TOUR: Porsche Experience Center ATL

"Engineered for magic. Every day." That's one of Porsche's taglines—and a brilliant one at that. But it also applies to tours of Porsche Experience Center ATL! Earlier this week I went on one of those tours and it was indeed an experience!

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

We had two tour guides, one an engineer and one retired military and both friendly and funny. The tour is 90 minutes and is approximately 1 mile, so wear comfy shoes! We toured multiple floors, saw lots of exhibits, went to the simulator room, and went out on Carrera Café patio which overlooks the driving tracks!

I don't know if they do this for every group, but I got the sense they do, but they let us hang around after the tour and revisit the galleries we'd visited. They let us know that ahead of time which made it easy to relax and not feel like I missed something or didn't get all the photos I wanted. YES, you may make photos during the tour!

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

This digital timeline display is interesting enough on its own, but getting to hear stories from our tour guides using visuals was excellent. The cool thing about this display is that you can tap an image and it pops out, then you can touch and stretch the image (easier with two hands) making it super easy for groups to see the image being discussed.

When you're standing here, look up. There's an art installation hanging from the ceiling that doesn't make sense at first, but then walk under it and it will reveal itself to you. Snap a photo while you're there.

If you've never been here but the building looked familiar as you drove up, you may have seen it in some Avengers movies as well as in Watchmen, both using the building as their headquarters!

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I now have at least a dozen new favorite Porsches. I don't think I've ever seen a paint job like this. Striking, isn't it? If I understood correctly this is their newest electric car. 

Speaking of electric cars, Ferdinand Porsche, the eventual founder of Porsche, had built an electric care in the late 1890s! Sometimes, things we think are new are actually old. So, electric cars are not new, but they've certainly been reinvented.

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Near the electric car is a display where you can customize your own Porsche! The cars are not manufactured in this facility, but distribution is managed here and, if I recall correctly, you can pick up your new Porsche here and take it for a spin on the tracks here at the Center! 

Our tour guides told us about one customer who came in and customized their car to the tune of $130,000...basically a second car! Life is short...if you can do something like that, then do it!

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

Some of the cars on display are vintage, most are newer, but this one is the legendary "Speedster", first introduced in America in 1954 and it cost a mere $2,995! I do not know the year of the one pictured above, but if I had to guess I would say it's one of the older ones.

Speaking of older cars, this is fascinating! Unlike many other automobile manufacturers, Porsche keeps in stock Porsche Classic Genuine Part...52,000 of them worldwide. AND they're for cars that date back to 1948! I was stunned. I had no idea that any manufacturer had this practice. Oh, AND they're now they're even using 3D printers to make classic genuine parts! 

Oh, you'll also get a peek into their restoration shop for classic Porsches! There's so much going on here!

You can see why I love going on tours. You learn so much and you become privy to information that you just won't get on a self-guided tour. And by the way, I'm torn between which I love more, the Speedster or the 911 Carrera.

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

On the tour you'll visit multiple galleries, but the "Colors of Porsche" exhibit is striking, and quite colorful! There are different model cars on display, some I've never seen before, like the pink one pictured above. You'll get to see a lot of the custom colors Porsche offers.

Within the signage in the gallery is a sign that notes: "60 percent of people say that color is one of the main factors they consider when purchasing a car." I'm 100% in that camp! To be totally happy with a car I have to love the color. More on that in a moment...

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

The Simulator Lab is relatively new. In fact, they were still programming in various tracks (based on real race tracks around the world) and Porsche vehicle...you get to pick the track you want and the car you want! You can purchase a 30-minute or 60-minute drive.

There's a lot more to do here than I had previously realized!

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I always thought red was the most popular sports car color, but turns out it's silver. I guess red gets more media attention and silver is the safer color because of its resale potential. I've had a silver sports car and a black one. I would totally go for a red sports car next time! That was until I saw this beautiful orange Porsche. I'll have to give color considerable thought should I get another sports car. 

What's your favorite car color?

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

After my tour, I stopped in Carrera Café and had lunch. I had the Chicken Teriyaki sandwich and a glass of sauvignon blanc, which I enjoy out on the track observation deck is also a dining patio. Lunch was delicious and the view spectacular.

There's also the upscale Restaurant 356. You'll want to make reservations if this is something you want to do. They're currently only doing lunch, but check back to see when they're resuming dinner service.

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

One of the things that I think people will really enjoy about this tour is that it's not loaded with tons to read. What there is to read are snippets. 

For example, the display showing the Porsche crest production process is four small bits about the various steps. Even though there's not a ton of reading, like there can be at some exhibits, you'll leave feeling quite well informed. 

Porsche Experience Center ATL | Photo: Travis Swann Taylor

I took the General Tour, but you can opt for the VIP Tour which includes a ride around the 1.6 mile track! On that ride you're the passenger, but they have other drive experiences where YOU get to be in the driver's seat. There's something here for every automobile enthusiast, engineering fan, velocity seeker, history buff, and adrenaline-loving adventurer! 

Be sure to stop by their well appointed gift shop, too! I had my eye on a Porsche model and some really sharp sunglasses.

Check out the Porsche Experience Center ATL and follow them on Facebook and Instagram, too.

Blue Man Group at The Fox Theatre

Feeling a little blue? Here’s an easy fix…

The Fox Theatre, Atlanta

Blue Man Group is performing at the Fox Theatre this weekend! The Fox also offers docent-led tours of this majestic theater on Saturdays (a few other days too), so you could easily make it “A Day at The Fox”!

While you’re there, if you've brought you camera, and I do recommend that you do (you can take photos inside, too!), walk all around the Fox where you'll discover some amazing vistas from which to make some pretty incredible shots of this beautiful building.

And there are some great restaurants and bars in the area too. Livingston, right across the street in the Georgian Terrace, is a personal favorite—and sometimes they partner with the Fox to offer ‘Dinner and a Show’ specials. Check the Fox’s website for information.

Enjoy the beautiful weekend exploring Atlanta!

Get Your Tickets to Garden Lights

Last year's inaugural "Garden Lights, Holiday Nights" was phenomenal! This year...more lights--1.5 million, in fact! And the Atlanta Botanical Garden will have some new creatures this year—creatures of the lights. I can hardly wait!

But waiting much longer is a non-issue. Garden Lights opens one week from today! 

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Atlanta Botanical Garden)

Last year, there were approximately 105,000 visitors who excitedly experienced Garden Lights. And everyone else totally missed out on Atlanta's brightest new tradition. 

What's so cool about it, you ask? Well...first of all, it's the Atlanta Botanical Garden! The Garden has impressed even the most seasoned of gardeners...and regular readers know that it's my favorite place in the City.

Additionally, you get to walk among the lights, not sit in a car like we all will be on Monday morning staring at a the red glow of tail lights. Now...you get to be "in" the lights, walking around freely, sharing the joyous season with other visitors.

Improvements have been made to traffic flow of the paths...the Garden is a quick study! Now then, traffic on Piedmont Road and in the parking deck, not so much can be done about that, but I do offer the recommendation to get there as early as you possibly can. Last year, I was there before six o'clock every time I went and never sat in traffic.

The exhibition is running from Saturday, November 17, 2012 through Saturday, January 5, 2013. Can you believe it's almost 2013?!

When you're done here—and you have your tickets to Garden Lights, Holiday Nights—I invite you to visit the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page  to explore the posts, photos and videos. It's a virtual tour of Atlanta!

Cover: Let's Go Braves!

I can hardly believe there's less than two months of baseball season remaining...I'm already missing the Atlanta Braves just thinking about it. I just checked the Braves schedule and the last home game is Sunday, September 30 in a challenge against the Mets. That'll be a fully charged game!

Turner Field Stadium Seating

Don't worry...this isn't what the stadium looks like on game day. I actually took this during a behind-the-scenes tour--which was fantastic! Our tour guide was totally engaging and "hit a home run" with all who were on the tour. 

The Turner Field Tours enhance one's experience of the game. Not to the point that you're distracted thinking about what's going on behind the scenes when trying to absorb the game. Rather, by understanding where the players have been and where they're going. It makes Turner Field feel a little more like 'home.'

Also, many of the enjoyment opportunities available to fans you may not learn about for a long time without having gone on a tour...the misters at Coca-Cola Sky Field, for instance. That's something you'll appreciate knowing about on those blistering hot days!

As a matter of fact, the Braves offer visitors 101 Things to Do while at Turner Field.

Get you tickets to a Braves game and enjoy the above pre-sized Facebook Cover Photo. When you're done here, head over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page for more!