Leading the Southeast as a center for business, banking, government, transportation, and education, Atlanta, Georgia has become one of the most attractive places to live in the United States. With a population well over five million, it is still one of the fastest growing areas in the country and is home to a number of Fortune 500 companies, including Coca-Cola, Delta, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Home Depot.
Atlanta is an important educational and cultural center: Atlanta University, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and Georgia State University join Emory University and 23 other institutions of higher education to draw students from around the world. Other notable attractions include:
- Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Atlanta History Center
- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
- Atlanta Zoo
- The Carter Center
- The Carter Presidential Library and Museum
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Georgia Aquarium
- High Museum of Art
- Martin Luther King Jr. Center
- World of Coca-Cola
- Stone Mountain Park
- Professional sports teams: Braves (baseball), Falcons (football), Hawks (men's basketball)
In addition to the resident Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Opera, and numerous theater groups, touring companies routinely visit our first-class venues such as the Woodruff Arts Center, the Fox Theatre, the Verizon Wireless and Chastain Park Amphitheaters, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, The Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, and Emory’s own Schwartz Center. Reflecting the rich history and spirit of the city, Atlanta is home to a number of museums, including the Margaret Mitchell House, the New World of Coca-Cola Museum, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the Millenium Arch in Atlantic Station, and the Carter Presidential Library.
The Georgia Aquarium features the largest saltwater tank in the world; the High Museum of Art is the first art museum in the country to have a longstanding relationship with the Louvre in Paris; lastly, the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Art and Archeology located on Emory’s campus boasts one of the largest collections of sarcophagi in the world.
Nearby recreational opportunities abound. Atlanta has numerous parks, ranging from Grant Park and Piedmont Park, designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead and his two sons, to Stone Mountain National Park to Centennial Olympic Park in honor of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. The city also hosts professional baseball (Braves), basketball (Hawks), football (Falcons), and soccer (Atlanta United) teams. Underground Atlanta, Druid-Hills, Virginia-Highlands, Little Five-Points, Decatur, Midtown, Atlantic Station, and Buckhead districts offer an extensive variety of shops, restaurants and pubs. The North Georgia Mountains and its many lakes are within 50 miles. In addition, MARTA provides economical public transportation within the metropolitan area. It is conveniently connected to the busiest airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
For a big-picture view of the area, seeGet to know Atlanta! Visit our interactive "Living in Atlanta" map that highlights the various points of interests in this exciting and growing city. Individual maps represent the following categories:
- Culture and Recreation in Atlanta
- Housing - Recommended by Emory Grad Students
- Restaurants - Recommended by Emory Grad Students
- Atlanta Neighborhoods