A Student's Take on Atlanta's Best Attractions

Atlanta is a beautiful city. Coming to school here from the North, I was in awe by the plethora of trees, the welcoming people, and all the sights and sounds that decorate the landscape. Some of my favorite attractions here that I'd definitely recommend a newbie visit include (in no particular order):

• Georgia Aquarium (Downtown) - A lot of fun and unique activities, shows, displays, etc. A bit pricey, but worth it.
• The World of Coca-Cola (Downtown) - Significantly less costly than the Aquarium, but just as exciting, if not more. I loved the tasting room. And you get to take home with you a souvenir bottle!
• The CNN Center (Downtown) - A jumbo screen displays the newscast in the food court, which has a ton of different dining options. Apparently the world's largest indoor freestanding escalator is here. A newsroom tour is affordable and intriguing.
• Stone Mountain Park (Stone Mountain, Ga.) - Probably Atlanta's best-kept secret? There's a mini theme-park, cool Southern-style restaurants, hundreds of acres for recreation, and of course, the Mountain itself.
• Emory's Carlos Museum (DeKalb Co.) - Great eating establishment inside and interesting exhibits. Free for students & faculty.
• Buford Highway (DeKalb-Gwinnett Co.)- Miles of international neighborhoods. Lots of great food!
• Buckhead (Buckhead, Atlanta) - Lenox Mall, Phipps Plaza, and a host of other shopping and business centers make Buckhead's skyline rival Downtown Atlanta's. Drive through West Paces Ferry Rd to find absolutely stunning and elegant-looking homes.
• Atlanta Botanical Garden & Piedmont Park (Atlanta) - Some really nice naturesque scenery with great skyline views.

I can't say I've seen all that Atlanta has to offer, but these are just some of my favorite places.