Atlanta

Introduction

Atlanta Downtown bei Nacht

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"Hotlanta," as Atlanta, Georgia is known by locals, is as the name suggests: Hot! Not only do summer temps top 100 °F for weeks on end with a 99% humidity rate, this capital of the south also is hip, hop & everything in between!

Neighborhoods

Atlanta is composed of a variety of neighborhoods for all times of day & all types of travelers:

• Downtown is the bustling centre of Atlanta in the day, for locals and tourists. If you're visiting the city, highlights like the High Museum of Art and Piedmont Park are prime attractions in this neighborhood.
• Virginia Highlands is yuppie heaven, with fancy boutiques, restaurants, galleries, and tree-lined streets of expensive homes.
• Little 5 Points has long been Atlanta's "alternative" neighborhood. Still the best place for people-watching south of Manhattan, "Little 5" is where to go for everything from organic food stores to tattoo parlors.
• Decatur is a laid back reminder of the little town it used to be, with a picturesque old downtown replete with artsy shops & interesting restaurants. Often called "Dykatur," this is the center of the city's lesbian community, with clubs and queer-friendly businesses abounding. not surprisingly, Agnes Scott's gates open onto downtown Decatur.
• Midtown is the masculine Decatur: pulling in higher incomes, Atlanta's gay population heads for the high rises, and in Midtown you can find "fabulous" restaurants, clubs, and other delights.
• Buckhead used to be where the city's elite went to get away from it all and hunt. Now Buckhead is where the elite (and everyone else) goes to be in the midst of it all. At night, this neighborhood turns into the Hip-Hop capital of the world, with famous musicians and celebrities pouring into the neighborhood's top restaurants, bars, and clubs.
• Cabbage Town is the new Little 5 & Buckhead rolled into one. Students come here to hang out & take pictures of themselves.
• Atlantic Station is Atlanta's newest neighbor(hood), and artificially constructed complex of shops, restaurants, homes & entertainment not far from downtown.

Sights and Activities

• Piedmont Park
• 

  Museum of high arts, Atlanta

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  The High Museum of Art
• Center for Puppetry Arts
• The Atlanta History Museum and the Swan House
• The Carter Center
• Fernbank Natural Science Museum and Planetarium
• Botanical Gardens
• Zoo Atlanta
• Martin Luther King Jr. House, burial site, & Ebeneezer Baptist Church

• The Margaret Mitchell House
• The Wren's Nest
• The Majestic Diner
• World of Coca-Cola
• Underground Atlanta
• Since the Summer Olympics came to Atlanta in 1996, the Centennial Olympic Park has been a star tourist attraction.

Atlanta has impressive cultural offerings, from numerous Theaters to the Atlanta Ballet, Opera, and Symphony Orchestra.

Around Atlanta

• Chief Vann House and New Echota
• Stone Mountain
• Callaway Gardens
• Chattanooga Aquarium

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the gateway to Atlanta and is located about 7 miles (11 kilometres) from downtown Atlanta. Since more than a decade it has been the busiest airport in the world regarding the number of flights and number of passengers, with currently around 88 million passengers a year! Regarding international passengers, it's way lower though.

To/from the airport:

• Rail: Hartsfield–Jackson has its own train station on the city's rapid transit system, MARTA. The above-ground station is inside in the main building, between the north and south terminals on the west end. The Airport train station is currently the southernmost station in the MARTA system.
• A four-lane roadway across Interstate 85 connects the Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center to the existing airport road network.

By Train

The Crescent , operated by Amtrak, travels between New York and New Orleans, stopping in Atlanta.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

Atlanta drivers are among the most insane in the country. Sadly, Atlanta is so poorly served by public transportation, that one practically needs a car to get around the city.
Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Public Transport

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) provides fast public transport on some routes.

By Foot

By Bike

Due to the rashness of local drivers, bicycling on the roads is not a great idea. However, Atlanta has a rails-to-trails bike trail running through the city.

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Undergraduate and Graduate Education

• Agnes Scott College
• Emory University
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Morehouse College
• Oglethorpe University
• Spelman College

Private K-12 Schools

• Arbor Montessori
• Atlanta Girls School
• Lovett
• Marist
• Pace Academy
• Paideia School
• Waldorf of Atlanta
• Westminister
• Woodward Academy

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

The US Postal Service is very good and well priced mail system. There are hundreds of big and small post offices in Atlanta. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS and DHL.