Downtown Atlanta comprises a concentration of subdistricts in the heart of the city of Atlanta, Georgia. This area contains some of the most notable cultural landmarks of the city and serves as an important social and economic hub. The five subdistricts include Five Points, Centennial Park area, Sweet Auburn, Hotel District and Castleberry Hill.
The King Center and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site is one of the most notable attractions in downtown Atlanta, displaying the preserved neighbourhood and museum that traces the history of Dr. King’s legacy. The Georgia State Capitol is an additional tourist interest, containing exhibitions of the city’s historical artefacts and state flags. Other things to do in downtown Atlanta include visiting the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium boasting its unique opportunity to swim with whale sharks and experiencing the multitude of dining and shopping enterprises located throughout the area.
The MARTA rail and bus system is Atlanta’s comprehensive public transit service that provides for all of downtown Atlanta with multiple stops in each of the subdistricts. The area is located 11 kilometres from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It is easily accessed by car routing from the main Interstate 75/85 that splices the centre of the region.
Downtown Atlanta was a major hotspot during the Civil Rights Movement and played both a geographical and cultural role. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the movement’s most influential advocates, born in downtown Atlanta on January 15, 1929.