Atlanta

Over 175 years, Martin Luther King Jr.'s city has continuously reinvented itself. Almost entirely razed to the ground in 1864, it is now the American Southeast's major metropolis. Once a Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, it has become an abiding symbol of African-American struggle. In the shadow of towering skyscrapers, MLK Jr. National Historical Park honours the great pastor. Just blocks away, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights tells the story of the fight for equality, from the segregated South to today's movements.

Atlanta's cultural scene is equally impressive. The High Museum of Art showcases both European masterworks and African-American collections. Downtown's Centennial Olympic Park stands as one of the few remaining sites from the 1996 Summer Olympics. Midtown invites you to wander among the theatres and shops along Peachtree Street, while Little Five Points and Cabbagetown's Savannah Street show off walls alive with murals. Atlanta Zoo houses one of America's rare giant panda populations, and Stone Mountain Park features a massive carved sculpture.

Beyond the city, Georgia continues to amaze. Dahlonega, once a gold rush boomtown, now sparkles with vineyards. Madison displays its perfectly preserved antebellum homes. Further north, Tallulah Gorge State Park's waterfalls have carved one of the South's most dramatic canyons. One trip simply isn't enough to discover all the surprises the Peach State has to offer!