Area Parks
and Recreation Guide
With today’s busy schedules, it’s nice to know you
have somewhere fun to take your kids after school or
on the weekends. Here’s a glance at Atlanta’s parks
and recreation departments; they aren’t just grass
and trees anymore. And the best part is they’re
free!
City of Acworth: 770-974-3112.
www.acworth.org. The Parks and Recreation Department
conducts special events and activities throughout
the year. It sponsors annual events such as a
Daddy-Daughter Dance and an Arbor Day Celebration in
February, an Easter Egg Hunt, a Halloween Carnival
in October, and Santa’s Arrival in Acworth on the
first Friday evening in December.
City of Alpharetta: 678-297-6100.
www.alpharetta.ga.us. The Alpharetta Recreation and
Parks Department provides year-round sports,
activities and special events. It also has programs
for children and operates an equestrian facility in
the southeast at Wills Park.
Bartow County: 770-387-5149. www.bartowga.org.
Four parks, one community facility. Features: boat
ramps, picnic pavilions, campsites and organized
activities.
City of Chamblee: 770-986-5016. www.chambleega.com. There are plenty of
chances to get involved in Chamblee. Join a sports team,
relax at a park, or participate in the city’s other
community activities.
Cherokee County: 770-924-7768. www.crpa.net.
Seventeen parks, three community centers, one bike
trail. Features: ponds, picnic pavilions, playgrounds,
outdoor basketball courts, baseball/softball fields,
walking/running tracks, concession buildings, tennis
courts and organized activities.
Clayton County: 770-477-3766.
www.co.clayton.ga.us. Thirty-five parks, three community
centers, seventy athletic fields. Features: twenty-nine
tennis courts, thirteen playgrounds, two fishing ponds,
one swimming pool, beach pavilion, nature preserve.
Cobb County: 770-528-8800. www.cobbcounty.org.
Thirty-five parks, four cultural centers, four aquatic
centers, two community centers. Features:
baseball/softball fields, concession buildings,
playgrounds, fitness trails, football fields,
gymnasiums, tennis courts, batting cages, sand
volleyball courts, lakes and organized activities.
Coweta County: 770-254-3740. www.coweta.ga.us.
Thirteen parks, four recreation complexes, one swimming
pool, one athletic complex. Features: ball fields,
gymnasiums, playgrounds and organized activities.
City of Cumming: 770-781-2030.
www.cityofcumming.net. A number of recreational events,
such as fairs, sports and camps are available to
residents. There are also a number of volunteer
activities offered.
City of Decatur: 404-377-0494. www.decaturga.com.
The city’s department offers a full program of
athletics, classes, recreation services, tennis,
aquatics, and summer camps; community services, include
children’s and youth services.
DeKalb County: 404-371-2631. www.co.dekalb.ga.us/parks.
Eighty-three parks, three recreation centers, one tennis
center, one golf course. Features: ball fields,
basketball courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, trails,
tennis courts, swimming pools, lakes and organized
activities.
City of Doraville: 770-936-3850. http://doravillepd.home.mindspring.com/city.
Doraville’s department offers sporting and learning
activities and special events all year.
Douglas County: 770-920-7129.
www.co.douglas.ga.us. Ten parks, one nature preserve.
Summer camps, youth activities, athletic leagues
sponsored by the county. Features: ball fields,
playgrounds, trails and organized activities
Fayette County: 770-716-4320.
www.admin.co.fayette.ga.us. Three parks (two under
development), one activities center. Features: ball
fields, tennis courts, lakes, boat ramps, fishing,
playgrounds and organized activities.
Forsyth County: 770-781-2215. www.forsythco.com.
Ten parks, one nature preserve, one community center,
one soccer complex. Features: ball fields, trails,
tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic pavilions, kitchens,
gymnasiums, disc golf course and organized activities.
Fulton County: 404-730-6200. www.co.fulton.ga.us.
Twenty-two parks, two recreation centers, three tennis
centers, two natural preserves. Features: picnic
pavilions, tennis courts, trails, playgrounds,
gymnasiums and organized activities.
Gwinnett County: 770-822-8840. www.gwinnettcounty.com. Twenty-eight parks
(several more under development), three aquatic centers,
three sports complexes and two museums. Features: ball
fields, trails, playgrounds, concession buildings,
restrooms, bike trails, gymnasiums, dog park, picnic
pavilions, tennis courts, roller hockey rinks, community
buildings and organized activities.
Hall County: 770-535-8280. www.hallcounty.org.
Thirteen parks, two community centers, one nature
center, one agricultural center and one soccer complex.
Features: tennis courts, ball fields, playgrounds,
picnic pavilions, restrooms, concession buildings, boat
ramps, canoe/kayak facilities, trails, “spraygrounds”
(water playgrounds for the little ones) and organized
activities.
Henry County: 770-954-2031. www.co.henry.ga.us.
Twenty-one parks, two nature centers, two sports
complexes. Features: ball fields, trails, concession
buildings, restrooms, picnic pavilions, BMX tracks and
organized activities.
City of Kennesaw: 770-422-9714.
www.kennesaw-ga.gov. One community park, thirteen
neighborhood parks, three indoor recreational facilities
and a community center. Kennesaw’s Recreation Department
provides a number of classes, camps, fairs, and
activities throughout the year.
City of Marietta: 770-794-5601.
www.mariettaga.gov. Twenty-two parks, two recreation
centers. Features: ball fields, picnic pavilions,
gymnasiums, tennis courts, nature and jogging trails,
and organized activities.
Paulding County: 770-445-8065. www.paulding.gov.
Four parks, two recreational facilities, one mixed-use
trail. Features: ball fields, tennis courts, picnic
pavilions, trails, gymnasiums, community buildings,
lakes, tot lots, horseshoe courts and organized
activities.
City of Peachtree City: 770-631-2542.
www.peachtree-city.org/recreation. The city offers
instruction classes, aquatics programs, athletic
programs, summer camps, special events and holiday
programs. Features: picnic areas, playgrounds, fitness
trails, fishing ponds, skateboard ramp.
Rockdale County: 770-785-5922.
vwww.rockdalecounty.org. Eight parks, two sports
complexes. Features: tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic
pavilions, ball fields, concession buildings, restrooms,
basketball courts, boat ramps, lakes, fishing pier and
organized activities.
City of Roswell: 770-641-3705. www.roswellgov.com.
Eight parks, five recreation centers, one skate park,
one physical activity center. The city offers a number
of special events, athletic activities and summer
programs each year. Features: tennis courts, swimming
pools, racquetball.
City of Smyrna: 770-431-2842. www.ci.smyrna.ga.us.
Sixteen parks, two museums, one sports complex, one
aquatic center. The city offers a variety of
recreational and athletic activities for youth and
adults. Features: ball fields, sensory garden, walking
trails, arboretum
City of Snellville: 770-985-3535.
www.snellville.org. One multi-use park with fishing,
fitness trail, tennis courts, soccer fields, swimming
pool, pavilions, playgrounds. A variety of classes and
outdoor and indoor activities are provided by the city’s
department. Special events also occur throughout the
year.
Top Playground
Picks / Outdoor
*These are just some of our favorite playgrounds.
Find info on others in our
Playground
Archive.
Best Friend Park. 6224 Jimmy Carter Boulevard,
Norcross. This 43-acre park is home to an aquatic
center, tennis center and community building. The pool
provides an interactive play center and there is a
separate swing area. The playground features slides,
climbing structures and more. 770-417-2212.
Centennial Park. Baker Street and Centennial
Olympic Park Drive, Atlanta. Less than a block from the
children’s museum is a hidden gem of a playground in
Centennial Olympic Park. Kids can hop, skip and jump on
two playscapes. The playground features three slides, a
bridge, a zip line and several towers where children can
play tic-tac-toe and peer through Plexiglas windows. The
bouncy ground covering is sure to cushion any falls.
Benches for parents ring the play area. 404-222-7275.
Chattahoochee River Park. 203 Azalea Drive,
Roswell. Situated along the Chattahoochee River, the
park offers a relaxing scene with plenty of covered
resting spots for a picnic lunch or small gathering. A
popular spot on the playground is a tiny bridge
overlooking a stream that flows into the river. Kids can
toss rocks into the stream or watch for fish jumping in
the Hooch. In the play area the equipment includes
swings, slides and mini climbing walls. 770-641-3705.
Clarence Duncan Memorial Park. 6000 Rivertown
Road, Fairburn. The park’s playground equipment includes
teeter-totters, swings, a swinging bridge, monkey bars
and more. Benches and picnic pavilions are located close
to the playground so parents can sit in a shady area and
watch their children play. If you’re bringing a picnic,
throw in some extra bread for the pond’s ducks. The park
also features hiking trails and an indoor pool, so bring
your swimming suits along. 770-306-3136.
Ellsworth Park. Howell Mill Rd. at Collier Rd.
NW, Atlanta. There’s lots to explore in this fenced-in
area: a fort-like play structure with two slides,
climbing wall and interactive features, swings for
toddlers and older kids, spring toys, two spinner bowls
and a teeter-totter. For moms, it’s a great meeting
place for mom’s groups, play dates and picnics. And, all
of the play equipment rests on recycled rubber material,
which is bouncy and wheelchair accessible. 404-817-6734.
Hurt Road Park. 990 Hurt Road SW, Austell. This
playground offers something for all ages. Bucket swings
and sand play will occupy the little ones while older
kids tackle the monkey bars, slides, tic-tac-toe, tunnel
and a swing set of their own. Parents can watch their
children play while relaxing on a shaded bench.
770-528-8890.
Jones Bridge Park. 4901 East Jones Bridge Road,
Norcross. The playground has three wooden play stations
with a swinging bridge, a big twisty slide, monkey bars,
climbing poles and more. A swing set and sand volleyball
court add even more options for play. A shaded area with
benches and picnic tables is close by for parents to
watch their children play. And if you’re the proud
parent of an angler, there’s a fishing hole here, too!
770-417-2212.
McCurdy Park. 5190 West Mountain St., Stone
Mountain. Children enter a world of fairytales, mighty
kings and court jesters at the majestic McCurdy Park in
Stone Mountain. With its colorful towers, castle walls
and passages to explore, as well as swings, winding
wooden steps and various sized slides there’s plenty to
entertain even the most active child. An enclosed tot
lot features a bucket swing, small connecting tires to
crawl through and bars to hang from. 770-498-8984.
Orme Park. 795 Brookridge Drive NE, Atlanta. This
playground is situated in the heart of the
Virginia-Highland. This shady playground – truly a
neighborhood gem – has a little something for everyone,
including swings for toddlers, older kids and parents,
picnic tables, a playscape with a telescope feature,
slides and monkey bars and the ever-popular sandbox. The
park also features a nature area, perfect for walking
the family pet or just exploring on your own.
404-817-6744.
PlayTown Suwanee. 425 Main Street, Suwanee. This
10,000-square-foot multi-level wooden wonderland is a
treasure trove of things to do, including six slides
(even “wavy and twisty” ones), a vertical tunnel,
several bridges, swings, ladders, a rock climbing wall,
chin up bars, and rings. In addition, there is a bus,
castle, rocket, ship, playhouses, sand box and a hidden
phone system. 770-945-8996.
Promised Land Playground. 2450 Lower Roswell
Road, Marietta. Constructed entirely of wood, the
10,000-square-foot playground readily inspires
imaginative play. The entire play area is connected with
bridges or elevated walkways, each leading to a
castle-like area. Speaker boxes allow communication
between different areas. Around the wooden complex are
two swing and slide areas – one for toddlers and another
for older children. A layer of wood chips provides ample
cushion below. 770-971-2323.
Top Playground Picks:
Indoor
During the cold of the winter,
indoor play areas are the perfect places to take
your kids. Two of our favorites are the areas in
North Point Mall and the Mall of Georgia.
Mall of Georgia’s Kidgits Korner. 3333 Buford
Drive, Buford. This soft play area is designed for
the toddler age group. Climbing and sliding are the
main attractions here. There are benches for the
parents, as well as stroller parking. There’s also a
small library for all to enjoy. 678-482-8788.
North Point Mall Children’s
Soft Play Area. 1000 North Point Circle,
Alpharetta. Specifically designed for children under
42” tall, the play area has a heroes theme, with
firefighters, a fire truck and an ambulance as well
as a slide and a bridge to climb over and through.
All are built with soft materials to protect against
falls. The play area also has plenty of seating for
parents plus stroller parking. 770-740-9273.
Top Playground
Picks: Special Needs
Children’s Playgarden.
Ephesus Church Road, Douglasville. This playground
in Clinton Nature Preserve features an airplane
structure that allows children who use wheelchairs
to access slides and other play items. Swings with
back support, musical instruments, a covered
playhouse, tot area and sand play area round out the
other playground amenities. Water misters are also
available for the really hot days. All of the
equipment on this playground is wheelchair
accessible. www.jrleaguedouglasco.org.
Unity Place. 143
Ozora Road, Grayson. Located in Bay Creek Park, this
playground has a wheelchair accessible sandbox and
play area. The slides use ramps to reach the top.
Swings with mesh backing are lower to the ground, so
they are easily accessible for special needs kids.
770-822-8840.
All Children’s Playground.
Willowbend Road, Peachtree City. This
playground features a rubberized surface that allows
wheelchairs easy maneuverability. To ensure that
every child can have fun, the entire play area is
connected by ramps and bridges, and a tot lot is
available for younger kids. 770-631-2542.