Is Atlanta worth stopping for?

Flying into Atlanta in May and picking up a hire car en route to Columbia via Augusta. I%26#39;m not used to driving in America and wondered if you would advise a day in Atlanta or would I be better just driving out of there. Also any suggestions for places to stop en route would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

Is Atlanta worth stopping for?

I think Atlanta is definitely worth visiting, even for a day. If you want to pick up your car a day later, you could avoid driving around Atlanta by taking public transit, MARTA. From MARTA, you could see downtown and midtown, and could visit numerous sites like the Georgia Aquarium, CNN Center, High Museum, Fox Theater, Centennial Park, World of Coke. Atlanta has wonderful shopping and restaurants, and I think even one night with a good dinner or a nice pub or club would be worthwhile. If you%26#39;re getting your car from the airport, then you can always take MARTA back to the airport to pick it up.

Re: places to stop along the way, I woudl recommend at least spending 15 minutes driving through historic Madison, Georgia. You%26#39;ll see an exit sign from Interstate 20 that directs you to the historic area. It%26#39;s small, but quaint.

Is Atlanta worth stopping for?

I don%26#39;t know how far away you are coming but, I can%26#39;t imagine flying to Atlanta and driving right out to Augusta and Columbia without taking a day to see this lovely city. It%26#39;s definitely worth an extra day.

Since the drive to Augusta is 1 of the 3

most boring drives I have ever been on, spending a day here is a good idea.

The other 2? Macon to Savannah. Montgomery

to Mobile.

We%26#39;ll also be in Atlanta for a day or two and want to see the High Museum, but don%26#39;t have any other ideas. Is there an interesting neighborhood to stay in? Is downtown fun orshould we just stick to a cheap hotel on the outskirts? We like to walk a lot and see architecture, fun restaurants, shops and also are not afraid of mass transit.

Without a doubt I recommend that you stay right in downtown or midtown if you like walking around. Downtown has the new Ga. Aquarium, Centennial Olympic Park, CNN, World of Coke, Braves game, Cyclorama, Zoo Atlanta and so much more. If you like the artsy neighborhoods, check out Little 5 Points or Virginia Highlands. Be sure to have lunch at The Varsity for authentic indigestion. Great atmosphere but the food%26#39;s not fine dining if that%26#39;s what you%26#39;re looking for. Stone Mountain in North East Atlanta is a day in itself. Kennesaw Battlefield in North West Atlanta is always popular with the men in my family. You definitely want to see some of the above.

I would suggest that you confirm what exhibit will be at the High Museum before going. It often sponsors some wonderful exhibits on loan, but its permanent collection is nothing to write home about. The current exhibit is on quilts, which may interest you but really doesn%26#39;t do anythign for me. The architecture of the building is great, though. If strolling galleries interests you, you should definitely check out the Castleberry Hill area:http://www.castleberryhillartsdistrict.com/

I think you would also like Little Five Points and Virginia Highland, as funky, unique neighborhoods.

Of the three places you named, Atlanta, Augusta and Columbia, Atlanta is the only one I would consider a ';destination'; city, unless you go to Augusta for the Masters tournament. This metro area of almost 5 million residents is one of the most vibrant in North America. If you%26#39;ve never been here, you will be surprised. As others have said, stay in Midtown (the Residence Inn at Peachtree St. and 17th street is a good hotel) and you will have easy access to MARTA%26#39;s north/south line which will give you access to many of Atlanta%26#39;s entertainment destinations.

P.S. You could have titled your post a little less condenscendingly. You will find that locals here are very proud of our city and love living here. You will also find hospitality here that is second to none. Enjoy.

I assumed the tone of the title was the result of a language difference. I hope that%26#39;s the case.

Thank you for all your suggestions - you have convinced me to stop off in Atlanta. As an Ulsterman and a good friend of America I assure you that no offence was intended so apologies if there was any misunderstanding.

It%26#39;s really easy to word things incorrectly. In one of my first posts I asked ';why go?'; as the headline, meaning I was interested in this place and just wanted to know why people wanted to go there. I was replied with ';stay home then'; comments and was very taken aback. When I reread my post, I realized it could be taken as positive or negative, depending on the viewpoint of the reader. People can be very touchy about the places they care about and love.