Many people underestimate the sheer size of the city of Atlanta when they first come to visit. Some people may look at that size and see traffic problems or issues with sprawl, but one advantage to living in such a huge city is that there is a huge appetite for culture and the arts. Atlanta is a city rich with museums and art galleries and there are always new attractions opening around the city year round. Let’s take a look at some of the best known museums in the Atlanta metro area.

With all of the various wars the United States finds itself in these days, the topic of patriotism has been quite the hot button topic now for many years. Atlanta is home to a museum that is completely devoted to the topic of patriotism in all of its various forms. Some people may tour this museum and come out feeling proud to be an American, while others may agree with Samuel Johnson who once said that patriotism is the last vestige of the scoundrel. Either way, this museum is sure to have you debating all the way through.

No visit to beautiful apartment inAtlanta is complete without a visit to the Gone with the Wind museum, located on Whitlock Ave in nearby Marietta. You can relive all of the romance and power of one of the greatest novels and films ever made at this exciting museum. No story personifies the city of Atlanta more than Gone with the Wind, and although the South did come up a bit short in the civil war, the fighting spirit and passion of that culture remains strong. The museum even comes with some of the original clothing worn by members of the film. Picture taking is encouraged. If you have ever wanted to learn about Atlanta’s rich, cultural history, this is the place to go.

If you are an experienced traveler or if you are someone who just loves to eat, you know that cities are often ranked by the quality of their fine dining restaurants. It could be the quality of the food, the originality of the preparation or it could just be an award winning wine list, but a city can never be truly considered world class until it has many fine restaurants. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular restaurants in the Atlanta metro area.

While Atlanta is a city rich with history, no restaurant brings that history out better than the Historic Green Manor. This beautiful old restaurant resides in a plantation style mansion and serves some of the best cuisine in the city. From the moment you walk into the Historic Green Manor, you feel transported back in time to the days of Gone with the Wind. The home is appointed exactly like it would have been hundreds of years ago, and if you listen closely, you can still hear the cannon fire as the Union army approaches. A night at The Historic Green Manor is not only a culinary treat, but also a sneak peak at how Atlanta looked in years gone by.

Not every restaurant in the Atlanta metro area requires you to put on a tuxedo before you can enjoy a memorable dining experience. The ESPN Zone restaurant in Atlanta is a sports fan’s dream, with both casual, sports bar style dining in one part and a more formal dining experience in another part. The ESPN Zone is filled top to bottom with televisions showing every major sporting event around the world and the food is excellent. Steaks, burgers and even pasta fill the menu. If your husband is late coming home from work, call down to the ESPN Zone, he’s probably there!

As technology advances at an almost breakneck pace, more and more people are throwing off the shackles of their desktop computer and making the switch to laptops. Wireless Internet, on the other hand, is still quite expensive which is why free Wi-Fi is so popular. Some cities, like Philadelphia, are attempting to provide free Wi-Fi throughout the entire city, but until then, knowing when and where the best free Wi-Fi spots are in Atlanta is quite handy.

If you are hankering for some delicious hamburgers, hot dogs or chicken, check out Krystal restaurants throughout the Atlanta area. Not only can you get a great meal, all Krystal locations throughout the city have free wireless Internet access with the purchase of food or a drink. With dozens of locations all over the city, you are never far away from your email or your lunch.

If you are doing some sightseeing around the city of Atlanta, head to CNN Center for a free tour of one of the largest news studios in the world and to check your email since CNN Center is one giant free wireless Internet spot. Get updates on all the latest breaking news in the city of Atlanta and stay in touch with work, family and just about everyone else when you hop on the Information Superhighway at CNN Center.

One of the most popular malls in all of Atlanta is Lenox Square. Their food court is huge with dozens of choices for lunch and dinner every day, and now, you can hop on the Internet for free thanks to their free wireless Internet that is now available throughout most of the mall and the entire food court. It doesn’t matter if you are shopping for shoes or if you are just hanging with friends, Lenox Square is one of the largest free Wi-Fi spots in the whole city.

There is a reason why Atlanta is still one of the fastest growing cities in North America: there is plenty to do there year round. During the fall, the temperatures get a bit colder but not cold enough to keep you indoors. Let’s take a quick trip around this beautiful city to see what there is to do in beautiful apartments in Atlanta.

The yearly fall ritual of school starting is always a cause for celebration for parents, but it is also a time of celebration for football fans. During the last week in August or the first week in September, many of Atlanta’s fine universities and colleges begin college football season, and the stands are always packed. Georgia Tech University, which is located in the heart of downtown, plays a competitive Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, and they have even won a national championship in 1989. Just down the road an hour in Athens, the famed Georgia Bulldogs also play division one football and are always highly ranked. There are several other smaller schools in the Atlanta Metro area that play competitive college football, as well.

Many people don’t think about the great outdoors when they visit Atlanta, but the city is surrounded by steep terrain that is great for exploring and hiking. You don’t have to be an expert outdoors person to enjoy it, either, as many of the surrounding mountains have several different trails for all experience levels. Since Atlanta is far enough to the north to experience some beautiful fall colors, taking to one of the local mountains for a hike and a picnic in October or early November is a must. Contact any of the local mountains in the Atlanta area for information on which trails are open and which areas have camping grounds for rent by the hour or even overnight.

While the city of Atlanta is known all over the south for some incredible food, including barbeque, soul food and, of course, an ice cold Coca Cola, it is also a city that takes physical fitness very seriously. If you head out to the clubs or even just to Centennial Park, you will likely see people showing off their sculpted bodies. Since metro Atlanta is so hilly, many people simply choose to run to get their legs in shape, but if you are looking to build muscle, you should check out these fine Atlanta area gyms.

Perhaps the best known gym in the city is the Powerhouse, located on Roswell Road. The Powerhouse was one of the main training facilities for the stars from World Championship Wrestling and was also known to be frequented by former multi-time heavyweight champion of the world Evander Holyfield. The Powerhouse is simply massive, with one of the largest floor plans of any gyms in the world. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a simple light work out or a complete body transformation, the Powerhouse can get it done for you.

Next, the Peachtree Center Athletic Club is the place to go if you live downtown. Just like everything else in Atlanta, it is named Peachtree, but unlike the streets in downtown, there is only one Peachtree Center Athletic Club. While it isn’t on par with the Powerhouse, the Peachtree is a massive facility in its own right with free weights, workout machines and more. There is also a full slate of classes you can enroll in here that teach everything from yoga to kickboxing and just about everything in between.

If you’re moving from out of state to Atlanta, what better way to start anew than with a new body thanks to one of Atlanta’s great gyms.

Deciding to live in the downtown core or in the suburbs of a new city is one of the most difficult and important decisions you can make. Both sides have their positives and negatives, so the choice is never easy. While it is impossible to look at every option at once, let’s cover some of the most important deciding factors.

With gas prices at an all time high and Atlanta apartments being known around the world for having some of the worst traffic in the world, the appeal of living downtown has never been stronger. Yes, it is noisy; yes, it is expensive; but is it really more expensive than commuting from the ‘burbs each day?

Living downtown by yourself or with a partner is one thing, but when you have to start adding bedrooms for children, it can get downright astronomical. Most people head towards suburban Atlanta for the room and for the quiet so if those two things are paramount, then your choice is easy.

However, downtown is where all the fun is. If the idea of walking to the theatre, to a sporting event or to a club and then walking home as everyone else piles on the highway to get home, your choice is simple – downtown is the way to go. As you can see, this isn’t an easy decision.

Having to weigh the various costs, benefits, and drawbacks of living in exciting but expensive downtown Atlanta versus living in spacious but boring (and traffic-ridden) suburban Atlanta is tough, but it is a decision you will have to make sooner rather than later.