Many times, we boomers travel and discover the attractions of US cities and others around the world; most often during our short vacations in our working years. We just want to get away for a few days and do something different. We visit remarkable museums and landmarks and wonder what it would be like to live in other places. But, in retirement, I have noticed that I can have these experiences right here in my own city.
Every city has attractions enjoyed by out-of-towners but not its own residents!
For example last weekend I visited the Atlanta Zoo with my wife, our nephew, and his wife and kids. It was a beautiful bright day with blue skies. We made a day of it and ended with dinner in the trendy Virginia Highland District. We got the senior discount at the zoo. We took plenty of pictures. Man, it had been 23 years since I last visited the Atlanta Zoo – so this was like a brand new trip for me!
A Few Days Later
I woke up a few days later, with another beautiful weather day, and decided to go to two places that I have never visited before but have always wanted to.
I first researched it on the Internet and then headed down GA 400 to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr, National Historic Site. It is a short block off I-75 in downtown Atlanta. There’s plenty of free parking! I walked over to the King Center and toured the museum (free admission) before walking over to Dr. King’s Tomb and Eternal Fame, where a film crew was filming! A couple of doors down is the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Heritage Sanctuary.
Next, I hopped back in the car for a short 1.5-mile trip down Freedom Parkway to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum. Wow! This is a large complex with the Carter Center (not open to visitors) and then the library and museum. After paying the $8 senior admission fee I toured a very interesting museum. Man, the stuff the other nations give our Presidents as gifts is amazing! I had lunch right there with fried chicken and two sides for only $5.50. The grounds were nice and I enjoyed a lovely Koi pond.
After Touring My Own City…
Back home this afternoon, I was thinking to myself, “this was really something! Why had I never visited these two attractions before? I’ve lived here my whole life!” A large benefit of being retired is having the ability to act on interests; to get out and see and do things in my own backyard that maybe I didn’t do earlier!
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