If the word “Atlanta” summons to mind Southern hospitality, iced tea on a warm sunny day, and the setting for Gone With the Wind, you’d be right—you can find all that here—but you’d also have a lot to learn. Today’s Atlanta is so much more than just a Southern belle. The city that began as a tiny railroad settlement has grown into the cultural, economic, and social capital of the South, replete with Fortune 500 companies, hip neighborhoods, and five-star dining.
Atlanta ’s metro population of 4 million plus people, hailing from more than 80 countries, is literally growing by the minute. In fact, this capital city draws more than 250,000 people a year with its high quality of life, soaring job market, and low cost of living. Of course, an average annual temperature of 64 ° F doesn’t hurt either.
Imagine a place that not only has the world’s busiest passenger airport, gleaming skyscrapers, and a thriving economy but also picturesque parks, friendly people, and tree-lined streets—most of which are named Peachtree Something-or-Other—and you are imagining the vibrant, dynamic city that is today’s Atlanta.
