Try  your shopping luck – and we’re willing to bet you’ll have plenty – in Roswell. This  town north of Atlanta is traces its roots back to 1839 and still boasts  architecture from that era. But if you come for the charm, you’ll come back for  the shopping. Roswell  is an antiques seeker’s dream, with vintage goods available from locally owned  and operated shops. But Roswell is also known for its eclectic art such as the  Santa Claus collection at American Sampler and the limited-edition Dr. Seuss  paintings and sculptures at Ann Jackson Gallery.

Take  a break at cozy Anna Lee’s, the cafe next door to 425 Market Place Antiques,  where the menu includes ladylike salads and sandwiches, and homemade soup,  quiche and desserts. Have a seat at the community table and make a new friend.  Red Salt restaurant is one of Roswell’s newer eateries, but it’s already an  area favorite; it offers “gastropub” fare and doesn’t take reservations.

Fortified  by a meal, walk or drive Roswell’s self-guided historic  district tour (available  in print, mp3 or CD format), which will take you to Town Square shops. But you  may want to set down your shopping bags to investigate the tour’s first stop, the Chattahoochee  Nature Center.  The 127-acre center has six woodland/wetland trails and three gardens to pique  your interest in Georgia’s natural beauty.   It’s an excellent outing for families or anyone who appreciates native  plants and wildlife. The center is always busy, too, with events for all ages.

Spend  the night in one of Roswell’s two full-service hotels (the Doubletree  Hotel Roswell-Alpharetta and the Holiday Inn Roswell) and you’ll be able to take advantage  of the free shuttles that provide transportation within a 5-miles radius of each  hotel.