What Marietta is actually like
Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County, built around a traditional town square with a former courthouse at its center that still hosts a weekly farmers' market and regular community events. Downtown Marietta includes six historic districts, some listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and landmarks including the Kennesaw House — one of only four commercial buildings in the area to survive Sherman's March — and the Marietta Confederate Cemetery, with more than 3,000 graves. A few miles away, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park protects the Civil War battlefield with 17 miles of hiking trails, including a popular summit route, making it one of the most-visited hiking destinations in metro Atlanta. Only one of those six districts, though — the Kennesaw Avenue Historic District — actually requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city's Historic Preservation Commission before exterior work; the others carry National Register recognition without the same mandatory local design review.
The city is also genuinely well-known for The Big Chicken, a 56-foot chicken-shaped building that's marked a KFC location since 1963 and doubles as an informal landmark for giving directions across the metro. Marietta is home to Kennesaw State University and Life University, and major employers include WellStar Kennestone Hospital, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, and a major Lockheed Martin manufacturing facility. The Atlanta Braves' Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta are about 10 miles away in neighboring Cumberland, making Marietta one of the closer suburbs to home games.
Listings in Marietta
Getting around
Marietta has no MARTA rail or bus service — regional rail service to the area ended in 1971. CobbLinc runs local routes and Xpress GA buses connect toward Atlanta, but it's a car-dependent commute via I-75 for most trips.
Marietta FAQ
Is Marietta GA part of Atlanta?
No — it's the county seat of Cobb County, its own city about 20 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.
Does Marietta have MARTA?
No — no MARTA rail or bus service reaches Marietta. CobbLinc and Xpress GA buses provide local and regional transit instead.
What is Marietta GA known for?
Its historic town square, six historic districts, and The Big Chicken — a 56-foot chicken-shaped building that's been a local landmark since 1963.