Things to Do Around Atlanta in 2017

ATLANTA, GA -- Atlanta is a city that is always changing. Whether it's a face-lift over here or a major overhaul over there, the city's skyline is constantly evolving to better serve the needs of a growing populace.

While new buildings continue to pop up, it's good ever so often to get acquainted (or re-acquainted) with the area's mainstays, the city's bread-and-butter institutions.

That being the case, 2017 is a perfect opportunity to check out the city's best tourism draws. Here are a few gems that merit a revisit for the new year:

Georgia Aquarium

The world's biggest aquarium is located in the heart of downtown Atlanta. To say that the aquarium is monstrous doesn't quite do its size justice. Sea creatures ranging from the size of a bus to a bumblebee are all housed in more than 10 million gallons of sea and marine water at the facility. Awesome features include a real-life coral and the "Titanic Aquatic," which allows visitors to experience what it may have been like to walk the corridors of the famed ship.

World of Coca-Cola

Right around the corner from the aquarium is the World of Coca-Cola, an oasis of all things Coke. Sitting on 20 acres, the World of Coca-Cola features exhibits about why the secret ingredients of Coka (Shhh, it's a secret) and the history of soft drinks. Remember to come thirsty: Visitors can try more than 20 varieties of soda as part of a taste-testing exhibit.

Centennial Olympic Park

Located around several prominent landmarks, Centennial Olympic Park is a multiple-use green space that has been booked for weddings, photoshoots, corporate functions and wild concerts. Step foot inside the park and you'll soon be standing on red engraved bricks, keepsakes from the donors who paid for the project in the early 1990s.

SkyView Atlanta

The ferris wheel on Centennial Olympic Park Drive is a relatively new entry into downtown Atlanta's landscape. The 200-foot neon blue spokes debuted in 2013 and caused excitement when we learned that it featured climate controlled gondolas. Each ride consists of four revolutions, which take up about 15 minutes. -- plenty of time to see the city's beauty from on top.

CNN Center

A short walk from the ferris wheel is CNN Center, where you're liable to bump into a news anchor or two in the foot court. The building, originally called the Omni Complex, used to have a movie theater and ice rink. Now the atrium boasts the world's longest free-standing escalator, part of the CNN Tour. The building is largely occupied by CNN and Turner Broadcasting offices up top, and restaurants downstairs in the atrium.

High Museum of Art

The High Museum has more than 15,000 artworks across several collections. The Midtown site is the preeminent museum in the Southeast. Featuring more than 6,000 prints, the museum's photography exhibits are among the most in-depth in the world. What makes it really cool is that the museum caters to culturally significant photographs, regardless of the photographers' education level. In other words, you'll find works from established professionals as well as self-taught amateurs.

Fox Theatre

The Fox stands out as a gem of architecture on Peachtree Street. Designed like a shrine, the building's majestic features have upstaged many a musical act and movie. Visitors can tour the interior to learn about the structure's Islamic past and how it became one of the most popular performing venues in Atlanta.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

If you've always wanted to know what the air-conditioned side of Jurassic Park would be like, Fernbank is the fictitious site's closest cousin. The 70-acre site features numerous exhibits that are both educational and entertaining. In the museum's atrium is its biggest draw: a life-size Argentinosaurus, the largest dinosaur to be classified.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

The MLK National Historic Site is not one building, but consists of several structures central to the life of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. History buffs can get a lesson on the struggle for civil rights in the museum, worshippers can learn about King's spirituality at Ebenezer Baptist Church across the street. A few blocks down the road, visitors can walk up the porch of MLK's boyhood home. Also not to be missed is the "I Have a Dream" Rose Garden and finally the tomb of MLK and his wife Coretta Scott King.

Atlanta has a treasure trove of places to visit and things to see. Make 2017 the year you get out and enjoy the city a little. If you want to grab a bite, there are a host of restaurants and eateries to indulge in.