Visiting Atlanta Georgia

Atlanta is a beautiful, vibrant city, famed as the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. There are many places to visit, and most of them charge a fee, so picking and choosing the areas you want to visit beforehand is essential. If you choose the more expensive attractions, do so as an informed and knowledgeable traveler.

Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta, located at Grant Park, is a great place to visit if you have kids. The Zoo currently boasts a pair of breeding giant pandas, a petting area, and houses primates and other African fauna. Tickets are around and $12 for students and seniors and $17 for adults.

Piedmont Park

The equivalent of New York's Central Park in Atlanta, Piedmont Park is a must see for visitors. This beautiful location is Atlanta's largest park and spans over 189 acres. Better yet, it's free. Enjoy an afternoon walking and picnicking in the sun. Come early, as parking is tough, or find street parking. or at There are public parking lots on Juniper (1 block to the West), and expect to pay about $2-5 for a place.

CNN Center

The CNN Center on Marietta Street is the world headquarters of CNN. It also includes a tourist oriented shopping mall and food court. You can eat food from around the world and watch CNN's multi-channel output to the world on large screens. Beware the steep food prices and high-end shopping boutiques that seem to have been built specifically to part unwary tourists with their cash. Studio tours are available, including demonstrations of the technology used and visits to viewing galleries overlooking the newsrooms and newsreaders of CNN, CNN Headline News and CNN En Espanol. Tours cost around $10, but admission to the center is free.

The King Centerand Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site:

This site memorializes Martin Luther King, Jr's nonviolent Social Change works. A memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. that was established in 1968, this historic site features a museum and preserves neighborhoods that include Dr. King's birth home and Ebenezer Baptist Church. Be careful and go during daytime hours as it can get marginally uncomfortable in downtown Atlanta at night. If you get the chance, do go ad it is a must see in downtown Atlanta,

Georgia Aquarium (http://www.georgiaaquarium.org)
Currently the largest Aquarium in the world, The Georgia Aquarium hosts over 100,000 animals in 8 million gallons of water. The Georgia Aquarium is another excellent place to visit when you stop in Atlanta. Tickets are a little over $20/per person, but if that doesn't bother you, you'll see the greatest collection of marine life in the world.