by Jaclyn C. Stevenson

Created on: October 08, 2007   Last Updated: October 19, 2010

The Gateway to the South has a new name: Hotlanta.

The historic city has reinvented itself in the last decade, becoming one of America's most modern, accommodating cities.

Improvements spurred by the 1996 Olympic Games have given birth to a shiny new gem in Georgia, featuring clean streets, innovative architecture, and an easily navigable, recently upgraded subway system called MARTA.

The rich history of Atlanta, including its ornate southern estates, remains as well, and that diversity is seen in both its buildings and its residents.
MARTA makes stops at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, so traveling in and out of the city is convenient, as is exploring its many attractions, new and old. The city has incorporated some new touring options for visitors, including Segway rentals, and many travel hot spots are clustered together in specific neighborhoods.

Olympic Park, for instance, is adjacent to CNN Center and the Georgia Dome, creating a lively hub with several pubs and restaurants. Tours of CNN's media studios are a particular highlight, as are concerts and games at adjoining Phillips Arena.

For a more artistic view of Atlanta, however, a quick trip by subway leads to the Woodruff Arts Center, which boasts contemporary art galleries as well as its own tapas bar, Table 1280. Within walking distance of the w is the Atlanta Botanical Garden, one of the most renowned in North America. Indoor and outdoor gardens blossom year-round, and the stunning natural flora is accompanied by modern art exhibits, such as the massive colored glass sculptures of artist Dale Chihuly.

Those visual treats are further highlighted by seasonal events at the gardens; Scarecrows in the Garden and evening beer and wine strolls are typical in the autumn months, while summer concerts are staged in the warmer (or, shall we say, warmest) times in the city.

The botanical gardens and the arts center are also near Peachtree and Piedmont streets, home to the city's most eclectic and increasingly celebrity-studded eateries. Shout, with its rooftop bar and sought-after, signature martinis, is a particular hot spot.

For Hard Rock-hoppers, Atlanta's entry into the worldwide chain is recognized by the crumpled body of a car that serves as its awning, and its bartenders' own contributions to Hotlanta's popular drink list, including a series of sweet shooters each made with Peachtree Schnapps and bowls of brain-freezing margarita Popsicles, s erved on beds of cinnamon pita chips.

Regardless of the craving, however, Atlanta offers everything from wine bars to waffles (at Gladys Knight and Ron Winan's Chicken and Waffles!). For up-to-date reviews of Atlanta's newest restaurants, check out food critic Steakhead's reviews at Atlanta Eats (atlantaeats.blogspot.com).

Whether al fresco dining is on the menu or shopping and exploring is more likely, though, Atlanta's typical weather is also warm and mild, making it an excellent venue for comfortable day trips as well as sparkling night life.
Its many attractions have only grown more popular since the city took on its new, and still emerging, younger identity. Indeed, Hotlanta still serves as a gateway to the south, but in recent years it has become a destination unto itself.

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