March 21, 2012 - 03:36 PM
With over 5 million residents and the fifth largest city in the South – Atlanta has both a cosmopolitan and a Southern feel to it. It is the 7th most visited city in the country and has many attractions.
Comprising of many different counties and towns within the metropolitan area, Atlanta has a variety of different neighborhoods to offer newcomers. The counties that make up Atlanta are: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale. Over half the residents were not born in Atlanta but have moved here from other areas of the country and world.
In 1845 Atlanta was incorporated has grown into a major business city. Since 1998 Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has been the world’s busiest airport and is home to Delta Airlines.
Atlanta is a very beautiful city. It has many trees, even in downtown areas. Many residential areas have undergone gentrification and downtown neighborhoods have been revitalized leading to a city that has charm and beauty. There are more than 40 historic districts designated in the Atlanta Metropolitan area.
Atlanta is famous for many things. The Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Coca-Cola, Ted Turner and host to the 1996 Summer Olympics are just some. The Centennial Olympic Park is today still popular for outdoor events, from fireworks on the fourth of July to ice-skating during the Christmas holidays. The most popular attraction is the Fountain of Rings which children adore!
Stone Mountain Park offers an unparalleled view of not just the Atlanta skyline but the entire surrounding area. You can ride to the top in a cable car so you don’t have to walk. It’s Georgia’s number one attraction and takes only 15 minutes from downtown Atlanta to get to the entrance gate! This park is home to the world’s largest piece of exposed granite and is located on 3,200 acres of beautiful countryside.
Atlanta is home to the Braves baseball team. Attending a game at Turner Field is a great experience for families as there are lots of things to do as well as watch baseball. Six Flags Over Georgia is also a great place for the kids (and young at heart). It opened in 1967 and had been regularly been adding rides since then. Today it has over 30 rides including 11 roller coasters. Six Flags also hosts many concerts during the summer season. Designed with younger kids in mind, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is a wonderful hands-on museum for children under 8. There is an area for toddlers as well as an area where the older kinds can have fun in a waterfall, paint on walls, play dress up and learn about many interesting things.
Zoo Atlanta is a great zoo with giant pandas, a fantastic gorilla habitat, a Komodo dragon and African elephants to name a few of the zoo’s many attractions. The zoo is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Another family-friendly outing destination is the Georgia Aquarium. Kids and adults alike will be awed by the incredible variety of marine life at this aquarium. There are over 10 million gallons of fresh and salt water tanks that hold sharks, jelly fish, penguins and more.
There is a rich artistic heritage in Atlanta. It is home to museums, theaters, musicians and a growing film industry. The Fox Theater is probably the most well known. It was designed in the late 1920’s as headquarters for the Shriner’s organization, and is beautifully opulent – complete with a mosque-like structure with onion domes, lavish interior and an organ that’s used for sing-a-longs! Opposite the High Museum of Art, the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) is the only museum in the SE that houses exhibits all to do with design. From architecture, interiors, furniture, fashion, household items – it is a fascinating museum.
One of the great things about living in Atlanta or visiting for a few days is the wealth of choice when it comes to eating out. As Atlanta has residents from many parts of the world, there are many cultural restaurants available. But there are also many with Southern roots. Ria’s Bluebird restaurant is a great Southern brunch place and it’s opposite Oakland Cemetery which has a lot of history. Dogwood and Mary Mac’s are also great choices for Southern food.
Two unique restaurants that cater to those concerned about the quality of their food are Dynamic Dish and Woodfire Grill. Dynamic Dish is a fabulous organic vegetarian restaurant has received many accolades for their dishes. Woodfire Grill features seasonally influenced cuisine with the menu changing daily. They feature fresh, local ingredients and try to use small local farms for all their meat.
Another must-eat experience is SunDial. It’s a rotating room that allows you to look out at cool views of the city. It used to be the tallest building in town – but sadly it has been dwarfed. But it’s still a memorable experience. For a definite NON chain restaurant experience, find the little yellow house surrounded by skyscrapers and enjoy a wonderful romantic Italian meal at Pasta Da Pulcinella.
Atlanta has something for everyone – whether you’re visiting for a weekend or planning to move to the city.
For more information (including demographics, homes, schools, zip codes and more) visit our page on Atlanta Information
Permalink
