Atlanta
United States · Country profile
Atlanta is the capital of Georgia and the great economic engine of the American South, a sprawling, modern city of the corporate towers, the leafy suburbs and the deep history of the civil rights movement that was born and led from its streets. The city where the great leader of the movement was born and preached holds the preserved neighborhood of his childhood, the museum of his life and the enormous centre of the King family heritage, and the wider city spreads the history of the movement through the museums and the monuments of the struggle. Atlanta is also one of the great transport crossroads of the country, with the enormous airport of the world, the headquarters of the global brands and the cultural life of its universities, its film studios and its celebrated music scene. Modern, black-led, restless and proud, Atlanta is the capital of the new South.
About Atlanta
Atlanta is a city in United States. The city's documented population is around 510,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the US Dollar (USD) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +1. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The King Centre, the BeltLine and the City of the New South
Atlanta is a vast, modern, car-based city that takes some effort to feel, but its rewards are real: the civil rights history of the birth of the movement, the enormous new museums and the peachy charm of the leafy neighbourhoods. The city centre is a district of offices and the memorial district holds the deep history, while Midtown and the BeltLine hold the modern social life. The city is sprawling and the car is king, so the visit takes planning across districts rather than walking from sight to sight. It is a city of the American story, of the movement that changed the country and of the confident, creative new South.
The Districts, the Car and the Seasons of the South
The city is best seen by car, so plan the days around the districts rather than walking between them, and the rail line of the city covers a thin central spine of the network. The King Centre, the civil rights museums and the new galleries are the essential visits, and the evenings of the city run the restaurants, the concerts and the bars of the neighbourhoods. The climate is hot and humid in the summer, with the mild winters and the quick storms of the afternoons, and the spring and the autumn are the sweet spots. The US dollar is the currency, the English is the language and the card works everywhere. The city is safe in its main districts with the usual care of the big city at night.
The Freedom Trail, the Museums and the Music of the Neighbourhoods
The freedom district of the centre, with the childhood home of the leader, the church and the enormous memorial centre of the King family, is the essential pilgrimage of the city and the heart of the civil rights story. The museums of the movement, from the centre of the story of the struggle to the newer rooms of the national history, fill out the picture, and the Museum of the Coca-Cola and the aquarium of the city entertain the family travellers. The BeltLine, the converted rail corridor that loops through the neighbourhoods with its paths, its breweries and its street life, is the great modern invention of the city, and the neighbourhoods of the Little Five Points and the Midtown hold the music and the nightlife.
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- Country
- United States
- Population
- 510,000
- Coordinates
- 33.6407, -84.4277
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Region
- North America
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +1
- Country code
- US
Entry requirements for United States
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting United States for tourism.
Getting to Atlanta
Airports we list for Atlanta:
Other airports in the area:
- Charlotte Douglas International AirportCLT≈ 364 km from Atlanta
- Orlando International AirportMCO≈ 651 km from Atlanta
- Washington Dulles International AirportIAD≈ 859 km from Atlanta
- Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International AirportFLL≈ 937 km from Atlanta
- Detroit Metropolitan AirportDTW≈ 958 km from Atlanta
Cities in United States
Other cities we cover in United States:
Frequently asked questions
Is Atlanta the capital of United States?
No — the capital of United States is Washington, D.C..
What currency do I need in Atlanta?
The local currency is the US Dollar (USD). Languages spoken in United States include English.
What is the dialling code for United States?
The international dialling code for United States is +1.
Which airport should I fly into for Atlanta?
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the airport we list for Atlanta.
How far is Atlanta from the nearest airport?
Atlanta is about 364 km from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit United States?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Argentina (visa required), Japan (e-visa), Morocco (visa required), Singapore (e-visa) and South Korea (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Atlanta? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.