The answer is: just about everything! Burned to the ground by the Union Army’s General William Tecumseh Sherman during the Civil War, this gem of the South grew up again and hasn’t stopped growing since! In 2007 the adjusted census showed a more than 20% growth in the Atlanta metropolitan area since 2000. Atlanta is alive, well, and an exciting place to live in or visit.

What’s to do in Atlanta? Again, just about everything! From the cultural arts to sports and dining, Atlanta has something fun for everyone. The Atlanta Ballet Company may be the oldest in the country, and its fine reputation is matched by that of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Museums range from the High Art Museum to the children’s museum Imagine It! The High Art Museum, housed in a strikingly modern building, regularly hosts traveling exhibits—this year’s exhibits include “The First Emperor,” “Treasures from the Victoria and Albert Museum,” and an in-depth exploration of the Civil Rights struggle during the 1960s. In addition, the Museum’s regular collections offer experiences in classic, Impressionist, and modern art forms. Art lovers can further pursue their passions in art galleries to be found north and south of the High Museum.

At Imagine It! children (and definitely some curious parents!) explore a wealth of interactive exhibits designed to promote the power of imagination. Exhibits are aimed at children ages 8 and younger, including the toddler set.

Atlanta has wonderful activities for children of all ages. The Wonderful World of Coca Cola, a company which originated in Atlanta, combines a tour of their bottling plant with lots of other fun activities. The tour includes time for souvenir-shopping and a “world tour” of Coca Cola in other countries.

One of Atlanta’s city slogans should read “GET OUT” – outside, that is! Between a climate that extends both spring and fall and a wealth of beautiful parks, Atlanta is a great place for those who love the outdoors. Piedmont Park plays host to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, which contains a superb new orchid-center. Visitors to Grant Park can visit Zoo Atlanta (see its renowned Panda Exhibit–next-neighbor pandas are in the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.), the Atlanta Cyclorama and the Civil War Museum.

The National Historic Site housing the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Non-Violent Change includes the home in which Dr. King was born and his Atlanta pulpit, the Ebenezer Baptist Church. His neighborhood, called Sweet Auburn, is still known by that name. Dr. King’s grave is located in Southview Cemetery in South Atlanta.

For those curious about partly-fictional history, Atlanta will always be “Gone with the Wind” country. The house in which Margaret Mitchell lived while writing large parts of this classic American novel is a National Historic House and contains a related Margaret Mitchell museum.

Centennial Olympic Park, built to host the 1996 Summer Olympics, continues to offer a wide variety of outdoor activities: check its concert-schedule or just take the children to play in the dancing water-fountains. Atlanta’s parks welcome joggers, cyclists, skaters, picnickers, and those who just want the pleasure of a leisurely stroll.

Getting around Atlanta features a couple of ingenious modes of travel. Many sites of interest can be reached by the historically-reminiscent Atlanta Trolley system. Perhaps Atlanta’s most unique transportation is reserved for its night-time downtown “Ghosts and Legends” tour, which is conducted by Segway—individual motorized scooters for every member of the tour-group (“keep up, stragglers—and no wheelies!”)

For sports-lovers, Atlanta is just plain paradise! Atlanta’s Falcons, Thrashers, Hawks, and Braves guarantee a year-round roster of pro-level sports—barely leaving time to catch the NASCAR Winston National at the Atlanta Motor Speedway or the Masters’ in nearby Augusta.

All this activity helps work up an appetite, and again Atlanta has much to offer. From traditional Southern fare and barbecue to New American and local Slow Food, Atlanta chefs create the best and the freshest. Joel, Chops & Lobster, the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Dreamland Barbecue, Nam, and Canoe represent the delicious wide variety of modern Atlanta cuisine.

What’s so special about Atlanta? Everything you could want! Come and find out for yourself! Lux Lighting is a proud member of the Atlanta Better Business Bureau; we look forward to showing you why we’re your one-stop lighting supplier in Metro Atlanta.