Atlanta, the capital of the state of Georgia is also the most populace city in the United States. The city is one of the most important economic centers in the Southern United States and is considered as a Gamma World City. After the destruction it faced during the Civil War in 1864, Atlanta was reincarnated and later became the industrial and commercial center of the South. In 1868, Atlanta became the fifth city in the nation to serve as the state capital. The city is the county seat of Fulton County and a portion of it extends into DeKalb County. The city, known for the busiest international airports in the world in terms of passenger traffic, is governed by a mayor and a city council. Atlanta is the residence of the Governor of Georgia in Buckhead and is also a home to Georgia Public Broadcasting headquarters and Peachnet.Atlanta Health & Safety
Atlanta is a large metropolitan area, and as such, one should take the normal precautions when visiting this city. For example, do not leave valuables in your car (particularly within sight).
A few details specific to the area:
Many people feel comfortable riding MARTA (the mass transit system) at night, and by most accounts is safe (others avoid it). Solo female travelers might want to select an alternate form of transportation in the evenings, but daytime travel is very safe and has lots of passengers who use it to travel to/from the airport.
Interstate driving is safe, but can tend to be harrying for those not accustomed to driving in large cities. It seems that the interstates are either at a dead standstill (rush hours), or cars are flying by at Mach 2. It's not unusual to see drivers doing 80 when the traffic is light, so exercise caution and stick to the middle in right lanes if you don't want to be overtaken by a SUV. The signage doesn't always give you a lot of notice before an exit (especially at the 85N to GA400N exit) and there's often a last minute scramble of cars at those points, so pay attention to exits and watch for drivers trying to make a last minute switch.
Downtown is fairly deserted at night, so exercise caution when parking or walking. There are quite a few panhandlers in the area. If you're staying downtown, stick to well-traveled sidewalks or take taxis to nearby destinations. However, the Ambassador Force of Downtown Atlanta is a group of individuals in uniform with pith helmets, like safari hats. They patrol the streets and have direct access to police, and will be happy to escort you anywhere you need to go. Also, if you need directions or information to virtually anywhere in the city, they will help you out. More info.
Buckhead is a business district with high-end shopping, restaurants, and businesses. As a result, there is some petty crime in the area, so again, exercise caution departing your car/parking/returning to your car from shopping. A stroll down Peachtree from your hotel to a restaurant or shopping would be considered very safe during the day or at night.
Outside the Perimeter (areas outside 285, particularly on the North side) are considered to be very safe. Most of these areas are suburban. The "Perimeter" area includes a business/shopping district, and is very safe to walk around (although it's probably easier to drive in these areas).
www.tripadvisor.com
