10 Things We Love About Atlanta

Call it The Big Peach, The Big A, A-Town, Dogwood City, or even New York of the South, Atlanta goes by plenty of nicknames. The capital of a US state that’s known for its peaches, Atlanta is where you’ll find almost all things peach, ranging from street names and summer peach jam contests to peach logos proudly shown on local license plates.

The city’s official name, however, took after Martha Atalanta Lumpkin, the daughter of Governor Wilson Lumpkin. Previously, it was called Marthasville, after her first name.

Atlanta is where the world-famous beverage brand all began. There’s even the world’s only World of Coca-Cola, a museum that’s one of the city’s main attractions where you can learn more about the history of the fizz and try out an interestingly diverse range of flavours. Did you know there are varying coke flavours around the world? 

This striking facility neighbouring the Georgia Aquarium might easily seem like a giant advertisement, but then again, the brand needs no further introduction.

The Varsity is not your usual hotdog joint, but a long-running dining institution in Atlanta. It has been offering meaty chilli dogs, burgers and shakes since the 1920s.

The original diner at 61 North Avenue in midtown Atlanta bears an eye-catching, big, red ‘V’ sign. It is enormous and covers almost 2 city blocks, seating about 800 diners. It’s no surprise that it remains the proud holder of the ‘world's largest drive-in restaurant’ title. Try one of the classics or go for a frosted orange milkshake or a fried peach pie.

Soul prodigy Ray Charles recorded what eventually became Georgia’s official state song, "Georgia on My Mind," back in the ‘60s. This proud state and its capital have flourished with a colorful musical heritage ever since. Its musical scene has made great cultural contributions, ranging from rhythm n’ blues and soul to Southern rock and hip-hop.

Some of the country’s most iconic musicians and bands of various genres hail from Atlanta. These include John Mayer, Usher, TLC and Arrested Development. The city’s colourful line-up of music festivals celebrating this heritage include SweetWater 420 Fest in April and Atlanta Jazz Festival in May.

Amusingly, a great number of streets in Atlanta have ‘Peachtree’ or a variation of it in their name. The actual Peachtree Street serves as the main hub. It runs from the financial district of Five Points through Midtown and up to Buckhead. From here, it swerves hard to become Peachtree Road. Past Brookhaven, you’ll end up choosing between heading down Peachtree-Dunwoody Road or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. 

Peachtree Battle Avenue was where the first attack in the 1864 Battle of Peachtree Creek took place during the American Civil War. Now, it’s home to pretty mansions. Here’s a fun catch: those Peachtree streets hardly bear any peach trees.

Another cool nickname of Atlanta is The City in a Forest. This is thanks to Atlanta’s so-called urban tree canopy, which covers almost half of the city. 

Beyond the downtown and business districts, Atlanta’s landscape spreads out as a lush green cover of native dogwoods, maples, cedars and birches. It’s no wonder that one of Atlanta’s great spring festivals is named after the native blooming dogwoods that thrive at its main venue, Piedmont Park. Visit in spring or early summer to see the marvellous trees in all their glory.

Ultimate fans of fantasy television series, sci-fi movies, video games and comic books rejoice over each Labor Day weekend in Atlanta for this enormous pop culture convention. Dragon Con first kicked off back in 1987. Each year, it has gradually drawn in tens of thousands of cosplayers, movie stars and fantasy writers of all ages to its fun and lively programmes. 

The festival also often includes game fairs and conventions. There are even mock wrestling tournaments and live bands performing covers and themes of their beloved pop culture shows. 

Every spring, around March or April, cinephiles celebrate international independent films and the art of cinema at the Atlanta Film Festival. The festival started in 1976 and has grown to present its own movie awards for feature and short films. 

Some of the primary screening venues in town include movie theatres such as The Plaza Theatre, Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and The Rialto Center for the Arts. Besides screenings, there are filmmaker panels and creative talks, which can be valuable for budding art students and eye-opening for the average moviegoer.

A springtime festival that you can’t miss out on while in the city is the Atlanta Dogwood Festival at Piedmont Park. The park forms a great part of the so-called Atlanta tree canopy, and its lush native flowering dogwood trees burst with pink hues during this time of the year. 

Besides celebrating the beautiful scenes, the festival presents a colourful mix of arts and crafts over an April weekend. Its Fine Artist Market is a great chance to see sculptures, paintings, pottery, jewellery designs and photography.

With more than 60 bands each year, Shaky Knees Music Festival is a rock-lovers dream and another great reason to gather at Piedmont Park. This exciting 3-day indie festival features a versatile lineup from world-renowned acts to up-and-coming artists. Shaky Knees is also known for its excellent food ranging from southern classics to vegetarian delicacies

You’ll also find top-notch amenities at this stellar festival. There are fun photo booths, cell phone charging stations, free water filling spots, official festival and artist merch for sale and much more. Whether you come by bike, scooter or car, there’s ample parking available. To stay overnight near Piedmont Park, book a room at the Loews Atlanta Hotel or Hyatt Centric Midtown Atlanta.