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its biggest urban success story. The gentrification of hip Inman Park has resulted in the city’s most coveted address for lovely restored Craftsman homes, design-forward lofts and countless trendsetting bars and restaurants. Parish, inside a 5000-sq-ft 1890 Italianate building turned ecofriendly, New Orleans–style bistro, espresso bar and specialty organic foods market, is indicative of the area’s resurgence. Another surefire option is chef Kevin Rathbun’s empire to food and fun on Krog St. Rathbun consistently churns out knock-out dining experiences in industrial-hip spaces – his eponymous Rathbun’s offers one of Atlanta’s most eclectic dining experiences inside the old Atlanta Stove Works factory.

For everything in Atlanta that is shiny and new, there’s a past to the city that is less than sparkly. But the bright spot in Atlanta’s role in the Civil Rights struggle is Martin Luther King, Jr, who was born and is buried here. Swing back west towards downtown to Sweet Auburn, the old stomping grounds of MLK, Jr. The Martin Luther King, Jr National Historic Site in this historic neighborhood – funnily enough, also beginning to see the arrival of stylish bistros and fashionable high-rise lofts – is home to the Martin Luther King, Jr Visitors Center, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the King Center. King is buried in a dramatic overwater grave here.

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MY DEAR, I DON’T GIVE A DAMN!

If you only know one thing about Georgia, it likely has to do with the 1937 Pulitzer Prize– winning novel, Gone with the Wind, far and away the most famous words ever written about Georgia, Atlanta and the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction. You can tour the Margaret Mitchell House & Museum (www.gwtw.org), where the author lived from 1925 to 1932 and penned the romantic adventures of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara.

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From Sweet Auburn, it’s just a quick skip west back to Centennial Park and I-75/85. Now that you’ve been introduced to Atlanta, you can hop back on the interstate and head south to Florida. Frankly, we Atlantans don’t give a damn.

Kevin Raub

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TRIP INFORMATION

DO

Center for Puppetry Arts

This unique puppet museum is great for kids and adults (there’s a section). Don’t miss the Jim Henson exhibitions. 404-873-3391; www.puppet.org; 1404 Spring St; admission $16; 9am-5pm Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun;

Georgia Aquarium

It’s crowded like Venice, but the world’s largest aquarium is sensational. You can swim with the whale sharks for $250. 404-581-4000; www.georgiaaquarium.org; 225 Baker St; adult/child $29.50/22; 9am-6pm Sun-Thu, 9am-10pm Fri, 8am-8pm Sat;

High Museum of Art

Atlanta’s architecturally striking High Museum is on par with the best and features more than 11,000 permanent works in 312,000 sq ft. 404-733-4444; www.high.org; 1280 Peachtree St; adult/child $18/11; 10am-5pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri, 10am-8pm Wed, noon-5pm Sun;

Martin Luther King, Jr National Historic Site

This National Park consists of the Visitors Center, MLK, Jr’s birthplace, Ebenezer Baptist Church and the King Center, where he lies entombed. 404-331-5190; www.nps.gov/malu; 450 Auburn Ave, Atlanta; admission free; 9am-6pm

World of Coca-Cola

Sipping odd-flavored sodas from around the world is the highlight at Coke’s 60,000-sq-ft pat on its own back. 404-676-5151; www.worldofcoca-cola.com; 263 Blueberry Farm Rd, Richmond; adult/child $15/9; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun;

EAT

Cuerno

Upscale Spanish tapas and a head-turning crowd sipping on cava through hand-blown glass porrons. The numerous paellas are excellent. 678-904-4582; 905 Juniper St; mains $1.85-14; 5:30-10pm Mon-Thu, 5:30-11pm Fri & Sat;

Murphy’s

This people-watching brunch staple in Virginia-Highland is a longstanding favorite. Try the shrimp and grits and get there early. 404-872-0904; 997 Virginia Ave NE; mains $4-14; 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 11am-midnight Fri, 8am-11pm Sat, 8am-10pm Sun

No Mas! Cantina

This design-forward cantina and attached home decor hacienda is the Castleberry Hill hotspot for filling Mexican