Visitng Atlanta – Capital of the New South
Atlanta – Capital of the New South
Hello
Atlanta is the frontline of the New South, with the appeal and classiness of the old days. Home to over 5 million people in the world, it is a city that balances southern heritage with lustrous modernism. There are a lot of peach trees here and the tea is sweetened. This is one of the few cities which can claim to have three skylines and is home to the busiest airport in the world. This city has been destroyed and built up again; the terrors of war and agony of floods and droughts have all been seen by this city. Rebirth and survival, flows within the veins of Atlanta. Host to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Atlanta, also is the birthplace of the greatest character in the civil rights movement. Capital city to the state of Georgia, Atlanta has become the persistent leader among American cities.
Best Season to visit Atlanta
May to August is the best time to visit Atlanta, when you can enjoy outdoor activities and concerts alike. You might also like the days of the spring and fall, if you want to avoid the warm summers. Winter trips are recommended if you want to save some money, as the hotel rates go down and the chilly weather keeps visitors away.
Highlights (Special Things to Do in Atlanta)
Let your imagination run wild with building blocks at the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, located at the Phipps Plaza, Buckhead. Having one of the largest boxes of LEGO® bricks, kids will love spending the day here.
Watch a Broadway play at the Alliance Theatre. This Tony Award Winner, provides a lovely platform for classical plays, musicals and dramas which are presented here much before they are made available at the Big Apple.
Scream your lungs out as you take on the Goliath or the Scream Machine, both are gargantuan rides at Six Flags amusement park.
At Emory’s Michael C. Carlos Museum you can get close with mummies, of the ancient world. With permanent collections from all over the world and popular travelling exhibits on display, the history fanatic in you will be fascinated by everything from Egyptian mummies to Greek relics!
Dance or watch a game at the Philips Arena, home to NBA and WNBA teams, the Atlanta Hawks and Dream, the arena rocks all through the year with the world’s best concerts when the games are not on.
Take in the view at the Sun Dial Bar & View, the only 360 degree rotating restaurant located 72 stories above the Peachtree Street. You can see everything from Georgia Tech to the Stone Mountain and of course, everything in between!
Pay homage to the souls of great Atlantans at the Oakland Cemetery. The oldest cemetery here, is the final abode of over 70,000 souls, each accompanied by a fascinating tale to tell.
Carry extra bags for all shopping you would end up doing at the Atlantic Station! Whether you are looking for a major retailer or a quirky local boutique, this is the place to be.
Get a glimpse of the restored rooms of the Margaret Mitchell House, where the “Gone With the Wind” was written. You would even find the writer’s desk and original fixtures.
Submerge yourself in surround sound, with the Grammy-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and its cast of musicians are here to pamper you to a performance like you would have never seen.
Get personal with dinosaurs at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Travel back in time among the Giants of the Mesozoic, some of them are over 120 feet in length!
Open the doors of the Oval Office, at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, you’ll find a replica of the Oval Office along with gifts that were given to him during his time in Whitehouse.
Grab a bottle of wine, along with a picnic basket and hit Chastain Park Amphitheatre for a night you will never forget. Gigs at Chastain Park Amphitheatre offer a whole range of options for everyone, from blues and soul to rock and roll.
Check out the Twin baby pandas! Mei Lun and Mei Huan, are the most sought after at the Atlanta Zoo.
Wander around Piedmont Park, home to the Atlanta Botanical Garden and Lake Clara Meer. Whether you bring your pet for playtime or just a book to read on the grass, the Piedmont Park is a place which gives u lot of options.
Hike through the treetops on Sky Hike or backpack to the top of the mountain for beautiful skyline vantage points.
Click the world famous graffiti at the Krog Street Tunnel, is a favourite haunt for photographers and graffiti fans alike.
Snorkel or SCUBA among the great whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium.
Hotspots of Atlanta
You can check out these places if you are looking for the Atlanta tourist attractions:
NE, Atlanta
Fox Theatre: Returned back to its original golden look of the 1920s, the theatre features the “Mighty Mo,” a classic Moller organ, comprising of over 3,600 pipes. Currently hosting Broadway musicals and comedy shows this extravagant theatre also caters to dance companies.
Atlanta Botanical Garden: Come into the magical & serene world of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where attractions like the Fuqua Orchid Center take the visitors through rare collections of beautiful orchids never found in nature in this region.
Piedmont Park: Home to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, this 185-acre park is popular with joggers and summer festivals are also held here.
High Museum of Art: High Museum was the first museum to ever showcase art lent from Paris’ Louvre and is a lovely place to admire its architecture as well as its exhibits.
Ebenezer Baptist Church: The campaign ground for King Jr. and his fore-fathers, all of whom were pastors here. This also is infamous for being the place where his mother was killed back in 1974.
Downtown
Georgia Aquarium: The sheer beauty of the world’s largest aquarium is hard to deny: beluga whales and whale sharks, theatre shows, where actors/trainers and intelligent bottlenose dolphins perform in tandem is a spectacle not to be missed.
World of Coca-Cola: This museum would prove enjoyable to fans of the fizzy drink. The climax of the tour comes with guests sampling Coke products from all over the world. There is also Andy Warhol pieces to see, a 4-D film to watch, company history milestones, and what would look like over 20 billion promotional items.
The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: This second oldest building in Atlanta was designed by William H. Parkins, a local architect. Built in 1873 and still in use and has survived the devastating fire that gutted the city in 1864.
Buckhead
Atlanta History Center: Located on 33 acres in the centre of Buckhead, it is the perfect gateway to Georgia’s past, taking you through award-winning exhibits; Centennial Olympic Games Museum; historic households, including 1928 Swan House and 1860s Smith Family Farm; 22 acres of beautiful gardens and trails; and the Kenan Research Center.
Grant Park
Oakland Cemetery: Step back in time in at the Oakland Cemetery. This heritage park is the final abode for many Civil War soldiers, the golfing exponent Bobby Jones, and the author of “Gone with the Wind”, Margaret Mitchell.
Poncey – Highland
Jimmy Carter Library & Museum: The Carter Presidential Library and Museum is an out of this world museum tracking the life and works of President Jimmy Carter, from the time he was a kid in the Plains to the work Mrs. Carter and he do all over the world to promote peace and health. Sitting on a hilltop, it exhibits highlights of Jimmy Carter’s life during the 1977–81 presidency; The Oval Office replica is a must see. Carter’s Nobel Prize is also displayed here. And the serene Japanese garden in the back is not to be missed either.
Old Fourth Ward
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site: A key attraction, the park draws over 500,000 visitors annually. Explore the house where the leader of the America Civil Rights movement was born, the church where he preached and the memorial site where he is buried.
Shopping in Atlanta
Atlanta shopping is spread-out all over the city, from antique and outlet centres to boutiques and art galleries. Head to Buckhead for the luxury shopping, you will find all major brands at the Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square Mall.
Come across the most happening boutiques in the shopping districts around Virginia Highland and Midtown; for funky vintage items head to Little Five Points. Westside is the place to go to for home goods.
Decatur Square – Considered one of the most pedestrian friendly locales, you can randomly walk around the wide spread of shops here. If you need rest between your jaunts, sip a coffee or grab a beer or a cocktail. This place is so versatile that you might as well pick up a book and soak in the sun.
Atlantic Station – You might need to carry an extra suitcase for all of the things you would end up picking up here. This spread-out outdoor shopping haven is a place for some serious retail therapy.
American Girl Boutique and Bistro – The ultimate daughter’s day out. A doll-shopping heaven, you could find the perfect doll, pick a matching outfit, have a tea party and even let your doll enjoy a day at the salon!
Sweet Auburn Curb Market – For local farm produce or meats, also exclusive eateries serving you soul food and gourmet hot dogs or just the good old ice cream, look no more than this farmer’s market with a urban twist.
Little Five Points – A place where you can pull off those skinny jeans and flannel shirt, head here for bar hopping and vibrant live performances. Vintage boutique shopping is a must here.
How to reach Atlanta
By Plane: The Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is located about 8 miles south of the city. The world’s busiest airport, its efficient layout makes it easy to navigate and keeps delays to a minimum. All major cities across all continents are connected from here.
By Train: Served by the Amtrak, the Crescent train runs daily and serves most major cities on the eastern belt. Located at 1688 Peachtree St. N.W., The Atlanta Amtrak Station is to the north of city.
By Bus: Greyhound Bus Lines provides bus service to Atlanta from many locations throughout the country. The Greyhound terminal at 232 Forsyth Street, located directly below MARTA’s Garnett Station.
Other bus services such as megabus.com and Bus Bank offer charters buses and can help plan a tour for you or your group.
By Car: The Interstate Highway System links Atlanta to the rest of the country. So driving down to the city is a very feasible option. The main interstate highways crossing Atlanta are I-75 (Detroit to Florida), I-85 (Mid-Atlantic to New Orleans) and I-20 (Texas to South Carolina).
How to get around in Atlanta
By Foot: Touring the city by foot is one of the best ways to see Atlanta. Most neighbourhoods are easy to walk around, with bars, restaurants, and shops being in close vicinity. In particular, walking times would not exceed 10–20 minutes, however buses and trains are recommended for longer jaunts.
By Transit: MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) operates both rapid rail and bus networks in the city of Atlanta and the neighbouring counties, Fulton and Dekalb.
Comprising of four lines: Red, Gold, Blue, and Green; where the Red and Gold lines run north-south, while the Blue and Green lines run east-west, meeting at the Five Points Station.
With over one hundred different bus routes, Bus service runs from 5AM until 1:30AM Monday-Friday and on the weekends or holidays they run all day.
By Taxi: Booking taxis is recommended, however it is possible to flag taxicabs down near tourist locations and watering holes in Downtown and Midtown.
24-Hour Taxicab Services:
Checker Cab
Atlanta Royal Cabbies
Fixed rates are available for Airport runs, insist on it even if the cabbie denies knowledge of the same.
By Car: All major car rental service is available around Atlanta. Cars are considered the most efficient way to move around the city in case you have to visit a lot of places. However do look out for peak hour traffic.
Top areas in Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – If you are a business traveller and prefer to be located close to the busiest airport in the world, then the area around the Hartsfield-Jackson has a lot of hotel options to spend a night or more. You can find midrange to budget hotels to suit your needs.
Midtown – The second largest business district in Atlanta, situated between Downtown and Buckhead, Attracts over six million visitors every year. Marked for its cultural attractions, institutions of higher education, Midtown is also noteworthy for its architecture, and urban layout. Atlanta Hotels in Midtown are mostly high-end.
Pine Hills – Located to the east of Buckhead, the region is abundant of plant life. Its tall trees, such as the pine, oak and maple are home to a wide variety of animals such as chipmunks, squirrels and a variety of birds. Quite a few mid-range hotels can be found here.
Sandy Springs – Even though Sandy Springs is a separate area it extends into the city limits. Most of this region is affluent and is very scenic, with mansions on single-lane roads. You can find cheap Atlanta accommodation deals in this location.
Buckhead – Known for its nightlife, Buckhead Village has transferred into Buckhead Atlanta, with plenty of shopping options with Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square near here. Buckhead even has its own skyline of high-rise apartments/condominiums and office buildings. You will also find hotels across the range in this area.
