Atlanta - Category of Things to Do

Just half an hour's drive east of Atlanta, Stone Mountain State Park (park daily 6ammidnight; attractions daily spring & summer 10am9pm, rest of year 10am5pm; $6 per vehicle) centers around a huge dome of granite with a five-mile circumference. You can climb it in around 45 minutes, or take a cable car to the top, and there are various train rides and so on, but most visitors come to see the massive 90ft by 190ft relief of Confederates Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Work on the colossal sculpture was started in 1924 by Gutzon Borglum, who went on to carve Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, but was not completed until 1970. Concessions and giftshops down below supply endless souvenir kitsch, and the nightly lasershow in summer culminates with Elvis's gut-wrenching rendition of Dixie (9.30pm; free with entrance to park).

Directly south of downtown, Grant Park is home to the Cyclorama , a huge circular painting (50ft by 900ft) depicting the Battle of Atlanta, executed by a group of German and Polish artists in 188586. Cycloramas used to travel around the country as entertainment in the days before movies; you sit inside the circle of the painting and the whole auditorium slowly rotates twice. During the second rotation, a guide provides interesting details about the painting; look out in particular for the hole in the wagon, originally used as a fire escape. In the accompanying museum, treating the war from the point of view of the average soldier, banks of distressing statistics are interspersed with photos and memorabilia (daily: summer 9.20am5.30pm; rest of year 9.20am4.30pm; $5). Adjacent, Zoo Atlanta ( www.zooatlanta.org ) features giant pandas from Chengdu and re-creations of African rainforests and other habitats (daily: summer 9am6.30pm; rest of year 9.30am5.30pm; $15). In summer, a special zoo shuttle runs from Five Points MARTA station to the park.

Atlanta is a place where you can have a very good time; budget for blowing some money hopping between its bars and clubs. The main concentrations are in the overlapping yuppie Virginia-Highland and punky Little Five Points , and the more upmarket midtown , the center of Atlanta's thriving gay and lesbian scene. Buckhead can be a lot of fun if you've got bags of cash. Up-to-the-minute listings for all venues can be found in the free weekly Creative Loafing .

Blind Willie's 828 N Highland Ave NE tel 404/873-2583. The best blues venue in town, with appearances by major artists, this Virginia-Highland hangout is also a lively bar. Daily 8pmlate.

Burkhart's Pub 1492 Piedmont Ave tel 404/872-4403. Midtown gay bar, with drag & karaoke nights that sometimes feature resident act "The Gospel Girls."

Club Rarity 1924 Piedmont Rd NE tel 404/875-5238. Predominantly but not exclusively lesbian midtown joint that's a glorious melange of cozy lounges and wild dance floors, with themed nights that range from rodeo to 1970s schlock on Sun.

Eddie's Attic 515B N McDonough St, Decatur tel 404/377-4976. Offers nightly acoustic music, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters and occasional stand-up comedy.

Euclid Avenue Yacht Club 1136 Euclid Ave NE tel 404/688-2582. Classic neighborhood bar in Little Five Points, dishing up fine pork barbecue and Brunswick stew.

Kaya Club & Bistro 1068 Peachtree St NE tel 404/874-4460. Midtown's hottest dance club covers the full spectrum, with Latin, reggae, jazz and hip-hop nights. Closed Sun & Mon.

Manuel's Tavern 602 N Highland Ave NE tel 404/525-3447. Relaxed, studenty neighborhood bar-cum-restaurant near the Carter Center. Wooden benches, ceiling fans and portraits of Jack Kennedy plus the occasional presence of Jimmy himself.

Masquerade 695 North Ave NE tel 404/577-8178. Groovy grunge/punk hangout in midtown, split into rooms done up as Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, with a big outdoor auditorium. Live bands WedSun.

Star Community Bar 437 Moreland Ave NE tel 404/681-9018. Enjoyable Little Five Points hangout, bursting with Elvis memorabilia, and offering drink and live music/disco. Cover charge. Closed Sun.