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Awesome Atlanta Intergenerational Adventure: World’s Largest Aquarium, Zoo Overnight and More!

Program Number: 9577RJ
Start and End Dates:
6/23/2013 - 6/28/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Price starting at: $799.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Intergenerational
Intergenerational 		Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 12; 4 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Program intended for grandchildren from 9 - 12 years of age.

Go behind the scenes to encounter amazing wildlife at the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta, learning from animal experts how they care for creatures from manta rays to endangered giant pandas. Then go back in time to learn about dinosaurs large and small at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Spend an exciting evening enjoying the Stone Mountain Laser Show Spectacular.




Highlights

• At the Georgia Aquarium, learn how experts care for and feed the animals and see the world’s biggest fish, the whale shark.
• Visit CNN to learn how the news is reported and how weather is tracked with the latest equipment.
• Grandkids stay overnight at Zoo Atlanta and learn about habitats, adaptations, and favorite foods of elephants, gorillas, and the endangered Giant Panda.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to one mile per day.



Coordinated by Center for Educational Adventure.




Atlanta

Atlanta is rich in culture, history and diversity. Museums and cultural attractions abound, from an excellent botanical garden to the plaza dedicated to the 1996 Olympic Games held here.
Accommodations
Comfortable hotel with outdoor pool.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Tom Murray
Tom Murray is a graduate of San Jose State University but is a Southerner by choice, having spent more than 35 years in the South absorbing the culture, customs and history of the region. Tom specializes in coastal history with an emphasis on the sea islands of Georgia. Few people know and love beautiful Cumberland and Amelia islands better than Tom. He has spent 15 years lecturing and leading Road Scholar groups to sites from the mountains to the sea.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
  Atlanta, Georgia 5 nights
 Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Type: Hotel
  Description: The Hyatt Place is an exciting and innovative new select service hotel offering more of what is important to today's travelers. Our guests enjoy a spacious guestroom with a 42" high-definition flat panel television, our signature Hyatt Grand Bed, a plush Cozy Corner oversized sofa sleeper that is separated from the sleeping area, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi internet access throughout the hotel. The innovation extends beyond the guestroom. The Gallery is a warm and open area that features a self-registration kiosk, an intimate coffee and wine café, a TV den and an e-room with free access to a public computer and printer. Guests at Hyatt Place will also enjoy a continental breakfast each morning and can purchase freshly prepared menu items 24 hours a day. Premium espresso drinks, beer and wine are also available at the Gallery Café. Hyatt Place does not accept pets. Service animals are always welcome.
  Contact info: 3242 Peachtree Road, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30305 USA
phone: 404-869-6161
web: www.hyattplace.com
  Room amenities: Air Conditioning (In Room) Newspaper (Free) Refrigerator Iron Telephone Television (Cable/Satellite) Non-Smoking Rooms Television Daily Maid Service Coffee Maker
  Facility amenities: About Hyatt Place Gallery The Gallery blends contemporary décor with distinctive architecture, stylish furnishings and unexpected touches to create an atmosphere of casual hospitality. About Hyatt Place spacious guestrooms Our spacious guestroom features contemporary décor with stylish furnishings including plush Hyatt Grand Beds™, state-of-the-art media and work center with a 42" high-definition flat panel television that easily integrates with laptops and other electronic devices, a comfortable Cozy Corner oversized sofa-sleeper, wet bar and bathroom vanity upgraded with granite countertops. About Hyatt Place food & beverage Hyatt Place offers an innovative approach to food service. Complimentary continental breakfast buffet is inclusive every morning. Additionally, signature menu items are available for purchase day and night, including hot breakfast entrees and specialty espresso coffee drinks. Our unprecedented approach to food services includes a cashless food center with a kiosk for touch-screen ordering along with card swipe technology. This allows guests to use their room key to charge orders to their room folio. About Hyatt Place technology Guests will enjoy complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access available throughout the hotel and registration kiosks for easy check-in/check-out service. The updated guestroom media centre is equipped with a high-definition 42" flat panel high-definition television that easily integrates with laptops and other electronic devices such as portable DVD or mp3 players
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Call for hotel rate. For early arrivals or late stayovers, please contact the Hyatt Place Sales Coordinator at 404-869-6161 ext. 5154, and tell her you are with Road Scholar for the special rate.
  Check in time: 4:00 PM
  Additional nights after: Call for hotel rate. For early arrivals or late stayovers, please contact the Hyatt Place Sales Coordinator at 404-869-6161 ext. 5154, and tell her you are with Road Scholar for the special rate.
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
4:00 PM hotel conference room. You will be staying at Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta that night.
  End of Program:
11:00 AM Departure from hotel. You will be staying at Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. If you have a Senior Pass, Golden Age Passport or National Parks Pass, please bring it with you.
  Parking availability:
Parking is free at hotel for duration of program.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Atlanta, Georgia
  Nearest city or town:  Atlanta
  Nearest highway: I-75
  Nearest airport:  Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
  From End of Program
  Location: Atlanta, Georgia
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Atlanta, GA

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
Marta-Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
phone: 404-848-5000

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$2 - $5 approximately
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

30 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

20 miles
   

Arriving air travelers should follow the Ground Transportation signs to MARTA. The entrance to MARTA's Airport Station is located inside the western end of the airport's main terminal. Faregates are just a few feet from the baggage claim areas. Take the Red Line from airport to Buckhead Station. When you arrive, call the hotel to pick you up. 404 869 6161 or walk three blocks. Marta website is: www.itsmarta.com
 

Atlanta, GA

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
A-National Limousine Service
phone: 800-533-4859
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$20.50 per person one way or $37 per person round trip
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

30 minutes from airport to hotel depending on traffic 
 

Distance:

 

20 miles
   

1) You can always make a reservation on line at www.anationallimo.com 2) Cash, and most major credit cards are accepted 3) The Atlanta Airport Shuttle Service is open from 6:00 AM to 12:00 midnight 7 days a week. 4) They request you make your reservation as soon as you book your flight and have your flight details, however we will accept walk ups at our airport booth. 5) You should depart to the airport 2 hours prior to domestic flights.
 
Driving Directions
  I-75/I-85 Northbound Take I-75/I-85 Northbound through Downtown Atlanta. Take I-85 North (It exits on the left hand side). From I-85 North, take exit 87 - GA 400 North. On GA 400 North, take Exit 2 - Lenox Road/Buckhead. Take a LEFT off the ramp, following signs to Piedmont Road. Take a LEFT at the 2nd light onto Piedmont. Get in the far right hand lane. Go less than a mile and make a RIGHT onto Peachtree. Hotel is on your right, immediately past the Piedmont/Peachtree intersection. There is a "Rooms To Go" store on your right at the intersection. As soon as you turn onto Peachtree, you will see your hotel next to "Room To Go" on the right.
  I-85 Southbound From I-85 South, take Exit 88 - Lenox Road/Cheshire Bridge. Take a RIGHT off the ramp, heading NORTH on Lenox Road. Continue on Lenox Road approximately 2 miles. Proceed to Peachtree Road & take a LEFT, heading South. Pass Lenox Mall on your left and continue to the intersection of Peachtree and Piedmont. Hotel will be on your right, after the intersection with Piedmont.
  Southbound from Charlotte, NC on I-85 I-85 S toward GASTONIA (Passing through SOUTH CAROLINA, then crossing into GEORGIA). 232.5 mi Take the LENOX RD exit, EXIT 88, toward GA-400 N/CHESHIRE BR RD. 0.2 mi Turn RIGHT onto LENOX RD NE. 0.1 mi Turn LEFT onto BUFORD HWY NE/GA-13 S. 0.1 mi Stay STRAIGHT to go onto SIDNEY MARCUS BLVD NE. 0.7 mi Turn RIGHT onto PIEDMONT RD NE/GA-237. 1.3 mi Turn LEFT onto PEACHTREE RD NE/GA-141. 0.1 mi Hyatt Place - 3242 PEACHTREE RD NE is on the RIGHT. These directions are from mapquest.com. A Rooms To Go store sits right on the corner and the Hyatt Place is right beside it.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Check-In/Orientation/Get Acquainted Activities
(Sunday, June 23)
   
 Afternoon: Check-In held in hotel conference room at 4:00 pm, orientation at 5:00 pm, dinner at 6:00 pm, get to know you activities after dinner.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.
 Evening: Fun get acquainted activities for all.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Atlanta CNN World News Behind the Scenes/Coca Cola Museum/Brain Twister
(Monday, June 24)

Note: The Inside CNN Studio field trip takes you behind the scenes of the Global Headquarters of CNN. Then walk through Centennial Park on the way to the Coca-Cola Museum. Centennial Park is a testimony to what can be accomplished when one person makes up their mind to convert a multi-block eyesore into a glorious gathering spot for visitors and residents to enjoy.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is continental at the hotel.
 Morning: Go behind the scenes of the Global Headquarters of CNN in Atlanta. See news in the making and learn how the weather is reported with the latest equipment. Afterwards, visit Centennial Park. Less than two decades ago, Centennial Olympic Park's neighborhood was a run-down part of town. That all began to change on the day Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games received word that Atlanta had won the bid for the Atlanta Games. A multi-block eyesore was converted into a glorious gathering spot for visitors and residents to enjoy during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and for years to come. You will enjoy it too.
 Lunch: Lunch at the CNN Center.
 Afternoon: The World of Coca-Cola is the only place where you can explore the complete story—past, present, and future—of the world's best-known brand! You'll taste over 60 different products from around the globe and experience the thrilling 4-D Theater (3D movie with moving seats)
 Dinner: Dinner is at the hotel.
 Evening: Driftwood Education Center presents Brain Twister. This activity is for Kids and Grandparents.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Hands-On With Reptiles//Fernbank Museum/Overnight at Zoo for kids/Dinner out for Grandparents
(Tuesday, June 25)

Note: Kids will enjoy the hands-on with reptiles...all kinds of reptiles. The afternoon will be spent at Fernbank Museum together. Kids will overnight at the zoo while grands enjoy an evening out in Atlanta as a group.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast
 Morning: Hands-on with a few reptiles will heighten your interest in the zoo that will become your home for the overnight "Night Crawlers". Afterwards, you will enjoy swimming in the hotel pool until lunch.
 Lunch: Lunch at the hotel.
 Afternoon: You will be together as a group (Grands and Kids) and will explore ancient fossils and experience the thrill of a film in the IMAX® Theatre, enjoy science interactives and marvel at the largest dinosaurs ever discovered. Fernbank Museum isn’t just another museum—it’s a journey to another time and place.
 Dinner: Grands: You'll enjoy dinner and an evening of adult conversation while the kids are exploring the zoo on an overnighter.
 Evening: Kids only: As the sun sets and the animals settle in for the night, the fun is just beginning! You will never forget this unique overnight program packed with themed activities, behind-the-scenes experiences and up-close encounters with animals. Sleep in climate-controlled facilities. Dinner and breakfast at the zoo. This is the way to see the Zoo! Grandparents: While the kids are at the zoo, we will be out on the town in Atlanta, GA. Dinner will be at at a popular restaurant as we enjoy fellowship with one another knowing that the kids are having a ball at the zoo.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Presentation for Grands/Grands and Kids Zoo/Stone Mountain Night Laser Spectacular Show
(Wednesday, June 26)

Note: Grands will hear a presentation from an expert before heading out to the zoo to meet up with kids. After dinner, see spectacular laser show at Stone Mountain.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast
 Morning: Grandparents will hear a presentation given at the hotel before going to the zoo to meet up with grandkids. Once meeting up with kids at zoo, spend time at the places that you like most. You'll see many of the things that your grandkids will see at night but not in detail as the kids will get when they spend the night in the zoo. Kids will have access to areas that are not open to the public with their night instructors. It is an experience they will long remember and it will give them an appreciation for the animals and their living quarters and the people who love and care for them.
 Lunch: Lunch at the hotel.
 Afternoon: A free afternoon to enjoy the pool or to relax.
 Dinner: Dinner at a popular restaurant.
 Evening: You can't come to Atlanta without seeing the Stone Mountain Laser Show. The Laser Canopy creates a ceiling of light right over your head, transforming the park into a natural amphitheater. The spectacular is a dazzling display of neon laser lights featuring characters, stories, graphics and fireworks choreographed to popular musical scores. The famed patriotic grand finale includes a live fireworks display.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Field Trip To The Georgia Aquarium/Lunch At The Aquarium/Interactive Evening Entertainment
(Thursday, June 27)

Note: Spend the entire day at the largest aquarium in the world, the Georgia Aquarium. Go behind the scenes to see what is taking place with all the water creatures. Behind the scenes is a guided field trip and then go with your grandchild to see the aquarium and all its exhibits. When the day is done, sit back and enjoy entertainment.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast
 Morning: Today is yours to enjoy at the largest aquarium in the world, the Georgia Aquarium. Experience everything from whale sharks and beluga whales, to an action packed 4D Theater. Explore the secrets of the Georgia Aquarium! Discover some of the most popular exhibits from a view that only a Behind the Scenes can give you! Get closer to the stars of the Aquarium (the animals) and learn about what it takes to keep the world's largest aquarium running.
 Lunch: Lunch at the aquarium.
 Afternoon: Georgia Aquarium visit continues.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel. Enjoy entertainment by a musician and singer that will get everyone excited about singing, clapping, and maybe doing the hambone.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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