Frommer's Atlanta by Karen K. Snyder

Author:Karen K. Snyder
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2011-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

More Attractions in Atlanta & Beyond

What to See & Do in Regional Atlanta

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center A magnificent Gothic-Tudor–style mansion built for Coca-Cola heir Charles Howard Candler in 1920, Callanwolde today serves as a fine-arts center for city residents. Ongoing classes are given in pottery, painting, photography, drawing, and more, and there are numerous workshops for both adults and children. The estate occupies 12 acres in the Druid Hills section of Atlanta, an area planned by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York’s Central Park. You may be surprised that most of the rooms are bare; only Callanwolde’s exquisite walnut paneling, beautifully carved ceilings and moldings, grand staircase, magnificent marble and stone fireplaces, and leaded-glass windows evoke its luxurious past.

Visitors are welcome to peruse shows of local artists in the Petite Hall gallery upstairs; enjoy the lawns and formal gardens, which are maintained by the county; and take in the concerts, storytelling evenings, 1- and 2-day workshops, and dance performances. Check the website to see what’s going on when you’re in town, as attending an event here is the best way to experience the estate. Especially memorable is Christmas at Callanwolde, when the entire house is decorated for the season, crafts shops are set up in different rooms, and special events and performances are scheduled for children and adults.

980 Briarcliff Rd. NE (north of Ponce de Leon Ave.). 404/872-5338. www.callanwolde.org. Free admission, except for special events. Mon–Fri 9am–10pm; Sat 9am–4pm. Self-guided tours available at all times, except during special events. MARTA: Bus 6 (Emory route) from Edgewood/Candler Park or Lindbergh stations.

Château Elan Winery & Resort Surrounded by verdant countryside just 40 minutes north of Atlanta, the four-diamond/four-star Château Elan is a hilltop winery that replicates a 16th-century-style French estate. Though its first wines were produced in 1985, the winery has already garnered more than 200 awards.

Guided tours are given Monday through Friday between 11am and 6pm, Saturday and Sunday between noon and 4pm. Self-guided tours are free, or $5 with wine tasting for those 21 and over, except on Saturdays when tours are $10 and include a souvenir glass. On view are the crushing and pressing machines, oak barrels used to age and flavor the wines, the cask room, and the bottling area. The tours conclude with a wine tasting. Grapes ripen in July and August, so if you’re here during harvesting in August and September, you’ll actually see the winemaking procedure. More than 300 tons of grapes are harvested and processed each year. Saturday cooking demonstrations in the winery’s Culinary Studio are popular events, but limited to 20 people at $20 per pop.

The interior of the château, a stage-set version of a Paris street, has a quarry-stone floor, wrought-iron fences, and street lamps. The building houses a gallery with monthly exhibits by regional and national artists, displays of antique European winemaking equipment, and a wine market.

There are also some on-premises restaurants, so plan to eat lunch or dinner here. Café Elan, open daily from 11am to 10pm, serves sandwiches, salads, and light entrees.

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