Road Scholar : Home
New Year’s in Atlanta

Program Number: 19020RJ
Start and End Dates:
12/27/2013 - 1/1/2014;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Price starting at: $1,049.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Holidays Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 13; 5 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Winter’s chill is no match for the warm Southern hospitality of Atlanta during the holidays. Experience traditions old and new amid light displays and historic homes decorated for the season, and gain an appreciation for the city’s arts and culture during expert-led daily field trips. Examine exemplary architecture in plantation homes, celebrate the Botanical Gardens festival of lights and spend New Year's eve with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Explore the renowned High Museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions. Along the way, savor culinary delights on field trips throughout the week.




Highlights

• In the historic district of Roswell, explore Bulloch Hall and Archibald Smith Plantation — two outstanding architectural examples bedecked in holiday finery — to study winter life on the plantation.
• Enjoy fine dining at the Woodruff Arts Center, before an exciting performance of seasonal favorites by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall.
• Visit award winning exhibitions, museums, the historic Swan Mansion and gardens on the unique campus at the Atlanta History Center which houses one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts in the U.S.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to one mile; stairs in historic properties. Getting on and off motor coach.



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
Innovative new hotel in Buckhead section, two queen-size beds, living room, kitchenette, heated outdoor pool.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Bill Rutan
Bill began his career playing the jazz banjo at various clubs in the San Francisco area, including the famous Red Garter. He has performed in locations spanning from Florence, Italy to the 1964 New York World's Fair and Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Bill has enjoyed playing with noted artists including Joe Darensburg, George Probert, "Smokey" Stover, Nick Fatool, Bob Haggart, Eddie Miller, Johnny Mince and many more.
 
Don Erdman
Don Erdman has been active in the Atlanta musical community since 1982. He has toured internationally with Brenda Lee and done regional tours with Johnny Mathis, Lou Rawls, and Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme. In the late '80s, Don was the featured soloist at a Hamburg, Germany club, opening the door for European and Asian tours with his own band, Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz. Don has studied with jazz greats James Moody and Eddie Daniels.
 
Gail Bell
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Gail Bell has been involved in the city’s business, civic and cultural community for many years, and has seen Atlanta grow to its present importance on the international stage. Gail loves connecting with visitors from around the world and has enjoyed her own travels from Egypt to Europe, Australia to China, and almost all 50 states. In addition to her 20 year career as an educational excursion leader, Gail has an interior decorating business and is an author escort.
 
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:
Road Scholar Registration begins at 4:00 pm with orientation at 5:00 pm. You will be staying at Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends after morning presentation around 10:30 am at the hotel. You will be staying at Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
There is no charge for parking. Parking is located in a parking deck directly behind the hotel with elevators on each floor.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Atlanta, Georgia
  Nearest city or town:  Atlanta
  Nearest highway: I-85
  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.
  Southbound I-85 Take Exit 88 toward Cheshire Bridge Road/Lenox Road/GA 400. Take a right off exit ramp heading North. Continue on Lenox Road approx. 2 miles. Proceed to Peachtree Road, turn left heading south past Lenox Mall on your left and continue to intersection of Peachtree and Peidmont. Your hotel will be on your right after the Peachtree and Piedmont intersection. It is right beside the huge Rooms To Go store that sits on the corner of Peachtree and Piedmont.
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: Arrival & Check-in, Registration & Orientation, Get Acquainted
(Friday, December 27)
   
 Afternoon: HOTEL CHECK IN: You may check into your hotel beginning at 4:00 pm.
PROGRAM REGISTRATION: Please register with the Road Scholar program staff at our desk in the lobby. Your coordinator will be in the lobby area to welcome you and give you your name badge and packet of information between 4 and 5 pm. Orientation is at 5:00 pm followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. You'll have an informative overview of the program to come plus an opportunity to meet the program staff and your fellow participants during an introductory get-acquainted session. We'll review the updated schedule, answer any questions you may have, and cover responsibilities, safety guidelines, and emergency procedures.
 Dinner: Dinner will be catered in our hotel conference room at 6:00 pm.
 Evening: After dinner the evening is free to visit with newfound friends or retreat to your room to prepare for a full day of activities the next day.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Bulloch Hall, Archibald Smith, Plantation, Lunch in Roswell,Gone With The Wind
(Saturday, December 28)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be catered in the conference room.
 Morning: MORNING PRESENTATION: Atlanta Campaign, 1864 will be led by a professor of history who has written several books on the Civil War concentrating on the Battle of Atlanta. He will provide commentary on our travel to Roswell and two plantation homes. FIELD TRIP: We'll board the motorcoach for a ride into the magic and wonder of the holiday season in the historic district of Roswell, about 25 minutes northeast of Atlanta. Roswell boasts 640 acres of Civil War era homes, churches, and historic site including many on the National Register of Historic Places. We will explore two plantation homes that serve as outstanding examples of the architecture and culture of a bygone age: Bulloch Hall and Archibald Smith Plantation Home. Enjoy seasonal decorations on your self guided visit to each home.
 Lunch: Lunch in Roswell at The Fickle Pickle. What came first, pickles or people being fickle? Well, for chef - proprietor Andy Badgett it was kind of a tie. In 2003, Andy was in a fickle state of mind and closed his ultra fine dining restaurant “Asher” and turned it into The Fickle Pickle, a southern café and deli. The Fickle Pickle is located in a cozy 1890's Victorian house in the heart of Historic Roswell, Georgia.
 Afternoon: Life on a plantation and holiday traditions will continue as you make your way through one more plantation home and garden.
 Dinner: Dinner at a popular local restaurant.
 Evening: PRESENTATION: Gone With The Wind. Hear about the author of the renown book, Gone With the Wind from a representative with the Atlanta History Center. The novel, written by Margaret Mitchell, was first published in 1936. Margaret Mitchell began writing Gone with the Wind in 1926 to pass the time while recovering from an injury that refused to heal. Margaret Mitchell was struck by a speeding automobile as she crossed Peachtree Street at 13th Street in Atlanta with her husband, John Marsh, while on her way to see a movie on the evening of August 11, 1949. She died at Grady Hospital five days later without fully regaining consciousness.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Atlanta Field Trip, Free Afternoon and Evening to Explore On Your Own
(Sunday, December 29)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be catered in the conference room.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: Explore Atlanta by motor coach with an expert guide who is also a native Atlantian. See the new and old Atlanta and hear the stories from a local person. Focus on historical buildings that go back to the days when Atlanta was reshaped after the Civil War and became the center of the New South. Atlanta is a world-class city with a fascinating history where the Old and New South meet on the famous Peachtree Street. Driving Highlights include: *State Capitol Building * Buckhead District *1996 Olympic Venues / Centennial Park *Martin Luther King National Historic District *Historic Inman Park neighborhood *The Fox Theater *"Gone With The Wind" writer Margaret Mitchell's Home *CNN Center, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola
 Lunch: Lunch on your own.
 Afternoon: Take this time to pursue your own personal interests. Your local coordinator will be happy to assist you in making decisions about where to go and what to see. The hotel provides free shuttle service within a two-mile radius of the hotel. Atlanta beckons with all of the sparkle and festivities of the holiday season! Our motor coach will drop any participants off at the World of Coca Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. The hotel shuttle will transport people within a two mile radius of the hotel, which includes the Atlanta History Center for anyone wishing to spend more time at the history center.
 Dinner: Dinner will be at a local restaurant in Buckhead.
 Evening: Jazz presentation by local performers.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Atlanta History Center, Swan Coach House Lunch, Swan Mansion, Tullie Smith Farm House
(Monday, December 30)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be at the hotel.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: At the Atlanta History Museum — part of the Atlanta History Center and one of the largest history museums in the nation — you’ll learn about the region's people, from its earliest settlers to the international city of today, as we explore award-winning signature exhibitions.
 Lunch: We’ll have lunch at the Swan Coach House Restaurant, where you can enjoy a tasty lunch in one of the beautifully decorated rooms. In 1965 a group of extraordinary women established the Forward Arts Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia. These distinguished arts patrons, whose dynamic leadership was matched by their determination, transformed the carriage house of the Swan House estate into a thriving restaurant, gift shop and art gallery.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: We’ll explore Swan House, an elegant, classically-styled mansion named for the swan motif that appears indoors and out. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it built in 1928 for Edward and Emily Inman, heirs to a cotton brokerage fortune. The house was designed by well-known and influential Atlanta architect Philip Trammell Shutze, who adapted Italian and English classical styles in the house and its gardens. In 1966, the Atlanta Historical Society purchased the Swan House and most of its original furnishings, that range from eighteenth-century antiques to twentieth-century objets d’art. With its Christmas trees, lights, and holiday decorations adorning the beautiful outdoor double staircase, Swan House is ready to receive you as a guest and welcomes you to learn what life was like on this 33-acre estate in the heart of Atlanta.
 Dinner: Dinner will be at a favorite restaurant called Brio's. We will enjoy fellowship and holiday lights plus soft music.
 Evening: Attend Atlanta Botanical Gardens Holiday Nights/Holiday Lights.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: High Museum of Art, Lunch at Shout, Atlanta Symphony
(Tuesday, December 31)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be at the hotel.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: During our guided exploration at the High Museum of Art, we’ll take in their special holiday exhibitions and/or activities. The High — founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association — is the leading art museum in the southeastern U.S. with more than 11,000 works in its permanent collection. The High is notable for its extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American and decorative art; significant holdings of European paintings; a growing collection of African-American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, African art, and photography. At the conclusion of the field trip, we will be happy to make a drop off at the Georgia Aquarium, next door to the Coca Cola Museum.
 Lunch: Lunch will be at a popular restaurant called Shout. Great food and holiday chatter will be the order of the day.
 Afternoon: Relax this afternoon in preparation for an early dinner and a late evening with the symphony.
 Dinner: Enjoy dinner at Table 1280 located at symphony hall. No rush and no fuss with traffic.
 Evening: After dinner and before the concert, hear a special lecture just for Road Scholar from Ken Meltzer, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Program Annotator and “Insider.” He is the author of the Atlanta Symphony’s program notes, as well as the Orchestra’s 2005-08 season preview books—“Passion on the World Stage,” “Revolutions in Music” and “Swept Away. ”Happy New Year as you enjoy the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, choral groups, pianist and more. It is a holiday pops evening of fun and celebration. The concert will end around 10:30 pm and anyone with the desire to stay up and see the new year in will gather at a restaurant across from our hotel and we'll toast in 2014.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Place Buckhead Atlanta
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Breakfast, Program Concludes
(Wednesday, January 1)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be served at the hotel.
 Morning: Program concludes after breakfast. Hotel check-out is by 12 Noon. We hope you have enjoyed this very special holiday learning adventure and will join us for other outstanding Road Scholar programs with the Center for Educational Adventure. Best wishes for all your journeys!
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
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.

Suggested Reading List


Atlanta: Then and Now


Author: Michael Rose


Description: Atlanta Then and Now is a captivating chronicle of history and change since the dawn of the camera age. It pairs historic photographs, many over a century old, with specially commissioned views of the same scene as it exists today showing the evolution of Atlanta.



Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family


Author: Gary M. Pomerantz


Description: A fascinating tale of two cities told through the rise of two of Atlanta's most illustrious political families...highly significant in what it reveals about ambition, hard work, success, and race relations.



Courage to Dissent: Atlanta and the Long History of the Civil Rights Movement


Author: Tomiko Brown-Nagin


Description: The Civil Rights movement that emerged in the United States after World War II was a reaction against centuries of racial discrimination. In this sweeping history of the Civil Rights movement in Atlanta--the South's largest and most economically important city--from the 1940s through 1980, Tomiko Brown-Nagin shows that the movement featured a vast array of activists and many sophisticated approaches to activism. Long before "black power" emerged and gave black dissent from the mainstream civil rights agenda a new name, African Americans in Atlanta debated the meaning of equality and the steps necessary to obtain social and economic justice. This groundbreaking book uncovers the activism of visionaries--both well-known legal figures and unsung citizens--from across the ideological spectrum who sought something different from, or more complicated than, "integration." Local activists often played leading roles in carrying out the integrationist agenda of the NAACP, but some also pursued goals that differed markedly from those of the venerable civil rights organization. Brown-Nagin discusses debates over politics, housing, public accommodations, and schools. She documents how the bruising battle over school desegregation in the 1970s, which featured opposing camps of African Americans, had its roots in the years before Brown v. Board of Education.



Images of America - Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church


Author: Benjamin C. Ridgeway


Images of America - Buckhead


Author: Susan Kesslers Barnard




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