Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/70980
Visitors toGeorgia will find a wealth of cultural and recre- GEORGIA ational attractions throughout the state, including some of the nation's most famous African-American heritage sites. The most widely known is the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, part of Atlanta's Sweet Auburn district, while the Tubman African American Museum in Macon, a relative newcomer, is gaining notice as the largest of its kind in the state. But some of Georgia's hidden gems are the Black cul- tural and historical attractions found in smaller towns. ATLANTA Construction of Atlanta's new National Center for Civil andHuman Rights breaks ground in June 2012. Targeted for a 2014 opening, the 30,000-sq. ft. facility will sit on the edge of Centennial Olympic Park, next to the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. The city also recently added a couple more kid-pleasers to its things to do list. LEGO- LAND at Phi- pps Plaza Disc- overy opened in March 2012, EAST POINT This suburban destination is situated at what was once the easternmost stopof theAtlantaWestPointRailroad,sevenmiles fromdowntownAtlanta. Less than three miles from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson InternationalAirport,East Point is easily accessible toMARTA and Atlanta attractions like the Georgia Aquarium,World of Coca-Cola,CNNandCentennialOlympic Park. There's also plenty to see and do in East Point itself. Photographs on display at the East Point Heritage Society chronicle the history of the area'sAfrican-American communi- ty, its city government, the railroad and other stories from the past.Additional exhibits in the gallery include vintage citymaps and a variety of historical artifacts. The Camp Creek Marketplace, featuring more than 100 shops and eateries, also serves as a venue for a variety of com- munity activities. Festivals are often held in the Commons area of themarketplace.Downtown'sMainStreet andWhiteWay are two more favorite spots for shopping and dining.At East Point Farmers Market, open on the second Saturday of each month betweenAugust andDecember,hand-made local crafts and arti- san foods share space with fresh-picked produce. Seventeen area parks offer such facilities as picnic sites, tennis and basket- ball courts,walking trails and pavilions. MACON/BIBB Travelers to the Macon/Bibb County area in April might The Beulah Rucker Museum in Gainesville is one exam- ple, honoring the efforts of a local African-American leader to start a school for Black children. The Roland Hayes Museum and the Roland Hayes Music Guild, named for the pioneering African-American classical tenor who hailed from Curryville, GA, are located in Harris Art Center in Calhoun. Among the state's most prominent sites for outdoor recre- ation and sightseeing are the Chattahoochee National Forest, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Desoto Falls and the Chattooga River. along with the new Geyse Towers attraction at Stone Mountain Park. A new streetcar line providing transportation from the downtown convention corridor to some of the city's top attractions begins operating in mid 2013. Georgia International Convention Center City of East Point The city's special events calendar includes the Taste of East Point in May, the 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza, the DestinationEast Point festival inOctober and carnivals in sum- mer and fall. East Point hasmore than a dozen hotels, a number of which offer special reunion packages, and group travel accommoda- tions are easily arranged.TheATLSkyTrainrail systemprovides an easy connection between the hotels and theAtlanta airport. catch the Barnesville BBQand Blues Festival, but if youmiss it there are still plenty of local places to experienceGeorgia's Black Meetings & Tourism May/June 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 47