Find your sacred space
Location: Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation
Date taken: October 5, 2013
Atlanta has long been known for its place along the South’s Bible Belt. While many churches have left Atlanta’s downtown in favor of the suburbs, many still hold a prominent place in the urban landscape, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s Ebenezer Baptist Church. But other faith traditions also have a presence in the metro area — from the tiny First Existentialist Congregation in Candler Park to the Buddhist Drepung Loseling Monastery in Brookhaven to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta in Lilburn, the world’s largest Hindu temple outside of India. No matter your faith, there’s likely a sacred space for you here.
Get lost in a corn field
Location: Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze
Date taken: October 12, 2013
Once you enter the giant (yes, more than 4 miles of paths) corn maze at Uncle Shuck’s, you mind be tempted to pull out your smartphone compass. But really, where’s the fun in that? Wander around, hit the checkpoints, check out the views from the raised platforms, get lost and have fun next to corn stalks growing 12 feet tall. Uncle Shuck’s is just one of many corn mazes dotting the North Georgia landscape in the fall. You can find haunted corn mazes, trivia corn mazes, kids corn mazes (made from berry bushes) and all sorts of fall activities (hay rides, funnel cakes, pony rides, etc.).
Show your pride in a parade
Location: Atlanta Pride Parade
Date taken: October 13, 2013
It is easily the longest (about 2.5 hours) and most elaborate parade in Atlanta each year. Thousands of people line the streets for the Atlanta Pride Parade — one of the highlights of the annual Pride festival. Local businesses, politicians, corporations, places of worship, community groups, nonprofits and more create elaborate floats, don costumes and wave rainbow flags in support of equality for the LGBTQ community. It is, all at the same time, celebratory and emotional.
Eat an apple a day
Location: Mack Aaron’s Apple House
Date taken: October 12, 2013
Cooking apples. Eating apples. Dried apples. Apple pies. Apple cider. Apple donuts. Apple slushies. Apple butter. Do you prefer a Jonagold? Mutsu? Honeycrisp? September Wonder? Rome Beauty? Pink Lady? Take a short day trip north to Ellijay, Ga., and you’ll find as many apples and apple goodies as you can carry home. October is the prime time for traveling to apple country, primarily because the Georgia Apple Festival is held that month. So, if you go, get an early start and know that the apple houses with kids’ activities (hay rides, apple picking, petting zoos, pig races, etc.) are the most jam-packed. Looking for a quieter, more relaxed and personal apple shopping experience — try one of the smaller houses.
Say ‘cheese’
Location: Atlanta Cheese Festival at Park Tavern
Date taken: Nov. 11, 2013
There’s really only one thing you need to know about the first annual Atlanta Cheese Festival — grill cheese meltdown! Yes, eight local restaurants put their best grill cheese forward for festival goers to enjoy and vote on. High Road Creamery got my vote with its creative take — french toast grill cheese with vanilla ice cream. Of course, no cheese fest is complete without pimento cheese, mac and cheese, beer cheese soup and dozen of cheeses to taste and buy.
Eat, drink, be Greek for a day
Location: Atlanta Greek Festival
Date taken: October 5, 2013
It’s the only festival I know of in Atlanta with a drive-thru and god of napkins. Yes, if you don’t have the time to park and walk around the annual Greek Festival, located at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral off Clairmont Road, you can simply drive through the parking lot and pick up your Greek meal. I recommend the pastries. Honey fritters — just the name made my mouth water — wedding cookies and baklava sundaes are all an integral part of this festival, which will appeal to your tastebuds more than your other senses. The entertainment lineup (dancing, music, etc.) is enjoyable, the tour of the cathedral is fascinating and the jewelry vendors might peak your interest, but you’ll likely come back for the food.
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