Do these pictures give you the impression that Atlanta is a big city? (Stone Mountain: credit, how much)

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Trees are frequently brought up here as Atlanta's natural wonder, but around the country, Atlanta is not known for that. If you want to play "word association", people outside of Atlanta don't talk about Atlanta's trees. Atlanta's tree density is a non-selling point.


...

Mathman, this is because most people around the country don't know this about Atlanta--and Atlanta does not promote it enough or adequately.

Once people visit Atlanta, however, they definitely notice and almost all are wonderfully surprised.


Atlanta
the city in a forest

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Before I moved to Atlanta, I always associated the place with that picture of I-75 winding toward downtown captured in high speed (where the lights are blurred) and I could always tell it was Atlanta by Peachtree Plaza being in the background to top it off. Those two things always came to mind.

But it's not Atlanta's icon and apparently it requires a certain time of day for you to notice. However it's not such a terrible thing because even Tokyo doesn't have an iconic look.

Nationally and internationally, we're probably widely known for our airport.

Not many people can tell you what is the world's busiest airport. At best they might notice that they change planes a lot in Atlanta. And the airport lacks an iconic look. Not many do...but LAX does.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Mathman, this is because most people around the country don't know this about Atlanta--and Atlanta does not promote it enough or adequately.

Once people visit Atlanta, however, they definitely notice and almost all are wonderfully surprised.


Atlanta
the city in a forest

I've never heard any visitor remark about Atlanta's trees. And I don't think people will be attracted to visit because of the trees. That's probably why Atlanta doesn't use them for promotion. Many places do have trees too...and a fair number of them. Now if Stone Mountain was beside downtown...now you've got an icon. But even so, I don't think Atlanta promotes Stone Mountain enough because not many people outside the area know about it.

[RNF]

This pic is pretty unique and always pops up in my mind as atlanta. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...m_Buckhead.jpg

Before I went to atlanta I knew about the airport, stone mountain, coca cola building, georgia dome.

Generally I think these are the main cities that everyone can relate to on sight. (Below) Atlanta isn't as great as those but it's definitely as you would say "known". Also Atlanta is built nicely, like how it doesnt really use the square system, the roads are cruvy and very sloped.

New York
LA
Chi-town
Washington D.C.
San Francisco
Boston
Houston
Seattle

[nedergras]

Recife, Brazil. Population 1,472,202, Metro 4,136,506



Istanbul, Turkey

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by RNF

This pic is pretty unique and always pops up in my mind as atlanta. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...m_Buckhead.jpg

Still...pretty generic. Most people outside of Atlanta wouldn't know where it was. For San Francisco, it's the Golden Gate bridge and the Bay.

Before I went to atlanta I knew about the airport, stone mountain, coca cola building, georgia dome.

Yeah...and I know some stuff about other cities too. It's not an issue if Atlanta is completely unknown to outsiders but what are its iconic images. But better take out of your mind the tie-in of Atlanta and the Dome because the Dome will soon be gone.

Generally I think these are the main cities that everyone can relate to on sight. (Below) Atlanta isn't as great as those but it's definitely as you would say "known". Also Atlanta is built nicely, like how it doesnt really use the square system, the roads are cruvy and very sloped.

New York
LA
Chi-town
Washington D.C.
San Francisco
Boston
Houston
Seattle

New York the Statue of Liberty and Empire State building are the biggest icon. There are more like Times Square. Sadly, so were the World Trade Towers.
LA seems to need the shot of the Basin and sometimes you have to throw in LAX. And naturally the Hollywood sign.
Chicago needs the Sears/Willis tower
DC...so many icons...it isn't funny
SF Golden Gate Bridge
Boston...not really....they lack an icon
Houston...what icon?
Seattle...Space Needle and Mount Rainier.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I've never heard any visitor remark about Atlanta's trees.
...

Then you need to meet more visitors.

[Georgiafrog]

First of all, the number one comment I hear from visitors is about the number of trees. This may be because my wife is from the midwest, and so lots of visitors to the area that I meet are as well.

Second, this thread almost immediately brought Chicago into the mix. I just wanted to add my two cents to that. I drove through Chicago for the 700th time this summer. Took the DR Expy. I am an Atlanta native, and love the city, but can't help but be amazed every time I drive through Chicago or N.Y. It's just not comparable in density or bulk. I kept saying to my wife, "Look at the size of this place!" as we drove through.

Atlanta is a great city, as long as people see it for exactly what it is. A lot of people try to push it onto a level that it hasn't reached yet, an so their arguments promoting Atlanta seem pretty weak. On the other hand, Atlanta bashers try and hold it to those same standards, and so their arguments are equally ridiculous. Just relax. Atlanta is a very nice large city in the United States with a lot of greenery and diversity for it's size. It is a newer city as far as real growth is concerned, and largely commercial instead of Industrial. It is no New York or Chicago, nor is it a Topeka or Milwaukee. It's Atlanta.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

So what is its signature look? I could show a picture of city with the Eiffel tower and people know it is Paris. I can show Big Ben and Parliament and people know it's London, I can show a city with the Arch and people know it's St Louis. There is no signature look to Atlanta. If I see a random picture of Atlanta, I'd have to look over the buildings that I recognize to give me a hint as there is no signature piece or natural wonder to give instant recognition. Atlanta has a pretty generic look.

This is so completely wrong. Do you even live in Atlanta? The Westin Peachtree Plaza has been the signature skyscraper on the city's skyline since 1976. It is far and away the most recognizable building on Atlanta, and can only possibly be confused with its sister Ren Center in Detroit -- distinguised by the four mid-sized towers around it.

Further, though it was built nearly 40 years ago and is no longer the city's tallest building, it stil stands out and is clearly visible from every direction.

You want to know Atlanta's signature look? Here it is! Everybody in America knows this skyline.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

But it's not Atlanta's icon and apparently it requires a certain time of day for you to notice. However it's not such a terrible thing because even Tokyo doesn't have an iconic look.


Not many people can tell you what is the world's busiest airport. At best they might notice that they change planes a lot in Atlanta. And the airport lacks an iconic look. Not many do...but LAX does.

Again, this is highly opinionated. Anybody in this country who flies on even a semi-regular basis is familiar with Atlanta's airport. That it is the world's busiest is no small secret. "At best they might notice" ... ?! Apparently you've never heard the long-running national joke about having to change planes in ATL when you die and go to heaven?