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Atlanta Activities: CNN, Coke, and Shopping

Home » Georgia » Atlanta: Restaurants and Activities » Atlanta Activities: CNN, Coke, and Shopping

Aside for Martin Luther King, Jr., history and sports events, the two big tourist draws in Atlanta are the CNN Center and the World of Coca-Cola. CNN and Coke are two of America’s most popular exports, and both are centered in Atlanta.

The CNN Center is a large complex located downtown next to the Phillips Arena. The building, which has an enormous atrium, is home to offices, hotel rooms, and the world headquarters for Turner Broadcasting. If you’re interested, purchase a ticket (approximately ten dollars) for the hour-long guided tour. The tour takes you behind the scenes of a broadcast, shows you the history of Turner Broadcasting (which includes CNN, TBS, TNT, Headline News, and the Cartoon Network), and lets you look in on the news desk as the network records live.

For another eight to ten dollars, you can spend a few hours at the World of Coca-Cola. Exhibits describe the history of the world’s most popular drink and videos show Coke commercials and Coke’s impact around the world. The closing highlight, however, is the tasting room, where visitors can sample Coke beverages from around the world. A new World of Coca-Cola is set to open downtown in 2006, with an expansion of this popular attraction.

While you probably aren’t traveling to Atlanta strictly to shop, there is great shopping available. Underground Atlanta, near the current location of the World of Coca-Cola, is an historic underground mall with small shops, souvenir stands, and a few restaurants. Atlanta’s main modern malls are Lenox Square (one of the largest in the south) and Phipps Plaza, both of which are in Buckhead. Other malls include Little Five Points and Perimeter Mall, and thirty miles south of Atlanta are the Tanger Factory Outlet Stores in Forest Grove. Finally, if you’re looking for non-traditional shopping, check out the DeKalb Farmers’ Market in Decatur or the Lakewood Antiques Market. Both have lots for sale and lots of character.

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