With an estimated population of 447,841, Atlanta is the capital city of the United States state of Georgia. A culturally and economically advanced city, Atlanta is the place of liberal citizens who gave their active support to the Civil Rights Movement. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is ranked as the busiest airport in the world.
Economically prosperous, Atlanta is called alpha or world city and holds the 15th position in the world rankings for economics. The Atlanta neighbourhoods have seen a massive transformation, since the advent of the 1996 Olympics.
The city boasts of the highest concentration of educational institutions in the southern United States and is home to the prestigious Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology. Atlanta certainly is a fighter, after rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the Civil Wars.
Atlanta encompasses a 342.9 square kilometre area and is situated at the foothills of breathtaking Appalachian Mountains. The city is situated atop a ridge south of Chattahoochee River. The famous Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves the river ecosystem between Atlanta and Lake Sidney Lanier. The 77 kilometre stretch along the river offers visitors a variety of cruises and year round fishing.
The Summer Festivals of Atlanta are very famous with the tourists as well with the citizens. The people celebrate Independence Day with fireworks at Stone Mountain Park. Cultural diversity is also proudly celebrated at the National Black Arts Festival and the foodies experience gourmet pleasures during the Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week.
And to beat the heat of the month of June, locals and tourists alike take part in the Atlanta Summer Beer Fest.
Music lovers indulge in cultural curry during the Sweet Auburn Music Fest. It includes singing and dancing, along with the live performances of hip hop and Rhythm and Blues. The Stone Mountain Laser Show is a spectacular show of laser beams at the Stone Mountain Park during the month of October.
There is certainly no shortage of attractions for visitors to Atlanta. Some of the top must see's would have to be the World of Coca Cola, Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, the Children's Museum of Atlanta, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, the Center for Puppetry and Arts, Six Flags Amusement Park, Tullie Smith House, and the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum.