Act like a tourist --- you'll have great time

Things to do this summer.
Here is something everyone should try. Be a Tourist.

By Tony Minella
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/16/08

I am a resident of Midtown, not someone who comments on this city and then drives home to the burbs.

I recently had some visitors in town, one who had never been to Atlanta, celebrating their 40th birthdays. They wanted to do something fun and different.

Our weekend started Friday at the Georgia Aquarium. The team members, as they call them at the aquarium, were topnotch at what they did, whether telling us about the aquarium life or serving us coffee. My friends were thrilled, to say the least.

Following that we decided to go to the New World of Coke. Again, another outstanding display of service, and everyone was extremely polite. After these two events, one of my guests said, "Now I know why they call it Southern hospitality!"

Friday evening we went to the Westin hotel downtown to have some appetizers and drinks at the top. The views were spectacular, and again, the service was outstanding. My guest could not believe how beautiful our city was and how much more it was than what she had heard.

On Saturday we did the ultimate in tourism and took the Segway tour out of Underground Atlanta. We got a tour guide who majored in history and took us for a 2 1/2-hour tour of our city's historic sites many of us probably don't even know about.

Of course, there were homeless people, but we live in tough times and we generally care less about our fellow man these days. But no fear or apologies were conveyed from our tour guide. He was a native Georgian and was proud to be doing what he was doing and was proud of Georgia and Atlanta. It was the best time I have had in Atlanta in 10 years, and I will take my next guests on this tour.

A fine dinner at Taurus restaurant rounded out the evening.

On Sunday it was off to the airport, and as I dropped my guests off, one turned to me and said, "I'm so glad I came; this is a great city and nothing like what you hear. I can't wait to come back!"

We hear so much negativity about out city. Take a weekend and discover what is under your feet.