Atlanta Attractions

Venue: Atlanta Botanical Garden    When: Daily; not Mon

This green oasis has 15 acres of landscaped gardens, 15 acres of hardwood forest and a large tropical conservatory. Exotic orchids, roses, herbs and woodlands are all just minutes from downtown Atlanta.

Walking trails in woods offer a cool retreat on a hot Atlanta day. The Upper Woodland, home to squirrels, birds and raccoons, is riddled with wildflowers, camellias in particular. In the grand conservatory, visitors will find more than 7,000 rare and endangered tropical and desert plants from all around the world. In the walled Japanese garden, a tea house, a pond and a stone bridge have been lovingly recreated by Japanese craftsmen. If you've got children in tow, fear not. There is a special children's section with, amongst other things, a caterpillar maze, a butterfly garden, a Creek Indian lodge and a woodland tree house.

All in all, the Atlanta Botanical Garden has more than enough to engage horticultural enthusiasts. In fact, in summer there's no need to leave all day. Visitors can eat lunch at the restaurant overlooking the rose garden, walk it off on the woodland trails afterwards and browse the botanical library at the end of the day.