Man, I just think the ATL-West Coast trek for basically a long weekend has a high travel-time-cost to it.

5-hour flight (if there's a nonstop), trains, ferries, etc...all of this sounds awesome if they can make it a two week trip.

Otherwise, take a DL nonstop up into the Northeast to a small/mid-sized airport and go from there... Your 5-day trip would only have to give up the first morning and the final evening to the act of getting there and back.