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Attraction Guide : Known
as the 'Capital of the New South', Atlanta is one of the fastest growing
cities in the United States. A modern, vibrant metropolis with a booming
economy and massive local development, the city is home to CNN, the headquarters
of the worldwide cable TV news service and Coca Cola. The birthplace of Martin Luther King, Atlanta has been linked to the civil rights movement for a number of decades and the King Center is a living memorial dedicated to preserving his legacy and continuing his work for human rights and peace. Underground Atlanta is a multi-levelled mall, below ground level and is one of the few remaining traces of the nineteenth-century. Little is left of Atlanta's 'Deep South' roots, so to capture some of the atmosphere of those days, visitors go to the Atlanta History Centre. Set in the grounds of a former estate, it houses an antebellum mansion, a farmhouse and the recently opened Atlanta History Museum that covers over 150 years of the city's history. Downtown Since being rebuilt after the Civil War, downtown Atlanta has often been transformed by waves of development and is now a thoroughly modern metropolis. Among the few remaining traces of the 19th century city left is Underground Atlanta, a multileveled mall that is, as the name indicates, below ground level - the result of several levels of train trestles having been built over the streets below. One of the city's finest historic buildings is the gilt-domed 1889 State Capitol, which has tours and exhibits. To the west is the National Historic District of Fairlie-Poplar, which was the city's commercial center 100 years ago. Its 20-odd blocks are lined with brick and tile buildings constructed between the 1880s and WWI. News junkies will want to head a couple of blocks northwest to CNN Center, headquarters of the worldwide cable TV news service; tours take in broadcasting studios and backrooms full of technicians, writers and researchers. Sweet Auburn For decades, Sweet Auburn was Atlanta's black downtown - a city within a city where African Americans created the institutions they were excluded from by white Atlanta. Though the construction of I-75/85 in the 1940s cut the neighborhood in half, it became the hub of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s and has remained the center of Atlanta's black life and culture. Several of the neighborhood's early 20th century churches, homes and commercial buildings are in good shape, making for an excellent walking tour. One of them houses the African American Panoramic Experience, known as APEX, which has several exhibits on the area's history and a movie about the neighborhood. Several blocks of Auburn Avenue have been designated part of the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site, in honor of the civil rights leader who was born here in 1929. King's birthplace is open for tours. A block west is Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King preached. Across the street is the Martin Luther King Jr Center for Non-Violent Change, which has a visitors' center and exhibits on the civil rights campaigner's life and work. King's tomb is on view at the site. Grant Park Just south of downtown, Grant Park offers one of the most unique multimedia experiences anywhere: the Atlanta Cyclorama. Built in the 1880s, the Cyclorama features a big circular painting of the Battle of Atlanta that revolves around the audience, with sound and light effects and an informative commentary. There's also a diorama and a short movie on the campaign. At the southern end of the park is Zoo Atlanta, where naturalistic habitats include an African rainforest and a Sumatran tiger forest. Buckhead A few miles north of downtown is Buckhead, one of Atlanta's toniest suburbs. It's got upscale hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, and some of Atlanta's best architecture. Among its showpieces are the 1917 Brookwood Railway Station, one of the country's few surviving train palaces, and the 1938 Cathedral of Christ the King, which has over 60 stained-glass windows. The Atlanta History Center is one of the best of its kind in the country. Located on the grounds of a former estate, the center includes an antebellum mansion and farm house, both offering guided tours. The focal point of the center is the recently opened Atlanta History Museum, which has excellent exhibits covering over 150 years of the city's history Getting Around : Getting There & Away Atlanta's huge Hartsfield International Airport (ATL) is a major regional hub and international gateway. There are taxis, shuttle buses and vans, rental cars and the MARTA rail system available. There are five Greyhound buses per day to Savannah and eight daily to Chattanooga, Tennessee. For those traveling further afield there are several buses a day to New Orleans, Miami, Washington DC, and New York. Amtrak's Crescent passes through Atlanta daily between New York and New Orleans. Getting Around The Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is accessible via MARTA, buses and shuttles, all of which run regularly to and from downtown. Taxis are relatively easy to secure and there are several major car rental agencies at the airport. MARTA is an inexpensive and reliable way to get around town. It's also well integrated with the bus system, which serves many of the areas MARTA doesn't. Transfers between the two systems are free. Taxis are not easily available unless ordered by phone. Unless you're going as far as Savannah, driving isn't recommended as the freeways and city streets can be confusing and are clogged during rush hours. |
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