Travel Log: Atlanta

Atlanta is fast.

The pace of life in the city is fast. At one point, from 2000-2006, metropolitan Atlanta was the fastest-growing area in the nation. Atlanta was considered a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, a progressive one for its time in history.

And 20 miles south of Atlanta, in a suburb called Hampton, is one of NASCAR's fastest racetracks. It goes back and forth with Texas Motor Speedway between which facility can offer the greater speeds. Yet Atlanta does offer the richer history, both on the racetrack and in the city.

Fireball Roberts was handed the first NASCAR trophy at the track, what was called Atlanta International Raceway in 1960. A hundred years earlier, the city grew to 7,700 in population thanks to the railroad and was preparing for civil division when a man named Sherman brought real fire throughout Atlanta.

Georgia Aquarium -- At any given time on any given day, the sheer amount of people attending the Aquarium outnumbers any other Atlanta attraction. But that's a positive, not a negative. Sure, many cities have aquariums and nature displays. This, however, is the largest in the world packed with 8 million gallons of fresh and marine water with more aquatic life than any other aquarium, the Web site boasts. Of course, that includes the noted whale shark, the largest fish species in the world.
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slice44 -- There's quite a lot. I liked Stone Mountain, and Underground Atlanta myself.

AmeliaB -- I would have to say the Atlanta Motor Speedway. I went down there when I went to visit some of my family and that was the first place they took me! So I would have to say that is my favorite place in Atlanta.

Join the Atlanta Motor Speedway Crew!

Thursday: Mostly sunny with a high of 69 degrees, low of 43
Friday: Rain with a high of 56 degrees, low of 39
Saturday: Partly sunny with a high of 45 degrees, low of 27
Sunday: Mostly sunny with a high of 58 degrees, low of 35
Complete Forecast

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• Directions and aerial map of Atlanta

East Tennessee has its hidden gems. Do you have a favorite stop, or at least one that nobody knows about? Share your personal favorites here.