Atlanta, Georgia: Charming Metropolis with Diverse Attractions

Begin your adventure at Centennial Olympic Park, located in the heart of downtown and close to some of Atlanta’s top attractions. Built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, the park is a great place to attend outdoor concerts and watch children play in the Fountain of Rings. It draws millions of visitors to events, including WindDown Wednesday, music festivals and celebrations for many holidays. Nearby, the fantastic Georgia Aquarium features beluga whales, dolphins, penguins, otters, stingrays and a touch pool with little sharks and baby stingrays that children especially will enjoy. Adventurous visitors have the opportunity to swim with the fish in the whale shark tank. Other family-friendly attractions include Zoo Atlanta and the LEGOLAND Discovery Center. News hounds will want to visit the CNN headquarters, where the behind-the-scenes “Inside CNN Studio Tour” divulges the daily workings of a global news organization. Just across the park, the World of Coca-Cola is a fascinating foray into the mystique surrounding this world-famous product and iconic brand, which had its origins in Atlanta. Learn all about how Coke is made and taste more than 60 Coke products from around the world.

Atlanta’s neighborhoods are surrounded by 343 parks, nature reserves and gardens, including Piedmont Park, Atlanta’s largest. It’s ideal for the whole family, with basketball courts, lakes, playgrounds, barbecue grills and sand volleyball courts, as well as exciting events and magnificent skyline views. The green Atlanta BeltLine, which forms a 35-kilometer loop around the city’s central neighborhoods, is a network of public parks, multi-use trails and public transit and one of the largest urban redevelopment programs under way in the United States.

Midtown Atlanta is known for its walkability and its vital arts scene. This is where you’ll find multiple theaters including the historic Fox Theatre, the Atlanta Botanical Garden and the Museum of Design Atlanta, just to name a few outstanding attractions. If you’ve read the book or seen the movie “Gone with the Wind,” you’ll want to visit the apartment where author Margaret Mitchell wrote most of the novel. For something completely different, head to Cabbagetown on the east side of Atlanta to check out the painted murals of the Living Walls Project and the graffiti art in the Krog Street Tunnel. Seeing these fantastic, colorful works might completely change how you see graffiti – you’ll find that it truly can be artistic.

The Swan House in Buckhead, a beautiful mansion and gardens that dates to 1928, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Atlanta. Be sure to stop by for a tour – it’s a showstopper. It was even used as a set during the filming of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” Two Nobel Prize winners have ties to Atlanta: Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter. Be sure to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Beyond what’s mentioned above, the city has so much more to see, including the Atlanta Children’s Museum, the College Football Hall of Fame and the emotionally moving Center for Civil and Human Rights.