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From Olympics and sports, to a tour of Atlanta's historical landmarks, your visit will allow you to experience how Atlanta connects residents and visitors alike to the culture and history of the new South. For the business minded traveler, you can tour one of the banking centers of the world, as Atlanta is the headquarters for 13 Fortune 500 companies. In addition, Atlanta is home to some of the most prestigious universities, theaters, and museums in the nation. Your time spent in Atlanta will be a memorable one as you venture from Downtown to attractions outside the city.
Centennial Olympic Park
The Visitors Center at Centennial Olympic Park is a good place to start any visit to Atlanta. The site of the tragic Olympic bombing in 1996, the park now features a memorial, ringed fountains whose displays are choreographed to music, and a column of flags honoring past Olympic hosts. Across the street stands the state-of-the-art Georgia Dome, home of the Falcons and Super Bowl XXXIV, as well as Philips Arena, where basketball's Atlanta Hawks and hockey's Atlanta Thrashers play their home contests.
Facing these two imposing structures is yet another: the CNN Center, headquarters to Ted Turner's media empire. Enjoy a 45-minute behind-the-scenes tour, which can be booked from the website.
From CNN, walk along Marietta Street east to Peachtree, go south a few blocks to Capitol Avenue, then follow it west to the corner of Capitol and Washington, for a 45-minute guided tour of the State Capitol. Built in 1889, the 75-foot golden dome crowns one of the most beautiful government buildings in the Southeast.
World of Coca-Cola
Atlanta-based soft drink giant Coca-Cola is never really out of sight in the city, and nowhere is that more true than at the interactive World of Coca-Cola Museum at Underground Atlanta, visible from the Capitol steps. The rest of Underground Atlanta is worth a look, too. Opened in 1989, the enclosed 12-acre facility now boasts over 100 stores and restaurants. While you shop, keep an eye out for the marker that denotes the location of the original last stop of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, from which the city got its original name: Terminus.
One word of caution: Downtown Atlanta is primarily a business district, and the area largely shuts down after dark. While not explicitly dangerous, downtown at night is not the safest place to be.
Historic Virginia Highland
This 1900s vintage district is home to many galleries and specialty shops, like the Eclectic Electric Gallery, which showcases modern art with a glowing twist. Next, stroll south along Highland Avenue and enjoy a half-mile stretch of one of Atlanta's most charming residential districts, which features a diverse showing of late 19th and early 20th century architecture.
As you approach Virginia Avenue and the neighborhood's namesake intersection, browse an array of boutiques featuring everything from folk art to high fashion.
The Jimmy Carter Center features 30 acres of gardens and lakes, a commanding view of the downtown skyline, and more than 27 million pages of documents, correspondence and photos from the Carter administration. Backtracking along Highland to Ponce de Leon, turn right and head east into one of Atlanta's loftiest zip codes. Your final stop is the Fernbank Museum of Natural History at 156 Heaton Park, just half a block off Ponce. This unique building is set on 65 acres of wooded grounds and rolling lawns, and also houses a planetarium, science center and IMAX theater.
Stone Mountain
Just 16 miles from downtown, Georgia's Stone Mountain State Park offers a broad range of activities for all ages. The park centers around a 1,685 foot high granite boulder which can be accessed via a short gondola ride up the steep north face, or by a hearty mile and a half climb up the gently sloping east side. Be sure to get a look at the world's largest bas-relief sculpture, which portrays Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson and President Jefferson Davis.
More than 3,000 acres of natural woodland, lakes, fields, and trails provide opportunities for hiking, biking, or just communing with nature. The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad departs regularly on treks around the base of the mountain, making various stops on its breathtaking half hour run.
History lovers will want to visit the restored plantation museum, or climb aboard the Scarlett O'Hara, an authentic riverboat that tours the park's lakes in style. Other attractions include a petting zoo, Civil War museum, water park, several championship golf courses, tennis courts, restaurants and more. Stay late for the laser light show, a nightly event during summer months, Fridays through Sundays in spring and fall.
Stone Mountain is easily-accessible by public transportation. Catch an East Line MARTA train to the Indian Trail station, from which point bus service will deliver you directly to the park.
In addition, catch a breath taking sunset as you tour Atlanta via plane, hot air balloon, or roam around on your own.
Historical Tours
Underground Atlanta ( +1 404 523 2311/ http://www.underground-atlanta.com/ )
Bus & Car Tours
Atlanta Tours ( +1 888 811 9237,+1 770 662 3827; http://www.atlantatours.us/?gclid=CMK_g9y0qpYCFQ89awodQGHRzQ/ )
American Sightseeing Atlanta ( +1 404 233 9140; http://www.americansightseeingatl.com/ )
Flight Tours
Air Atlanta Helicopters ( +1 770 458 7771; http://www.airatlantahelicopters.com/ )
North Atlanta Executive Air Service ( +1 770 844 8687; http://www.atlantaheli.com/Services.htm/ )
Ballooning Adventures
Magic Carpet Ride ( +1 770 436 9960/ http://www.magicballooning.com/ )
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