One of the most important business hubs in America, Atlanta is the ninth largest metropolitan area in the whole of the US.  Companies such as Coca-Cola, UPS and Delta Air Lines have their World Headquarters situated there and subsequently the city has evolved around its corporate cliental.

That's not to say there isn't plenty for the general tourist to appreciate and find welcoming.  Quite the opposite, in fact the need for major businesses to have good transport links, makes Atlanta an easy city to get around.  It also means that the range of restaurants, bars and cafés provide ample choice for all tastes.

A must for any visitor is a trip to the Fox Theatre.  This is one of the biggest grossing theatres in the world and is something of an historic landmark.  There are also the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Ballet and many Choirs.  Certainly there’s lots of choice for classical music lovers.

Marching bands are also a big feature of Atlanta’s cultural mixture, and it’s the home to the Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps, competitors in the Drum Corps International and Crum Corps Associates circuits.

Aside from the music scene, Atlanta has many parks and National Geographic has even ranked the city one of its “Places of a Lifetime”.  This is mainly due to mix of architecture and trees, certainly prevalent around Piedmont Park, the city’s largest park.  This is the scene for many festivals and cultural events during the year with an amazing backdrop.

The world’s largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium was opened in 2005 and features between 100,000 and 120,000 different fish and other living sea creatures.  It is notable as being the only institution to hold whale sharks outside of the Asian continent.  Adjacent to the aquarium is the World Of Coca-Cola, a journey through the history of the brand and gives visitors the chance to try some of the global products to company makes.

For shoppers, a visit to Underground Atlanta is a must.  This historic shopping complex is situated under the streets of downtown Atlanta and houses a variety of shops, boutiques and various entertainment outlets.

Kids will love a visit to the Fernbank Science Centre, which features the craft from the unmanned Apollo 6 Saturn V space flight, or the Imagine It! Children’s Museum of Atlanta.  Take them to Grant Park where both the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo are located.

Sports fans are well catered for too, with local teams participating in Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League.  Let’s not forget that Atlanta was also the home of the 1996 Summer Olympics and many of the facilities are still in place and used by local sports teams.

So whether you’re a business traveller looking for something to pass the time in the evenings, or a seasoned traveller looking to experience one of the great cities of the Southern American states, you won’t find a better place than Atlanta.