Everyone has a different idea of what an ideal vacation is. Some prefer sunny beaches and water sports, others love colder climates with skiing and snowboarding. Sometimes you may be in the mood for a romantic getaway, other times you're looking for family adventures. And then, there's the history buff who loves to soak up all there is to know about the visited area. Here, we'd like to offer some historic sites of interest. You might find it's fun to mix in a little education wherever you travel.

Atlanta

• Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, a major historic attraction in Atlanta. As many as 500,000 visitors per year experience the life and death of a great man. With 3 main areas to explore over a 3 block area on Auburn Avenue (home, church, and memorial site), you'll come away with a greater appreciation of history.
• The Atlanta History Center will give you information and help you tour the Swan House and garden, a beautifully restored historic home with all its splendor, then on to the Tullie Smith Farm, a typical yeoman farm. Costumed interpreters portray 19th century life in rural Georgia, including open-hearth cooking, blacksmithing, basket weaving, and candle making. 130 West Paces Ferry Road. Call 404-814-4000 for more information on historic houses, exhibitions, and educational programs.
• Spend a great day at the High Museum of Art, containing more than 11,000 works of art with special emphasis on works by Southern artists. The High provides special exhibitions, lectures, family and childrens programs throughout the year. Located at 1280 Peachtree Street. Telephone Number (404) 733-4400.
• To visit the Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta at 206 Washington Street, call 404-656-2844.
• Hotel Row Historic District on Mitchell Street from #205 through #235 is part of Atlanta's original business district, preserved from the early 1900's and changed as little as possible.
• Visit The Wren's Nest Museum, home of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Brer Rabbit and Uncle Remus tales. For story-telling times, call 404-753-7735.

Marietta

• Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park - Some of the heaviest fighting took place here during two major Civil War Battles, taking the lives of over 5,300 soldiers. Stop at the Marietta Visitors Center, 4 Depot Street, for directions and more information.
• Root House Museum on the corner of North Marietta Loop and Polk Street, one of the oldest surviving frame houses in Marietta, depicting middle-class life in the 1850's. Furnished with period furniture and portraying the simpler lifestyle as opposed to the grand mansions usually on display.
• Mix a little Civil War history with some Hollywood flair and you come up with The Gone With The Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square at 18 Whitlock Avenue. A broad collection of memorabilia sure to please the Gone With The Wind fans who are interested in the south's antebellum history. Call 770-794-5576 for hours of operation.