Atlanta

Be sure to visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden while in the city. The Fuqua Conservatory in particular is worthing seeing, a giant greenhouse containing different climate-controlled eco-systems. A walk through the conservatory takes visitors from a desert into a steamy tropical jungle. Outdoors the gardens are criss-crossed with dedicated nature walks, bypassing many quiet spots designed for peaceful contemplation. The garden permanently features numerous sculptures and art pieces, as well as hosting art exhibitions on a regular basis.

Address : 1345 Piedmont Avenue

Website : www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org

Telephone : (404) 876 5859

Transport : North Decatur bus 36 from the Arts Center Station; on Sundays, Monroe/Lindbergh bus 27

Opening times : Tuesday to Sunday 9am-7pm (April to October), 9am-5pm (November to March). Closed Mondays.

Admission : $22 adults, $16 children 3-12 years, other concessions available.

Explore the 13 hectares (33 acres) of beautiful gardens, award-winning exhibitions, and interactive activities at the Atlanta History Center.The main attractions are two historic homes, open to the public offering informative guided tours. The Tullie Smith House originally stood outside the city limits but has been relocated to the History Center. The house was built in the 1840s and survived the near-total destruction of Atlanta in 1864 when General William Sherman burned almost two thirds of the city during his infamous 'March to the Sea'. The farmhouse is typical of most in Georgia at the time, despite popular belief that not all Georgians owned large plantations and mansions.The Swan House, built in 1928, is a grand Italianate mansion that is an Atlanta landmark, once the home of Edward and Emily Inman, heirs to a cotton brokerage fortune. The History Center also features several other historic buildings and exhibitions.

Address : 130 West Paces Ferry Road

Website : www.atlantahistorycenter.com

Telephone : (404) 814 4000

Opening times : Museum: Monday to Saturday 10am-5.30pm, Sunday 12pm-5.30pm. Tullie Smith House and Swan House Tours: Monday to Saturday 11am-4pm, Sunday 1pm-4pm.

Admission : $16.50 adults, $11 children 4-12 years. Other concessions are available, and discounted tickets are available through the website.

Though small, Ebenezer Baptist Church has played a large role in America's history. Founded in 1886, the church functioned as the epicentre of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Martin Luther King Jr acted as co-pastor from 1960 to 1968, and worked toward equal rights for African-Americans during this time. The church has a new premises across the street, but visitors can still tour the old sanctuary where King preached, before walking around the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park just outside.Annual events surrounding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January typically draw large crowds. Past speakers have included US Presidents, national and local politicians, and civil rights leaders. Remembrances are also held during Black History Month (February), and the anniversary of King's assassination on April 4, 1968.

Address : 101 Jackson Street NE

Website : www.historicebenezer.org

Telephone : (404) 688-7300

Opening times : Tours are conducted Monday to Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 9am-2pm, and Sunday 2pm-4pm.

As one of the South's pre-eminent museums, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is a gateway for discovery and exploration. It explores the story of the earth's history, the physical universe, the environment and human culture through exhibitions, programs and films in the IMAX Theatre. Opened in 1992, Fernbank is 'Atlanta's Home to Dinosaurs,' a reputation highlighted by Giants of the Mesozoic, a distinctive permanent exhibition which features the world's largest dinosaurs.

Address : 767 Clifton Road

Website : www.fernbankmuseum.org

Telephone : (404) 929 6300

Opening times : Daily 10am-5pm.

Admission : Museum: $20 adults, $19 children 3-12. Other concessions and discounted combination tickets are also available.

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in America, containing over 100,000 animals from 500 species. Creatures from all around the world are are displayed here, from whale sharks and manta rays, to sea lions and sea otters, penguins, sharks and a riot of colourful fish. The Aquarium also has a 4-D theatre that features an animated 3-D film, interactive seats and live actors, as well as a café and the Ocean Ballroom for special events. A popular attraction is the Dolphin Tales show, where features choreographed musical performances by the dolphin stars.

Address : 225 Baker Street NW

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.georgiaaquarium.org

Telephone : (404) 581 4000

Transport : The Aquarium is connected to the Five Points MARTA Train station by bus.

Opening times : Sunday to Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 9am-8pm. Extended hours apply during holidays.

Admission : $36 adults, $30 children 3-12 years. Ticket prices vary according to season, check the website for specific dates. Free audio tours are available.

Northern Georgia predominantly mountainous, dotted with numerous small towns, fascinating historic sites, and national parks and forests.Among the highlights of this region are the New Echota State Historic Site (the last capital of the Cherokee nation), Chickamauga at Fort Oglethorpe, and Jasper, where the marble quarries produced the marble used in Washington, DC. Also worth seeing is the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, at the end of the Appalachian Highway, and the spectacular Tallulah Gorge near the town of Clayton.The northwestern Georgia region offers hundreds of wooded hiking trails, sparkling trout streams, scenic lakes, and camp sites. Most of the towns and attractions are within an hour's drive of Atlanta, making them perfect day trips or weekend breaks from the city.

Located in deep in the city's art district, Atlantas's High Museum of Art is home to more than 15,000 pieces in its permanent collection. This includes 19th and 20th century American art, important and visiting European collections, as well as contemporary art and photography, and African art. The museum has an impressive collection of Civil Rights photography.

Address : 1280 West Peachtree Street

Website : www.high.org

Telephone : (404) 733 4444

Transport : Head northeast on Peachtree Street toward Walton Street NW.

Opening times : Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm (open till 9pm on Friday); Sunday 12pm-5pm. Closed Mondays.

Admission : $14.50 general admission. Other concessions available.

About 15 miles (24km) south of Atlanta in Clayton County is the town of Jonesboro, a not-to-be-missed destination for movie fans and those hankering for a taste of the real 'Deep South'.Jonesboro was the setting for Margaret Mitchell's acclaimed novel, and later film, Gone with the Wind. Devotees come to see the local historic plantation houses and learn about the real people whose lives inspired the fictional characters of the novel. In Main Street, the Road to Tara Museum is housed in the Jonesboro Depot Welcome Centre, containing original props, costume reproductions, doll collections, and an extensive photo gallery associated with the making of the movie.The Welcome Depot is also the departure point for daily tours, starting at 1pm (except on Sundays). The tours offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the true life stories on which the book was based.In Carriage Drive, a beautiful Greek Revival plantation home dating from 1839 is open to the public along with its authentic outbuildings.

Address : 104 N. Main Street

Website : www.visitscarlett.com

Telephone : (770) 478 4800

Opening times : Road to Tara Museum: Monday to Friday 8:30am-5:30pm, Saturday 10am-4pm; Stately Oaks: Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm. Gone With the Wind Tour: Monday to Saturday 1pm, or by appointment.

Admission : Road to Tara Museum: $7 adults; Stately Oaks: $12 adults, $6 children. Gone With the Wind Tour: $24.95.

Kennesaw Mountain was the scene of a bloody Civil War battle, where in 1864, General Sherman led his Union forces against the entrenched Confederate forces at the site. This resulted in the death of more than 67,000 soldiers.The park now consists of several thousand acres of protected land, covered with more than 17 miles (27km) of interpretive walking trails. The trails contain historic earthworks and cannon placements, wuere markers and memorials have been placed to commemorate the event.A small museum at the site displays Civil War artefacts, and a visitor's centre provides information about the battle on the site. This popular park is visited by more than a million people each year, many of whom come to picnic and enjoy the views that the mountain has over Atlanta.

Website : www.nps.gov/kemo

Telephone : (770) 427 4686

Opening times : Daily 6.30am-8pm.

Admission : Free, but on weekends there is a fare of $3 (adults) and $1.50 (children 6-11) to ride the shuttle bus to the top of the mountain.

Venture through the Victorian house where Martin Luther King Jr. was born in 1929. Here visitors can see where America's Nobel prize-winning Civil Rights leader grew up and where the movement was birthed.A half-mile stretch of Auburn Avenue, including King's birth home, the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached, and the memorial tomb at the King Center where he is buried has been made designated a historic site, drawing hundreds of visitors every day. The exhibits contained within provide insight into the life and times of this much-revered man. Tours are conducted every 30 minutes on a first-come first-serve basis.

Address : 450 Auburn Avenue NE

Website : www.nps.gov/malu

Telephone : (404) 331 5190 or 331 6922 for recorded information

Transport : Auburn Avenue bus 3 at the MARTA Five Points station, or MARTAs Atlanta Tourist Loop.

Opening times : Daily 9am-5pm (until 6pm from mid-June to mid-August).

Admission : Free

Although it doesn't sound like much of a tourist attraction, a visit to the Monetary Musuem at the Federal Reserve Bank leaves visitors unexpectedly entertained.Tour highlights include an extensive 'History of Money' exhibition, displaying antiquated currency from all over the world, and an interactive, multimedia displays that teach you how to spot counterfeit money. Tourist can try to lift a $450,000 gold bar, create their own currency, and take a free bag of shredded money to take home as a souvenir.Whether part of a guided group tour, or just perusing the exhibitions on one's own, a visit to the Federal Reserve Bank is bound to instil in visitors a renewed appreciation for the rich history that informs present-day money use in America.

Address : 1000 Peachtree Street Northeast, Atlanta

Website : www.frbatlanta.org

Telephone : (404) 498 8500

Opening times : Tours are offered from Monday to Friday, at 9:30am, 11am, and 1pm. Tours must be requested, by filling in a form on the Federal Reserve Bank website. Self-guided tours are possible Monday to Friday 9am-4pm. Self-guided tours are limited to the Visitor's Centre and the Monetary Museum, and do not need to be scheduled in advance.

Admission : All tours are free of charge.

Stone Mountain is situated about 20 minutes from Atlanta and features man-made and natural attractions. The best of these is the huge relief carving of the three Southern heroes of the Civil War, which has been etched into the mountainside. The images of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Generals Robert E. Lee, and Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson cover an area larger than a football field and are part of the largest relief sculpture in the world. Three sculptors worked in succession on the carving, beginning with Gutzon Borglum in 1915. He later became famed for his carvings at Mount Rushmore. Subsequently two other artists pursued the work that was completed finally in 1972. Visitors can either walk up the mountain or take the Skylift to the top to see the breathtaking view over Atlanta and the Appalachian Mountains. Stone Mountain also features a restored Antebellum Plantation featuring a colonial mansion, slave cabins, coach houses, and barns. The park contains several lakes and hiking trails, a wildlife reserve, and petting zoo.

Address : 1000 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, Stone Mountain

Website : www.stonemountainpark.com

Telephone : (800) 401 2407

Opening times : Daily from 10am; closing hours vary according to the season and attraction. Summit Skyride opens daily from 10am to 5pm, with extended hours in summer and on holidays

Admission : Various packages available. A one-day, adventure pass costs $31.95 Vehicle entry to the park is $15.

Atlanta's Fox Theatre, otherwise known as the Fabulous Fox, is a movie palaces built in the United States during the 1920s. The theatre's unique beginnings and Moorish design set it apart from other theatres of that period. Today it hosts an array of artistic and cultural events, including a summer film series, the Atlanta Ballet, and performances by national touring companies of Broadway shows.

Address : 660 Peachtree Street NE

Website : www.foxtheatre.org

Telephone : (404) 881 2100

Opening times : Box office is open Monday to Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-3pm. Closed Sundays.

Originally built for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Turner Field was converted after the event to serve as the home of major league baseball team the Atlanta Braves. Affectionately known as 'The Ted', the open-air stadium is a great place to spend a hot summer night in Atlanta. The stadium is also home to the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame, with exhibits on famous Braves players like Greg Maddux, Bobby Cox, and Hank Aaron, as well as Braves owner and stadium namesake, Ted Turner.

Address : 755 Hank Aaron Drive SE

Website : www.mlb.com/braves/ballpark.com

Telephone : (404) 522 7630

Admission : Game tickets start at $7, museum admission is $5 ($2 on game days). Concessions available.

In 1886 Jacob's Pharmacy, a small drugstore in Atlanta, began selling a new headache and hangover tonic called 'Coca-Cola'. In 1891, entrepreneur Asa Candler paid $2,300 to acquire the rights of what is now the world's most valuable brand. The following year he founded the Coca-Cola Company.The new, environmentally-friendly construction houses more than just a museum dedicated to Coca-Cola; it is an entire soft-drink experience. Thousands of Coke objects, trivia and memorabilia are contained among the interactive exhibits, backed up by commercials, radio jingles, a 4-D theatre, tasting, and a Pop Culture Gallery.

Address : 121 Baker Street, Pemberton Place

Website : www.woccatlanta.com

Telephone : (404) 676 5151

Transport : MARTA stop W1 or N1

Opening times : Sunday to Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm.

Admission : $17 adults, $13 children (3-12); other concessions available.