Westin Peachtree Plaza's scenic elevator reopens

Metro Atlanta

After being closed for renovations after the March 2008 tornado, the grand reopening of the Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel's scenic elevator took place Aug. 18, 2010.

Mark, right, and Karen Rijk, left, of the Netherlands ride with their children Eva, 10, and Pieter, 8 (not pictured), to the Sun Dial restaurant atop of the hotel during the grand reopening of the Westin Peachtree Plaza's scenic elevator Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta. The elevators have been under repair since a March 2008 tornado left a path of destruction in the downtown area.

Pieter Rijk, 8, smiles as he enjoys the ride to the top of the hotel with his family during the grand reopening of the scenic elevator.

The Atlanta skyline is shown through the scenic elevator windows during the grand reopening of the elevator.

Visitors ride up the scenic elevator from the fifth floor lobby to the hotel's multi-level Sun Dial Restaurant atop the 73-floor building during the grand reopening of the elevator Wednesday afternoon at the Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel in Atlanta.

Sandy Springs residents Barbara McCoy, left, and her daughter Elizabeth Jones and Jones' two daughters Katie Jones, 8, facing, and Allison, 6, prepare to board the scenic elevator during the grand reopening.

You can't miss your destination in the scenic elevator. The elevators take visitors from the Westin Peachtree Plaza's fifth floor lobby to the hotel's multi-level Sun Dial Restaurant atop the 73-floor story building.

Elizabeth Jones, left, gets close to the window with her two daughters Allison, 6, and Katie, 8, as Jones' mother Barbara McCoy, right, can only get herself to hold the railing as she's afraid of heights.

Buildings surrounding the Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel are viewable through the glass windowpanes as the scenic elevator goes down to the fifth floor lobby.

Allison Jones, 6, of Sandy Springs, center, holds her ears after the altitude change from the 5th floor to the 72nd floor as they rode to the Sun Dial in the hotel's scenic elevator.

Kandi Darlow, of Dahlonega, left, and Daniel Covi, right, visiting from Sovie, France, enjoy the view as they ride to the top in the scenic elevator.

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Mark, right, and Karen Rijk, left, of the Netherlands ride with their children Eva, 10, and Pieter, 8 (not pictured), to the Sun Dial restaurant atop of the hotel during the grand reopening of the Westin Peachtree Plaza's scenic elevator Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta. The elevators have been under repair since a March 2008 tornado left a path of destruction in the downtown area.

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