Atlanta, Georgia

As surprising as it may sound, Gladys Knight, Ray Charles, Ludacris, and The Charlie Daniel’s band all have something in common. They all wrote songs about the Empire State of The South, The Peach State, Hot ‘Lanta, or as it is most commonly known to outsiders, Georgia. With a population of close to 540,000, Georgia’s capital, Atlanta, is the 33rd largest city in the United States, and the greater Atlanta metropolitan area is home to more than 5 million residents, making it the most populated region in the Southeastern United States.

When many people associate Atlanta with dueling banjos and such, tourists should be happy to hear the reality is a far cry from the film Deliverance’s depictions.  Atlanta is home to The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Newell Rubbermaid, The Home Depot and UPS. Considering Atlanta hosts nine different Fortune 500 companies, it explains Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest airport, with the largest number of passengers annually for the last decade.

With its two terminals, six concourses and its underground transportation system, the Atlanta airport may make a visitor’s head spin.  In order to experience and enjoy Atlanta to its fullest, I would strongly recommend getting your luggage, walking directly to the taxi stand and taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel.  This little trick will save you some frustration driving through the city. Atlantans love their Peaches, and to show their adoration for the sweet fruit, have named 71 streets with some variety of the word “Peachtree” in their names.   As charming as that sounds, it can be quite frustrating  driving around town trying to figure out if  you are looking for Peachtree Road, Peachtree Avenue, Peachtree Place…well, you get the point.

As a native “Atlantan”  (which are hard to find these days), who has familial roots to this city starting in 1972, I’m going to give you an insider’s view to Hot ‘Lanta.

Atlanta is a large city that can be divided into smaller “towns.” Some of the more well known areas of Atlanta are Buckhead, Midtown, Downtown and the Virginia Highlands.  To fully experience Atlanta, it’s ideal to spend time in each of these areas.

A great way to start off seeing Atlanta is to immerse yourself in visiting the main attractions that draw an increasing number of visitors here year after year. In fact, in 2007, Atlanta ranked the 13th highest in the number of foreign tourists of any other US city. According to Forbes, Atlanta had just under 37 million visitors also in 2007.

Even as a “local,” I truly believe Atlanta is a fun city to be a tourist in. One of the first stops has to be The World of Coca-Cola (121 Baker Street NW. www.worldofcoca-cola.com) The World of Coca-Cola allows you to taste over 60 soft drinks from around the world. It always amazes me that while the name of the soft drink remains the same, the taste of Coca-Cola is incredibly different in various parts of the world. It’s also memorizing to watch a live bottling line and to take in the world’s largest collection of Coke memorabilia.

After the World of Coke, you can walk down to the CNN center and take part in the Inside CNN Studio tour, and learn all about what goes on behind the world’s news leader, whose headquarters is located right in the heart of Atlanta. If you book a tour in advance, you can actually watch a live broadcast in action.

Once you’ve had your daily fill of Atlanta’s main tourist attractions, hop in a cab and head up to Atlantic Station (www.atlanticstation.com). Atlantic Station is the closest thing to New York City that Atlanta offers. It’s a housing, shopping and entertainment community that keeps buzzing early into the morning. Reward yourself with a delicious frozen pomegranate margarita from Rosa Mexicano accompanied by their famous homemade chips and guacamole prepared freshly at your table.

Atlantic Station houses two of Atlanta’s most unique exhibits, the first being Dialog In The Dark. Dialog In The Dark involves going on “a life-changing journey,” where visually impaired guides lead visitors through sets that require them to perform everyday tasks (such as going to the grocery store, walking through a park, even ordering a drink at bar) in complete and total darkness. Dialog in the Dark has been in 22 countries and over 130 cities through the world. You will leave this exhibit forever changed, all of your senses will be aroused and you will have a new respect and understanding for those that are visually impaired. Make sure to have a dollar bill handy if you are interested in having a drink in never-ending darkness like you’ve never experienced before.The other captivating exhibit is the BODIES exhibit. As you may have heard, this exhibit features more than 250 real human bodies, some whole and some partial, providing an up-close look at the various systems and parts of our bodies. You will leave this exhibit knowing and understanding your own body and how you can take the best possible care of it. Even as a local, I found both of these exhibits to be forever life changing and incredibly unique experiences.

If you’re done being a tourist and want to kick back with the locals, head to the historic Virginia Highlands (www.virginiahighland.com). This is considered to be Atlanta’s most popular walkable neighborhood for shopping, dining and nightlife. Start at the corner of North Highland and Virginia and start walking. You will find everything from cigars, local artwork, day spas, do-it-yourself pottery, fresh flowers and delicious food. Start with brunch at Murphy’s, spend some time shopping, grab a cold beer at Moes and Joes Tavern and finish your relaxing day with delicious, authentic Italian gelato served all day at Paolos. By sure to say hello to Paolo while you are there!

If you are visiting in the summer months and are a music fan, Chastain Park Amphitheater is the place to be. This outdoor amphitheater opened in a quaint Buckhead neighborhood in 1944, and in 2008 it celebrated its 35th anniversary (after a $2.3 million dollar renovation). A variety of artists have played on this stage, among them Van Morrison, Tony Bennett, Jay Z, Loggins and Messina, Lenny Kravitz, The Indigo Girls, Counting Crows, Stevie Wonder and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (just to name a few!). What makes this venue unique, besides it being outdoors alongside a beautiful park, is that most concerts allow for food and drink to be brought in. Crack open a bottle of wine, have some sushi, and sit back and enjoy the show (visit www.chastainseries.com or www.classicchastain.com for concert information).

For those born to shop, nothing beats Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. Phipps is considered by locals the southeast’s premier upscale shopping center, and is anchored by Nordstrom, Belk. and Saks Fifth Avenue, Inside you’ll find more than 100 specialty stores including Gucci, Juicy Couture, Tiffany’s, Tory Burch, Jimmy Choo and Giorgio Armani — all in the heart of Georgia. After working up an appetite shopping, stop by The Tavern at Phipps for the live music, strong martinis, great scene and their famous Tavern Chips (a cross between gourmet pizza and nachos). Not to mention the (often scantily clad) wait staff at The Tavern is voted by Atlantans as “most attractive” year after year. The Tavern is a one-of-a-kind Atlanta experience not to be missed.

If you are in the mood for a relaxing day, start with a delicious breakfast at The Flying Biscuit Café (located on Piedmont Avenue, www.flyingbiscuit.com). Breakfast is served all day and each meal is served with a delicious, hot , homemade, biscuit. Locals and tourists alike rave about their organic oatmeal pancakes and variety of omelets. The lines for a table can be long, so go on the early side if you don’t like waiting.  After breakfast, walk down to Piedmont Park (www.piedmontpark.org).  Piedmont Park was established in 1904, and runs along 10th street and Piedmont Avenue.  The park offers fishing,  picnic facilities, playgrounds, skating, biking, walking and jogging trails, soccer, volleyball, an off leash dog park and even a farmers market on Saturday mornings during the summer months.   Bring a newspaper and possibly a blanket, kick your shoes off, and find a nice spot on the grass to just relax and enjoy the diverse crowd that frequents this park.

If you’re in Atlanta for an extended stay and want to venture outside the perimeter (outside the main interstate that unofficially divides the city of Atlanta with the surrounding suburbs or “OTP” as locals call it), there are a variety of places well worth the drive.    One of these places is Stone Mountain Park (www.stonemountainpark.com). Stone Mountain Park is a 3,200 acre park built around “the largest exposed piece of granite in the world.” On the north side of the mountain, you will see the largest bas-relief in the world (it measures three acres long!). The images of three main figures of the Confederate States of America are carved here. Stone Mountain is the place to go for an “old south” experience.  During the summer months, Stone Mountain is known for its 40 minute light show that is perfectly choreographed to music, with the mountain serving as the backdrop for this show. Get there early, put your blanket down to mark your spot, then hike up to the top of the mountain for a view of the entire city.