My home is in Cumming, which is about 50 minutes North of Atlanta proper.  I find the area appealing because it is right on the edge of rural and suburbia.  In the last year there has been a ton of growth in the area so a lot of new shops and restaurants have been put in.  Oh, it is also very close to the mountains and the northern part of the town sits on Lake Lanier.

I lived in Lawrenceville [Gwinnett County].  It was a wonderful place to live and the schools were some of the best.  It was also one of the fastest growing counties so if they want something a little more "laid back" they may want to look further out.  One of my sons lived in Smyrna [Cobb County]; wouldn't recommend it although there are nice parts.  Have them contact a get a good realtor in the area.  A good realtor should be able to supply them with packets of information regarding the different areas.  Good luck to your daughter and son in law!

I live in Conyers, around 10 miles east of the Perimeter on Interstate 20.  There is every type of shopping available and a good hospital, too. This has been my home for 12 years.  I also lived in Buckhead but that is very expensive compared to the suburbs. An affordable neighborhood within Atlanta itself is likely to be not a great place to live and raise kids, if that is your intention.  HTH