Downtown Atlanta was named one of “52 Places to Go in 2014” by The New York Times. Featured as No. 40 on the list, it includes places such as Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Indianapolis, Ind.
The City of Atlanta experienced exponential growth in 2014 with the opening of many new attractions. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, College Football Hall of Fame and the new Atlanta Streetcar opened all in the same year.
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights opened in May of 2014 and is located next to Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia Aquarium. This 42,000-square-foot, environmentally-friendly museum features permanent galleries devoted to domestic and international rights struggles, and houses the Martin Luther King Jr. papers that are owned by Morehouse College. The Center will be a place to advocate for one another and embrace justice, as well as a place to learn history, celebrate progress and confront issues of society today in a civil manner. There is currently no place to go that allows visitors to learn about the history of the Civil Rights Movement, contemporary human rights movements and how they are connected. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights aims to fill that void with an unforgettable, multi-sensory experience.
The second attraction that opened in the area around Centennial Olympic Park in 2014 was the College Football Hall of Fame. This 94,000-square-foot facility was open in time for fall kickoff of the college football season. Relocating from South Bend, Ind., the Hall of Fame includes an exhibit space and a 45-yard indoor football field that can serve as flexible programming and event space.
Beginning this summer, visitors will be able to take the new Atlanta Streetcar on a loop that will link some of the city’s top destinations. Designed to provide a safe, convenient way to travel through downtown, the streetcar will provide connectivity to MARTA, the Atlanta BeltLine and other transit services. The first phase of the new Atlanta Streetcar will include stops at Centennial Olympic Park, Luckie Street at Cone Street, Woodruff Park, Park Place, Hurt Park, the Sweet Auburn Market, Edgewood Avenue at Hilliard Street, the King Historic District, Auburn Avenue at Piedmont Avenue, the Peachtree Center and Carnegie Way at Spring Street. Future expansion of the Atlanta Streetcar is planned, and many proponents of the program expect it transform local and regional transportation.
The inclusion of Atlanta on this list showcases yet another reason why the city is the perfect place to call home. With a world-class list of museums, galleries, restaurants and entertainment destinations, Atlanta provides its residents and visitors with culture and adventure at every corner. For more information on making the city of Atlanta your new home, click here.