75+ Best Atlanta Playgrounds and Parks for Families
Chastain Park
Our top parks and playgrounds in metro Atlanta include everything from innovative play structures, skate parks and sand boxes to trails for hiking, trees for climbing and creeks for splashing. We have rounded up so many parks that no matter where you live, you can find some outdoor family fun.
Find a playground to explore:
Downtown & Westside Playgrounds in Metro Atlanta
Woodruff Park
Anyone with “ATL” pride will love this playground shaped like the famous letters. An international design competition sparked the building of this playground by a Canadian designer. Kids can climb all over the walls, monkey bars, slides or play with the springs and spinners. Street parking is limited, so we recommend visiting by public transportation.
Centennial Olympic Park Playground
This playground sits in the heart of downtown and is for all ages and all abilities. The surface is made of soft rubber and the play area includes many multi-sensory play elements, as well as a great climbing structure. Much of this kid-friendly oasis sits beneath an awning that allows cover from the sun.
Two great play areas are hidden under the large trees in Piedmont Park to provide natural shade. The Mayor’s Grove Playground is designed for kids with and without special needs with fun play structures. The Noguchi Playscape is next to the park’s 12th Street gate and looks more like a modern sculpture garden than a playground. A giant, winding slide and other features help familiarize children with shapes, colors and textures.
Chastain Park Playground
Located in Buckhead, kids will love this playground with a renovated treehouse, roller slides and natural playscapes. Climb the spider web, swing on giant “oodle” disc swings, and visit the wheelchair-accessible musical area. Check their website for free popsicle party dates in the summer.
This urban oasis boasts gorgeous scenery with a winding creek, sprawling green spaces, bridges and trees with a trail leading up to an inviting playground nestled in the middle of the park.
Set below street level in Ansley Park, this park provides a safe area for kids to run around or utilize the playground. While significantly smaller than its neighbor, Piedmont Park, Winn Park usually is a lot less crowded.
True to its name, this small park in Buckhead offers lots of shade. Kids love the cool playground equipment; parents love the rubber ground under the playground. Everyone loves the big, colorful mural.
This is a great little park in Buckhead with abundant scenery, a creek, a bridge and ample walking trails. Visit the nice-sized playground, so kids can get their wiggles out while parents can enjoy the nearby shade.
Little Nancy Creek park in north Buckhead may indeed be little but its playground is big (and looks like a treehouse). There is also a walking trail, community garden and the creek itself.
Eastside Playgrounds in Metro Atlanta
Shirley Clarke Franklin Park | City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation
To go with the nature theme of the space, this tall playground features wood-like elements with slides, a climbing net, saucer swings, an outdoor percussion instrument and more. At 280 acres, this park (formerly known as Westside Park) is the largest greenspace in the city.
Scooters, tricycles, small slides and push cars — this toy park is filled with donated toys, and your little one can ride or drive toys along the sidewalk “track.” The playground has slides, swings and climbing structures. This park is owned and maintained by the First Christian Church of Decatur.
This play area has a three-level “pirate ship” fort feature for climbing and pretending. Kids will love the tall slides that come down from the top of the structure. The smaller playground for younger kids resembles palm trees for slides, swings and climbing structures.
The park is a 45-acre greenspace and old-growth forest with paths connecting its six park segments. This includes the new playground at Springdale Park, featuring a nest swing, musical flowers, a climbing sphere and a spinning saucer for imaginative play.
Located in Kirkwood, this park’s playground updates feature modern equipment and accessibility changes for play for all kids. The Urban Treehouse deck is shaped like the United States for special, educational exploration.
Another Kirkwood hot spot, Coan Park offers visitors tennis courts, a baseball field and a pretty cool, accessible playground. But beyond that, parents appreciate the exercise equipment strategically placed close to the playground. Don’t miss the musical instruments that kids can play near the rotunda pavilion.
A neighborhood favorite—this one has plenty of areas for kids, dogs and adults to run around, plus a great playground and even some interesting stone sculptures. You can’t miss the magnificent oak tree, perfect for climbing, swinging or just sitting in the shade.
Atlanta residents flock to this “energy cost-neutral” park that was once a landfill. A canopy of solar panels generates enough energy to power ten homes and of course provides shade for visitors. Add to that a playground and a splash pad, and it’s no wonder this park is so popular.
When people say “Grant Park” they often mean the neighborhood, but there is also the actual park which is home to Zoo Atlanta. Grant Park’s playground offers different climbing challenges, slides and platforms for play, including a seesaw, animal-themed springers and inclusive spinner and swing sets. The playground features a “wood carpet” that supports strollers and mobility for ADA-compatible play.
Ashford Park
This park has two play structures, one of which is specifically for toddlers. Enjoy tall slides, tons of swings, a seesaw and monkey bars. There is also a huge sandbox covered by a shade structure, a toy park area where you can ride the small cars or push toys along the paved track, and a seasonal splash pad.
DeKalb-Peachtree Airport Park Playground
Kids go crazy over this playground right next to a runway (with a fence, of course). They can watch planes take off while swinging, scaling the monkey bars or sliding down the curvy slide. They can also play in the pretend cockpit, or better yet, host an airplane-themed birthday party while planes fly above.
While not a playground, for a true adventure with nature, check out Lullwater Preserve on Emory University’s campus in Decatur. This peaceful park is amazingly fun for kids. They love to explore the old mill, waterfalls and a 210-foot suspension bridge.
A great, safe neighborhood park in Decatur, McKoy has something for everyone—a colorful playground, exercise equipment and even a skate park.
This park includes a castle-like playground, swings, springers and a tree climber. While there, spot the cute storm water access points painted to look like animals! Families also enjoy the hiking trails, lake and picnic pavilion.
This beautiful city park with access to the Beltline has a super cool playground. It’s packed with climbing elements, slides, swings, rock walls and even a trampoline kids can jump on. The spider-like ropes course and large swings shaped like bowls are two favorites. Don’t miss the nearby splash pad on hot days.
Brookhaven Park’s playground is the tallest Robinia wood play structure in the U.S. for adventure and active play. The three-story tower features climbing structures, slides, a rope pendulum and saucer swings. The area has a separate toddler playground with interactives, mini slides and shaded covers.
Freedom is a linear park at the intersection of North Avenue and Freedom Parkway without a playground, mostly frequented by joggers and people walking their dogs. Still, families enjoy strolling along the trails, seeing the unique art sculptures throughout the park and searching for tiny doors.
Butler Park
This 13-acre park boasts an adorable playground for small kids with slides, swings, cute ladybug and bumblebee spring riders and more. While there, view the 120-foot mural depicting several historical figures of the local African American community.
This eight-acre Decatur gem offers a fun playground, baseball fields, a pool and impressive basketball courts.
For summertime fun, Best Friend Park in Norcross has a great pool with a waterslide and splash pad (for a fee) and also has a playground with swings, basketball courts, tennis courts and a walking trail.
A hidden gem in Tucker with both paved and walking trails with a beautiful lake backdrop. It has a couple of playgrounds, one that is shaded by trees and conveniently located by a covered picnic pavilion.
A large spider web structure is the center feature for kids and includes all types of ropes, cables and ladders to climb on. Circle swings, climbing elements and more make up the area, and everything looks as if it was made from wood – no bright plastic in sight. There is a smaller kid’s playground on the other side of the park.
This park features two different playgrounds and a splash pad opened seasonally.
Recent renovations have made this park fun for all ages, including you! Test your skills on Trekfit climbing boulders and structures, a 30-post bamboo jungle, a military-style climbing net and a balance board. Kids will love the playground with towers, climbing tunnels, slides and more, and there’s a special area for ages 2-5.
Sure, Stone Mountain is a huge Atlanta attraction with tons of activities that cost money, but it’s also a beautiful, fun park. If you plan to visit more than three times a year, it’s worth it to buy the parking pass. Once you pay to park, you can enjoy a lot of things Stone Mountain has to offer without getting out your wallet—hiking, biking, walking, grilling and playing on the playground.
Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden Playground
Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden
Head to Athens to explore an underground root system, stroll the canopy walk to see from a bird’s eye view, climb up a spiderweb, discover the underground adventure area and more. This playful learning environment features themed gardens, edible landscapes, garden plots and interpretive elements for education and fun. Part of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, discover trees, flowers, landscapes and more while there.
Located in Hall County, this 75-acre park has three lighted baseball/softball fields, a concession building and a playground.
This tranquil pocket park features a fort-themed play structure with sliding and climbing equipment, as well as a covered pavilion for relaxing.
This community park has greenspace, a playground, a splash pad, disc golf course and a community garden. The playground features climbing elements, tunnels, slides and more, and you can supervise play with nearby benches or under the shade of the pavilion.
Southside Playgrounds in Metro Atlanta
Lee Street Park
This cool playground features unique climbing structures, swings, spinners, see-saws, musical equipment and more for a special way for your kids to burn off their energy.
It has two sets of playing equipment, one for younger and one for older kids, although children usually run back and forth between both sets. Families who like to exercise together enjoy the beautifully shaded one mile trail.
A favorite for Peachtree City families, this lakeside park has a wonderful enclosed play space called the All Children’s Playground that sits on artificial turf. Kids also love to feed the geese that come up onto the banks of the lake, and of course, families love to picnic there underneath all the shady trees.
A small but beautiful park in Peachtree City, Luther Glass has a basic playground, walking and biking paths and ponds for fishing. The park actually has three separate ponds which is why locals often refer to it as “Three Ponds Park.”
Set on Lake Peachtree, this is a beautiful park for catching the sunrise or sunset. Families enjoy walking along the path by the lake or using the playground.
City Center Park
Fayetteville’s new playground has been designed to be inclusive with ground-level ramps and specially textured surfacing. Bright play elements include drums, musically tuned pipes, puzzles, sign language charts and more.
Another gorgeous lakeside park in Peachtree City with picnic pavilions and a playground right by the water. People flock here for water activities like kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing.
Ben Hill Park is tucked within the Ben Hill neighborhood in Southwest Atlanta. It has something for every age. Older children can play basketball while younger ones can spend quality time with their parents together on the swings.
This park features an incredible 32,000-square-foot Kids’ Castle Playground with a colorful opening arch and wooden towers. A preschool playground offers a more traditional playspace look, and open through Labor Day, cool off at the park’s splash pad.
Northside Playgrounds in Metro Atlanta
Brook Run Park
The playground and children’s adventure garden has clusters of bright play structures with shades to hide from the sun. Separate structures for toddlers and older kids include slides, swings, monkey bars, a multicolored tunnel and a “log roll” for balancing. The cushioned rubber matting will help protect from scrapes and bruises.
This huge park in Duluth has an impressive, castle-like playground with big, twisty slides and a web tire swing among other things. Parents with toddlers love the nearby soft-ground play area, and all parents love the gazebo with picnic tables. Bunten Road Park also has scenic walking trails.
Right next to city hall in Duluth, this park may be small, but it makes up for it with its train-themed playground equipment. It is easy for parents to keep an eye on kids because of the park’s size. There is also a grassy area for running around.
This smaller park in Dunwoody has two playgrounds, one of which is fenced in for ages 2-5 with slides, climbers, swings and more, and the rubber surface protects from mishaps.
Another Dunwoody favorite, Winwood Hollow Park has a fantastic, shady playground for all ages. It includes a tiny roller coaster track perfect for matchbox cars, rope climbing structures, a leaning climbing wall ladder, monkey bars, three different slides, riding elements, such as spinning stools and airplanes, and regular, baby and disk swings. There are also chimes and bongos for kids to play.
All kids will be determined to conquer the stand-out climbing areas, which include web-like towers, hanging hoops, hexagons and balancing belt elements, making kids want to visit again and again! The gravity rail and tall slide also add to the fun.
A top-notch playground with equipment for all ages is the highlight of this park. It is spacious and has lots of slides, monkey bars and plenty of swings. Kids also like to splash in the creek, walk the trails or play in the spacious, grassy areas.
This vibrant playground was designed for nonstop action with towering slides, climbing elements and plenty of space for kids to play and explore. Bright green slides twist down from elevated platforms, and kids can test their skills and stay active with climbing rings, ladders and activity panels, all while staying cool with overhead shade structures.
It may be home to the Newtown Dog Park, one of the best dog parks in the country, but Newtown Park in Johns Creek has pretty dreamy offerings for kids, too. The two playgrounds have lots of fun, innovative equipment that will keep kids busy. It also has a beautiful, shaded trail all around the park.
Bay Creek Park
Kids are never bored at Bay Creek Park in Loganville. They have walking trails, basketball courts, baseball fields and even a skate park. Families absolutely love the accessible playgrounds which feature rubberized surfaces, supportive swings, wide slides and a wheelchair-accessible sandbox
Most people visit this multi-use park in Marietta for its sports facilities—baseball, football, soccer and tennis. But it has a nice little playground, as well as many covered pavilions that can be rented for parties.
The mini playground features a tunnel, a bridge, slides, swings and climbing structures, and if you time your visit right, the area is shaded by trees, and you can rest under the nearby pavilion.
This nature-themed playground incorporates elements and textures from the landscape, including climbing mounds and tunnels. Explore the 20-foot-tall Jungle Explorer Dome, as well as music and building pieces. An ADA-accessible boardwalk leads to an accessible play area for fun for all abilities.
Families can spend a whole afternoon at Heritage Park in McDonough, seeing The Veterans Wall of Honor (engraved with battle scenes), The Veteran’s Historical Museum and lots of historical structures, like Henry County’s first library. Kids especially love the the playground called “Kidsville.”
Thrasher Park
If your little one loves trains, this playground is perfect for them. Climb all over the bright, red train structure, twirl on the spinning elements, and crawl up the net climbing structure. You can even spot real trains chugging by on the nearby track.
The smaller playground features an assortment of swings for varying ages, and kids will love the mini slides, climbers and more, as you supervise from benches underneath shade. The larger playground features ramp access.
RAP (as locals call it) truly has it all—awesome playgrounds with separate areas for older and younger kids, picnic pavilions, baseball fields, walking trails and a pool. The best part is that the whole park is filled and surrounded by trees, offering lots of shades in the hotter months.
Named after Leita Thompson, one of the first female banking executives who bought and donated the land for this pretty and serene park in Roswell. While it doesn’t have playground equipment, it does have beautiful trails, which are fun for walking or for going on a nature scavenger hunt.
An adaptive playground for ages 5-12 features slides, swings and music-making structures, along with shade structures, a connective side walk and a pavilion.
The separate toddler playground includes multiple swings, climbing structures and a slide, as well as a soft rubber surface. The playground for ages 5-12 has a three-story rocket ship and space-themed play structure.
This renovated playground features inclusive elements with a wheelchair-accessible play structure, inclusive seesaw and interactive sensory panels. Children of all abilities can swing, spin, climb and slide.
A Dacula favorite, this 200-acre park is a blast for families. It also has sand volleyball courts. The playground (which is on artificial grass) has plenty of swings and twisty slides and nearby shallow canals for kids to splash in during the hotter seasons. Children especially love the dinosaur fossils that they can climb on.
This recently renovated park features an incredible three-tier playground that sprawls across the space for huge fun. Slide down slides, climb nets, cross along a rope bridge, walk up artificial turf and more. Travel the walking trail to enjoy the Arrow Creek streambank.
This Smyrna park has lots of options for sports like softball and tennis. But it also has two playgrounds with cool equipment (rope-climbing structures, for instance), picnic pavilions and a fitness trail.
It’s shade all day at this gorgeous Alpharetta park filled with baseball fields, soccer fields and walking trails. The two wooden playgrounds are truly unique with a little play creek that runs through one of them.
Gary Pirkle Park
This playground in Sugar Hill wins for hot summer days or the unexpected rainstorm, because it is completely covered by a large pavilion to keep the weather out. No more having to leave the playground because of a storm.
The bright playground off the Scenic Highway/Dog Park entrance includes a two-story playscape with tube slides, a cargo net and a climbing structure. The playground is also shaded, and there’s a
smaller area for toddlers. The park also includes an additional, smaller playground at the Old Snellville Highway entrance.
The vast playground in Lawrenceville is separated into two distinct areas. One structure is for smaller children, with small steps leading up for easy access to the slides, musical features and more. The other structure, for the older set, is more adventurous; big kids can enjoy everything from a daring, high boulder walk to a complex monkey bars section.
This playground has been updated with new structures, interactive features and ADA accommodations, along with a new playground just for toddlers. Explore the large jungle gym with shaded covers, slide down slides, play with interactives, make music and more. The sensory panel boards engage children’s senses of touch, sight and sound for edutainment.
Because the playground—more than 3,000 square feet—is tucked deep inside this Smyrna park, traffic noise is filtered out. This is a unique space where having fun with your children is guaranteed. One area is designated for ages 2-5 and another for ages 5-12. Play equipment was selected partly to blend into the natural landscape.
This cool playground boasts tall, spider-like structures for climbing. The 16-acre park also offers baseball fields, a multi-use field, a pavilion, walking trail and concessions.
The design for this playground began with the experts: kids! The inclusive playground features elements for everyone: dig in the sandbox, climb up the net structure, explore Kiddie Hall, and slide down slides.
This playground at this park in Cumming is similar to the soft play areas at malls, but in the middle of the woods. When arriving, take a short walk through the wooded area and the playground will appear. Three “pods” are connected by walking paths and kids are challenged to let their imaginations take over. Play on giant acorns, logs, big bugs, super-sized mushrooms, a mama bear and two cubs and a bigger log with a climbing net attached.
Swift-Cantrell Park
The park features two large playscapes: one for both older and younger kids and one just for younger kids. Children can enjoy swings, climbers, bridges and other playthings. “New patterns of play” are encouraged in a contemporary play system that includes circuits, walls, rings and more. An inclusive playground features include slides, swings, ADA ramps, sensory stations, play structures, a ropes tower, an eight person wheelchair sway and more.
At this Johns Creek park, you’ll find two structures for play—one for children ages 2-5 and another for older kids. On the “Ten Spin” Merry-Go-Round kids can sit or stand and spin around. The generational swing allows a younger kid and an older kid or parent to swing together at opposite ends. The Avalanche slide is another cool feature that lets kids use their upper body strength to climb up and then slide down.
The playground at this park, known as “Wacky World,” will reopen later in May! With towers, slides, climbing zones, swings and a zip line, there is fun for every kid. The community-built playground offers accessibility features, along with a mini cityscape for kids to explore.
This park is a Sandy Springs treasure, with plenty of green space overlooking the Chattahoochee River. Its modern playground with unusual climbing elements has two play structures that serve both younger and older kids with places to climb, slide and explore. But the spot where they all come together is the spiderweb, a tall rope structure that provides a climbing challenge. Shades give cover from the sun, the AstroTurf helps with falls, and the 30-acre park also features an adaptive swing.
Abernathy Greenway Park
Abernathy Greenway Playable Art Park
Kids will essentially enter a sculpture garden they can play on at this Sandy Springs park. Climb, swing and jump from real art structures including the yellow, spider-like structure, the mosaic climbing wall, the large, red swings and the many other jungle gym climbing areas.
This smaller playground is perfect for preschool kids and has a natural-themed playscape that includes log-like staircases, swings, a cozy dome, a we-saw and a crawl tunnel. You’ll love the shaded bench with a full view of the play space.
Set on the white, sandy beach of Lake Acworth, this park has a nature-themed playground that fits right in with the surroundings. Younger kids can swing or bounce on different play elements and older kids will love the large jungle gym structure or the “spider net” climbing area. All kids will love the giant, towering climbing areas and slides.
This playground right by Sweet Apple Elementary in Roswell offers fun for young and older kids who want to climb, slide, swing and zip line. Highlights include the generational swing and the rope-climbing spiderweb. The mostly shaded playground with a picnic pavilion features colorful slides, as well as a small children’s play area with a large sandbox. The playground is open to the community outside of school hours.
This park has several play structures for all ages, most with giant umbrellas for shade. The colorful playscapes allow for climbing, swinging or sliding. There are climbing walls, boulders and a spiderweb structure. The toddler play area has smaller swings and slides.
Caney Creek Preserve Playground
Caney Creek Preserve Playground
Kids love to come to this Cumming park for the dinosaur dig area. Adventurous kids like the spiderweb climbing net, too. Children can play around the nature trails or climb aboard the logs or boulder play structures.
This gorgeous park that sits on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Roswell is the setting for many concerts and events. Families flock to this park, mostly for its three awesome playgrounds. Two of them are more for older kids with tall slides and one is for the younger set. In the summertime, the main attraction is the splash-n-play sprayground. Temporarily closed for renovations.
A canopy of trees provides natural shade at this hidden Roswell park. Kids absolutely love the playground which several shapes and sizes of slides, swings and plenty of climbing structures. Parents love the covered pavilion with tables right by the playground.
The Chattahoochee River is the backdrop for this Roswell park that is a hot spot for kayakers and paddle boarders. A nice little playground gives the kids lots of exercise (with pint-sized rock climbing walls) while parents enjoy the view.
With free admission for most activities, families can enjoy nature and play at Dunwoody Nature Center. The play structures on the playground will delight your children. There is one for toddlers and one for older kids. Kids also like to check out the treehouse which offers a great view of some of the trails, as well as Wildcat Creek. A beautiful new boardwalk provides ADA access to the playground.
This Forsyth County park offers natural shade on the two-story playground that includes slides, climbing structures, interactive elements and more. Designed for ages 5-12, kids will especially love the spiderweb-like climbing structure, and there is an accessible swing.
This 120-acre park features a playground with a 25-foot tower, climbing structures, merry-go-rounds and a spider net. A lot of the area is covered by shade. The playground is accessible and has a rubberized surface leading to and around the swings.
J.J. Biello Park
The Valley Playground & Pavilion features a large playground that’s more than 15,000-square-feet with areas for both 2-5 and 5-12-year-olds with slides, climbers, swings and more. You can watch your kids play from the comfort of the nearby shaded pavilion.
This Cumming playground includes slides, sliding poles, a rock wall, a bridge, swings and more, and a separate area for younger kids.
This smaller park is less well-known, making it a sweet spot for toddlers and little ones. The playgrounds feature climbing structures, slides and swings.
The toddler playground is on a rubber surface and features multiple slides, swings and climbing structures. The play area is gated, and if you time your visit right, you can watch your children play while you rest on a bench under the shade of the nearby trees.
This 149-acre park features a state-of-the-art playground with unique climbers, boxing equipment, swings, a merry-go-round, an imitation rock climbing area and more. Along with the cool playground, the park has a veterans’ memorial site, a skate park, a community garden and paved walking paths.
This enormous park features two playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, a dog park, a skate park and 1.5-mile walking trail with Big Creek Greenway access.
This Dunwoody playground opened in 2025 featuring slides, swings, ladders, a fireman’s pole and a tunnel with areas for ages 2-12. The smaller park also has tennis courts, a pavilion and restrooms.
– Elsa Simcik and Emily Webb contributed to this article.
