By Elisa Mala
The city that dubs itself "Hotlanta" has far more to offer than gimmicky sobriquets. Long before hosting the 1996 Summer Olympics, A-town has been setting global records, so eat well and drink heartily, because traversing a town that satisfies all five senses requires more energy than running a marathon.
Born and bred in the Big Apple, NEWSWEEK'S Elisa Mala had never been south of D.C. until this spring. But Southerners were so hospitable that she soon found herself tossing out the occasional "y'all."
EAT at the world's largest drive-in, the original location of The Varsity diner (thevarsity.com). Before taking any order, servers bellow "What'll ya have?" Answer back with the eatery's established lingo: Order a "glorified steak" (burger with mayo, lettuce and tomato), a "ring one" (one order of onion rings) or a "bag of rags" (potato chips). Have to eat and run? Then "walk a dog" and take that frank to go. Southern comfort food like Brunswick Stew, creamy grits and mouthwatering Pecan Pie are on offer at Food 101 (food101atlanta.com).
For modern takes on classic Asian dishes, try Spice Market (jean-georges.com), the first Atlanta outpost from three-Michelin star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, or Straits Atlanta (straitsrestaurants.com), the brainchild of hairstylist-***-chef Chris Yeo and Grammy winner Ludacris. For a white-cloth experience, Joël (joelrestaurant.com) offers some of the most indulgent French fare in town and Bacchanalia (starprovisions.com) lives up to its name with organic dishes that evolve with the seasons.
DRINK at Front Page News (frontpagenewsrestaurant.com), which with two stories, a spacious patio and a lively crowd, is fit to print. The Twisted Taco draws a more laid-back crowd, which matches its charmingly dive-y environs (twistedtaco.com). For an uplifting experience (literally), try the rooftop bar at the Glenn Hotel (glennhotel.com), where the views are as fresh as the drinks.
SEE the entire city through floor-to-ceiling windows at the rotating Sun Dial Restaurant, located on the 73rd floor of the Western Hemisphere's tallest hotel, the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Watch yourself on TV or observe broadcasters in action during the CNN Center Studio Tour (cnn.com/studiotour), which requires an eight-story ascent via the world's tallest freestanding escalator. For a blast from the past, check out the Louvre Atlanta display at the High Museum of Art (high.org) which features a rotating collection from the venerable French institution.
SMELL victory at the Olympic Centennial Garden (centennialpark.com), the site of the 1996 summer Games. The manicured lawns, fountains and playgrounds invite athletes of all ages for a stroll or a run. Fragrant flowers abound at Atlanta Botanical Garden (atlantabotanicalgarden.org), which features many rare plants and the largest orchid collection in the country.
HEAR Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech at The King Center (thekingcenter.org), which chronicles the life and times of the human rights activist. Listen to the latest hits at Opera nightclub (operaatlanta.com), which draws some of the biggest musical acts in the world (like Tiesto, the globally-renowned DJ).
TASTE Krest Ginger Ale from Mozambique, Delaware Punch from Honduras, Melon Fanta from Israel and about 60 other beverages at the Taste It! lounge in the World of Coca-Cola (wocatlanta.com)
TOUCH stingrays, bonnethead sharks and anemones at the touch pools of the Georgia Aquarium, the world's largest. Sleep over with the fishes ($100; dates vary) or swim and dive with Earth's most gargantuan ones, whale sharks ($195 and up) (georgiaaquarium.org). Those who are a bit less fish-friendly can observe jellyfish, starfish seahorses and hundreds of other creatures from a safe distance.
