I live just outside of Atlanta and like every other major city - it has its good and its bad points. One thing to keep in mind is that downtown Atlanta is a working area.....not really made for travel and tourists.
The recommendation to stay in the Buckhead area is a great one. You do have 2 MARTA stops in that area. I would not compare MARTA to METRO, it is a different "animal" in Atlanta, manly to move people within the city limits.
Lots of "Atlanta" things are considered "OTP" or outside the perimeter - that is 285, the highway that runs a circle around Atlanta.
Highly recomment renting a car.
the aquarium is AWESOME! Make sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time and get an early entry time - it can get crowded starting around lunch time! The World of Coke is on the same property - this is a nice place to see once or twice. Our Botanical Gardens have expanded recently and have a nice kids area as well as a new tree walk (elevated walk area) that is really nice.
Our zoo, while kinda small, is really cute and has lots of great animal areas - I love our Pandas!!! But don't skip Fernbank! They have great Imax movies and some great exhibits. I am not a big fan of The high museum of art - only for special exhibits.
Dante's Down the Hatch is a wonderful place - but mainly for adults. You have to order the chocolate fondue a couple days in advance - so you might want to call and make reservations!
We have wonderful shopping in the area - especially in Buckhead where you have 2 malls right accross from each other - Phipps and Lenox. Mall of GA is great, but might take you awhile to get there up 85 north.
Be ware of traffic and everything called Peachtree Street - I think we have no less than 35 Peachtree Streets in Atlanta!!
The Center for Puppetry Arts is a lot of fun and if you are just going out with your significant other - The Whole World Theatre is a lot of fun - an improv type show!
the Fox Theatre has summer movies - check their schedule. This is great to go to as they have singalongs with the grand piano before the shows!
Check out
http://www.atlanta.net/50fun/ for some other ideas!
Oh, and if you go to The Varsity - make sure to read the menu and know what you want to order before you get up to the counter - trust me! Oh and a naked dog walking - just a plain hotdog to go! Oh and to congeal the grease you will intake - a large FO is just what the doctor ordered - a frosted orange is so yummy! Check out the car hops in the parking lot too!
As for Atlantic Station - a GREAT place to shop....during the day. It becomes quite the "hang out" during the night time hours as it has many restaurants with bars there....
Most of all - enjoy your visit!
And if you need a Disney fix......let me know, I will point you in the right direction - OTP!!!
