Crew Cuts
ATLANTA
AirTran Airways Aircraft Technician Rick Craven shows you around his hometown.
Atlanta is called the Heart of the South, and few know its beat as well as Rick Craven. Craven, an AirTran Airways aircraft technician, was born and raised in Atlanta and feels like he’s grown up along with his hometown. “I remember when we had a minor league team playing in old Ponce de Leon Park,” Craven says. “Now, I spend a lot of time at Turner Field watching the Braves (www.braves.mlb.com).”
As the coach of the AirTran Airways softball team, Craven also swings the bat a bit himself. “I’ve worked at the Atlanta airport since I was in high school, and my coworkers are the best group of guys around,” he says.
Bring the Little Ones
Craven has three grandchildren, and they love to go to the Henry County Rodeo (www.hcrodeo.com) in McDonough, Georgia. “My grandkids get a kick out of it,” Craven says. “They love watching people do tricks on the horses, riding them upside down and such.”
Craven and his grandchildren are also frequent visitors to Atlanta’s new Georgia Aquarium (www.georgiaaquarium.org), where they’re big fans of the AirTran Airways-sponsored Tropical Diver Exhibit. And if your family is in the mood for more action, don’t miss Six Flags Over Georgia (www.sixflags.com), which sports more than 20 kids’ rides and a dozen roller coasters. “My favorites are those fast rides,” Craven says. “I guess I’m a kid at heart.”
“Come and Get It!”
More good times can be had at Atlanta’s incredible restaurants, from the fancy to the frill-free. “If I had to name my favorite upscale restaurant, it would be
Fogo de Chão (www.fogodechao.com),” Craven says. “It’s a Brazilian steakhouse, and you sample different cuts of meat. Definitely go there hungry.”
Want a taste of the true South? Craven says Barbecue Kitchen (404-766-9906) is not to be missed. “It’s been in business for 40 years,” Craven says. “They serve beans, corn bread and turnip greens. If I was stranded on an island somewhere and could only choose one food, it would be those turnip greens.”
Ditch the City Folk
For a day trip, Craven suggests heading to Callaway Gardens (www.callawaygardens.com) in Pine Mountain, Georgia, where you can hike the property’s trails, explore the butterfly gardens and experience the new lodge and spa. “The Little White House (www.fdr-littlewhitehouse.org) is nearby in Warm Springs and it’s where Franklin Roosevelt often visited,” Craven says.
And don’t forget to appreciate the vast village that is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (www.atlanta-airport.com). “I’ve seen quite a few changes at the airport over the years,” Craven says. “It’s like a city within a city.” — Beth Largasse