Atlanta, GA

Nature's most beautiful attractions are in bloom at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This 30-acre expanse is home to a collection of gardens, including a rose garden, a garden featuring edibles like fruits and vegetables, a conservation garden, a garden featuring water plants and many others. The botanical gardens are sure to be the most colorful attraction you see in Atlanta.

Address: 1345 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 - MAP
Phone: (404) 876-5859
Web: www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org

Explore the history of the city at the Atlanta History Center. The museum features rotating and traveling exhibits, and houses six permanent exhibits that showcase relevant points in Atlanta history. Events and time periods spotlighted include the city's expansion from a rural area to a metropolis, the Civil Rights Movement in the city, and the city during the Civil War. The Atlanta History Center boasts one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts in the world. This museum and attraction also has historic homes and gardens on its grounds, and has been teaching the public about Atlanta's history since 1926.

Address: 130 West Paces Ferry Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30305 - MAP
Phone: (404) 814-4000
Web: www.atlantahistorycenter.com

Take some time to enjoy the sights of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. The park was built to commemorate the city playing host to the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics, and features several sculptures and the beautiful Fountain of Rings. While you're in the park, explore the surrounding areas. You will run into some of Atlanta's major attractions like the CNN Center and the Georgia Aquarium.

Address: Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta, GA - MAP
Phone: (404) 223-4412
Web: www.centennialpark.com

Tour the studios of one of the world's news leaders at the CNN Center. On a tour of the facilities you will get to see a working replica of the station's Control Room. From the CNN Overlook you'll see the newsroom in action. You'll get to experience important points in history through the words of CNN's most successful anchors. The news giant's headquarters are located in downtown Atlanta near Centennial Olympic Park.

Address: 190 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 - MAP
Phone: (404) 827-2300
Web: www.cnn.com

Get your fill of nature and its greatest creatures at the Cochran Mill Nature Center. The center provides education on a variety of topics involving animals, their habitats, and our environment. Cochran Mill also aids with wildlife rehabilitation, taking in injured animals and nursing them back to health when possible, and permanently housing them when unable to return to the wild. If you're a true animal and nature lover looking for an experience with the wild outside of the zoo, you won't want to pass up a visit to this attraction.

Address: 6300 Cochran Mill Road, Palmetto, GA 30268 - MAP
Phone: (770) 306-0914
Web: www.cochranmillnaturecenter.org

Further explore the wonders of our planet when you visit the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Permanent exhibits feature a look into the life and demise of dinosaurs, a spotlight on world cultures, an examination of nature's impact on our senses, and a thorough tour of state history with A Walk Through Time in Georgia. Attractions and exhibits throughout the museum are educational, interactive, and fun. While you're there, check out show times for the on-site IMAX to see interesting films like Galapagos and Hubble.

Address: 767 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 - MAP
Phone: (404) 929-6300
Web: www.fernbankmuseum.org

Dive right in to ocean exploration at the world's largest aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium sits on a 20-acre expanse and houses over 120,000 marine specimens, spanning 500 species. Great Hammerhead sharks, beluga whales, whale sharks, manta rays, and various tropical fish are just a few of the water-dwelling animals you'll see on your journey through the aquarium. Research and conservation efforts are also important at the Georgia Aquarium; in fact, some of the creatures you'll see here were rescued and nursed back to health.

Address: 225 Baker Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30313 - MAP
Phone: (404) 581-4000
Web: www.georgiaaquarium.org

If you're an aspiring politician, or maybe just a fan of our 39th President, check out the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum. The museum showcases important materials from the Carter Administration, comprising a collection of about 27 million pages of government documents, 500,000 photos, 40,000 objects and more. Other features at this presidential attraction include a replica of the Oval Office and an occasional appearance by President Carter's Nobel Peace Prize.

Address: 441 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30307 - MAP
Phone: (404) 865-7100
Web: www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov

Spend a day outdoors at midtown Atlanta's Piedmont Park. This park is home to a plethora of recreation activities that includes swimming, skating, biking, fishing, basketball, and tons more. Indulge in a weekend beer at the park's Beer Gardens, or take a stroll down one of the walking paths. The opportunities for fun in the sun are endless at this metro park attraction.

Address: 1320 Monroe Drive, NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 - MAP
Phone: (404) 875-7275
Web: www.piedmontpark.org

Explore the history of one of America's favorite beverages at World of Coca-Cola. Learn about the life of this famous brand of soda-pop through interactive exhibits and attractions like Milestones of Refreshment, the Pop Culture Gallery, and the Bottle Works display, which showcases how the drink is bottled. Be sure to grab some souvenirs at the Coca-Cola Store to commemorate your trip through one of Atlanta's main attractions.

Address: 121 Baker Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30313 - MAP
Phone: (404) 676-5151
Web: www.worldofcoca-cola.com

Splash into some fun at Six Flags White Water Atlanta. This 70-acre water park boasts 20 rides and attractions, spread throughout five divisions: Wildwater Lagoon, Slippery Ridge, Pine Valley, Flash Flood Canyon, and Buccaneer Bay. Water slides, a lazy river and a wave pool are all part of the fun at White Water Atlanta. Prepare for a wet-n-wild day, and don't forget the sunscreen!

Address: 250 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta, GA 30062 - MAP
Phone: (770) 948-9290
Web: www.sixflags.com

Step into the wild and discover some of the world's most magnificent creatures at Zoo Atlanta. On your journey through the 40-acre zoo, you'll see over 1,300 animals thriving in exhibits that closely mimic their natural environment. This zoo is one of only four American zoological parks that house giant pandas, and also boasts the country's largest collection of gorillas and orangutans. Tigers, giraffes, alligators, kangaroos, monkeys, and elephants are just a few more animals that reside at Zoo Atlanta.

Address: 800 Cherokee Avenue, SE, Atlanta, GA 30315 - MAP
Phone: (404) 624-WILD (9453)
Web: www.zooatlanta.org