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Charleston has Southern historic charm, delightful dining, crowded beaches, and sensational saltwater fishing, but I strongly dislike crowded beaches and just don't feel the same cultural "allure" after so many visits to the tourism-centric city. Edisto Island is more appealing to my preferences in a Lowcountry vacation these days.
On the other hand, Atlanta has more shopping destinations, more museums, major league professional sports, a massive aquarium, a large theme park for the children, Stone Mountain, High-rise dining, year-round world-class performing arts, and etc...
I understand that Atlanta has a lot to offer. But to say it's a "destination" is a stretch. I've never, ever witnessed anybody that planned a vacation to Atlanta. Unless they are interested in seeing hoards of homeless people wandering around downtown.
Atlanta is not the week-long leisure vacation type of city, but it's very popular for extended weekend-type getaways and tons of conventions and special events are always happening. There's more than one way to be a destination city, just like NYC and Las Vegas are two different kinds of destination cities.
Atlanta is not the week-long leisure vacation type of city, but it's very popular for extended weekend-type getaways and tons of conventions and special events are always happening. There's more than one way to be a destination city, just like NYC and Las Vegas are two different kinds of destination cities.
It boils down to a difference of opinon. I consider a "destination" city somewhere I would like to spend an extended amount of time in. I consider Atlanta to be a lot like Cincinatti, St Louis, Charlotte etc..... Sure, there is lot's to do and your company may send you there for a convention, but I am certainly not planning a week long vacation there. A "destination" city is somewhere you want to spend a vacation at.
Look, I'm not trying to knock Atlanta. Being from the SE, I've spent a fair amount of time there and there IS plenty to do. As a matter of fact, my wife and I are going there for a couple days next month to see a concert, spend the night and possibly the aquarium the next day. But I'm not packing up the family for a week long vacation there.
It boils down to a difference of opinon. I consider a "destination" city somewhere I would like to spend an extended amount of time in. I consider Atlanta to be a lot like Cincinatti, St Louis, Charlotte etc..... Sure, there is lot's to do and your company may send you there for a convention, but I am certainly not planning a week long vacation there. A "destination" city is somewhere you want to spend a vacation at.
Look, I'm not trying to knock Atlanta. Being from the SE, I've spent a fair amount of time there and there IS plenty to do. As a matter of fact, my wife and I are going there for a couple days next month to see a concert, spend the night and possibly the aquarium the next day. But I'm not packing up the family for a week long vacation there.
And again, leisure destinations are different from ones that are more well-rounded in that regard but both are different types of destinations. There's more than one way to be a destination and if a city attracts 30-40 million visitors a year like Atlanta does, it's pretty hard to dispute its status as some kind of destination. And even when it comes to that, it really depends on how you view a vacation. I prefer more extended weekends throughout the year as opposed to weeklong excursions. I've done the weeklong thing before and I'm ready to go home by the fourth day or so.
Atlanta's foundation is business. Tourism followed after business grew Atlanta to a major city. You don't agree with that?
I didn't know you were asking a chicken-or-egg question in terms of what came first. I'm only stating that in Atlanta, tourism and business aren't really separate concepts. It's part of Atlanta's bread and butter.
I didn't know you were asking a chicken-or-egg question in terms of what came first. I'm only stating that in Atlanta, tourism and business aren't really separate concepts. It's part of Atlanta's bread and butter.
Tourism is business no matter where it is, but I don't think of Atlanta like I would think of the beach. It's just an opinion. I go to a beach to relax.
Tourism is business no matter where it is, but I don't think of Atlanta like I would think of the beach. It's just an opinion. I go to a beach to relax.
Yes, but tourism is bigger for some cities than others and Atlanta is one of those cities. And Atlanta isn't coastal, so of course you wouldn't think of it in that way. I've already said in this thread that there's more than one way to be a destination city. If the only thing I could do to get away is go to the beach, I'd get bored pretty quickly.
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