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A cosmopolitan city with a progressive mentality in the heart of the Deep South, Atlanta has maintained ties to its unique history even in the wake of unprecedented growth. Even as the exploding population and international corporations have transformed the city into a cultural and commercial power with museums, theaters, restaurants, shopping and four pro sports teams, Atlanta also features sites that honor its role in both the Civil War and the African-American civil rights movement.

Though sparsely populated compared to the surrounding neighborhoods, the downtown and Midtown areas are the hot spots for visitors, with nearly all the major arts and recreational destinations. Popular attractions like Centennial Olympic Park and the Martin Luther King Center are within easy walking distance of stops along Atlanta's subway system, MARTA.

Sprawling Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is billed as the world's busiest airport and is located 10 miles south of downtown. A $1.75 ride on MARTA's North/South rail line will get you to the downtown area in about 15 minutes, while taxi cabs charge a flat rate of $30 ($32 to Midtown; $38 to Buckhead), plus $2 for each additional passenger.

Splash in the Fountain at Centennial Olympic Park
The 21-acre legacy of the 1996 Summer Olympics re-opened for permanent use in 1998 and now hosts a variety of community events such as concerts and festivals. Still, the highlight of the park is the Fountain of Rings, where children and adults alike can play amidst the sprinklers or take in the dancing water show synchronized to such pop and classical fare as Neil Diamond's "Coming to America" and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture".

Run the Peachtree Road Race
Each July 4, the Atlanta Track Club hosts the world's largest 10K road race as 55,000 runners make their way from Lenox Square in Buckhead downtown to Piedmont Park. Get your application in early - the first 45,000 entries are first come, first served, with the remaining 10,000 awarded via lottery. If you're not the athletic type but still want to get involved, the event also solicits more than 500 volunteers to distribute water and T-shirts, keep time or handle traffic control.

Revisit Braves History at Turner Field
One of the better ballparks to capture the neo-nostalgia for old-time baseball, Turner Field is rich in artifacts and memorabilia to check out prior to game time. At the Braves Museum & Hall of Fame, see exhibits dating back to the franchise's infancy in 1871- including the bat Hank Aaron used to hit his 715th home run - or peruse the statues of all-time Atlanta greats in Monument Grove.

Take a Spin at Atlanta Motor Speedway
The home of two major events on the Nextel Cup circuit offers several racing schools for fans who want to experience the thrill of roaring around a banked oval at upward of 150 mph. The Richard Petty Driving Experience is on the track nearly every weekend between late February and November, offering packages for the newbie ($99 ride-along), as well as the wanna-be gearhead (30 laps behind the wheel for $1249).

Battle the Rapids on the Chattooga River
Featuring scenic views and wild rapids, the Chattooga is a top destination in the Southeast for adventure-seekers and even achieved minor infamy in the movie "Deliverance". Trips begin near the Georgia-South Carolina border, however, so for those who can't make the two-hour drive from Atlanta or who simply prefer a more meandering pace, try renting a canoe or kayak at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area just north of downtown.

Georgia Aquarium
225 Baker St., Atlanta, GA 30313, 404-581-4000
Located at the north end of the Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium contains just more than eight million gallons of fresh and salt water in all of its exhibits, and is the largest aquarium in the world. Opened in November 2005, it has more than 100,000 fish and sea creatures, including beluga whales, with 500 different species.
http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum
800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, 404-658-7625
On July 22, 1864, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Union army won an eight-hour battle for control of Atlanta. The story of that struggle is told in the world's largest oil painting. Forty-two feet high, and 358 feet long, it stretches around a cylindrical wall, a kind of theater in the round. The painting has been on continuous display since 1893. The museum is a repository of Civil War history. The Cyclorama is located two miles southeast of downtown Atlanta. There is ample parking or hail a cab.
http://www.bcaatlanta.com/index.php?pid=81

World of Coca-Cola
55 Martin Luther King Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303
404-676-5151 or toll-free 800-676-COKE
In California's Sonoma County, visitors go wine tasting. In Atlanta, people flock to the World of Coca-Cola for everything Coke. Tour this ultra-modern homage to America's most popular soft drink. Don't miss the free tastings. The World of Coca-Cola is located in downtown Atlanta. There is ample public parking or take a taxi or rapid transit (http://www.itsmarta.com) and exit at Five Points Station.
http://www.woccatlanta.com/take_a_tour.shtml

High Museum of Art
1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-733-HIGH
The finest art museum in the Southeast, with more than 11,000 works in its permanent collection. It is especially rich in 19th and 20th century American art. The High displays the work of many Southern artists, and is the nation's leading museum for folk and self-taught art. The museum is located four miles north of downtown Atlanta. There is ample parking or hop a cab or take rapid transit (http://www.itsmarta.com) and exit at Arts Center Station.
http://www.high.org/experience/exhibitions/default.aspx

Underground Atlanta
Five Points District, Atlanta, GA 30303
Atlanta's "city beneath the city" is a six-square-block area of restaurants and shops located downtown, one floor below street level and shaped by a welter of viaducts. The ornate marble storefronts, granite archways and decorative brickwork date to the late 19th century. It is the heart of downtown Atlanta's nightlife. Underground Atlanta, located in downtown Atlanta, is bordered by Peachtree Street, Decatur Street, Central Street and Martin Luther King Drive. Best bets: take a tax or take rapid transit (http://www.itsmarta.com) and exit at Five Points Station.
http://www.underground-atlanta.com/

Margaret Mitchell House & Museum
990 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-249-7015
Margaret Mitchell wrote "Gone With the Wind," and 60 years later, people still give a damn. The tour covers Mitchell's distinguished career, takes you through the apartment where she wrote her most famous work, and finally to the museum – a collection of movie memorabilia, including the doorway to Tara from the movie set. The museum is located three miles north of downtown Atlanta. There is ample parking or take a cab.
http://www.gwtw.org/tour.html

1995 Atlanta Braves (defeated Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 2).
1990 Georgia Tech (NCAA Football National Championship)
1990 University of Georgia (NCAA Baseball National Championship)
1980 University of Georgia (NCAA Football National Championship)
1952 Georgia Tech (NCAA Football National Championship)
1928 Georgia Tech (NCAA Football National Championship)
1917 Georgia Tech (NCAA Football National Championship)