10 Interesting Facts about Atlanta, GA

Atlanta is in the state of Georgia in the United States. It is the state capital and Georgia's largest city. Whether you are a frequent visitor to Atlanta or a first-time visitor, these ten fascinating facts will not disappoint!

1. City In A Forest

Atlanta is the nation's "City in a Forest," with over 100,000 shade trees planted and distributed by the non-profit "Trees Atlanta." Atlanta has been designated by the National Forest Service as "the most heavily forested urban area in the country," with forest covering 47.9% of the city. This is one of the reasons tourists would like to visit Atlanta and its monument architecture design even if they have difficulty understanding their language, especially non-English speakers. The good news is that communication is no longer a problem for non-English speaking tourists because they can use Atlanta translation services to help them communicate and understand English. Tourists can definitely enjoy their entire vacation in Atlanta this way.

Don't forget to visit Atlanta's incredible Botanical Garden!

2. You Can’t Miss The Peachtrees!

Atlanta has 71 streets with the word "Peachtree" in their names: Peachtree Avenue, Peachtree Plaza, and so on. However, there are no peach trees in Atlanta, and they are not native to the region! The name "peachtree" evolved from "pitch tree," which was the name given to native pine trees because of their sticky sap. Take note for the next time you hear Sinatra's "Peachtree Street" duet with Rosemary Clooney or Sir Elton John's album Peachtree Road.

3. You Already Know Music From Atlanta

Outkast, Ludacris, Gucci Mane, Childish Gambino, CeeLo Green, Waka Flocka Flame, and Killer Mike have something in common. Atlanta. Not only do some of the most well-known rappers and hip-hop artists call Atlanta home, but other bands like the Black Lips, Manchester Orchestra, and Deerhunter got their start here as well.

Not to mention the influx of new and local artists appearing in smaller venues such as The Earl and The Drunken Unicorn.

4. The Rising Phoenix

When General Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground in November 1864, it was the only city in North America to be destroyed as an act of war. Only 400 buildings survived the razing, but the city rose from the ashes, which is why the phoenix is the city symbol.

5. The World’s Largest Drive-In Restaurant Is In Atlanta

The Varsity is the world's largest drive-in restaurant, serving more Coca-Cola (another Atlanta invention) than any other location. It is located downtown, alongside I-85, at the intersection of North Ave and Spring St.

6. The Busiest Airport In The World

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the "world's busiest airport" for the past 18 years. Many airports claim to be the busiest in the world, but its 101 million passengers outnumber any "passenger movements" in other airports around the world. Most major American cities are only a three-hour flight away, and its terminal is the size of 45 football fields!

7. Atlanta Is The Next Hollywood

Georgia now ranks third in the country in terms of US film production and first in terms of growth. More television and film producers are realizing that Atlanta, with its favorable tax policies, is the place to shoot.

Anchorman 2, The Hunger Games, Zombieland, Driving Miss Daisy, The Walking Dead, Captain America: Civil War, Allegiant, The Vampire Diaries, Insurgent, Ant-Man, Furious 7, anything on Cartoon Network, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Selma, Taken 3, and an additional 140 films and TV shows have been shot in the city since 2008. Take that, Los Angeles and New York City!

8. Buckhead

Buckhead, one of Atlanta's most affluent neighborhoods and a Southern shopping mecca and monument architecture and design, gets its unusual name from local general store owner Henry Irby in the nineteenth century.

Irby shot a large deer and prominently displayed the buck's head on the wall of his popular outpost for locals and travelers. Despite efforts to change it in the late 1800s, the name stuck.

9. The Bank Of America Plaza

Outside of New York City and Chicago, Atlanta, Georgia has the tallest building in the United States. The 1,023-foot-tall Bank of America Plaza dominates the city's skyline. One of the most interesting aspects of the building's design is that there are no street-level pedestrian entrances; instead, most people enter and exit the building through underground parking areas.

10. Fortune 500 Companies

Atlanta is the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States. Atlanta's primary language is American English, followed by Spanish and Korean.