Introduction to Atlanta, Georgia

Founded in 1837 as Marthasville, Atlanta is a city of over 420,000 people. It is the largest city in Georgia, as well as the state's capital. According to U.S. census estimates, the Atlanta metropolitan area is the ninth largest metropolitan area in the United States with a population of over 4.7 million people.

Atlanta is located in north/central Georgia. It is home to over 10 Fortune 500 companies, including household names such as The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Airlines, Home Depot, and UPS. In fact, as of 2005, the Atlanta metropolitan area was ranked third behind New York and Houston on the list of cities with the most Fortune 500 headquarters.

Atlanta was ranked as the fourth "Most Fun U.S City" in a survey conducted in 2003 by Cranium Inc. Factors taken into account in the ranking include the number of sports teams, restaurants, dance performances, toy stores, the amount of a city's budget that is spent on recreation, and other factors.

Atlanta "Must See" Attractions

Atlanta has attractions too numerous to do justice in a simple list. Some of Atlanta's more notable and unique attractions include:

The Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum
Centennial Olympic Park
CNN Center
The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
The Martin Luther King Jr. Center
Stone Mountain Park, home to the Memorial Carving which depicts three Confederate heroes of the Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
Underground Atlanta offering shopping, dining, history and entertainment
The World of Coca-Cola
Zoo Atlanta
Atlanta Diamonds

Atlanta at Night

Atlanta's nightlife is legendary. The city has more bars and nightclubs than it does places of worship. Atlanta offers just about everything imaginable from dance clubs to sports bars. Many establishments offer live entertainment, including some excellent rhythm and blues. Atlanta's bars and clubs are typically open seven days a week, until 2 or 4 AM. The best place to look for coming events is the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Friday "Weekend Preview" or Saturday "Leisure" sections. Atlanta Magazine and Atlanta Magazine Online are also good sources of information about dining, events, and attractions.