Marietta, GA

Marietta is a city of roughly 60,000 residents in Cobb County, Georgia, situated in the northwestern corner of the Atlanta metropolitan area about twenty miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. It serves as the county seat and is often described as a small-town-feeling suburb with a deep historic character, leafy streets, and a walkable center that contrasts with the larger city just down Interstate 75. Marietta is best known for its antebellum and Victorian-era architecture, its role during the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War, and its position as a gateway to the North Georgia mountains, the Chattahoochee River corridor, and a string of family-oriented attractions scattered across the western suburbs.

The heart of the city is the Marietta Square, a four-block historic district anchored by Glover Park, a Victorian bandstand that hosts free concerts and a weekly farmers market. Surrounding the square are locally owned restaurants, antique stores, and art galleries housed in 19th-century brick buildings, along with the Marietta Museum of History, which covers the area from Native American settlement through the Civil War and the modern era. From most parts of the city, the square is only a few minutes' drive and is generally considered the social and cultural center of Marietta.

Just under ten miles north of the square lies Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, the site of a major 1864 Civil War battle where Union forces fought to break through Confederate defenses protecting Atlanta. The park offers roughly twenty miles of hiking trails that wind past earthworks, cannon emplacements, and the summit of Big Kennesaw, with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. It is approximately a fifteen-minute drive from downtown Marietta and is one of the most visited historical sites in the metro region.

A few miles south of Marietta, in the neighboring community of Austell, sits Six Flags Over Georgia, a long-running amusement park known for its collection of roller coasters and its themed lands representing six different periods of Southern history. It is roughly a fifteen- to twenty-minute drive from Marietta and tends to draw families and thrill-seekers throughout the warmer months.

For travelers in a lighter mood, the Big Chicken is a beloved Marietta landmark: a 56-foot-tall rotating metal chicken perched atop a KFC restaurant along Cobb Parkway. Originally built in 1963, it has become an unofficial city symbol and a frequently photographed stop for road-trippers.

With its blend of historic charm, family attractions, easy access to Atlanta, and proximity to the mountains, Marietta offers short-term rental owners a versatile audience: Civil War history enthusiasts, families heading to nearby theme parks, business travelers visiting the many corporate campuses in Cobb County, and Atlanta visitors who prefer a quieter, more walkable base than the capital itself.