What to do in Fulton County, GA

You shouldn't miss a visit to this wildly popular attraction which from the outside looks like the bow of a ship and inside has more than 80,000 animals to see. The aquarium's Ocean Voyager Gallery is the world's largest indoor marine exhibit holding 27 million litres of salt water which provides plenty of opportunities to study life underwater. Walk through the clear tunnel in the middle and enjoy the sight of whale sharks, manta rays, grouper fish, sharks and stingrays swimming above you. There's much more than fish and mammals on display though: there are also penguins, sea lions, sea otters, river otters, sea turtles, and giant octopus, too.

Visit the State Farm Arena in the heart of downtown Atlanta to mingle with basketball fans. Or watch an ice hockey game or figure ice skating competition, if that’s more your thing. And how about coming here for a concert? There are about 200 events to choose from each year, which means there is something for everyone.

What was once an unattractive part of downtown is now one of Atlanta's most appealing public areas which attracts more than 3 million visitors a year. A legacy of the 1996 Olympic Games, the 9-hectare park was originally built to celebrate the Games being held in Atlanta, as well as to revitalise a part of town that had long been forgotten. The park is bound by several of the city's major attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, the CNN Center and the World of Coca-Cola.

A popular destination since 1904, Piedmont Park is still expanding, despite being in the heart of Atlanta, northeast of downtown and next to midtown. Now the park covers more than 81 hectares: 14 hectares complete with a fountain and new sports facilities were added in 2011, and a further 6 hectares were added on in 2012. About half the park is given over to green open space, while in the centre of the park Lake Clara Meer, which affords walkers with lovely city views, is another major draw.

Located at Pemberton Place, named for Dr. John Pemberton who invented the drink in 1886, the World of Coca-Cola opened in May 2007 and since then, more than a million guests have visited each year. Conveniently located near the Georgia Aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta, visitors here have the opportunity to see rare pieces of art, such as original Norman Rockwell paintings and a myriad of memorabilia related to the brand.

The Fabulous Fox, as it's known to Atlantans. is a former cinema palace turned performing arts centre with an awe-inspiring blend of different architectural styles that has dominated its street corner since 1929. Its Arabesque façades, prayer tower, copper dome and extravagant cream and nude colours, all combine to make this place somewhere to escape to, which is fitting for a building given over to the arts.