Atlanta's newest attraction: 200-foot Ferris wheel

You can now add "bird's-eye view from giant Ferris wheel" to your list of reasons for visiting Georgia's capital.

The 200-foot-tall SkyView Atlanta Ferris wheel made its inaugural revolution Tuesday afternoon after Mayor Kasim Reed welcomed it to the city by cutting the ribbon.

The Ferris wheel comes equipped with 42 climate-controlled gondolas that each hold up to six people. It is strategically located in Centennial Olympic Park, which provides passengers a unique skyline view of the city.

Each ride, or "flight," is four full revolutions, which add up to about a 15-minute ride. Skyview Atlanta also offers a VIP gondola that features leather seats and a glass floor to make your flight the "ultimate experience."

Besides the magnificent view, the best part about the Ferris wheel is the air conditioning — a necessary creature comfort considering the humid summer heat of the city.

On each of my four trips to the top, my eyes darted around the skyline, as if I were playing a game of "I spy," to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

As the flight came to an end, I wished for just one more time around and found myself agreeing with Michael Montgomery, SkyView Atlanta's general manager, who encourages people to see downtown from a perspective that is "second to none."

Hours of operations: Sunday-Thursday,10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.