It may be in the so-called sleepy South, but Atlanta is wide awake and oh-so modern. Its airport is one of the busiest in the world. Coca-Cola, CNN, and Delta are among the major corporations headquartered here. And Atlanta has art to balance out its industry: In fact, its High Museum of Art is the only museum in the United States that has a relationship with the Louvre, so rare exhibits come from Paris specifically to Atlanta. Georgia Aquarium is the world's largest as of 2010, with approximately 120,000 animals in more than 80 million gallons of water. The Kimpton-brand Palomar Hotel is one of many new hotels to open recently. The restaurant scene is booming, with destination dining venues opening faster than locals can keep ticking 'em off their must-eat lists.

On the cultural flip side, Atlanta is an urban music hub, claiming Outkast, Ludacris, T.I., and, in recent days, Gucci Mane among its most famous hip-hop stars.