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Atlanta

Atlanta Travel Notes

Atlanta is one of the true gems of the deep South. The drawls of the locals and the beautiful architecture transports visitors to a quaint bygone era. Atlanta serves up excellent food, superior shopping, and great culture, all delivered with customary Southern grace.

About Atlanta

As one of the country's largest cities, Atlanta, Georgia, is home to about 5 and a half million people and offers visitors a broad variety of activities and entertainment, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

Atlanta's History

Though settled for many years beforehand, the city was officially incorporated in 1847 as railroads were being constructed through the area. The railroads caused a boom of new residents and business and the city started to expand quickly. All the way through the 20th century, the railroads remained crucial to Atlanta's economy. In the 1960s, the city was a hub for Civil Rights activities and was desegregated much earlier than other Southern cities. Today, Atlanta remains an African American majority city.Atlanta is very large and growing - a prime example of how a city with no natural boundaries can keep expanding.

Main Attractions

For a sports lover, Atlanta is the perfect vacation: The Braves and the Falcons are the beloved baseball and football teams, respectively. But, in addition to these teams, there are clubs for ice hockey, soccer (male and female), basketball and arena football. Cost of tickets for Atlanta sporting events start at just a few dollars but can go much higher - it all depends what sport you want to watch and where you want to sit.

The city is also fantastic for people interested in the classical arts with an impressive selection of offerings - two symphony orchestras, a ballet company, and opera company, multiple significant art museums and more. Again, expect tickets to range in price (it is best to check online for each location).

One attraction not to miss is the Georgia Aquarium which is the world's largest indoor aquarium, impressively containing more than 120,000 animals and 500 species. Tickets start at $22.00. Atlanta also has a great children's museum, science museum, botanical garden and a wonderful zoo - all great family activities.

Atlanta is an ever-growing city with a significant skyline including excellent hotels, international businesses and modern apartment towers.

Where to Stay

As in any major city, hotels vary in cost depending on how close to the center of the city you decide to stay. There are dozens of mid-cost, average hotels in and around the city. Some of the higher quality, higher cost hotels include the downtown Hyatt Regency, the downtown AtlantaMarriot Marquis, the midtown W Hotel and the downtown Four Seasons Atlanta.

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