About Atlanta

Join more than 4 million people who call Atlanta home. Atlanta combines classic small town Southern Hospitality with all the amenities of a 21st century international city. Atlanta is the capital and largest city of Georgia. It is the county seat of Fulton County, although a portion of the city (the 1909 annex) is located in DeKalb County, and most of the airport, which is within the city limits, is in Clayton County. Atlanta is arguably a poster-child for cities worldwide experiencing rapid urban sprawl, population growth, and commercial development. As a result, Atlanta is a common case study for college students who study Urban Geography around the globe. Atlanta was a center for the American Civil Rights Movement and served as the host city for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics. One of the city’s nicknames, “The Phoenix City”, relates to its rise after the Civil War. The phoenix appears in many of Atlanta’s symbols, including its seal and flag. During much of the 20th century, Atlanta billed itself as “The City Too Busy to Hate”.

History

The Peachtree Question
Visitors to Atlanta often remark on a certain local curiosity: Even though just about every other street, plaza, or business establishment is dubbed “Peachtree,” there doesn’t seem to be a single peach tree in the entire city. The reason for this absence, simply enough, is that peach trees are not indigenous to the area. But the phenomenon of the peachtree naming mania stems from a confusion that dates back 200 years.

In 1782, military scouts moving west through Georgia discovered a small Cherokee village on the banks of the Chattahoochee River named, as the explorers understood it, Standing Peachtree. Historians, however, speculate that since it was unlikely that the natives had named their village after a variety of vegetation they had almost certainly never seen, the settlement’s name came from the pitch tree, a type of evergreen found throughout the region.

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Fast Facts

Zip Code: 30303 – 30360
County: Fulton, Dekalb, Cobb
City Population: 4,112,198
Male: 49.35%
Female: 50.65%
Median Age: 32.9
Ethnic Make-up:

African American: 28.9%
Asian: 3.30%
Hispanic: 6.50%
Native American: 0.30%
White/Caucasian: 63.00%

Home Median Value: $169,703
Cost of Living: 109.9%
Median Income: $51,482
Unemployment Rate: 7%

Neighborhoods

Downtown
As in many cities, Atlanta’s downtown serves as the center of most business and government doings. It is not, however, the hub of the social or cultural scene, and other than for fine dining or professional sports events, pretty much shuts down after business hours.

The ever-changing skyline is dominated by skyscraper hotels and offices, perhaps none more impressive than Peachtree Center, which serves the business community in both capacities. Most major chain hotels are represented here, as well as many of Atlanta’s most prestigious business addresses, such as the world headquarters of Coca-Cola. The Georgia World Congress Center plays host to a never-ending string of trade shows, while in the southern corner of downtown you’ll find the golden-domed Georgia State Capitol Building.

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Taxes

Property Taxes
In Georgia, property taxes are based upon 40 percent of the property’s fair market value, minus all applicable homestead exemptions. Each of the taxing authorities-the 10 municipalities, the Atlanta and Fulton County School Boards, and Fulton County-annually determine property taxes for homeowners and businesses. The authorities establish mileage rates which, multiplied by the property’s assessed value, determines property taxes. The Fulton County Board of Assessors determines a fair market value for a given property based upon cost-of-replacement and sales comparison figures from similar properties in the area.

Sales Tax
The city of Atlanta has an 8% total rate of sales and use tax.

Climate

By Car

The city is a hub for several interstate highways. I-20 runs east-west through the city, while I-75 and I-85 run roughly north-south and join near the center of the city as the Downtown Connector before splitting off again. The bypass for all three interstates, I-285 circles Atlanta and some of its inner suburbs. To locals I-285 is known as “the perimeter” and marks a dividing line between inner suburbs and outer suburbs. I-75 just north of the Windy Hill Road interchange in Cobb County is one of the widest freeways (seventeen lanes) in the entire world. The intersection of I-85 and I- 285 in Doraville (locally referred to as Spaghetti Junction) is one of the tallest on the east coast of the United States. Metropolitan Atlanta is crisscrossed by thirteen freeways (I-75, I-85, I-20, I-575, Georgia 400, Georgia 141, I-675, I-285, Georgia 316, I-985, The Stone Mountain Freeway, The Lakewood Freeway and the Downtown Connector). The Georgia  Department of Transportation operates Georgia Navigator to disseminate current traffic (travel times, high volume, wrecks) and road (construction, flooding, ice, debris) conditions throughout the state.

Public Transportation

MARTA
(404) 848-5000
Email: custserv@itsmarta.com
www.itsmarta.com

MARTA is the public transit agency, operating the subway and bus system. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is Atlanta’s state-of-the-art public transportation system. MARTA’s mission is to provide customers with the highest level of safe, clean, reliable, and affordable transportation. If you’re visiting Atlanta on business or pleasure, it can take you to most major hotels, conventions or venues fairly cheaply.

MARTA – $1.75 one-way pass, good for travel anywhere on the system. Serving Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead and Perimeter, as well as Decatur and other popular destinations.

Air Transportation

Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson
6000 North Terminal Parkway Suite 435
Atlanta, GA 30320
(404) 209-1700
www.atlanta-airport.com

Hartsfield-Jackson bears the proud distinction of being “the world’s busiest passenger airport.”

Terminal North
Air Canada Concourse: D
Air Jamaica Concourse: E
AirTran Concourse: C
American Concourse: T
British Airways Concourse: E
Continental Concourse: D
Corporate Concourse: D
Frontier Concourse: D
Independence Air Concourse: D
KLM Concourse: E
Korean Air Concourse: E

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All Emergencies: 911

Poison Control: (800) 764-7661

Runaway Hotline: (800) 392-3352

Television

TV Stations

Newspapers

Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(770) 263-3900
72 Marietta St NW
Atlanta, GA 30303

Few cities in America have a daily newspaper that has published continuously for more than 100 years. Until recently Atlanta had two-the Atlanta Constitution, first published on June 16, 1868, and the Atlanta Journal, which debuted on February 24, 1883. The longtime rivals, which had been under common ownership since March 1950, merged on November 5, 2001, and are currently published daily under a joint masthead. The Journal-Constitution is the largest daily newspaper in the Southeast, with an average daily circulation of 640,000.

Dining & Nightlife

Downtown
Downtown’s place to see and be seen is Mumbo Jumbo, a high energy contemporary American joint with a trendy late-night lounge. Another high-end favorite with local celebs is City Grill, which puts out fancy renderings of old Southern classics. For business tete-atetes, head for the no-nonsense, wood-paneled charm of Dailey’s.

The city’s best Russian is found at Nikolai’s Roof on the 30th floor of the Atlanta Hilton and Towers. You’ll find the Westin well-stocked, too, from the Savannah Fish Company at street level to the elegant, rotating Sun Dial offering unparalleled views from the roof. For local tradition, few options can touch the Varsity. Since 1928, this white tiled drive-in has wheeled out greasy dogs and chili burgers to rave reviews.

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Historical

The legacy of Atlanta’s past is given its rightful due in Buckhead at the Atlanta History Center, just down West Paces Ferry Road from the Governor’s Mansion. In addition to its excellent museum, the history center maintains an expansive property of gardens and trails, complete with an authentically-restored working plantation.

Of course, no event played a more prominent role in the history of Atlanta than the Civil War. The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was perhaps the South’s most significant victory in the fighting for Atlanta in 1864, and this slice of history is immortalized at the 3,000-acre Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. For more on Atlanta’s role in the Civil War, visit the Cyclorama in Grant Park, a 365-degree mural that depicts the Battle of Atlanta.

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Parks

With over 180 acres of lakes, fields, tennis courts and bike paths, Midtown’s Piedmont Park plays host to concerts, arts and crafts shows, and the annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival. In the heart of downtown, Centennial Olympic Park, with its spectacular five concentric- ring fountain, is a popular spot with lunch-hour sunseekers. A bit more bucolic and relaxed is Chastain Park in Buckhead, which features a two-and-a-half-mile walking trail and hosts a summer concert series.

Stone Mountain Park
Highway 78 East
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
(770) 498-5690, (800) 401-2407

Located on 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of fun family activities and things to do in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Amazing adventures await as you discover interactive children’s attractions. Plus you’ll not want to miss such fun annual events as the Yellow Daisy Festival or the Indian Pow Wow. Stone Mountain activities are suitable for all ages.

Theater

Atlanta’s premier venue for stage events is also one of her most beloved and storied landmarks. The Fabulous Fox Theater was built as in 1916 at the corner of Peachtree Street and Ponce de Leon, as a temple for the Shriners fraternal organization. Today, the Fox plays host to myriad cultural events, including concerts, musicals, opera, ballet, and regular performances by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

A few blocks down Peachtree, the Woodruff Performing Arts Center is the home turf of the Alliance Theatre Company, and also sponsors a full schedule of ballet and children’s shows. Numerous other companies compete to produce a crowded theater schedule each year in Atlanta. Among the most popular venues are Midtown’s Shakespeare Tavern, Seven Stages Theatre, and Neighborhood Playhouse.

Museums

Located in the northwest corner of Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Botanical Gardens houses floral specimens from the four corners of the globe, as well as a family-friendly children’s garden. Flora is fine, but it can’t roar like fauna, which can be found in abundance at Zoo Atlanta, located within the grounds of beautiful Grant Park. Lovers of high culture will discover a world of spiraling wonder at the High Museum of Art in Midtown. This architectural marvel is home to over 10,000 works, and plays frequent host to touring collections, such as those of Pablo Picasso and Norman Rockwell. For all-out fascination, few attractions can match the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, which also offers a five-story movie screen in its I-MAX theater. Or for a refreshing twist on history, learn that of the planet’s most famous soft drink at the World of Coca- Cola Museum at Underground Atlanta.

Music

For top-notch classical entertainment, nothing beats the summer classics series at Chastain Park Amphitheater. This 6,000-seat pavilion plays host to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from June through August, as some of the biggest names in show business perform to the accompaniment of the ASO. If you like your music a bit louder, head down I-85 to the Coca-Cola Lakewood Amphitheater. This outdoor venue features 7,000 covered seats and an expansive, sloping lawn to accommodate 12,000 more. Recent bookings have included such powerhouses as the Dave Matthews Band and the Lilith Fair. Tops among smaller venues is Blind Willie’s, a tiny Virginia-Highlands dive that offers an intimate setting for some of the best local talent and legendary stars working in blues today. A few blocks away in Midtown, the Cotton Club is popular with a younger crowd, and provides a great atmosphere for getting to know the best in up and-coming bands. For true variety, head over to the Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points. Harmony and soft strings are the keys at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, where such prominent acts as the Indigo Girls frequently drop in.

Sports

Few professional teams have dominated their sport as totally as baseball’s Atlanta Braves of the 1990s. Their home is Turner Field, one of Major League Baseball’s most modern and entertaining facilities, and features restaurants, a museum and interactive games.

Home games for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons are played at the Georgia Dome, while across the street, Phillips Arena is home to the Atlanta Hawks and the National Hockey League’s newest franchise, the Atlanta Thrashers. For exciting college action, step over to the Georgia Tech campus in Midtown or Georgia State downtown to watch their athletes compete in two dozen varsity sports

Recommended Tours

Downtown Walking Tour
The Visitors Center at Centennial Olympic Park is a good place to start any visit to Atlanta. The site of the tragic Olympic bombing in 1996, the park now features a memorial, ringed fountains whose displays are choreographed to music, and a column of flags honoring past Olympic hosts. Across the street stands the state-of the- art Georgia Dome, home of the football Falcons and Super Bowl XXXIV, as well as Phillips Arena, where basketball’s Atlanta Hawks and hockey’s Atlanta Thrashers play their home contests. Tours are available of both facilities.

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Primary/Secondary Education

Students who are age five by December 31 and who have lived outside the state of Georgia for the past two years and have enrolled in a public or accredited private kindergarten may enroll in public kindergarten in Georgia. Students who are six by December 31 and who have lived outside the state of Georgia for the past two years and have completed public or accredited private kindergarten or have attended a public or accredited private first grade may enroll in first grade in Georgia.

To enroll in the public school system a parent or legal guardian must be a resident of the school system.

Registration Requirements

Ear, Eye and Dental Screening
No child entering a Georgia school for the first time shall be admitted unless the child has a certificate of eye, ear and dental screening. This Georgia Department of Human Resources certificate (Form 3300) must be signed by the Health Department or a licensed Georgia physician.

Immunization Certificate
Georgia requires students to be immunized against measles, mumps, polio, rubella, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, haemophilus influenza, and varicella. Immunization information must be on the proper Georgia Department of Human Resources form; these are available through the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness or local physicians (Form 3231).

Sixth grade students must have an additional MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine and are required to have the chicken pox (varicella) vaccine or proof of immunity. The Georgia DHR Form 3189 is acceptable for these students showing the additional immunizations for 6th graders. Forms 3231 and 3189 must be signed by the Health Department or a licensed Georgia physician.

Birth Certificate
Must be government issued-hospital certificates are not acceptable.

Proof of Residency
Two documents indicating residence in the attendance area must be provided. Appropriate records for verification of residency must include any two of the following:

• Copy of home mortgage payment book
• Current utility bill (gas, electric, or water)
• Apartment lease showing name of legal guardian
• Homeowner’s insurance registration/card
• Current Paycheck stub
• Current Bank statement
• Driver’s license showing legal guardian’s current address with one of the above
• Copy of sales contract
• Receipt to have utilities connected
• Affidavit of Residency with signatures from the permanent resident and parent or guardian notarized with two of the above.

The two additional documents should bear the name of the person signing as the  permanent resident of the dwelling or apartment.

Academic Records
If possible, please bring most recent report card, withdrawal form from previous school and/or transcripts. These are essential for proper placement of students. Students in grades 7-12 also will need copies of any discipline records.

Higher Education

Community Colleges
Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.

The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.

Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.

Online Learning
Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes- and financial aid is equally available-while the cost to the institution can be much less.

There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.

Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them.

Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online.

Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.

Public vs. Private
Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.

Universities
Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.

Upper Division
Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.

Where To Stay

Downtown
The sky-scraping Atlanta Hilton & Towers, with 104,000-squarefeet of meeting space, is home to many of Atlanta’s major conventions. Built in 1967, the nearby Hyatt Regency underwent a $35 million renovation in 1996, and draws guests and non-guests to Polaris, its revolving rooftop restaurant. The Marquis Marriott is perhaps the most striking of downtown’s hotels. It features a 50- story atrium lobby that gives the feeling of standing in the belly of a whale.

If you’re in town for a sporting event, try the digs at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, which is connected to the Georgia Dome and the brand-new Phillips Arena. Although modern in every way, the elegant marble-and-wood decor of the Ritz-Carlton recalls the opulence of a bygone age. For those with a less expansive expense account, there’s the Days Inn, fully renovated in 1999, and the budget-friendly TraveLodge. For a downtown deal with an historical twist, check in at the Marriott Residence Inn, built in 1928. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the inn features enormous rooms and even allows pets.

Midtown
A bit farther north, Midtown features almost as many hotels as downtown, but at a more relaxed pace.

The world-class Four Seasons Hotel, though less than a decade old, got a $65 million facelift in 1998. The $1500 per night Presidential Suite is a good choice for those in the mood to splurge. The Georgian Terrace, a venerated Atlanta landmark, opened its stately doors in 1911. For a surprisingly affordable price you can join the likes of Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, who slept here in 1939 when the Terrace hosted the cast premiere party for “Gone With the Wind.” The Ansley Inn is housed in a 1907 Tudor mansion, and boasts 22 rooms of in-town opulence. For strange bedfellows, visit the Sheraton Colony Square, which has turned down the sheets for Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. And Sinatra.

For somewhat lower rates, check out the enormous suites at the Marriott Residence Inn Midtown, or try the Shellmont Bed & Breakfast Lodge, which dates to 1891. The Woodruff Bed & Breakfast Inn served as a brothel in the 1950s, but now this charming Victorian is a good bet for cozy Midtown accommodations. Find even better deals at the Biltmore Suites, constructed in 1924 as an apartment building by one of the Coca-Cola heirs, and host to such dignitaries as Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower.

Buckhead
There’s no such thing as a cheap sleep in Buckhead, but there’s also no better place to stay if you want to immerse yourself in the finest of Atlanta shopping, dining, and nightlife.

In a neighborhood known for upscale hotels, none can match the luster of the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, whose rooms were all redone in 1999. The wood-paneled lobby with its fireplace is a favorite place for the high-powered after-work crowd to meet, and the dining Room is consistently rated among the city’s finest restaurants.

Around the corner, the Grand Hyatt underwent a wholesale remodeling job of its own in 1998, while the Embassy Suites offers large rooms and suites ideal for families. For those who can’t bear to leave the mall, even after it closes, try the J. W. Marriott Hotel Lenox, which is connected to the exclusive Lenox Square.

For fewer frills and better deals, head for the Holiday Inn Buckhead, the Courtyard by Marriott, or the Fairfield Inn. For Buckhead’s take on peace and quiet, check out the Beverly Hills Inn, built in the 1920s on a tree-lined side street. The cozy Buckhead Bed & Breakfast Inn also offers reasonable rates and comfortable rooms, but, unlike most B&Bs, sits right in the heart of the shopping district.

Virginia-Highland

This largely residential neighborhood is high on charm, low on lodging, but what little there is, predictably, leans toward the quaint and charming.

Just one block off North Highland Avenue, the neighborhood’s nerve center of shopping and nightlife, sits the Gaslight Inn. Built in 1913, this quiet B&B provides guests with a truly extraordinary breakfast. A bit closer to Piedmont Park, Virginia Highland Bed & Breakfast is housed in a 1920s bungalow, and features a wonderful sitting porch, flower garden, and daily double-cheese omelets.

Just south of the intersection of North Highland and Ponce de Leon, you’ll find the Highland Inn. Dating from 1927, this adequate lodge features 100 rooms at affordable rates.

Little Five Points

This hipster hangout draws most of its visitors from local youth and out-of-towners with a curious disposition, so you won’t find much in the way of overnight hospitality. A few bed and breakfasts are maintained in nearby Inman Park, such as the King-Keith House. Restored to its 1890 glory, this gem features a wraparound porch and a full daily breakfast. If you’re an antique fan, stop by Sugar Magnolia, another Inman Park favorite.

Decatur

The town square of Decatur, a few miles east of downtown Atlanta, surrounds the Dekalb County Courthouse, and is rich with boutiques and a few choice restaurants. The Holiday Inn Select sits close to the government and court offices, and houses the area’s most complete convention center outside of downtown. A bit farther north, the Emory Inn rests in a very pleasant wooded environment, and is a comfortable choice if you have business at Emory University. Visitors to the university who value convenience over comfort will be happy in one of the 200 rooms at the Emory Conference Center Hotel.