Atlanta is the capital city of the Southeast, equal parts metropolitan bustle and down-home Southern comfort. The rapidly growing city is rich in history and culture and hosts a variety of exciting attractions.

Founded in 1837 at the end of the Western & Atlantic railroad line, warm, sunny Atlanta endured a rocky history. During the Civil War, the city was destroyed by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman at the Battle of Atlanta. Only 10 percent of the city's buildings still stood after the battle. Many of the city's residents were buried in Atlanta's now famous Oakland Cemetery. But the city refused to give in, and rebuilt itself into what is frequently referred to as "the New York of the South."

Central to Atlanta's history is the civil rights movement. In 1959, Mayor William Hartsfield famously named Atlanta "a city too busy to hate." The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in Atlanta, and he and many revolutionaries during the 60s dreamed of a new South, beginning with Atlanta. Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site and see Dr. King's boyhood home on Auburn Avenue in the Sweet Auburn district. His tomb lies in the center of the reflecting pool at the King Center.

It was in Atlanta that Margaret Mitchell wrote the classic novel "Gone with the Wind." The Margaret Mitchell House and Museum tells her story, while the Gone with the Wind Movie Museum celebrates the film with memorabilia from the set.

Atlanta gave birth to Coca-Cola, the world's first soft drink, as well as news giant CNN, the world's first cable television network. The city is the world headquarters for 13 Fortune 500 companies. It is also a sports lover's haven, with a rich athletic history and four major-league sports teams.

The Braves have called Atlanta home since 1966, making for one of the most beloved franchises in professional sports history. From 1991 to 2005, the team won 14 straight divisional championships, and took the World Series in 1995. The NFL's Falcons have also been in the city since 1966. In 1969, Atlanta entered the NBA with the Hawks and added hockey to the list in 1999 with the Thrashers.

Atlanta is home to the oldest on-campus Division I football stadium, Bobby Dodd Stadium, which was built by Georgia Tech students back in 1913. The city also hosts the former Peach Bowl, now known as the Chick-fil-A Bowl each year. The TOUR Championship, the last leg of the PGA Tour, is held each year at the East Lake Golf Club.

Music lovers may know the city by its nickname, "Hotlanta," coined by the hip-hop and R&B scene. The music industry is going strong in Atlanta and is home to record companies and music stars alike. In the late ' 80s, producers L.A. Reid and Babyface created LaFace Records, which represents such superstars as TLC, OutKast, Monica, Usher and Ciara. In the mid-' 90s, Jermaine Dupri introduced SoSo Def Records with artists including Da Brat, Jagged Edge and Xscape.

Cable television leader Turner Broadcasting System, a subsidiary of Time Warner, operates several cable networks from Atlanta, including TNT, Cartoon Network and TBS. The Weather Channel also calls Atlanta home.

If you are looking for a festival, odds are you will find it at Piedmont Park, Atlanta's largest park that welcomes more than 2.5 million visitors annually. In 1887, the land was to be used as a horse racing track, only to become the site of the Cotton States International Exposition of 1895. The city council purchased the 189 acres in 1904.

The city has experienced extraordinary growth, and today, Atlanta is the ninth-largest metro area in the country with 4.5 million residents. It is a focus of the banking industry and an international transportation center. During the ' 70s, skyscrapers by Philip Johnson, John Portman, I. M. Pei and Marcel Breuer shot through the city skyline. In 1996, the city had the honor of hosting the Olympic Summer Games, and built the spectacular Centennial Olympic Park.

Temperatures in Atlanta are set for fun, averaging in the 60s year-round, with temperatures ranging from 80 to 90 degrees in the summer, and 45 to 60 degrees in the winter.

The weather may not change much, but when it comes to things to do and see in Atlanta, the choices are diverse. Whether you are discovering the history of the civil rights movement, indulging in fine cuisine or taking in a night of arts and culture, Atlanta offers something for everyone.

Sources:
(http://www.ego.net/us/ga/atlanta/history/index.htm)

(http://www.sos.state.gov.us/tours/html/atlanta_history.html)