more interesting! Plus, it’s probably a lot less crowded!

We stop at Lupi’s every single time we’re in Chattanooga. I wish there were one in Atlanta, but it would probably lose its distinctive charm…

Obviously, if you’re claustrophobic, this may not be the best place to go. You drive way up the mountain to reach it, then take a long elevator ride to reach the cavern.

But I’ve visited twice, both as a kid and as an adult, and it was fun both times. The cave is scenic, and Ruby Falls is impressive. It’s also very loud… The light show of the falls is cool, but I think the falls are beautiful naturally lit. (Of course, I am a sucker for waterfalls, so I may not be the most impartial person to ask!)

Well worth visiting at least once!

I’m glad Chattanooga is so close to Atlanta: it’s one of our favorite places to go to get away. I love the flavor, because it’s small enough to feel like a relaxing escape, but it’s large enough to have lots of fun stuff!

There’s the aquarium, of course, which is worth visiting even if you’ve been to the Georgia Aquarium; they’re very different. (Lupi’s Pizza is just two or three blocks away, and well worth the walk—it’s WAY better than Mellow Mushroom!)

And there’s the Bluff View Art District, with its wonderful galleries, outdoor art park, the Hunter Museum, and lots of charming shops and eateries. (Check out Rembrandt Coffee House.) Lots of nice walking trails with fun hidden spots, too!

Across the river, near the park, there’s more interesting shops and restaurants, plus great older neighborhoods. AND a really awesome fountain, with animal sculptures that shoot water. (You can climb on them, too.)

All in all, I love Chattanooga! Can’t wait to go back…

If you like the handmade, Ten Thousand Villages is the place to go in Virginia Highland. I love this little shop: it’s full of wonderful treasures from across the globe, all handmade by people who care. The best part? It’s fair trade, and many of the “employees” are actually volunteers.

I love finding a place like this in a neighborhood like Virginia Highland. It’s a beautiful district, but so many of the shops carry the formulaic staples of every artsy-urban area. But not Ten Thousand Villages. Get great, distinctive items for yourself or a loved one, things you won’t see in every shop. And help struggling artisans with limited options for employment make a fair living.

If you love book, really love books, Atlanta Book Exchange is a must-visit when you go to Virginia Highland! It’s exactly what I think of when I think “used bookstore.” It’s cluttered, but it’s all by category. The owner knows where everything is, too. There’s amazing variety, so you never know what you’ll find! It’s always my first stop when I’m in the area.

Only downside: There’s not much parking, and the owner lives downstairs, so the bathroom isn’t exactly a typical public bathroom!

When I got the idea to visit Santa Fe on our trip to Colorado, the strong artistic presence in the city was the selling point! And Canyon Road is the center of it all. They have every form of local art, from textiles to prints to glassblowing to ceramics. They even have “serious” art, like big, expensive paintings and sculptures. Loved, loved, loved it! I will definitely be going back again someday.

Santa Fe is absolutely full of beautiful, historical buildings, but this was one of my favorites! The blending of styles is wonderful.

I loved all the art. There’s a large bronze statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, of course, since he is the patron saint of the cathedral. But there is also a statue of the first Native American to be nominated for sainthood. In many ways, I like her statue even better: she exudes peace, grace, kindness and dignity.

The doors are covered in bronze panels, each telling a bit of history of the church. It starts with the history from the Bible, then continues on to the history of the church itself. It’s fascinating!

My favorite part, though, was the labyrinth. I recommend going and walking it in the late evening, when it’s quieter and less crowded. If, that is, you want to do it as intended: as an aid to meditation and prayer. I loved it.