Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta - Duluth, GA for $53/night

Hotel at a Glance: Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta

Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta is just a half hour northeast of Atlanta, Georgia's capital city, in the peaceful town of Duluth. Its proximity to Atlanta makes the hotel a convenient home base for visiting families and business travelers alike. While you're here, you can take a dip in the hotel's special pool—half-indoor and half-outdoor—or savor dinner at the on-site steakhouse, which uses locally sourced ingredients. The hotel earned TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence in 2013 and the top spot on the travel site's list of hotels in Duluth.

Signature dishes: The on-site Kaets Steakhouse serves Cajun-spiced steak and Coca Cola-braised osso buco
Kick back at Button's Lounge, where you can play pool, watch sports, or order a cocktail
Go for a swim: the heated pool extends from indoors to outdoors and features a sundeck; wading pool and whirlpool available
Special amenities Guest rooms have LCD flat-screen TVs and free wireless Internet access
Day trip ideas: See the dolphins at Georgia Aquarium, or Zoo Atlanta, each less than a half hour away

Duluth, Georgia: Historical Town on Chattahoochee River, Just Outside Atlanta

A few years after the Civil War, the railroad came to Duluth, infusing the small town with a newfound vitality. Duluth's Southeastern Railway Museum chronicles the history of Georgia's railroads with exhibits of century-old Pullman cars, restored cabooses, and kid-friendly locomotive trips for the holidays. Downtown Duluth also reflects on the town's rich past at its history museum, which is housed in the stately home of the state's first female mayor.

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is about a half hour from town and offers kayaking, rafting, and picturesque hikes past rocky shoal. The park is known for its colorful wildflowers, including lady slipper orchids and rare Georgia asters, which bloom a brilliant purple in October and November.

Many people stay here to explore Atlanta, where you can tour the CNN headquarters and World of Coca-Cola. The city also boasts the Georgia Aquarium—the world's largest aquarium—and works by Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec, along with historic Civil Rights era photography, at the High Museum of Art.