If you want to take a trip to the Old South, Atlanta is the perfect place to do it. In fact, the city boasts an impressive combination of historic charm and modern innovations! More people live in Atlanta than in any other city in Georgia and it is the economic and cultural centre of the metropolitan area.
There are lots of hotels catering for business travellers in Atlanta and also for families. Bed and breakfast accommodation is available at inns and guesthouses. There are some unique and fashionable properties in amongst the standard accommodation.
Top Things in Atlanta
For a closer look at some of the events that shaped Atlanta, head to the Atlanta History Center. There, you'll find a 33-acre museum that features a slew of historic houses - including the one where Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone with the Wind. The History Center is also home to the Centennial Olympic Games Museum and exhibits of two of the city's biggest companies - Chick-Fil-A and Coca-Cola.
From there, a trip to Underground Atlanta is a must. During the day, the area plays host to Civil War and Civil Rights' tours. But once the sun goes down, Underground Atlanta is home to plenty of clubs and restaurants where you can party the night away.
If you want to spend some time observing the cutting edge segments of the city, take a trip to the CNN center. That's where you can get an up close look at the world's first 24-hour news network. You will learn all about how CNN's shows get on the air, and how news gets shared with millions of viewers around the world.
Atlanta also boasts America's only all-male historically black institution - Morehouse College - which is just a few miles southwest of downtown.
Fox Theatre is a superbly restored venue dating from the 1920s with a year-round programme of comedy shows, dance companies and Broadway musicals.
The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse is the base for the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, which treats audiences to dinner and performances of high quality Shakespearean drama.
About 50,000 visitors annually visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, where the charismatic leader of the Civil Rights movement in America is commemorated.
Eating Out
With a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, offering different types of cuisine, eating out in Atlanta can be a great experience. For a lively environment, try the steakhouse Fogo De Chao in the Buckhead area; it has excellent food in the South American tradition and outstanding service in a relaxed atmosphere. If Italian is a preference, try La Grotta Ristorante Italiano, perfect for a quieter, romantic evening. Japanese cuisine at one airport restaurant is highly regarded - look for One Flew South and the sushi menu.
Atlanta Hotels
Atlanta accommodation is plentiful and consistently of a high quality. Visitors delight in the 'southern hospitality' they experience. The downtown area of the city centre is popular and convenient for attractions, such as the Coca Cola museum and the Georgia World Congress building. Cheap hotels in Atlanta can be found here, and also a little farther away in areas near Turner Field and Grant Park. Motels and motor inns are among the hotels available north of city, in the Piedmont Heights area