The best Parks in Atlanta range from sprawling open greenspaces buzzing with activity to quiet riverside spaces providing a peaceful getaway from the city. You’ll also find plenty of kid-friendly parks in Atlanta, offering everything from playgrounds and sports facilities to skate parks.
Atlanta is the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia. It played an important part in both the Civil War and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Atlanta History Center chronicles the city’s past, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site is dedicated to the African-American leader’s life and times. Downtown, Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Olympics, encompasses the massive Georgia Aquarium.
Atlanta is Georgia’s shiny skyscraping capital, where traditional southern charm meets modern cosmopolitan style. Steeped in a rich African-American history, the buzzing city is packed with world-class museums, theaters, and highbrow culture hubs, as well as numerous green spaces to unwind in.
Atlanta’s best parks include formal and themed gardens like the Atlanta Botanical Garden, interactive play fountains at Centennial Olympic Park, and family events at Historic Fourth Ward Park. Historic sites can be found at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park and Sweetwater Creek State Park.
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Explore the best parks in Atlanta Georgia.
Oakland cemetery
Oakland Cemetery is one of the largest cemetery green spaces, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded as Atlanta Cemetery in 1850 on six acres of land southeast of the city, it was renamed in 1872 to reflect the large number of oak and magnolia trees growing in the area.
Oakland Cemetery is a historic cemetery and greenspace in Atlanta, located in the center of the city. This Victorian-style cemetery encompasses 48 acres, with its earliest inceptions dating back to 1850.
Oakland Cemetery contains the interred remains of an estimated 70,000 people, including many notable Atlantans from history. The cemetery can be explored on a self-guided or guided tour, featuring a diverse collection of intricate headstones and statues and ornate Victorian-era mausoleums. Annual events at Oakland Cemetery include art exhibitions, music festivals, picnics, and family-friendly holiday events.
Location: 248 Oakland Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312, USA
Open: Daily from 9 am to 5.30 pm
Phone: +1 404-688-2107
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Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a series of sites between Atlanta and Lake Sidney Lanier along the Chattahoochee River in Georgia, U.S. The 48-mile stretch of the river affords public recreation opportunities and access to historic sites.
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a series of sites along the Chattahoochee River, with its headquarters and visitors center located in Sandy Springs. The visitor’s center on Island Ford Parkway offers historical information and exhibits on the region and the Chattahoochee River.
You’ll find extensive walking and hiking trails within the park, including water-side trails following the Chattahoochee River. Trout fishing is popular on the river, with year-round fishing available with an appropriate Georgia Fishing License. In the summer months, tubing on the Chattahoochee is extremely popular, with tube rentals available for floating from Powers Island to Paces Mill.
Location: 1978 Island Ford Pkwy, Sandy Springs, GA 30350, USA
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Sweetwater Creek State Park
Sweetwater Creek State Park is a 2,549 acre Georgia state park in east Douglas County, 15 miles from downtown Atlanta. The park is named after Sweetwater Creek which runs through it.
Sweetwater Creek State Park is a state park located about 15 miles west of Atlanta in Douglas County. The large park encompasses over 2,500 acres and is named for Sweetwater Creek, which runs through it.
Extensive walking and hiking trails in Sweetwater Creek State Park include wooded and creekside trails and scenic views over the historic New Manchester Mill ruins. At the park visitor’s center, you can find exhibits on the region’s history, including Native American artifacts, Civil War memorabilia, and textiles from the New Manchester Manufacturing Company. The park also houses playgrounds, picnic areas, fishing docks, and canoe and equipment rentals.
Location: 1750 Mt Vernon Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122, USA
Open: Daily from 7 am to 7.30 pm
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Freedom Park
Freedom Park is one of the largest city parks in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The park forms a cross shape with the axes crossing at the Carter Center.
Freedom Park contains open greenspaces, extensive walking trails, and regular public art exhibitions. There are several permanent art installations in Freedom Park, including tributes to Martin Luther King Jr. and Congressman John Lewis. A year-round farmers market is held at the Carter Center in Freedom Park on Saturday mornings from 8.30 am to noon.
Address: Moreland Ave NE & North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: (404) 546-6813
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Historic Fourth Ward Park
Historic Fourth Ward Park is a park built on the site of the old Ponce de Leon amusement park, in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, just south of Ponce City Market and just west of the BeltLine Eastside Trail. Currently the park covers 17 acres in two separate sections.
Fourth Ward Park encompasses a large pond and open greenspaces, with walking trails and picnic areas. A children’s playground includes a seasonal splash pad to cool off in, as well as a large public skate park. An outdoor amphitheater adjacent to the pond hosts various seasonal public events in Historic Fourth Ward Park.
Location: 680 Dallas St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA
Open: Daily from 6 am to 11 pm
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Piedmont Park
Piedmont Park is an urban park in Atlanta, Georgia, located about 1 mile northeast of Downtown, between the Midtown and Virginia Highland neighborhoods. Originally the land was owned by Dr. Benjamin Walker, who used it as his out-of-town gentleman’s farm and residence.
Piedmont Park offers large open greenspaces, covered picnic facilities, walking trails, and multiple playgrounds for children. Within the park is Lake Clara Meer, with a dock and visitor’s center. Multiple types of sports facilities are available, including a public swimming pool. Piedmont Park’s trails are ADA accessible, and the park offers an accessible children’s playground.
Location: 1320 Monroe Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, USA
Open: Daily from 6 am to 11 pm
Phone: +1 404-875-7275
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Atlanta Botanical Garden
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a 30 acres botanical garden located adjacent to Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Incorporated in 1976, the garden’s mission is to “develop and maintain plant collections for the purposes of display, education, conservation, research and enjoyment.”
Within the Atlanta Botanical Garden, you’ll find themed gardens ranging from a rose garden to a Japanese garden, a kitchen garden, and a children’s garden. A kids’ zone features interactive exhibits and play spaces, as well as regular family-friendly events. Greenhouses and indoor exhibits feature tropical plants and animals, as well as an Orchid Center. The park features an annual Garden Lights, Holiday Nights event in the winter months, with thousands of lights illuminating the gardens.
Location: 1345 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA
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