Car hire Atlanta

Introduction

Atlanta is the thriving capital of the American state of Georgia. Being by far the most important city in the south of the United States, there's always something to do in Atlanta. It's a dazzling city and the main industrial, traffic, trade and financial center of the southeastern United States.

Population

The city itself has less than 500,000 inhabitants and that seems little for such an important city. Including the suburbs however, the Atlanta metropolitan area has almost six million inhabitants.

Location

Atlanta is located in the north of the American state of Georgia, atop a ridge on the Chattahoochee River. Just north of Atlanta lie the southern foothills of the Appalachians, mountain ranges which run up to Pennsylvania.

Economy

Atlanta has a very diverse economy, ranging from industrial production (foods, textiles, fertilizer, transport and chemicals) to a comprehensive service industry, including financial services. The airport also creates employment (Delta Airlines is the city's largest employer) and Atlanta is a media center, including CNN's headquarters and other TV channels from media tycoon Ted Turner. The city also houses many institutes for higher education.

Airports

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is situated 13 kilometers south of the city center. It's the world's busiest airport, based on number of passengers. The easiest way to reach Atlanta Airport by rental car is via the I-85. You need to know to which terminal to go (North or South), as there are different exits which are clearly signposted, as are the airlines which use the different terminals.

Public Transport

The city has good public transport, consisting of two subways (a north-south line and an east-west line) and an extensive network of buses, exploited by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

Traffic and Parking

Inhabitants of Atlanta love their cars which is reflected by the amount of traffic in the city. Avoid morning and evening rush hour, as traffic is often jammed for a long time. For street parking in Downtown you have to pay via a parking meter. It's better to park your rental car in one of the many (private) parking garages.

Hotels

Atlanta has an enormous choice of accommodations. Most accommodations are typical business hotels in a district which for the sake of convenience is called Hotel District, between Five Points and Midtown. This district is well situated in relation to Atlanta's tourist attractions.

External Sources

For more information about Atlanta, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Atlanta
• Official website Atlanta
• Tourist Information Atlanta