Capital of Georgia, home of the world’s busiest airport, and headquarters of Coca-Cola, Atlanta is a diverse city that mixes Southern traditions with contemporary urban America. You can tour the World of Coca-Cola to learn about the American franchise, check out the Center for Puppetry Arts (which has Muppets on display), and take an adventurous Sky Hike via suspension bridge and other fun footpaths through Stone Mountain Park.

An important contribution to American literature was also made here. Margaret Mitchell wrote American Civil War novel “Gone with the Wind” in Atlanta and her house is a popular historic site. 2011 is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the publication the novel.

Even in the middle of a big city like Atlanta, you can find big country breakfasts in the South. A true Southern breakfast includes ham, maybe a biscuit, and definitely grits with butter. Grits, a hot cereal of ground corn, are a revered staple in the south. Add a little cheese and some country ham to your grits and that’s dinner. You’ll find plenty of restaurants serving Southern staples like chicken fried steak, red-eye gravy, and pecan pie throughout Atlanta.

If you’re looking for something a bit lighter or different, Atlanta is quickly opening up as a culinary capital. New restaurants are opening all the time and you can now find authentic food from around the world here. If you’d like to combine Southern tradition with fine dining, then Atlanta is a great place to be because lots of new restaurants are taking those Southern comfort foods and twisting them into haute cuisine, too.

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United States. It’s easy to spend a full day here as there are several restaurants and cafes, plenty of bathrooms, play areas for kids, and many exhibits to see. There are exhibits on different types of aquatic life from around the world and you’ll see everything from tiny seahorses to whale sharks.

The Atlanta History Center is a complex of museums, historic sites, and gardens. Many of the exhibits are interactive and kid friendly plus there’s plenty that will interest parents.

There are plenty of hot days in Atlanta, so chances are you’ll be looking for ways to cool off. A unique attraction is the Fountain of Rings, a set of in-ground water jets in the shape of the Olympic Rings built for the 1996 Olympics. Kids (and adults) enjoy running through the jets.

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