SCOTT WHITE

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

ATLANTA’S HOT WINTER WONDERS Wintertime is playtime in the ATL. Venture outdoors for ice skating and wild animal encounters at the Zoo, then head indoors for a whirlwind of cultural performances, tours, literary programs and more. BY KAREN LOPEZ

HIT THE ICE Visit one of Atlanta’s numerous ice skating rinks this winter. Glide through luxury at the Astor Holiday Ice Rink at The St. Regis Atlanta through Jan. 6 and warm up to the hotel’s hot cocoa, s’mores and more [www.stregisatlanta.com]. Get cozy inside the heated and covered Rink at Park Tavern. Fire pits, a state-of-the-art sound system, rink-side dining and unobstructed views of Piedmont Park and the Midtown skyline amp up the fun through Jan. 19

22

ATLANTA.NET

[www.parktavern.com]. Skate the Sky through Jan. 15 atop Ponce City Market offering sweeping views of the downtown skyline [www.poncecitymarket.com]. Through Jan. 21, do figure eights among the skyscrapers at Skate The Station’s open-air rink at Atlantic Station [www.atlanticstation.com].

DO THE ZOO Visit Zoo Atlanta, the city’s all-season destination for all things wild and wooly during the cooler months. Giant pandas are native to China’s cool, high-altitude regions. Visible year-round, the Zoo’s giant pandas – twins Ya Lun and Xi Lun (age 2) and parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang – can be seen more often in their outdoor habitats. Red panda Idgie also is a fan of the season’s cool temps; stop by and observe her in the Asian Forest habitat. Slide into the indoor Scaly Slimy Spectacular: The Amphibian and Reptile Experience that’s home to some

100 animals (many endangered) in habitats representing some of the wildest places in the world. www.zooatlanta.org

CATCH THE BALLET The Atlanta Ballet takes the stage at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center Feb. 15-23 for its production of “La Sylphide.” One of the oldest surviving masterpieces, this tragic love story choreographed by August Bournonville is set in the enchanted Scottish Highlands and wows audiences with technical fireworks. www.atlantaballet.com

INDULGE IN THE OPERA The Atlanta Opera brings the mostperformed new American opera in the world to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, Feb. 2-10. “Dead Man Walking,” with music by Jake Heggie and libretto by Terrence McNally, tells the true story of Sister Helen