Martin Luther King Jr. The CNN building. The new World of Coke. Great restaurants. Centennial Olympic Park. Margaret Mitchell and “Gone With The Wind.” The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The Georgia Aquarium. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum. Shopping in Buckhead. Six Flags Over Georgia. The High Museum of Art.

These are just a few of the people and sites associated with Atlanta, the host city for the 2008 ISH North America trade show Oct. 1-3, as well as Network ’08, the combined conventions of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors – National Association and the American Supply Association. Network ’08 activities start on Sept. 30.

Metro Atlanta consists of more than 4 million people in 28 counties; the actual city of Atlanta comprises 131 square miles. For those attending ISH North America or who are planning to extend their trip before or after, here are some tips what to see, where to eat, where to shop, and how to get there.

Atlanta Transportation

For those flying into Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, there are several options for getting you to your hotel. Located just 10 miles south of downtown Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is accessible via local Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) trains and buses, downtown and suburban shuttles and interstate highways.

MARTA — There are four rail lines and 120 bus routes in the system. MARTA has a train station located near the baggage claim area in Hartsfield-Jackson Airport as well as near many hotels and destinations of your choice For your convenience, MARTA also has a station located near the Georgia World Congress Center.

A regular one-trip fare cost $1.75 plus .50 Breeze Ticket surcharge ($2.25) and includes transfers within MARTA/ or other regional transit agencies. By purchasing a Visitor Pass, you save because it allows you unlimited rides for a set price: a one-day pass is $8; two-day pass is $9; three-day pass is $11; and a four-day pass is $12. For more fare information, as well as train and bus schedules, go to www.itsmarta.com.

Taxis — You can catch a taxi from the airport in the Red Bus Aisle. Rates range from $30-38 one way to/from airport and central business district; rates approximately $8 from business to business within central business district.

Shared-ride shuttles — For reservations, go to the Green Bus Aisle in the Ground Transportation Center. For shuttle service to downtown, midtown and Buckhead exit door S5 or S6 from the Delta baggage claim area and proceed to the outer curb. Metro shared-ride shuttles depart every 15 minutes and nonmetro shuttles depart every 30 minutes to an hour. American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

Car rentals — Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Enterprise, National and Thrifty have registration counters located inside the airport on the first floor within the Atrium. Car rental shuttles are located in the Orange Bus Aisle.

Top Atlanta Attractions

New World of Coca-Cola

Atlanta has many attractions to appeal to just about everyone, but we’ve tried to pick out the best. For information on attractions and events not listed, visit www.atlanta.net/visitors/seedo.html.

Atlanta CityPass
The Atlanta CityPass is $69 for adults and $49 for children, ages 3-12. Booklets are valid for nine days from the first day of use and may be purchased online at www.Atlanta.net/citypass or at any participating attraction.

Four core attraction tickets anchor the program:

— New World of Coca-Cola: Located at Pemberton Place in the heart of downtown and named for the inventor of Coca-Cola, Atlanta’s newest attraction is twice as large as its previous incarnation with 35,000 square feet of exhibit space. In addition to displaying more than 1,200 never-before-seen artifacts related to Coca-Cola, visitors can sample nearly 70 different variations of Coke from around the world. The bottling line producing eight-ounce commemorative Cokes is a highlight. Visit www.worldofcoca-cola.com for more information.

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world.

— The Georgia Aquarium: At eight million gallons and more than 550,000 square feet, the Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world with the largest collection of aquatic animals representing hundreds of species. The Georgia Aquarium is the only facility outside of Asia to house whale sharks, the world’s largest fish. Its most recent addition is a 9-foot-wide manta ray, the first in a U.S. aquarium. The aquarium also has an exhibit of Titanic artifacts. Visit www.georgiaaquarium.org for program and exhibit information.

— Inside CNN Atlanta Studio Tour: Journey into the heart of a news leader at Inside CNN Atlanta. This 55-minute behind-the-scenes tour shows you exactly what it takes to deliver the news available to more than 2 billion people worldwide (www.cnn.com/tour/atlanta).

— Zoo Atlanta: Located just east of downtown in the historic Grant Park neighborhood, Zoo Atlanta (www.zooatlanta.com) is one of the oldest operating zoos in the country. Be sure to share a visit with pandas, gorillas, Sumatran tigers and the naked mole rats.

The gravesite of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, are located at The King Center.

Two optional tickets invite visitors to customize their time with sightseeing they find most compelling in the time available, with indoor and outdoor aspects. The first option allows visitors to select either the Fernbank Museum of Natural History (www.fernbankmuseum.org) or the Atlanta Botanical Garden (www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/home.do). The second option ticket is a choice of either The High Museum of Art (www.high.org) or the Atlanta History Center (www.atlantahistorycenter.com).

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site — Atlanta is the birthplace of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Explore his birth home, historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and The King Center, where Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize is on exhibit. The gravesite of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, are also located at The King Center. The Visitors Center features exhibits telling the Civil Rights Movement story. Admission and parking is free.

The birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may be toured only with a National Park Service Ranger. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Register for the tour at the National Park Service Visitor Center in person upon arrival to the park. The tour is strictly limited to 15 people per tour. Tours fill up fast on weekends and holidays.

Centennial Olympic Park — This 21-acre site was one of the most popular spots in the city during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games (www.centennialpark.com). Today, year-round programming features concerts, family activities and artists’ markets. The park features the world’s largest Olympic Ring fountain.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra — The ASO is a Grammy Award-winning, internationally renowned ensemble now in its 62nd season. Under the partnership of Music Director Robert Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles since 2001, the ASO already has released 13 CDs, garnering five Grammy Awards (for a total of 23) — and has commissioned, performed and recorded new music by today’s most prominent and emerging composers.

The 2008-2009 season of the ASO begins the weekend before ISH North America. Visit www.atlantasymphony.org for a concert schedule and ticket prices.

The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum — One of 10 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives & Records Administration, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum (www.jimmycarterlibrary.org) includes photographs, historical memorabilia from his presidency (1976-1981), an exact replica of the Oval Office, an exhibit of significant events during Carter’s life and political career, and the permanent home of the former president’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Margaret Mitchell House and Museum — Tour the three-story Tudor Revival mansion in Midtown where author Margaret Mitchell lived and wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Gone With The Wind.” The house offers tours, a museum and museum shop, as well as a literature series that showcases Southern authors (www.gwtw.org). Tickets are $12 for adults, $9 for students 13 and older (and seniors 65 and older), and $5 for children aged 4-12.

For those with a fascination/obsession with “Gone With The Wind,” head north to Marietta’s Gone With The Wind Museum (www.mariettaga.gov/gwtw/default.aspx), featuring the largest private collection of movie memorabilia. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for students and seniors.

Six Flags Over Georgia

Six Flags Over Georgia — The amusement park is now open only during the weekends through Nov. 2. Visit www.sixflags.com for hours and ticket information.

Atlanta Civil War History — For Civil War history buffs, there are several places to immerse yourself in the War Between The States. The 100-year old Atlanta Cyclorama tells the story of the 1864 Battle of Atlanta through a massive circular painting and narrated dialogue. Open Tuesday thru Sunday, visitors can see a Cyclorama show every hour from 9:00am to 4:30pm.

Learn more about Atlanta’s role in the Civil War by visiting the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (www.nps.gov/kemo), featuring 11 miles of Union and Confederate earthworks marking Civil War sites. Admission and parking is free, but the mountain road is closed on weekends and holidays. The National Park Service offers a shuttle bus to the top of the mountain on those days for a nominal fee.

Historic Oakland Cemetery (www.oaklandcemetery.com) serves as the final resting place for more than 3,900 Confederate soldiers, Atlanta author Margaret Mitchell, golfing legend Bobby Jones, six Georgia governors and 25 Atlanta mayors.

In addition, the Atlanta History Center has the largest private collection of civil war memorabilia in the nation.

Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta — Located near Centennial Olympic Park, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta features hands-on, colorful exhibits and activities in which children can look, listen, touch and explore as they learn how things work in their world.

Atlanta walking tours — The Atlanta Preservation Center offers guided walking tours of neighborhoods such as:

— Ansley Park, a 230-acre residential district developed in 1904;
— Druid Hills, where you will find the home used in the movie “Driving Miss Daisy;”
— Grant Park, with restored Victorian homes, the Atlanta Cyclorama and Zoo Atlanta;
— Beautiful Inman Park, one of Atlanta’s first garden suburbs;
— Historic downtown;
— The Fox Theatre, one of the few remaining exotic movie palaces of the 1920s; and
— Sweet Auburn/Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District, the heart of African-American commerce in Atlanta at the turn of the century.

Tickets for adults are $10; students and seniors 60 or older are $5. Visit http://preserveatlanta.com for tour schedules.

City Segway tours — Cruise effortlessly through downtown Atlanta while receiving an orientation of the city, historical and current-day information and heaps of unique stories from your guide on the Atlanta City Segway Tour. Tours are three hours and $70 per person. A Ghost Tour is also available.

Dining & Nightlife

There’s plenty of restaurants and cuisines in Atlanta — something for everyone. Visit www.atlanta.net/dining to search for what your stomach is craving.

Southern cooking is making a comeback. Discover the award-winning Restaurant Eugene and Watershed, both featured in Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Esquire.

Atlanta has a few celebrity chefs who have opened restaurants there. “Top Chef"'s Richard Blais just opened Home in Buckhead, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market Atlanta recently opened at W Midtown, plus restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow added Maxim Prime to downtown Atlanta.

Kenny’s Alley features 12 restaurants and more than 100 specialty stores.

For lounges and dancing downtown, check out these picks from the Atlanta Convention and Vistor’s Bureau in Underground Atlanta, six city blocks in the heart of the city featuring Kenny’s Alley, with 12 restaurants, more than 100 specialty stores and the newest attraction, Aero Balloon, an adventure ride that rises up to 350 feet above Atlanta's downtown streets.

Irish Bred Pub attracts families interested in standard pub food with some Irish add-ons to the menu and the occasional sing-along show on weeknights.

Those looking for icy mixed drink favorites like Rum Runner, Cappuccino and Strawnananna can visit Banana Wind, which offers a friendly and open environment to both regulars and tourists. The bar features live music and a guitarist who plays a mix of popular music and 80s rock tunes.

In the long-established Fairlie-Poplar area of Atlanta, unwind at The Mark, a chic spot where well-known entertainers hold their after-parties for hot concerts downtown. Enjoy disco, funk and dance music with indoor waterfalls and interactive plasma televisions.

The Buckhead neighborhood has several stylish bars:

Voted as the city’s best martini bar by Atlanta Magazine, Beluga Martini Bar has live jazz most nights of the week. Along with a diverse martini menu, caviar and cigars are also offered.

The Blackbear Tavern is a friendly, casual bar in South Buckhead that has a full menu, wine tastings, live music, trivia nights and plays host to various dart leagues.

The Blue Room is a new hotspot located in the Peachtree Hills area of Buckhead. Designed primarily as a wine bar, patrons may also enjoy the tapas and signature martinis.

An international and Gaelic crowd is attracted to the Fado Irish Pub for some of the best Irish fare in town with eclectic Irish memorabilia on the walls. The pub’s specialty is “boxty,” an Irish rolled potato pancake stuffed with a choice of seafood, Cajun meats, steak or veggies.

Steamhouse Lounge is a popular spot for those seeking a relaxing time under the shade of a 100-year-old oak tree on a large outdoor patio. This lounge’s menu features oysters and the atmosphere has a New Orleans style.

Sanctuary is the Latin music dance club that appeals to both young and old wishing to spin about on the dance floor. Plush couches surround this dance club’s floor for great people-watching. Dance instruction is included with cover on Fridays at 9 p.m., and on the first and third Sundays every month there is Argentine tango dancing.