A short 2.5-hour drive will get you from Chattanooga to the South's largest city.
Atlanta is a big, sprawling metropolis with more food, culture, entertainment and commerce than you can shake a stick at. And with $1.5 billion in new attractions opened last year, and another $2.5 billion planned over the next five years, the City in a Forest is only getting larger and more diverse.
A day trip will do, but if you want to sample all Atlanta has to offer, better stay the night.
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*FESTIVALS, FLOWERS AND FOOD*Celebrate Atlanta’s most iconic festivals.Atlanta Dogwood Festival — When the native dogwoods bloom, Hotlanta throws a party. For more than 75 years, the Atlanta’s Dogwood festival has filled Piedmont Park with music, food, crafts and all manner of fun. Along with a juried art contest for sculptors, painters, jewelers and photographers, canine enthusiasts can enjoy the U.S. Disc Dog South Nationals, a world-class Frisbee dog competition. The festival is held in April. For more information call 404-817-6642.Atlanta Street Food Festival — This city celebrates food-on-wheels. In July, the city’s best and brightest food truck operators roll in to Piedmont Park to show the city what they’ve got to offer. July 2016 will be the event’s fifth year. It’s not all about food, though. The festival also showcases craft beer, cocktails and wine from the region. Eat, drink and bring a driver.*Source: Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
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*WHATTA YA HAVE,*WHATTA YA HAVE?*The world’s largest drive-in delivers unique dining experience.The Varsity, the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, can fit 600 cars and has room for 800 people inside. The restaurant is an Atlanta staple that serves 2 miles of hot dogs, 2,500 pounds of potatoes and 300 gallons of chili every day.The Varsity’s menu includes hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries, onion rings, salads and desserts.The restaurant maintains eight locations throughout North Georgia. At the downtown Atlanta location, 61 North Ave., the restaurant is open 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.For more information, visit thevarsity. com or call 404-881-1706.*Source: The Varsity
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PUPPETRY PROSCenter for Puppetry Arts includes performances, hands-on workshops and special events.■ Since 1978, the Center for Puppetry Arts has been introducing visitors to all things puppets.■ Catch a puppet performance at the center for about $16. That ticket includes admission to the show, museum and a Create-A-Puppet workshop.Tickets to teen and adult performances are $25, which includes admission to the museum.■ Past performances include “The Tortoise, the Hare & Other Aesop’s Fables,” “The Secret Garden” and “Peter Pan.”■ The center’s museum features more than 350 puppets from around the world.■ The Center for Puppetry Arts is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 12 p.m.-5 p.m. SundayFor more information, visit puppet.org or call 404-873-3391.Source: Center for Puppetry Arts
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*MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CHILDHOOD HOME*See the birthplace of one of the key figures in the American civil rights movement.From birth to death, the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site stands as a tribute to the Civil Rights leader. Visitors can tour the house he was born in, Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached, and his grave.The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; admission and parking are free. Tours of King’s childhood home start at 10 a.m., and the last tour leaves at 4:30 p.m.Most of the park is self-guided, and maps are available in the visitors center.The historic site is just off Interstate 75, at 450 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta. For more information, call 404-331-5190.*Source: Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
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*CITYPASS OFFERS SAVINGS, TOP ATTRACTIONS*Pick up an Atlanta CityPass to see any five of Atlanta’s most popular destinations. Just one ticket — which costs between $75 and $120 depending on the season — grants access to five of Atlanta’s must-see spots. Check it out at citypass.com/atlanta.World of Coca-Cola: Experience the intriguing World of Coca-Cola, featuring a multisensory 4-D theater, an 1880s soda fountain and the chance to taste 70 drinks from around the globe.Georgia Aquarium: Dive into a one-of-a-kind aquatic experience at the world’s largest aquarium. The venue features aquatic creatures such as beluga whales, penguins and whale sharks.Inside CNN Tour: This 55-minute guided walking tour of CNN Worldwide offers behind-the-scenes views of Atlanta’s CNN studios.Zoo Atlanta: Located in historic Grant Park, Zoo Atlanta features more than 200 species of animals from the African plains and Asian forests.Fernbank Museum of Natural History: Nearby Deepdene and Dellwood parks along Ponce de Leon Avenue, Fernbank boasts the world’s largest dinosaur skeletons and the city’s biggest IMAX screen. It’s fun for all ages.College Football Hall of Fame: Pay homage to SEC country’s official religion. Along with soaking in glorious gridiron history, you can take a stab at kicking a field goal or throwing a hail Mary on the hall’s 45-yard replica football field.Center for Civil and Human Rights: In the heart of downtown, this spot has been called the heart of the city’s revitalization. Take a step through time and see more than 13,000 personal papers and artifacts from the Morehouse College Martin King Jr. Collection and a litany of original stories and recordings from Civil Rights Era Atlanta.*Source: Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
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*Inside Atlanta Population: 5.6 million in the metropolitan areaBiggest employers: Delta Air Lines, Emory University, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, UPS, Turner BroadcastingLandmarks: Centennial Olympic Park, Stone Mountain, Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, The Varsity, Westin Peachtree Plaza, Georgia State Capitol, Turner FieldDate founded: 1847History: In 1837, before Atlanta was Atlanta, it was called Terminus because it was the last stop on the Western and Atlantic Railroad. In 1843, Terminus was renamed Marthasville, after the daughter of Gov. Wilson Lumpkin. Finally, in 1847, the name was switched to Atlanta, the feminine form of “Atlantic” and a nod to the Western and Atlantic Railroad. It became the state’s capital in 1868, due to its railroad access.Most famous residents: Author Margaret Mitchell, media mogul Ted Turner, Coca-Cola inventor John Pemberton, civil-rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., and U.S. President Jimmy Carter*Source: Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau