by Darryl Brooks

Created on: February 27, 2009

Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia, a state in the southeast corner of the United States. It is centrally located in the upper third of the state and has a population of over half a million, although the metropolitan area boasts a population of over five million. Its location makes it an ideal jumping off point for tourists because in addition to the rich culture and attractions in and near the city, it is a short drive to the coast or the mountains.

The city is rich in history, from being a major hub of the American Civil War, through being a key center of the civil rights movement in the 1960s and home of Dr. Martin Luther King. It is also the home and birthplace of world known Coca-Cola, and hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1996 where it gained a sad infamy for the Centennial Olympic Park bombing.

Atlanta is home to many attractions, and tourists could spend a lot of time there without running out of things to do. And even if they were able to see and do everything within the city and metropolitan area, the mountains of the Appalachian range and the Great Smokey Mountains are a short drive to the north, while Georgia's coast on the Atlantic Ocean and its beautiful barrier islands are a short drive to the southeast.

The city is home to franchises in all major sports. For basketball, there are the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Falcons play American football, while the Atlanta Silverbacks represent Soccer. The Atlanta Braves are the Major League Baseball team, and the Thrashers represent the city in Hockey. Most of the major sports are played in a central area surrounding the Olympic Centennial Park, with Philips Arena hosting basketball and hockey, the Georgia Dome hosting American Football and Turner Field is where baseball is enjoyed. The Silverbacks (named after the species of gorilla found in nearby Zoo Atlanta), have a new stadium just to the north of the city.

Speaking of animals, Zoo Atlanta is a forty acre park and home to almost a thousand animals in 250 species, and the recently opened Georgia Aquarium, is the world's largest with eight million US gallons of water holding over 100,000 animals in five hundred species.

Other areas of interest in the center of town close to the sports complexes and the Georgia Aquarium include the World of Coca-Cola, a museum featuring the history and culture surrounding the famous beverage. Also nearby is Underground Atlanta, a shopping and nightlife center built around old streets lying under the city. The Atlanta History

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