My recent blogabout Atlanta's fantastic common ground green-space called Piedmont Park got me to thinking about some of the other wonderful things to see and do here in Atlanta. In a subsequent blog I wrote about the historic Ansley Inn a wonderful Bed and Breakfast in Midtown Atlanta.

In this blog I would like to highlight another wonderful outdoor space called Stone Mountain Park

This wonderful outdoor space draws nearly 4 million visitors annually. Its close proximity to Atlanta makes it part of the metro area and a popular place to spend a sunny day!

It truly does have something for everyone! The park encompasses a whopping 3,200 acres! There are over 15 miles of nature trails that are open to walkers, joggers, and hikers. For the very adventurous, their is a hiking trail to the top of Stone Mountain, but be warned it is a vigorous 1.3 miles to the top! For those who want an easier way to the top, try out the Summit Skyride, a high-speed Swiss cable car that can whisk you to the top of the mountain in 3 minutes for a nominal fee! A trip to the summit is a must as the views are second to none. From the summit you can see the city of Atlanta to the west and the Appalachian Mountains nearly sixty miles to the north! As you can see from this photo there is an enormous memorial carving that towers 400 feet above the ground, is 90 feet tall by 190 feet wide and is recessed into the mountain 42 feet. The carving depicts Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson who were seminal leaders of the Confederacy. For obvious reasons, this carving is sometimes controversial.

Another popular thing to do at the park is to climb aboard the Scenic Railroad that features a full size 1940's locomotive and open air cars. For a small fee this relaxing train ride, complete with sing-a-long songs, will take you on a 5 mile journey around Stone Mountain. There are a couple of stops along the way if you need to stretch your legs! In 2002, Stone Mountain introduced its newest attraction a side-wheeler boat called the Scarlet O'Hara Visitors can enjoy a relaxing 20 minute cruise around Stone Mountain Lake in this incredible boat!

Of course the Summit Skyride, the train ride, and the side-wheel boat ride all cost money but there is plenty to do here that is free! The Carillon (a set of stationary bells hung in a tower and sounded by manual or pedal action) was donated to Stone Mountain Park in 1964 by Coca-Cola after its exhibition at the New York World's Fair. There are several concerts daily, not all are live, given by Mabel Sharp The instrument and the eloquence with which Mabel plays it, is astounding and a must see/hear.

There is also an extensive songbird habitat located where the 1996 Olympics archery and cycling venues were. This habitat plays hosts to many native Georgia birds including the white-breasted nuthatch Before you head to the Stone Mountain Campground or one of the two Marriott Resorts, Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort and Marriott Stone Mountain Inn or back to the historic Ansley Inn, there is a final must see at Stone Mountain Park. The daily laser light show! This spectacular event is free with your $8 per car park admission. So after you have hiked the mountain, swam in the beautiful lake, or played a round of golf on one of the two championship courses, Lakemont and Stonemont, take your blanket or lawnchair to Memorial Lawn and get ready. This is a world class laser light show that is choreographed to popular music. The show lasts about 45 minutes and is the perfect end to a wonderful day at this park!

Here is a wonderful link to a blog by Danny Thornton of The Thornton Team in which he highlights many of the other things to do while in Atlanta!

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approval in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 865-951-0522.