Sights and Sounds of

Atlanta

Facts about Atlanta

• Fastest growing city in the U.S. (total population)

• Known as the birth place of the civil rights movement

• Centennial Olympic Games were held here in 1996

• Hosts the largest 10K race in the World (July 4)

• Many attractions

CNN Center/ Tour

• The CNN Center is the world headquarters of the Cable News Network (CNN).

• The CNN Center also houses a major hotel and a large atrium food court frequented by local business employees, tourists, event goers from Phillips Arena and the Georgia Dome and conference attendees from the Georgia World Congress Center.

• Studio tours are available and include demonstrations of the technologies as well as visits to viewing galleries overlooking the newsrooms and anchors.

• TOUR HOURSMonday – Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Centennial Olympic Park

• The park was built by the Atlanta Committee for Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the improvements for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympic Games

• The park plays host to millions of visitors a year and several events including concerts, 4th of July fireworks, events, tours, festivals, etc.

• The Fountain of Rings is the centerpiece of Centennial Olympic Park and is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in Georgia.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

A museum in that presents exhibitions and programming about natural history that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public.

The Atlanta Fernbank Museum of Natural History is also home to the IMAX® Theatre (IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems).

Georgia Aquarium

• Fairly new- opened in November, 2005.

• The world's largest aquarium with more than 8.5million gallons of marine and fresh water housing and more than 120,000 animals of 500 different species.

• The Georgia Aquarium is the only institution outside of Asia to house whale sharks.

• The aquarium is currently one of only two aquariums in the United States to exhibit Great Hammerhead Sharks.

World of Coke

• Features the history of The Coca- Cola Company and its well-known advertising as well as a host of entertainment areas and attractions.

• Tours are available: Has 10 galleries with over 1,200 vintage artifacts, visit a real bottling line, have a complimentary bottle of Coca Cola, 3-D movie, Vintage Coke commercials and portraits, and a Coca Cola store.

Georgia World Congress Center

• It is the fourth-largest convention center in the United States at 3.9 million ft2 and hosts more than a million visitors each year.

• Holds many different events every year such as balls, graduations, world conferences, festivals, fairs, conventions, etc.

Atlanta Ballet

• The oldest continuously operating ballet company in the United States, the Atlanta Ballet usually presents six productions each fall-through-spring season. Performances range from classics to new works and include The Nutcracker every December.

Fox Theater

• A performing arts venue that hosts a variety of cultural and artistic events including the Atlanta Ballet, a summer film series, and performances by national touring companies of Broadway shows. The venue also hosts occasional concerts by popular artists.

High Museum of Art

• The leading art museum in the Southeastern United States and one of the most-visited art museums in the world.

• The High Museum holds more than 11,000 works of art in its permanent collection

• Also has different exhibitions each year

• Conducts different programs for families and children, free open studio for teens, etc. as well as films.

Underground Atlanta

• Is a shopping and entertainment district in the Five Points neighborhood of downtown Atlanta.

• Each New Year’s Eve, there is a grand Peach Drop event that occurs in Underground Atlanta, in which a giant foam peach slowly drops from a tower during the final minute of the year and is followed by fireworks.

Turner Field

• Home to Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium- it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics. After the games, the stadium was converted into a baseball park to serve as the new home of the Braves.

Georgia Dome

• Primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and now the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers Football Team!

• The dome is the largest cable-supported dome in the world

• Remains the largest indoor sporting facility in the United States

• Also hosts many other events such as SuperCross, Professional Bull Riding, Monster Truck Jam, concerts, graduations, SEC football games, etc.

Phillips Arena

• Home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and WNBA's Atlanta Dream, and used to be home of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers up until 2011 before they moved to Winnipeg

• Has hosted many top tours and events including: U2, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Chesney, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Disney On Ice, Harlem Globetrotters, Sesame Street Live and so many more!

Lenox Square Mall/ Phipps Plaza

Upscale malls, both located in the Buckhead District.

Lenox Square is the third largest shopping mall in the state, as well as one of the largest in the Southeast.

Phipps plaza is the most upscale mall in Georgia and one of the most upscale retail centers in the Western Hemisphere.

Top attractions in Atlanta (you can

get to by MARTA- - rail station/ bus connection)

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

A beautiful 30 acre botanical garden composed of a number of smaller themed gardens. Each contains different landscapes to display a variety of plants.

Zoo Atlanta

• Founded in 1889, the zoo is Atlanta's oldest cultural destination and is one of the oldest continuously operating zoological institutions in the United States.

• Zoo Atlanta houses over 1,300 animals representing more than 220 species. Is one of only four zoos in the U.S. currently housing Giant Pandas.

Martin Luther King Center

• Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King

• Nearly a million people each year make pilgrimage to the National Historic Site to learn, be inspired and pay their respects to Dr. King’s legacy.

The Carter Center• A nongovernmental, non-profit organization founded in 1982 by former U.S.

President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter. In partnership with Emory University, The Carter Center works to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. The Center is governed by a Board of Trustees, consisting of many prominent business persons, educators, former government officials, and eminent philanthropists. The Atlanta-based center has helped to improve the quality of life for people in more than 70 countries.

Atlantic Station

• The 138-acre Atlantic Station in Atlanta, GA places residences, office towers and retail establishments within walking distance of each other

• It counts a number of well-known names, including Dillard's, Banana Republic, IKEA, Old Navy, Pier 1 Imports, Gap, Ann Taylor, Victoria's Secret, etc.

• Atlantic Station in Atlanta is also home to a variety of fine restaurants and casual eateries offering everything from pizza to sushi to steaks.

• Entertainment options at Atlantic Station include Regal Cinema 16.

• Available housing includes apartments, condos, single-family dwellings, townhouses and duplexes.

Other attractions nearby Atlanta

Stone Mountain Park

• Stone Mountain is well-known not only for its geology, but also for the enormous ‘bas-relief’ (carving) on its north face, the largest in the world. The carving depicts three figures of the Confederate State of America: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis.

Walk Up Trail: A 1.3-mile (2.1 km) trail to the top of Stone Mountain ascending 786 ft (240 m) in elevation to a height of 1,686 ft (514 m)

Park features other attractions such as lazer shows projected on the mountain, sky riders, river boats, sky hike (rope course), etc.

Dining in Atlanta

Fast Food

• The Varsity

• The Downtown Atlanta location is on more than two acres and can accommodate 600 cars and over 800 people inside making it the world’s largest drive-in!

• They have been serving customers here in Atlanta since 1928. People from all over the world come to experience The Varsity because there is nothing like it anywhere!

• They even have their own lingo! “What’ll ya have? Have your order in your mind and money in your hand!

• “walk a dog” = hot dog to go; “bag of rags”= potato chips; “Heavy weight”= hot dog with extra chili; “Mary Brown steak”= hamburger with no bun; etc.

Even President Obama stopped by!

Seafood

• Ocean Prime3102 Piedmont Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 3030

In Buckhead

Steak

• Kevin Rathbun Steak154 Krog Street - Atlanta - GA 30307

In Old Fourth Ward/ Inman Park area

Asian

• Aja3500 Lenox Rd, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30326

In Buckhead

Soul Food

• Mary Mac’s Tea Room224 Ponce de Leon Ave Atlanta, GA 30308

Downtown

Sushi

• MF SushiIn Buckhead and Midtown

BBQ

• Daddy D’s BBQ Joynt264 Memorial DriveAtlanta, GA 30312

Grant Park Area