Atlanta also boasts one of the top 10 retail
markets in the country, and Southern Living
readers consistently rate it as the top destination in the South for shopping. High-end shoppers will be drawn to Buckhead,
known as the “Beverly Hills of the East.” This
glitzy uptown district houses shopping
meccas like Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square
Mall as well as designer boutiques.
Hungry? Just ask the locals for a dining
recommendation during your stay. Dining
is one of Atlanta’s favorite pastimes, with
residents spending half of their annual
food budget on eating out, according to
Frommer’s Guide. With more than 700 Zagat-rated restaurants
offering everything from upscale gourmet cuisine to New
South fare to farm-to-table dining, it’s no
wonder Atlantans are letting the profes-
sionals do the cooking.
ONLY IN ATLANTA, CAN YOU…
… try a “Coke and a smile.” Born and raised in Atlanta,
Coca-Cola is synonymous with the city. Visit the World of
Coca-Cola museum to learn the story of the famous soft
drink, now celebrating its 125th year. Go back to the early
years of Coke’s creation in Atlanta and follow the global
brand through the decades. After you’ve refreshed yourself by sampling more than 60 products from around the world, step out
of the museum’s front door and into
the hub of the convention district.
… visit “The Dump” where
Scarlett O’Hara’s Tara came to life.
Atlanta is home to the Margaret
Mitchell House, which features the
furnished apartment (nicknamed
“The Dump” by Mitchell) where she
wrote Gone with the Wind. The novel,
which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is one of the best-selling books in the world, second only
to the Bible.
… be a weather forecaster and
news anchor, all in the same day. Ride the world’s longest
free-standing escalator to get a behind-the-scenes look at
the first global news network at the Inside CNN Studio
Tour. Learn how to report the weather using a “green
screen,” watch the newsroom floor as stories from around
the world unfold, and keep your eyes peeled for a Robin
Meade or Sanjay Gupta sighting!
… find out what it takes to earn a Nobel Peace Prize, or
two. Atlanta is one of only two cities in the world to lay
claim to two Nobel Peace Prize winners—Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. and former President Jimmy Carter. See the medals
on display and learn about their legacies at the Martin
Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and the Carter Library
and Museum.
