World City Guide

Located in the northern half of Georgia known as the Piedmont, Atlanta’s landscape is one of undulating hills wedged between rugged mountains and a flat coastal plain. Its unique geographical position has made it the transportation hub of the South since the 19th century. Railroads, highways and its airport (the world’s busiest in 2004) have made it accessible to the rest of the country and attractive to the convention trade. Atlanta was and is a crossroads town.

By the time the Civil War began in 1861, Atlanta was a major railroad hub, manufacturing centre and supply depot. General William Sherman, during his infamous ‘March to the Sea’ in 1864, burned all of the railroad facilities, most businesses and more than two thirds of the residences in an attempt to cripple supply lines.

Atlanta did not lie in ruins for long. Within four years of Sherman’s attack, the Georgia capital was moved from nearby Milledgeville to Atlanta, and the city launched its first campaign to attract new business.

In 1886, a local drugstore, Jacob’s Pharmacy, began selling a new headache and hangover tonic called ‘Coca-Cola’. Entrepreneur Asa Candler paid US$2,300 to acquire the rights in 1891, and the following year the Coca-Cola Company was founded. This ‘brave and beautiful city,’ so called by newspaper editor Henry Grady, started heading in a new direction. In 1895, the city hosted 800,000 visitors for the Cotton States and International Exposition in Piedmont Park. One hundred and one years later, Atlanta would be the site of the 1996 Olympics.

Atlanta is the birthplace of the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr, the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr also played a significant role in the movement. In 1963, he was the only Southern mayor to testify before Congress in support of the pending Civil Rights Bill.

Today, Metropolitan Atlanta sprawls over 20 counties and approximately 100 cities and towns. More than three million people live and work in the area. Atlanta proper is a city of 352 sq km (136 square miles) and 434,771 residents. Within the confines of the Perimeter, a transportation band that encircles the city, there is a diverse range of neighbourhoods, each with its own personality, and over 20 different streets named Peachtree.

Besides being the economic and cultural centre of the southern United States, Atlanta offers traditional charm with a modern flair. Filled with attractions and activities, including the Atlanta Cyclorama, CNN Studio Tours, the Martin Luther King Jr Historic District and Six Flags Over Georgia, metropolitan Atlanta has something for almost every visitor.

Spring and autumn are the ideal times to visit the city. In the spring, Atlanta is a beautiful Southern Belle. The city blazes with blossoms of Bradford pear, white dogwood and pink azaleas. Autumn is equally mild tempered and colourful. Winter is unpredictable. Summer is hot, humid and languid. Whilst air conditioning will counteract the worst of the heat, visitors should be prepared for the city to move at a very leisurely pace.

Getting There By Air

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Tel: (800) 897 1910.
Website: www.atlanta-airport.com

Located 14.5km (9 miles) south of the city, the Hartfield-Jackson, the busiest airport in the world, serves over 100 million passengers annually.

Airport facilities: Services include restaurants, bars, Internet kiosks, retail shops, a post office, chapel, bank, ATMs, bureaux de change, tourist information and car hire (including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty).

Transport to the city: MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) (tel: (404) 848 4800; website: www.itsmarta.com) operates light rail services from the airport to Downtown and throughout the metropolitan area. A single ticket to Five Points Station (Downtown) costs US$1.75. Schedules may be obtained from the MARTA airport station (tel: (404) 848 4711), Traveler’s Aid and the International Information counter. Taxi services take 15-60 minutes to Five Points, depending upon traffic; fares vary (US$20-26) according to the number of passengers and amount of luggage. The Atlanta Link (tel: (866) 545 9633 or (404) 524 3400; website: www.theatlantalink.com) provides airport shuttle service from Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead hotels. Reservations for shared-ride shuttles to Atlanta, Atlanta metro and non-metro areas can be secured at the Ground Transportation Center’s island ‘F.’ Taxis have flat rates to the central business district.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

The USA has a network of sequentially numbered Interstate (I) highways. The roads with numbers ending in 0 cross the country east to west, while those ending in 5 run north to south.

Maximum speed limits are 113kph (70mph) on rural Interstates, 105kph (65mph) on urban Interstates and 88kph (55mph) on other roads. Locals regularly exceed these limits and pass with impunity on both left and right sides. In business or residential districts, a limit of 48kph (30mph) applies. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08%. Both front and backseat passengers must wear seatbelts, while children under the age of five years are required to be seated and belted in the back of the car in a child protective seat. Helmets are mandatory for motorcycle riders. As a deterrent, radar detectors are common. Fines can be issued on the spot for seatbelt or helmet offences, speeding and also throwing litter from the vehicle. Drink-driving is always prosecuted and can result in penalties of up to US$1,000 fine plus 12 months in jail.

The minimum age for driving in Atlanta is 16 years; however, there are various restrictions for drivers under 18 and 21 years. It is best to check with the Georgia Motor Vehicle Division website (www.dmvs.ga.gov). National driving licenses are sufficient if in English, otherwise International Driving Permits are required.

The Southern Automobile Association (AAA) (tel: (800) 222 1134; website: www.aaasouth.com) has insurance schemes and breakdown recovery for members at competitive prices, and also provides free maps and tourist guides.

Emergency breakdown service:
AAA (800) AAA HELP/222 4357

Routes to the city: Atlanta is intersected by Interstates 20, 75 and 85. I-20 travels west to Birmingham (Alabama) and Dallas (Texas) and east to Augusta and Columbia (South Carolina). I-75 passes through Atlanta on its way north from Florida to Michigan. I-85 heads southwest to Montgomery (Alabama) and northeast to Charlotte (North Carolina) and Virginia. I-285 is a perimeter highway that rings the metropolitan area but the city has expanded northwards to Marietta, Roswell and other suburbs outside the ring. An urban highway, GA400, links the northern suburbs with the city centre and provides easy access to the north Appalachians. GA400 is a toll road; the cost levied depends upon the mileage driven.

Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (800) 231 2222 or (404) 584 1731; website: www.greyhound.com) has a 24-hour coach station, at 232 Forsyth Street SW, off Peachtree Street SW, where baggage and parcel services, ticketing and fast food are available. Greyhound operates coaches throughout the USA; some direct destinations include Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans and Orlando.

Getting There By Rail

Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.amtrak.com) is the national railway service provider.

Amtrak Station, 1688 Peachtree Street NW (tel: (404) 881 3063), in Midtown, only sees two arrivals and departures each day, on slow trains. These offer an overlooked way to see the countryside and small towns of the USA. Reservations are necessary for priority seating and sleeping accommodations. The station has basic facilities, such as vending machines and an ATM.

Rail services: The Amtrak Crescent service links Atlanta with New Orleans and New York (numbers 19 and 29). An evening departure runs to Washington and New York and a morning departure to New Orleans. Sleepers, restaurant service and various excursion options are available.

Transport to the city: Taxis are available at the station. MARTA bus 23 and MARTA Arts Center Station are nearby for access to Downtown.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Although a car-dominated city, MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (tel: (404) 848 4800; website: www.itsmarta.com) does provide rapid rail and bus services throughout the city – which means that most places can be reached by public transport. The bus network operates throughout the city 0500-0130 Monday to Friday and 0500-2430 Saturday and Sunday. Buses take correct change or tokens only. The underground rail network runs from the north suburbs of Marietta to the airport in the south; east–west lines also extend across the suburbs. Trains are quiet, clean and, outside the rush hour, uncrowded. In stations, machines dispense tokens and change. Ticket booths are closed in the evenings. Rail services operate 0500-0100 Monday to Friday and 0600-2430 Saturday and Sunday.

For bus or rail, a single adult fare costs US$1.75, purchased from a ticket dispenser on either service. Rail stations sell tokens for use on both bus and rail services. A useful option is to buy one of the following passes allowing unlimited access to all services: Weekly Transcard – US$13, valid for any Monday to Sunday; Monthly Transcard – US$52.50, valid for any calendar month and the Weekend Pass – US$9, valid from Friday to Sunday.

Driving in the City
Atlanta relies heavily on the automobile, so there is plenty of parking – most major office buildings, malls and hotels have parking areas. The city is generally jam-packed with autos so it is not advisable for visitors to hire a car unless one is staying outside the immediate town centre or planning to visit sites located in the outskirts of the city.

Freeways are often congested, especially within the ring road (I-285) during weekday rush hours. The I-285 is a frighteningly busy five-lane highway with multiple exits and speeding traffic. Lane discipline is almost non-existent but should drivers venture into another’s, they are likely to be hooted or verbally abused.

For visitors staying on the outskirts of the city and using the light rail system to travel into the city, most MARTA stations provide parking. However, visitors should be careful of off-street parking near theatres and music venues. Not all of these temporary parking lots are legal. On average, parking costs approximately US$2 per hour in car parks (up to a maximum of US$30 per day). Hotel overnight parking averages about US$20 per night.

Car Hire
To hire a car, an International Driving Permit is only required if the visitor’s national driving licence is not in English. Some agencies will not rent cars to anyone less than 25 years old or possibly over 71 years. Car rental prices are very competitive and fly-drive deals can reduce the prices further.

Companies insist on collision damage waiver insurance (CDW) and car hire prices quoted will usually not include this or sales tax at 7%. However, European insurance may be extendible to cover US driving and some credit cards may have an insurance option that covers car hire insurance.

Major car hire agencies have several offices throughout the city including: Alamo (tel: (800) 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (800) 331 1212; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (800) 527 0700; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (800) 800 4000; website: www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel: (800) 261 7331; website: www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel: (800) 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com), National (tel: (800) 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com) and Thrifty (tel: (800) 367 2277; website: www.thrifty.com).

Business

Business Etiquette
Atlanta is a city of corporations and business etiquette is part of the hard-driving business culture. In general, appointments are required, punctuality is the norm, business cards should be exchanged and meetings should be kept short, at least until you are sure of your welcome.

Suits are not necessary except at formal meetings; a business uniform generally consists of well-cut casual slacks and a stylish blazer. In summer, short-sleeved shirts without ties are acceptable in some corporations but visitors should err on the formal side for the first meeting.

Deals should be confirmed in writing as soon as possible; electronic communications reign supreme. Normal business hours are 0830-1730 Monday to Friday, but many business executives work longer hours.

Most Atlantans are very proud of their homes and not well travelled internationally; Europeans thus have a curiosity value and visitors may receive invitations home. They should always bring a gift for the lady of the house, such as flowers, but should avoid alcohol as a present.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Atlanta is more of a business centre than a holiday destination. There are no beaches for sunbathing, no mountains for skiing and no cobble-stoned quaintness or soaring Gothic cathedrals. However, Atlanta does offer something for almost every visitor. Popular attractions include the Atlanta Cyclorama, the CNN Center, Stone Mountain Park, the Martin Luther King Jr Historic District, Six Flags Over Georgia and Zoo Atlanta.

The city’s history helps to define Atlanta’s uniqueness. Underground Atlanta with its hidden delights, marks the birthplace of the city; a few MARTA stops away, the Fox Theatre, an architectural riot of domes and minarets, reflects the excesses of the 1920s. Sandwiched between business towers of the 1990s, less than a mile north on Peachtree Street, the recently restored Margaret Mitchell Home is a diminutive museum of life in the 1930s. Continuing north on Peachtree Street, the High Museum of Art glistens with sleek white porcelain panels in the sun.

Notices at street corners and on buildings (especially around the Virginia Highlands neighbourhood), mark the sites of major battles and events in the Civil War. The Confederacy is also commemorated in several stately Southern homes, such as the Governor’s Mansion and the houses of Grant Park. The Martin Luther King Jr Historic District in Sweet Auburn chronicles the city’s more recent history.

The Downtown area near Centennial Olympic Park, the CNN Center and Five Points are the best places to explore by foot. Pedestrians really need to keep their wits about them in this vehicle-dominated city. Automobiles rule the roads and drivers expect obeisance from those on foot.

Tourist Information
Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau
Suite 100, 233 Peachtree Street NE
Tel: (404) 521 6600 or (800) ATLANTA/285 2682. Fax: (404) 577 3293.
Website: www.atlanta.net
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1730.

There is also a visitor centre at the airport and in the Underground Atlanta complex at 65 Upper Alabama Street.

Passes
There are no dedicated tourist passes, but a student or senior identity card will give discounts on most entry charges.

Key Attractions

Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum
The Battle of Atlanta, which took place on 22 July, 1864, is vividly illustrated on the largest oil painting in the world. Completed in 1886, the 1,396 square metre (15,030 sq ft) panoramic painting in the round is 12.8m (42ft) high. With the aid of narrative music, lights, art, sound effects and a diorama, that fateful battle comes to life. This unusual exhibit makes a huge impact on its audience. Visitors should look for the inclusion of Clark Gable as Rhett Butler. An adjoining museum contains relics that commemorate the Confederate cause.

800 Cherokee Avenue SE, Grant Park
Tel: (404) 624 1071.
Website: www.webguide.com/cyclorama.html
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1630.
Admission charge.

Atlanta History Center
Surrounded by 13 hectares (33 acres) of signposted trails and gardens, this complex of Atlanta’s past focuses on the human tragedy of the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement. The artistry of Southern needlework and handicrafts plus Bobby Jones, the famous 1920s golfer, memorabilia are exhibited. A 1996 Atlanta Olympics exhibition opens in July 2006. Swan House, the elegant 1928 classical-style mansion named for the swan motif recurring throughout the interior, and the Tullie Smith Farm, an entire farm complex built in the 1840s moved intact from rural Georgia, are also part of the centre.

130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Buckhead
Tel: (404) 814 4000.
Website: www.atlantahistorycenter.com
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1730, Sun 1200-1730.
Admission charge.

Centennial Olympic Park
Built for the 1996 Olympics, this popular gathering place features year-round entertainment. With sculptures, the much photographed Fountain of Rings and meandering paths, the 7-hectare (21-acre) park is a pleasant place to relax.

Marietta Street at International Boulevard
Tel: (404) 222 PARK (7275).
Website: www.centennialpark.com
Opening hours: 0700-2300.
Free admission.

CNN Center
Get a behind the scenes look of CNN and Headline News on a 50-minute CNN tour. The tour offers a fascinating glimpse of how newscasts are put together and visitors see the real newsrooms. For an extra charge, visitors can don a newscaster’s jacket and tape a ‘special news bulletin.’ The centre itself houses a mall with a food court, bank, post office and speciality shops such as the Atlanta Braves (baseball team) store and the Turner Broadcasting store. It also has the world’s longest freestanding escalator which rises 49m (160ft), or approximately eight storeys.

1 CNN Drive
Tel: (404) 827 2300 or (877) 4CNNTOUR (426 68687).
Website: www.cnn.com/StudioTour
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (tour every 10 minutes).
Admission charge.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Enter into the dramatic 26m-high (86ft) Great Hall skylight and be surrounded by a spectacular wall of windows, a fossil-embedded limestone floor and a giant dinosaur. With fossils, plants, dinos and animals, the winding Walk through Time exhibit depicts the prehistory and history of Georgia up to 1838. The development of handicrafts is illustrated with ethnic weaving, pottery and jewellery from Asia. The facility also has an IMAX theater.

767 Clifton Road NE
Tel: (404) 929 6300.
Website: www.fernbank.edu
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700.
Admission charge.

Fernbank Science Center
With one of the country’s largest planetariums, an original Apollo capsule, space memorabilia, and moon rocks, this is paradise for those who look to the stars. On a clear night, the astronomer on duty guides visitors on a tour of the galaxy through the Observatory’s telescope.

156 Heaton Park Drive NE
Tel: (678) 874 7102.
Website: www.fernbank.edu
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 0830-1700, Thurs-Fri 0830-2200, Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1300-1700.
Free admission; charge for planetarium shows.

Governor’s Mansion
Early 19th-century paintings, porcelain and Federal-period furniture grace the 30-room Greek Revival-styled Governor’s home. You might think you are in Mississippi at a plantation house rather than in Georgia at an antebellum mansion. Located 1.5km (1 mile) east of the Atlanta History Center.
391 West Paces Ferry Road NW
Tel: (404) 261 1776.
Website: www.gov.state.ga.us/about_mansion
Opening hours: (Tours) Tues and Thurs 1000-1130.
Free admission.

High Museum of Art
Located at the Woodruff Arts Center, High Museum of Art, this beautiful white, award-winning building, designed by Richard Meier, features modern, contemporary and decorative art mostly by American artists.

Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street
Tel: (404) 733 HIGH (4444) (Woodruff) or (404) 733 4400.
Website: www.high.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700.
Admission charge.

Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Two to eight-year-olds will think this is hands-on heaven. The museum has fun things to explore like an obstacle course of simple machines, a creativity section where kids can dance, climb up to a treehouse, be on TV or mould waxed sand or ‘fish.’ There is even a small grocery store and kitchen.

275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive
Tel: (404) 659 KIDS (5437).
Website: www.imagineit-cma.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10-1600, Sat-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission charge.

Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
This presidential library and museum examine the early life, political career and accomplishments of President Jimmy Carter. Presidents that preceded Carter are also honoured. A recording of Carter talking about various issues during his White House years (January 1977 to January 1981) plays in the replica of the Oval Office. Significant topics like the Middle East Peace (Camp David Accords), the Panama Canal, the nuclear threat and the Iran hostages are examined more closely. On permanent display are Carter’s Nobel Prize for Peace as well as photographs, memorabilia and gifts of state. Lovely gardens and a great view of Atlanta’s skyline surround the facility.

441 Freedom Parkway
Tel: (404) 865 7100.
Website: www.jimmycarterlibrary.org
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1645, Sun 1200-1645.
Admission charge.

Margaret Mitchell House and Museum
Margaret Mitchell and her husband, John Marsh, shared Apartment 1 here. In this turn-of-the-century building, she wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gone with the Wind. Through the years, the building suffered from vandalism, fires and neglect. It opened to the public in 1997 - restored to look like it did when she occupied it. Personal memorabilia, pictures and even her typewriter are on display. Across the street, the Gone with the Wind Museum displays posters, a life-size portrait of Scarlett O’Hara, costumes and even the original front door of Tara. A must for GWTW fans.

990 Peachtree Street
Tel: (404) 249 7015.
Website: www.gwtw.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700.
Admission charge.

Martin Luther King Jr Historic District
The 13-hectare (33-acre) Historic District in Sweet Auburn is a potent reminder of Atlanta’s tumultuous past. Most moving is the recording of King’s ‘I have a Dream’ speech which can be heard at the Visitor Center. The National Park Service maintains his birthplace home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he succeeded his father and grandfather as pastor in 1960, and Fire Station No. 6, the first fire station in Atlanta to be integrated. The nearby Martin Luther King Jr Center for Nonviolent Social Change pays tribute to King’s Nobel Prize-winning work for equality via civil disobedience and non-violent marches.

450 Auburn Avenue (Visitor Center)
Tel: (404) 331 5190.
Website: www.nps.gov/malu
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (winter); 0900-1800 (summer).
Free admission.

The Museums in the 1400 Spring Street Area
The Center for Puppetry Arts, the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum and the National Museum of Patriotism are across from one another. Each is unique.

Center For Puppetry Arts
This centre houses puppets from all over the world as well as puppet-making workshops. In the theatre are puppet performances for both children and adults.

1404 Spring Street
Tel: (404) 873 3391.
Website: www.puppet.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1100-1700 (museum). Check in advance performance and workshop schedule times.
Admission charge.

The National Museum of Patriotism
This venue dwells on aspects of American patriotism. Exhibits include American nationalistic symbols and a sweetheart jewellery collection of patriotic gifts. There is a section on tributes to the armed forces. Visitors are invited to send a free video to a serviceman.

1405 Spring Street
Tel: (404) 875 0691.
Website: www.museumofpatriotism.org
Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1000-1600, Sat 1100-1700. Sun 1300-1700.
Admission charge, but military, police, firemen and EMTs (emergency medical technicians) free.

William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum
Focusing on the Holocaust and Atlanta Jewish Heritage, exhibits include TV monitors with Holocaust survivor stories. Issues that have affected Atlanta Jews like Civil Rights and a temple bombing are also highlighted.

1440 Spring Street NW
Tel: (678) 222 3700.
Website: www.thebreman.org
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 1000-1700, Fri 1000-1500, Sun 1300-1700.
Admission charge.

World of Coca-Cola
Unless you are a Coca-holic, this three-storey Coke sales pitch and the ‘Everything Coca-Cola’ store is a bit much. It’s ultratacky – but Coca-Cola is an integral part of Atlanta and its financial success.

55 Martin Luther King Jr Drive
Tel: (404) 676 5151 or (800) 676 COKE.
Website: www.woccatlanta.com
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1100-1700 (Sep to May), Mon-Sat 0900-1800 and Sun 1100-1700 (Jun to Aug).
Admission charge.

Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta is one of the oldest zoos in the USA. A key attraction is the two giant pandas from Chengdu in the Republic of China. The zoo’s over 250 animal species include gorillas, orangutans, tigers, lions, giraffes, elephants and so on in their natural habitats.

Grant Park, 800 Cherokee Avenue SE
Tel: (404) 624 5600 or (888) 945 5432.
Website: www.zooatlanta.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1730.
Admission charge.

Further Distractions

Atlanta Botanical Garden
Wile away some pleasant hours amid sculptures and English and Japanese gardens. Tropical, desert and endangered plants are shown year round in the Fuqua Conservatory. Located just 4.8km (3 miles) from Downtown.

1345 Piedmont Avenue NE
Tel: (404) 876 5859.
Website: www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1900 (Apr-Sep); Tues-Sun 0900-1700 (Oct-Mar).
Admission charge.

Underground Atlanta
Constructed on the underpinnings of early Atlanta, this one time railroad gulch (ravine) is now a marketplace, featuring restaurants, speciality shops, street vendors, entertainment emporiums and a guide or unguided history tour -- all appeal primarily to tourists.

Peachtree at Alabama Streets
Tel: (404) 523 2311.
Website: www.underground-atlanta.com
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-2100, Sun 1100-1800.
Free admission.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
The Atlanta Preservation Society, 327 St Paul Avenue (tel: (404) 688 3350; website: www.preserveatlanta.com) offers guided walking tours through the historic and architecturally interesting older districts. Options include: Ansley Park, Sweet Auburn/Martin Luther King Jr District, Historic Downtown, Fox Theatre, Grant Park, Frederick Law Olmsted’s Druid Hills and Inman Park. Most tours are 60 to 90 minutes long.

Bus Tours
American Sightseeing Atlanta (tel: (404) 233 9140 or (800) 572 3050; website: www.americansightseeingatl.com) offers half-day sightseeing tours to both Atlanta and Stone Mountain. Cost includes hotel pick-up and all admissions.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Chattahoochee River Recreation Area: Forested hiking trails link nine waterside recreation areas in the north of the city. Canoes and rafts are available for hire as well as picnic facilities. Fishing is permitted with a Georgia licence and a trout stamp. The National Parks Service Visitor Contact Center, 1978 Island Ford Parkway (tel: (770) 399 8070 or (678) 538 1200; website: www.nps.gov/chat) can provide further information. The park is open only during daylight and is free. Public transport unavailable; take the GA400 north to Exit 6 (Northbridge).

For a Whole Day

Dahlonega: This historic old mining town with charming shops, water wheels and a Gold Museum is the site of the first gold rush and Georgia’s entry to the Appalachians. A long-distance walking trail starts above the town. Dahlonega is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Atlanta via GA400 (a toll road). Dahlonega Chamber of Commerce (tel: (706) 864 3771 or (800) 231 5543; website: www.dahlonega.org) can provide further information.

Six Flags Over Georgia: This large amusement park (tel: (770) 948 9290; website: www.sixflags.com) has nine rollercoasters, including an ageing wooden monster; plus a wooden carousel and a diving spectacular. The nightly fireworks display and laser show are an exciting end to a fun day. From central Atlanta, take the I-20/GA402 west across the river, turning left at Six Flags Parkway.

Pine Mountains: Pine Mountains is a scenic area of hilly woodlands, hiking paths and mountain-bike trails. President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Little White House is nearby at Warm Springs (tel: (706) 655 5870; website: www.fdr-littlewhitehouse.org) as are the lovely Callaway Gardens with their butterfly centre and azalea gardens (tel: (800) 225 5292; website: www.callawaygardens.com). Callaway is about 1 hour and 15 minutes’ drive south of the city via I-85 and US Hwy-27.

Stone Mountain: Carved within the world’s largest granite monolith is a huge bas relief Confederate Memorial featuring Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Generals Robert E Lee and General ‘Stonewall’ Jackson. Located 26km (16 miles) east of Downtown, Stone Mountain Park has become more than just the monolith. The 1,280 hectares (3,200 acres) park also contains a resort hotel and spa, plus attractions like a skyride to the mountain top, the nightly laser show, scenic railroad, antebellum plantation and an antique auto and music museum. Its newest attraction, Crossroads, is a recreation of a 130-year-old town with craftsman, town characters and live shows. Though its unique Treehouse Challenge and Great Barn are geared for children, it is fun for everyone. The park (tel: (800) 317 2006; website: www.stonemountainpark.com) is located off Hwy-78. The park is open all year round 0600-2400, although individual attraction opening times may vary.

Sport

Shopping

Since Atlanta is quite cosmopolitan, it is easy to find what you seek -- be it trendy or tacky, funky or fashionable or anything you can think of in-between. The city and suburbs are teeming with malls, neighbourhood shops, galleries and antiques.

Malls are by far the most convenient since most have generous parking, cinemas and restaurants. The larger and more varied are Lenox Square (Peachtree Street and Lenox Road), with the MARTA Lenox Station adjacent. With over 170 stores including Macy’s, Rich’s, Neiman Marcus and Laura Ashley, it is the place where Atlantans shop. Phipps Plaza, just a connecting shuttle away in Peachtree Road in Buckhead, features Saks Fifth Avenue, Niketown, Tiffany’s, Gucci and Parisian. Peachtree Center, 213 Peachtree Street, is the only mall within easy reach of the hotel district in Downtown. One of the southeast’s largest shopping centres, Mall of Georgia is about 45 minutes northeast of Downtown. For bargains, you have to drive a little out of the way to the Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawnsville or Discover Mills in Lawrenceville. Underground Atlanta is more the touristy-type destination with souvenir shops, food outlets and kitschy stores.

Speciality boutiques are often found in neighbourhood shopping districts. There are scads of shoe styles at Mitzi’s Shoe Box and funky frocks at Mooncake Clothing Co. Both are on Virginia Avenue in the Virginia Highlands. Buckhead has been called the ‘Beverly Hills of the East’ because of its array of designer shops, art galleries and upscale boutiques. For antiques and reproductions at almost feasible prices, visit Bennett Street. Just the Thing on Pharr Road sells attractive accessories like shawls, hair wraps, purses and belts. And, there are all kinds of charming shops down the road in the town of Decatur.

Many bookstores have in-house coffee bars and encourage browsers to consume the entire stock before buying. Barnes & Noble, Borders and Chapter 11 are all excellent literary emporiums. For out-of-town newspapers and magazines, Joe Muggs Newstand, 3275 Peachtree Street, is well worth a visit.

Shopping malls are open around 1000-2000, Monday-Saturday, as well as 1200-1700 Sunday. Sales tax in Georgia is 7%.

Culture

In the days of its antebellum greatness, Atlanta was a cultural centre with big aspirations. The major cultural venue is the Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street (tel: (404) 733 4200; website: www.woodruff-arts.org). This glass and stone modern architectural showpiece was erected by the then head of Coca-Cola, Donald Woodruff, as a non-profit-making service to the community. It commemorates a 1962 plane crash at Orly, Paris, which killed 106 Atlanta citizens and one of the buildings is still known as the Memorial Arts Building. The Center, now spread around a campus, hosts a continuing series of cultural events and is home to the High Museum of Art (see Key Attractions). It also contains three theatres, exhibition galleries and is home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance Theatre Company, the 14th Street Playhouse, as well as children’s and Afro-American groups. The Center For Puppetry Arts (see Key Attractions) is only a few blocks away.

A website (www.accessatlanta.com) lists the latest events information, while Ticketmaster (tel: (404) 249 6400; website: www.ticketmaster.com) is the agency for all cultural bookings. AtlanTIX (tel: (678) 318 1400; website: www.atlantaperforms.com) sells same day/half-price tickets for various shows.The ticket booth is located at the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau's Visitors Bureau at Underground Atlanta, 65 Upper Alabama.

Music: The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (website: www.atlantasymphony.com) was founded in the 1940s but only became full time in 1968. Fame struck when they played at President Carter’s inaugural concert; they have toured Europe and the Americas extensively. Programmes often feature classical-pop, with at least one distinctly non-classical concert each month. The orchestra performs either at the Atlanta Symphony Hall (tel: (404) 733 4900) in the Woodruff Arts Center or at the Chastain Park Ampitheatre, 135 West Wieuca Road (tel: (404) 733 4955).

Theatre: The Art Deco Islamic extravaganza Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree Street (tel: (404) 817 8700; website: www.foxtheatre.org), known as the ‘fabulous Fox’, is a National Historic Landmark and an attraction in its own right, with a star-studded foyer, fantastic balconies and exotic gilding. The Atlanta Opera (tel: (404) 881 8801 or (800) 356 7372; website: www.atlantaopera.org) recently moved to the Atlanta Civic Center at 728 West Peachtree NW. It stages four operas each year. The Alliance Theater Company (tel: (404) 733 5000; website: www.alliancetheatre.org) is based at the Woodruff Arts Center and performs modern American drama with an occasional European piece. The 14th Street Playhouse, also part of the Woodruff Arts Center but based at 173 14th Street (tel: (404) 876 6341; website: www.woodruffcenter.org/woodruff1/14thb.html), is an umbrella space that showcases the work of many small theatre companies.

The New American Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree Street (tel: (404) 874 5299; website: www.shakespearetavern.com), pays homage to the Bard with a Globe-like theatre experience. Lastly, the Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Avenue, in Marietta (tel: (770) 422 8369; website: www.theatreinthesquare.com), is housed in an old cotton warehouse and produces plays that reflect local history and feature local writers. It is only 20 minutes’ drive from Atlanta and worth a visit.

Dance: The oldest continually operating company in the US, the Atlanta Ballet, 1400 West Peachtree Street NW (tel: (404) 873 5811; website: www.atlantaballet.com), is over 75 years old and performs during autumn, winter and spring. Presentations are held at the Fox Theatre (see Theatre above). The Robert Ferst Center For The Arts at the Georgia Institute of Technology, 349 Ferst Drive NW (tel: (404) 894 9600; website: www.ferstcenter.gatech.edu) features jazz, dance, theatre and classical music.

Film: Multi-screen movie houses screen Hollywood releases and the international distributors’ list. The 1920s Fox Theatre hosts the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival with both classic and contemporary hits on the biggest screen in town. The film programme offered by the Woodruff Arts Center includes a remarkable range of foreign films, while the Goethe-Institute, Colony Square (tel: (404) 892 2388; website: www.goethe.de/uk/atl/enindex.htm), shows German films every Wednesday evening in their auditorium.

Movies shot on location in Atlanta include Sharky’s Machine (1981), Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and Sweet Home Alabama (2002). Parts of Apollo 13 (1995) were filmed on top of Stone Mountain.

Literary Notes: Margaret Mitchell, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece about the antebellum and post-Civil War South, Gone with the Wind (1936), is the city’s favourite literary child. The book has sold more hardcover copies in the USA than any book other than the Bible. Tom Wolfe recently moved decidedly upmarket and set A Man in Full (1998) among the rich and powerful bankers and real-estate magnates of the suburb of Buckhead in Atlanta. It reveals a seamy underside to their upper-crust lives and the city very nearly banned the author from ever setting foot in Atlanta again. More light-heartedly, The Cat Who Robbed A Bank (2000), a mystery by Lillian Jackson Braun, stars a wealthy Atlanta auction buyer.

In the non-fiction arena, the Southern Architecture Foundation has published the Architecture of James Means (2001), a designer of some of the local stately homes.

Nightlife

Nightlife in Atlanta varies from intimate bars to live music venues and nightclubs. Dress up for intimate dinners, dress showily for the Buckhead scene and dress as way out as you dare for Little Five Points. Some bars stay open until 0400 but tend to close much earlier on Sundays. Although the legal drinking age is 21 years, many bars may admit those who are 18 and above. Drink prices start from US$4 and vary enormously according to the establishment; draught beers are less expensive than bottled imports.

Little Five Points (west of Georgia State University) is the ‘Greenwich Village’ of Atlanta. A small group of live music clubs and performance theatres hosts the city’s cutting-edge artists and the small plaza area is a hangout for street performers and a younger crowd. There are a few festivals throughout the year, most notably the massive Halloween festival.

Buckhead, where Peachtree and Roswell roads meet, is for the young, smart and unattached, who pack the bars, especially on Friday nights. There are several clubs, a few live music venues, and tons of bars and restaurants to suit every fancy.

Midtown stretches from Downtown to Buckhead, and Piedmont Park hosts everything from the Gay Pride Festival to the Montreux-Atlanta International Music Festival and the Dogwood Festival. Make sure to spend an evening at The New American Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree Street NE (tel: (404) 874 5299; website: www.shakespearetavern.com), where for around US$20 you can see a full-length Shakespeare play in a setting not unlike the original Globe Theatre, accompanied by a hearty pub dinner, which will set you back about US$10. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis. Go early if you don’t want to watch from the rafters.

There is a website with weekly listings on it (www.accessatlanta.com) and events information is also published weekly in Creative Loafing (Thursdays).

Bars: For European chic, Bazzaar, located next to the Fox Theatre at 654 Peachtree Street NE fits the bill. If casual and boisterous is more your style, try American Pie, 5840 Rosewell Road, Sandy Springs. Missing home? Sample the brews and the fare at the Prince of Wales Pub, 1144 Piedmont Avenue. Neighbor’s Pub, 752C North Highland Avenue, is altogether a more classy joint in the posh suburb of Virginia Highlands.

Casinos: There are no licensed casinos in the state of Georgia.

Comedy: Stand-up comics and improv draw big belly laughs at Uptown Comedy Club, 2140 Peachtree Road (tel: (404) 350 6990). The Punch Line, 280 Hilderbrand Drive (tel: (404) 252 5233; website: www.punchline.com) has attracted headliners like Jerry Seinfeld.

Live Music: Recommended in Buckhead are CJ’s Landing, 270 Buckhead Avenue NE, for reggae on a deck, and Cafe 290, 290 Hildebrand Drive NE, for jazz. For blues, Fuzzy’s Place, 2015 North Druid Hills Road, is a little venue with a reputation for producing the real thing. Churchill Grounds is a swank little club cuddled up next door to the Fox Theatre in Peachtree Street, which has become the place to hear traditional jazz from solid local ensembles. Major concerts are held at the Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive (tel: (404) 878 3000; website: www.philipsarena.com), or the Coca-Cola Lakewood Arena, 2002 Lakewood Way (tel: (404) 627 5700), just out of town. Up-and-coming bands play at The Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre, 3110 Roswell Boulevard, Buckhead (tel: (404) 233 7699), The Cotton Club, 152 Luckie Street (tel: (404) 688 1193), the Rialto Center For the Arts, 80 Forsyth Street, Downtown (tel: (404) 651 4727; website: www.rialtocenter.org) and Earthlink Live, 1374 West Peachtree Street, Midtown (tel: (404) 885 1365).

City Statistics

Special note: When placing telephone calls within the city visitors must use one of the four existing area codes (404, 470, 770 or 678) with the number. In general, the 404 code is used within the ‘Perimeter’ ring road of I-285, while 770 is used outside the Perimeter. Codes 470 and 678 are in use in both of these areas and give no indication of the location.

Location: State of Georgia, southeast USA.
Country dialling code: 1.
Population: 434,771 (city); 4,857,497 (metropolitan area).
Time zone: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 9ºC (48ºF).
Average July temp: 32ºC (90ºF).
Annual rainfall: 1,200mm (48 inches).

Special Events

Atlanta Boat Show, Jan, Georgia World Congress Center (website: www.atlantaboatshow.com)
King Week Celebration, Jan, throughout the city
Martin Luther King Jr Day, Jan 16
Southeastern Flower Show, Feb, Georgia World Congress Center (website: www.flowershow.org)
St Patrick’s Day Parade, Mar 17, Buckhead
Atlanta Dogwood Festival, mid-Apr, Piedmont Park (website: www.dogwood.org)
Georgia Renaissance Festival, mid Apr-early Jun, Virlyn B Smith Road, Fairburn/Peachtree City (website: www.garenfests.com)
Music Midtown Festival, mid Jun, Piedmont Avenue to Bedford Place in Midtown (website: www.musicmidtown.com)
Atlanta Jazz Festival, May, various venues
Atlanta Pride, Jun, Piedmont Park (website: www.atlantapride.org)
Coca Cola Summer Film Festival, Jul-Aug (various dates), Fox Theatre
July 4th Celebrations, Jul 4, throughout the city
Taste of Atlanta, Sep, Lenox Square Mall, Buckhead (website: www.tasteofatlanta.org)
Stone Mountain Highland Festival, Oct, Stone Mountain Park (website: www.smhg.org)
Halloween Festival and Parade, Oct, Little Five Points
Atlanta Marathon, Nov, Turner Field Stadium
Rich-Macy’s Great Tree Lighting, Nov, Lenox Square Mall, Buckhead
Atlanta Turkey Trot (10km), Nov, Golf Club of Georgia
New Year’s Eve Peach Drop, Dec 31, Underground Atlanta
Peach Bowl Parade, Dec 31, Georgia Dome

Cost of Living

1 American Dollar (US$1) = £0.57; C$1.16; A$1.31; ¬0.83
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005