What is the greatest city in the world?! If you didn’t scream Atlanta at the screen, you must have not visited. Growing up in the suburbs of Lawrenceville, GA, Atlanta was my slice of heaven about 30-55 minutes away, depending on how much I respected the speed limit.
Since I didn’t live in the heart of Atlanta, I had a greater appreciation for it compared to its residents. I view Atlanta as the pinnacle of culture, history, and flavor in Georgia. It is my family’s number one destination to go for quality time together, eat at an up-and-coming restaurant, or gawk at the multimillion homes in Buckhead.
As a history buff, Atlanta allows me to fulfill all my nerdy desires. Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, so my 8th grade U.S. government class got the privilege to walk the halls of the capital building and sit in the chairs of the Georgia Assembly who create the laws that have affected me for the past 18 years. Every time I walked the sidewalks of Atlanta, I am humbled to know I am in the birthplace of Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., whose efforts are the reason I can sit side-by-side my white peers on the Marta.
Despite Atlanta having a smaller population compared to other global cities with a population of about 488,000 residents, it is still a very lively city. There are several attractions that draw not only my family to the city, but people from all around the world. For starters it houses the busiest airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which is the only airport in Georgia my family and I ever use. It’s also the founding place of the drink that has been at every one of my family cookouts, birthday parties, celebrations, or dinner table…Coco-Cola. I’ve done the Coco-Cola tour at least 10 times, and I still run with childish glee to the soda tasting section of the tour.
My happiest childhood memories revolve around touring the Georgia Aquarium, the U.S.’s biggest aquarium, or seeing my uncle play on the Hawks. Piedmont Park is where my family and I gather for picnics and play in the open fields. Thongs of people flock to Piedmont Park in the Spring for proposals or prom pictures since the Dogwoods, Carolina Silverbells, and azaleas are in full bloom.
However, my favorite aspect of Atlanta is definitely the food since there are several choices and never a lack of flavor. I can eat a vegan burger with actual flavor at Slutty Vegan or grab a real burger at Bad Daddy’s. I love slurping down the milkshakes at The Yard or eating Oreo cheesecake at Café Intermezzo. You can ride the elevator 723 feet and arrive to restaurant on a slowly spinning disk at The Sundial, so you can see the dazzling skyscrapers of Atlanta at every angle while dining. Even though I currently live in a new city, Atlanta will forever have my heart.
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