A challenging but accessible golf course, Lake Spivey is just a short drive from downtown and offers great golf at a reasonable price. The club has three 9-hole courses (Lake to Hill, Hill to Club, and Club to Lake), all offering unique challenges including bunkered greens and some water. The club has a driving range and fully stocked pro shop; instruction is available from the club professional. There is a grill to suit lunch and snack needs.

Just 15 minutes north of Buckhead, this is one of Atlanta's most attractive and accessible public courses. Players choose between the fast-playing nine-hole par-3 course and the par-70, 18-hole championship course. Beautifully landscaped with bentgrass greens and Bermuda fairways, this 6511-yard (5954-meter) challenge presents a variety of hazards. Facilities include a driving range, practice facility, clubhouse and a pro shop that offers individual and group lessons.

Located approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Atlanta in southern Forsyth County, this Arthur Hills-designed course offers a challenge to any golfer. The elevated tees on some holes provide outstanding views, with water on six holes and trees waiting for wayward balls. The 18th is the signature hole, a par-5 measuring 531 yards with a tight peninsula green. A complete driving range and a practice facility are on site, including several putting and chipping greens.

Co-designed by television commentator Steve Melnyk, Trophy Club is a daily fee course that feels like a perfectly maintained private club. Tight fairways and water that comes into play on 14 holes makes this course a test for even the best players. From the back tees, the course plays about 6700 yards (6130 meters). The club features one 18-hole course as well as a driving range and practice facility.

This golf club-cum-country club became a fully private establishment and is no longer open to the general public. Located just 15 minutes outside Atlanta on lovely grounds, membership is worth it. White Columns has the premier golf course in Atlanta. Perfectly groomed fairways coupled with fast greens and a beautiful layout make any day at White Columns a memorable one. The Club also has extensive tennis courts, an olympic-sized swimming pool, a fitness center, and children's activities. Like any country club, they also have social and family events- for members only, of course.

The Atlanta Fencers Club has been in business for decades. The instructional staff is well known and they are supported by several visiting experts throughout the year. Open fencing occurs every weeknight, as do individual and group lessons at varying times. A number of nationally ranked fencers train at the club and tournaments are staged here every month. The Club is worth a visit for the interested beginner or the visiting veteran. See website for tournament schedule, summer camp info, and instructor bios.

Sports Illustrated recently named Fox Creek the #1 practice facility in the Southeast. Just a short drive (with a car, not a club) up Interstate 75 from the city, Fox Creek also boasts an executive golf course. Mostly par-3s with a few par-4s, this course is a great place to play if time is a factor or you're a beginner. The practice area offers a large driving range, as well as an immaculately maintained putting green. Fox Creek is the perfect place to hone one's golf skills.

See Marietta's historic downtown square in a whole new way while touring it by lantern-light. Led by a guide who knows the city's history and lore, stroll through the dark streets for a 90-minute walking tour of Marietta's ghosts, legends and macabre history. Stories include the phantom firefighters at MacCracken's pub and a spectral Civil War surgeon at the Kennesaw House. Peer through the windows of a quaint shop and try to catch a glimpse of the General, the bearded Civil War soldier who likes to greet visitors personally. The tour is less than one mile in length, but visitors will experience 150 years of Marietta's history and a host of its not-so-deceased residents. - Beth Dolgner

The Bouckaert Farm is an event venue that usually stages a number of live concerts, with touring as well as local artists. The Echo Project was one of the big events that was held here. Featuring The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Cypress Hill, Thievery, The Killers, Stephen Marley and more, the venue draws in huge crowd of screaming fans to every event held. Do contact for details.

Located just 45 minutes north of the city, Sawnee Mountain Preserve is an ideal destination for a day trip into the countryside. Three miles of hiking trails lead to the top of Sawnee Mountain offering spectacular views of the North Georgia Mountains in the distance. A natural rock formation, called Indian Seats for their possible use as a ceremonial grounds for Native Americans, is interesting for its historical and geological features. The trails are easily accessible and appropriate for both seasoned and novice hikers. There's also a playground, visitor center and pavilions for picnicking. A unique Tree Top Canopy Walk is the site of programs once a month. For information on program offerings, give the park a call before you head out.