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Kids Eat Free

10 best outdoor places to take kids in Atlanta, GA (updated October 2026)

Updated Oct 29, 2026

By Kids Eat Free Map

Our top picks among the 10 best outdoor places to take kids in Atlanta are Piedmont Park, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park and Fernbank Forest. Eight are in Atlanta, with playgrounds, a treehouse, a waterfall walk and a kids’ garden; two are a drive out: the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell and Stone Mountain Park. In late October most splash pads are at the end of their season, but Piedmont Park’s Legacy Fountain is listed as open all year, weather permitting.

If you only have time for one

Which Atlanta parks have splash pads, and are they open now?

The city runs six free splash pads, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from May through October, so their season ends with October. The BeltLine lists a shorter season, May 1 to Oct. 1, for the one at Historic Fourth Ward Park, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden lists its Children’s Garden splash pad as closed. The exception is Piedmont Park’s Legacy Fountain, which the conservancy says is open all year unless the weather is severely cold or stormy. The city’s six:

Source: City of Atlanta, Splash Pads, checked Oct 29, 2026. Sources for Piedmont Park, Historic Fourth Ward Park and the Children’s Garden are in their entries below.

Where can kids play in Atlanta’s city parks?

Four city parks pair a playground with something more: Piedmont Park (two playgrounds and a splash pad), Historic Fourth Ward Park (a playground with a shade structure, plus a lake), Chastain Park (a rebuilt treehouse) and Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (a reservoir overlook and paved paths). None of their pages lists an entry fee, and all four are open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

1. Piedmont Park

Area: bounded by Piedmont Avenue, Monroe Drive and 10th Street (GPS address: 1322 Monroe Drive). Cost: no entry fee listed; the splash pad is free. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; restrooms 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

The park has two playgrounds. Mayor’s Grove Playground is shady, close to bathrooms and picnic tables, and built as a Boundless playground, with universally accessible paths and surfacing and swings that support a child’s back. The Noguchi Playscape near the 12th Street Gate, finished in 1976, is the only playground designed by the sculptor Isamu Noguchi that was completed in his lifetime. The Legacy Fountain splash pad has more than 70 jets that reach up to 30 feet, with restrooms, tables and chairs nearby; the conservancy says it is open all year, pending severely cold weather or storms. The pool is closed for the season, which runs Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Strollers and wheelchairs are allowed on the grass and on pedestrian-only paths, where bikes are not. The parking deck the park shares with the Atlanta Botanical Garden is card-only, the first 30 minutes are free, and park access is on the lowest floor.

Sources: Piedmont Park Conservancy, Playgrounds, Piedmont Park Pool, Aquatic Center and Splash Pad, FAQ and Directions, checked Oct 29, 2026.

2. Historic Fourth Ward Park

Area: Old Fourth Ward, on the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail. Cost: no fee listed; the city lists its splash pads as free. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (city park hours); splash pad 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in season, which the BeltLine gives as May 1 to Oct. 1 and the city gives as May through October.

This 17-acre park has playground equipment the BeltLine says is available year-round, a shade structure by the playground, a 2-acre lake that doubles as a stormwater basin, large meadows and an amphitheater. The city lists the playground at 664 Angier Ave. NE and the splash pad at 800 Dallas Street NE. By the BeltLine’s dates the splash pad is already closed for the season; by the city’s, it closes at the end of October. Restrooms: not listed.

Sources: Historic Fourth Ward Park | Beltline; City of Atlanta, Splash Pads, List of Playgrounds and Park Use Rules and Guidelines; checked Oct 29, 2026.

3. Chastain Park

Area: the conservancy lists the playground at 135 Chastain Park Avenue; the city’s playground list gives 135 W. Wieuca Rd. NW. Cost: no fee listed. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (city park hours).

The Chastain Park Conservancy says its brand-new Chastain Park Playground is open. Its ribbon-cutting notice from spring 2025 says the rebuild brought back the playground’s treehouse and added new play structures, seating and shade structures. An earlier expansion, in 2016, grew the playground from 10,000 to 40,000 square feet and added restrooms. The conservancy also lists a walking path, walking trails, Hamburger Pond, pavilions and an outdoor classroom in the park. In July 2026 the conservancy said construction on its Palisades project, which will open nearly 30 acres of new greenspace, was expected to begin Nov. 1 and take 12 to 16 months.

Sources: Chastain Park Conservancy, Home, Playground Ribbon Cutting, About Us and The Palisades Project: A New Chapter for Chastain Park; City of Atlanta, List of Playgrounds and Park Use Rules and Guidelines; checked Oct 29, 2026.

4. Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (formerly Westside Park)

Area: Grove Park, on the BeltLine’s Westside Trail; the city lists the playground under the old name at 1660 Johnson Rd. NW. Cost: no fee listed. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (city park hours).

Named for Atlanta’s 58th mayor, this former quarry is the city’s largest greenspace, according to the BeltLine. It has a playground, exercise equipment, meadows, two large pavilions you can reserve, and a 35-acre reservoir with a skyline overlook. Paved paths of various lengths run through the park, and the BeltLine says most are ADA accessible. Restrooms: not listed.

Sources: Shirley Clarke Franklin Park | Beltline; City of Atlanta, List of Playgrounds and Park Use Rules and Guidelines; checked Oct 29, 2026.

Where can we walk with kids inside the city?

The BeltLine’s Eastside Trail connects Piedmont Park and Historic Fourth Ward Park, so you can link two playgrounds on foot. For a forest walk, Cascade Springs Nature Preserve has free trails to a waterfall and springs.

5. Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail

Area: from the tip of Piedmont Park to Reynoldstown. Cost: no fee listed. Hours: not listed.

The Eastside Trail, the BeltLine’s first completed stretch of the old rail corridor, mixes a multi-use trail with linear greenspace. It connects to Piedmont Park, Historic Fourth Ward Park and Thomas Taylor Memorial Skatepark, and the BeltLine points to Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market along the way. The page says four BeltLine restrooms, ADA-accessible and with baby changing stations, will be located by Piedmont Park, Lowery — Bedford Pine, Allene Avenue and the Historic Ward Skatepark; it does not say which are open now. Trail length and surface are not listed on the page.

Source: Eastside Trail | Things To Do on the Atlanta Beltline, checked Oct 29, 2026.

6. Cascade Springs Nature Preserve

Area: Cascade Heights (2852 Cascade Road SW). Cost: free parking and free trails. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; the automated gate is open roughly 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This 125-acre forested city park has a waterfall, three artesian springs and rocks about 250 million years old. The 200-foot Springhouse Boardwalk gives ADA-compliant access to the old springhouse; beyond it are natural-surface trails, where bikes are not allowed. There are no public restrooms. Pets must be leashed. The preserve is a stop on bus route 71.

Sources: Cascade Springs Nature Conservancy, Cascade Springs Nature Preserve and Plan Your Visit, checked Oct 29, 2026.

Which nature centers and gardens have areas just for kids?

Fernbank’s WildWoods has exhibits for young children and tweens, the Atlanta Botanical Garden has a two-acre Children’s Garden, and the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell has a short trail it describes as right for young families. All three charge admission.

7. Fernbank Forest and WildWoods

Area: Fernbank Museum of Natural History, 767 Clifton Road. Cost: included with museum general admission: $25.95 adults (13–64), $24.95 seniors (65+) and $23.95 children (3–12) when bought online; children 2 and under free with an adult; parking free. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; the forest closes at 4:30 p.m.

WildWoods has interactive exhibits for young children (Nature Stories) and tweens (Adventure Outpost), trailside stops such as a sensory wall, animal tracks and tree bark molds, an elevated walkway into the treetops, and ADA-accessible trails. It leads into Fernbank Forest, a 65-acre old-growth forest open year-round for self-guided walks; some parts are rugged or steep. At Huntemann Pond, kids can look for tadpoles, frogs and turtles. Either area may close in bad weather.

Sources: Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Fernbank Forest, WildWoods, Plan Your Visit and Non-member tickets, checked Oct 29, 2026.

8. Atlanta Botanical Garden (Lou Glenn Children’s Garden)

Area: 1345 Piedmont Avenue; it shares a parking deck with Piedmont Park. Cost: paid admission; the garden posts its daytime prices as a chart on its tickets page, tickets are for a set date, and online or phone orders carry a $5 processing fee. Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed Mondays, on the schedule the garden lists for Sept. 7 to Oct. 31; its page does not yet list daytime hours after Oct. 31.

The two-acre Children’s Garden is built for splashing, climbing and playing, with a stepped vegetable garden, a bog with Venus flytraps and pitcher plants, and, in warm months, a beehive behind glass. Its splash pad is closed; the notice on the garden’s page still names the 2025 season. The garden says nearly all areas are accessible by wheelchair and scooter, and it bans wagons and other large wheeled devices unless they are for accessibility or childcare. Parking in the SAGE deck is free for 30 minutes, $3 for 31 to 60 minutes and $2 for each 30 minutes after that, up to $30 a day, card only.

Sources: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Tickets, Plan Your Visit and The Lou Glenn Children’s Garden, checked Oct 29, 2026.

9. Chattahoochee Nature Center

Area: Roswell (9135 Willeo Road). Cost: $20 adults, $16 seniors (65+) and students (13–18), $14 children (3–12), free for 2 and under; parking free. Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

The center has 2.5 miles of trails on 127 acres. The Beaver Pond Trail, just under a quarter mile, is the one it describes as right for beginner hikers and young families; the 0.32-mile Wildlife Walk is paved; and the half-mile River Boardwalk Trail, labeled ADA-compliant, crosses a bridge with views of the Chattahoochee River and has platforms over wetlands and marsh. Inside, the Discovery Center has interactive exhibits, live animals and the Nature Exchange. Arrive before 4:30 p.m.: after that, the center says you can browse only the Discovery Center’s upper level. Children under 16 must be with an adult, and construction is underway in parts of the grounds and parking areas.

Sources: Chattahoochee Nature Center, Home, Things To Do and Trails, checked Oct 29, 2026.

What can kids do at Stone Mountain Park for the price of parking?

Once you pay to park ($25 per vehicle for the day; the park says prices may be higher on site), the park’s natural areas are free, including trails, the lake, a children’s playground, the Grist Mill and the Covered Bridge. Attractions need their own tickets and typically open on weekends and school holidays.

10. Stone Mountain Park

Area: Stone Mountain (1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd.). Cost: parking $25 per vehicle per day or $40 for an annual pass, and the park says prices may be higher on site; people on foot or on bikes enter free through the South Woods Gate. Hours: gates open daily 5 a.m. to midnight; attractions typically open weekends and school holidays.

Free once you are inside: hiking and nature trails, picnic areas, the 363-acre lake, a children’s playground (on Robert E. Lee Blvd., about 3/4 mile past the West Gate), the Grist Mill, the Covered Bridge and the Quarry Exhibit. The Walk-Up Trail to the summit is about a mile (the same page’s FAQ says 1.3 miles) with about 700 feet of climbing; the park rates it moderate to hard, estimates 1 to 1.5 hours and says it may not be suitable for young children. Restrooms are at the trailhead near the South Woods Gate and at the summit, but the summit restrooms close at 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays in November and December for a special event.

Sources: Stone Mountain Park, Home, Parking Tickets, FAQs and Walk-Up Trail to Top of Stone Mountain, checked Oct 29, 2026.

Which paths work with a stroller?

Few of these sources mention strollers, but several describe paved or accessible routes: the paved paths at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (most are ADA accessible), the ADA-accessible trails in Fernbank’s WildWoods, the paved Wildlife Walk and ADA-compliant River Boardwalk at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and the 200-foot ADA-compliant boardwalk at Cascade Springs. Piedmont Park allows strollers on its grass and pedestrian paths, and its Mayor’s Grove Playground has universally accessible paths. Stone Mountain’s Walk-Up Trail is rated moderate to hard, and the park says it may not be suitable for young children.

Where are the restrooms?

Piedmont Park lists seven restroom locations, including by the Noguchi Playscape and the Legacy Fountain, open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Chastain Park’s 2016 playground expansion added restrooms. Stone Mountain has restrooms at the Walk-Up Trail’s trailhead and summit. Cascade Springs has no public restrooms. The BeltLine says four BeltLine restrooms with baby changing stations will be located at sites including Piedmont Park and the Historic Ward Skatepark. For Historic Fourth Ward Park and Shirley Clarke Franklin Park, restrooms are not listed on the pages we checked.

At a glance

PlaceAreaCostGood for
Piedmont ParkPiedmont Ave., Monroe Dr. and 10th St.No entry fee listed; splash pad freeTwo playgrounds, splash pad listed as open year-round
Historic Fourth Ward ParkOld Fourth WardNo fee listedYear-round playground with shade, lake; splash pad in season
Chastain ParkChastain Park Ave.No fee listedRebuilt treehouse playground with restrooms
Shirley Clarke Franklin ParkGrove ParkNo fee listedPlayground, paved paths, reservoir overlook
BeltLine Eastside TrailPiedmont Park to ReynoldstownNo fee listedWalking between two parks
Cascade Springs Nature PreserveCascade HeightsFreeWaterfall, springs, short accessible boardwalk
Fernbank Forest and WildWoodsClifton RoadMuseum admission, $23.95 child (3–12) onlineKids’ nature exhibits, old-growth forest
Atlanta Botanical GardenPiedmont AvenuePaid admission (see tickets page)Two-acre Children’s Garden
Chattahoochee Nature CenterRoswell$14 child (3–12), $20 adultShort trails, river boardwalk, live animals
Stone Mountain ParkStone Mountain$25 parking per vehiclePlayground, lake, trails
How we picked
  • What qualified: outdoor places in Atlanta or within about 25 miles of downtown with something specific for kids, such as a playground, splash pad, kids’ garden or exhibit, or short trails, described on the place’s own site or a government page. We favored places inside the city. “Best” here means the most for kids to do, as those pages describe it, with clear costs and hours; the numbers group similar places rather than rank them.
  • What we checked: on Oct 29, 2026, we opened each place’s official pages (the City of Atlanta, Atlanta BeltLine, park conservancies and the places’ own sites) for cost, hours, seasons, restrooms, shade and paths. Where a page doesn’t give a fact, we say it is not listed. Hours and prices change, so check the linked page before you go.
  • What we left out: Grant Park (we couldn’t open its conservancy’s site, and the city’s playground list gives only an address), Centennial Olympic Park (its park information page lists fountain shows but not a playground, cost or restrooms), Freedom Park (its conservancy’s visitor page doesn’t list playgrounds, hours or restrooms), Morningside Nature Preserve and Lullwater Preserve (no official visitor page found), and Blue Heron Nature Preserve (its own page says all its trails have inclines, roots and gravel; we kept one in-city nature preserve, Cascade Springs, which has a short ADA-compliant boardwalk). We also looked at Sweetwater Creek State Park and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area but kept the list to 10 and favored places in the city.
  • The Atlanta Botanical Garden posts its admission prices only as an image, so we link to its tickets page rather than quote them.
  • This guide was researched and drafted with AI tools, and every fact was checked against its linked source on Oct 29, 2026.

Eating out after the park? Kids Eat Free Map lists 54 restaurants within 25 miles of downtown Atlanta with a kids-eat-free or cheap kids meal night, 20 of them confirmed on the restaurant’s own website. Tuesday has the most (26), then Monday (23), and every night has at least four (checked Oct 29, 2026).

More: Where kids eat free in Atlanta · Kids eat free on Tuesdays in Atlanta · Kid-friendly restaurants in Atlanta · Free things to do with kids in Atlanta

Sources

Where kids eat free in Atlanta