Although ticket prices keep creeping up for America's favorite pastime, tickets to the Atlanta Braves don't have to break you. Neither do concessions. Seats in Turner Field's Bobby Cox Upper Pavilion run $6 to $8, but one of the best bargains at the ballpark may be Two-for-one Tuesdays, a promotion that gets you two upper reserved seats for just $8. Most of the 20 varieties of hot dogs cost about $3.50 and small soft drinks are $2.75, according to the Turner Field website. However, soft-side coolers (16 inches by 16 inches by 8 inches) are allowed, and food and drinks are permitted as long as they're in non-glass, non-aluminum containers, so you can alleviate concession costs altogether. Parking is $10. So park, grab a $6 seat, take your own concessions and enjoy a Major League Baseball game for about $16.
Atlanta Braves
755 Hank Aaron Drive SW
Atlanta, GA 30315
(404) 522-7630
atlanta.braves.mlb.com
Admission to the Atlanta History Center is $16.50 for adults and includes access to the center, the Atlanta History Museum, the Centennial Olympic Games Museum, the 1860 Tullie Smith Farm, the 1928 Swan House and 33 acres of gardens, according to the center's website. The Smith Farm is a plantation-plain home that was built by the Robert Smith family and is listed on the National Register of Historic places. It has a separate open-hearth kitchen, blacksmith shop, smokehouse and several gardens. The Swan Home offers a more recent glance into the Atlanta lifestyle, circa 1920-1930. There are audio and guided tours of the house that explore the home's foyer, breakfast room, library, dining room, kitchen, butler's pantry and several bedrooms.
Atlanta History Center
130 W Paces Ferry Road Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 814-4000
atlantahistorycenter.com
The largest urban brownfield redevelopment in the nation, Atlantic Station is a 138-acre area where people can live, work, shop and dine. It is home to Fortune 500 companies and an eclectic workforce. Atlantic Station also offers an opportunity to stroll pedestrian-friendly streets, enjoy a dog park and attend festivals and music events. Touring the area and window shopping are free. But if you get hungry or thirsty along the way, plenty of trendy spots offer inexpensive refreshments. All of the entrees at Doc Green's Gourmet Salads are less than $10 and on weekdays Doc offers $5 lunches from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. From 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, Strip offers several food bargains, including a 12-ounce New York strip for $11.50, an 8-ounce center-cut filet for $12.50, a full rack of Danish baby back ribs for $10 and a rotisserie lemon pepper chicken for $6. So tour the development, have lunch at Doc's and some lemon pepper chicken at Strip, all for about $20, tax and gratuity included.
Atlantic Station
1380 Atlantic Drive
Atlanta, GA 30363
(404) 685-1841
atlanticstation.com
This park was built in a rundown part of Atlanta for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and remains a landmark and draw for the city today. It is home to the Fountain of Rings, the world's largest interactive fountain utilizing the Olympic symbol of five interconnecting rings, according to the park's website. A variety of events are held at the plaza throughout the year, particularly in warmer months. Some of the more popular include Music at Noon, during which local artists perform pop, R&B and jazz. You can bring your lunch. There also is Wednesday WindDown from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Family Fun Days the fourth Saturday of each month. There are several shows each day at the fountain that feature music, lights and synchronized water dances. All events are free and open to the public.
Centennial Olympic Plaza
265 Park Ave West N.W.
Atlanta, GA30313
(404) 223-4412
centennialpark.com
The library houses archives as well as the museum, which commemorates the presidency of Jimmy Carter (1976-81). The archives include about 27 million pages of White House material from Carter's presidency as well as photographs and hundreds of hours of film, audio and videotape. The museum includes photographs and historical memorabilia from the Carter administration as well as a replica of the Oval Office and gifts received by the Carters. There also is an exhibit featuring photographs and interpretative text from significant events in Carter's life and political career. Admission is $8.
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
441 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA30307
(404) 865-7100
jimmycarterlibrary.gov
This site is operated by the National Park Service, Ebenezer Baptist Church and The King Center and offers insight into Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and influence. A GPS ranger helps visitors through self-guided tours that include King's messages of social justice and equality, images of the civil rights movement and discussion about the aftermath of King's death. The tour includes stops at Ebenezer Baptist Church, The King Center (Freedom Hall), Fire Station No. 6, King's birth home and the restored Birth Home Block. Reservations are required to tour the home where he was born. Admission and parking are free; the GPS ranger is $9.95. The tour also includes the Peach Plaza, a landscaped area that includes the "I Have a Dream" World Peace Rose Garden.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
450 Auburn Avenue, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30312
(404) 331-5190
nps.gov/malu/index.htm
