Although we probably could have walked from our hotel we decided to take MARTA, the Atlanta subway system. Once we got to our stop we had a short 4-5 block walk through a fairly run-down neighborhood. The one really pleasant thing about Atlanta (and all of the Southeast) was how friendly everyone was. Walking through a depressed area we saw lots of people who weren't exactly the poster-children for the joys of urban living, but each and every one (even the ones who were likely strung out on drugs or waiting to get their next fix - was friendly, smiled, and asked how we were doing, except the one guy wandering around with a crazy hairdo and no shirt). On the way to the historic site you pass by Ebenezer Baptist Church (not to be confused with the New Ebenezer Baptist Church, which is directly across the street. Unfortunately for us (and fortunate for the church), the church is undergoing renovations to make the inside appear as it did in the mid-20th century.
Given the fact that tours of MLK's home are based on a timed-ticket system, we didn't have time for a long breakfast, but we were able to grab some good food to go from the Thumb's Up Diner (the park rangers referred to it as "yuppie," but I'd say it was just good diner breakfast food). Then it was off to Firestation No. 6, which was built in 1894 and served the community for nearly 100 years. The firestation houses an old fire engine and equipment, as well as very informative displays about the desegregation of the fire department.
Our ranger met us at the firestation and then took us down the block to MLK's birth home. For me it was a surprise to see just how large and comfortable the house was, and how nice the surrounding neighborhood was. Contrary to my preconceived notions, MLK lived in what our ranger explained was, at the time, the richest African-American community in the country, which helped MLK develop the view that blacks could achieve and obtain anything that whites could.
Heading back down the street from the birth home, we went to the visitor's center, which, as expected, had very well done exhibits on MLK's life and times (although we entered from the wrong side and did everything in reverse chronological order). Across the street from the national park is the King Center, which includes a library, archives, and MLK's final resting spot.
All this proved to be too much for Ava and she fell asleep in her stroller on our way back to MARTA. 
We took some time to relax back at the hotel before driving to Turner Field, which was originally built as the main stadium for the Olympics before they took out a portion of the stadium (what is now the outfield) and converted it into a baseball stadium. Part of the parking lot for Turner Field sits on what used to be Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, and the Braves honor their past with, by other things, replicating the outfield fence where Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run landed.
The game was in the late afternoon, meaning that the Atlantans (is that what they're called?) had plenty of time to tailgate and roast in the sun. As you approach the stadium, you get to a huge open plaza filled with statues of Braves legends, fans mingling before the game, and on this day a long line of fans waiting to get John Smoltz autograph.
Once inside the stadium, you are greeted by expansive concourses (a far cry from the dark narrow concourses of Dodger Stadium) and an outfield area filled with games for kids (not just a couple piddly games like they have at Angel Stadium, but an entire outfield's length of games for kids). The outfield concourse is also home to the Braves Hall of Fame and Museum. In order to enter you had to buy a token for $2 (the same price as the kids game). While waiting in line I noticed that all the kids were getting Jeff Francoeur figurines, so I asked the token seller how to get one. He hesitated at first, and then told me that I could just have one. That made my day - not as cool as a bobblehead, but definitely the next best thing. We spent a bunch of time in the Braves museum - very, very well done with lots of old uniforms and memoribilia, the Braves most recent World Series trophy, and even an old train car used to carry the Braves on road trips back in their old Milwaukee days.
We still had plenty of time before the game started, and we wandered about the whole stadium, enjoying the historical displays all around, as well as some of the many food offerings (including a bbq sandwich with peach bbq sauce). We settled into our seats just past first base and enjoyed the pre-game show, including a very informative video on the Dodgers. In addition to having the largest diamond vision screen that I've ever seen the Braves also do a great job of informing the fans about the opposing team's history as well as their current players. Chuck James, filling in for the injured Tom Glavine, got off to a rocky start, and gave up a home run to former Braves star Andruw Jones, but then settled down. It was nice to see the Braves fans cheer for Jones even though he put their team down 1-0.
In the third inning, a foul ball came flying our way, and I had to stand up and jump into the aisle to protect Ava. If she wasn't with us, I'm sure I could've caught the ball since it landed about 3 feet in front of our seats in a flat, open area of concrete. Instead, everyone around us sat there dumbfounded and let it bounce up into the higher seats. Unfortunately, the Braves exploded for 5 runs in the fifth inning causing me to get frustrated and Ava to get extremely grumpy, so we left before she had a total melt down and headed back to the hotel so she could get to bed.
Our last night of our trip was very mellow, and despite the fact that we didn't see too much of Atlanta, I definitely enjoyed it. If we ever go back, I hope we can spend some time getting out of downtown and seeing more of the city, including a trip to the Varsity (which was featured on Food Network yet again the other night).
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