Dearborn Park (Decatur)

Dearborn Park is located at 1310 Deerwood Drive, Decatur GA 30030. It is located in the Midway Woods neighborhood.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Overview: A true shady escape – Dearborn Park is just this. It is a dark, shady, quiet park with a babbling creek running through it. Imagine pushing your child on a swing with a view of lush green foliage and a picturesque creek in your direct view…that is Dearborn Park. One of the main draws to us to this park is the quiet and of course, the water. There are a few boardwalk bridges that overlook it as well.

This simple park features a small but functional playground. It has 3 slides, one small set of monkey bars and a few ladders. It is pretty basic. There is a set of 2 infant swings and 2 belt swings closer to the creek. There are a few pieces of outdoor exercise equipment, a basketball court and the creek. The creek is a little slippery in places (especially the rocks) so please be careful!

Parking: Street

Surrounding Area: Residential

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible:  For the most part, no. Swings definitely not.

Ground Cover: Wood chips

Seating: Park benches and picnic tables which are scattered around the park

Pavilion: Yes with a small grill

Restroom: No

Direct Sun or Shade : Very shady

Fenced in? :  No

Infant Swings: Yes, 2

Quality of Playground Equipment:  Good but small

Ball Fields: Yes, a basketball court which is super shady.

Overall:  We like this park because of the shade, the closeness to nature and of course, the natural water. When we visited we saw other children fishing for small fish and listening to bull frogs. There are a few picnic tables tucked into lush forest areas so it’d be a perfect spot for a quiet, private meal. There are paved and unpaved areas – great for walking dogs or the adventurous toddler. It’s a beautiful area.

Brook Run Park (Dunwoody)

Brook Run Park is located at 4770 N Peachtree Road, Dunwoody GA 30338.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Overview:  When most people suggest a really wonderful park or playground that their kids loved LOVED LOVED, Brook Run Park comes to mind. With one of the largest and most diverse playgrounds in the area, Brook Run Park is a standout favorite of ours. There is something here for everyone – swings, climbing walls, huge slides, monkey bars, and our favorite…shade! Other park features include a dog park, a Little Free Library, a skate park, garden and a long and shady PATH trail.

The playground at Brook Run Park is one of the largest in the area.  There is a dedicated area for children 2-5 which features two play structures with slides, blocks to turn, ladders and more. There are also 2 infant swings in this area – with a canopy overhead.  The playground area for children 5+ has many different areas that included an array of slides, climbing walls, monkey bars, and swings. Each area provides shade with a canopy. There are many different seating areas nearby as well.

Brook Run Park features has an area called TreeTop Quest which is an elevated course and zipline adventure. It features many ziplines, climbing obstacles and a net trampoline. This area is for children ages 4+.  You can find out more here

Brook Run Park also boasts a 27,000sqft fully lit skate park that is open from 7am to 9/10pm 7 days a week. Helmets are required. It has all kinds of areas so everyone from the amateur skater to the kid who knows a few tricks will have a blast. My husband ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the other skaters for a very long time. (He’s basically my second child)

Parking: Dedicated lot

Surrounding Area: Residential with a few schools nearby

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible: Yes

Ground Cover: Padded

Seating: Park benches and picnic tables

Pavilion: Yes. Pavilions in the playground area are on a first come, first serve basis. Pavilions throughout the rest of the park can be rented.

Restroom: Yes. There are bathrooms in the playground area as  well as the skate park area.

Direct Sun or Shade : Shade. There is coverage from trees as well as canopies over the play equipment

Fenced in? :  No

Infant Swings: Yes, 2

Trails: PATH trail. It is a very long, shady, paved trail that’s great for long walks or stroller rides.

Quality of Playground Equipment:  Great

Overall: We have visited this park many times and it never ceases to amuse my 2 year old. I have yet to see the brook in the playground area with water but my son enjoys climbing on the rocks nonetheless. This is a great playground to test his new skills, relax in the swings in the shade or play hide and go seek in the area near the pavilion. This is a popular park and for good reason. We have been on weekdays, weekends and during festivals. This park never disappoints. There are many different festivals here including Food Truck Thursdays.

 

 

 

 

Zoo Atlanta Playground

The Zoo Atlanta playground is located within the zoo boundaries.  When entering the zoo, make a right and follow the path. The playground will be located on your right. It is located near the carousel, train ride and splash pad.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Overview: This playground is quite popular no matter what time of day you visit but especially so on weekends or when there is a field trip going on. The playground is fully fenced in and my runner of a son still found lots of interesting things to challenge himself with. We have a Zoo membership and find a trip to the playground is always fun for my son. When you combine the playground with a trip to the splashpad or carousel, he’s a happy camper.  Access to the splash pad is free once you enter the park. Access to the train and carousel, require additional payment.

This playground features slides, climbing walls, a school bus for imaginary play, signs with playtime animal activities on them, a tic tac toe game, and a teeter totter that can fit 4. There are no swings of any kind at this playground. There is a large climbing area in the rear of the playground that overlooks the train ride.

 

Parking:  Ample

Surrounding Area: Zoo, city

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible: Yes

Ground Cover: Wood chips

Seating: Benches

Pavilion: No

Pay to enter: Yes, playground is located within the zoo

Restroom: Yes, near entrance to zoo

Direct Sun or Shade : Somewhat shady

Fenced in? :  Yes

Infant Swings: No

Quality of Playground Equipment:  Good

Splashpad: Yes

Overall:  We thoroughly enjoy this park. My son can safely manage everything here including the spiral slide. Even on rainy days, this is still a popular area. Even it is full of older kids, it can feel a bit small. There is no grass at this playground either. While it is a bit small, we enjoy it but I think we visit mostly for the other zoo amenities.

Stone Mountain Playground

Stone Mountain Playground is located inside of the Stone Mountain Park. To access this park, you will need to pay $15 to visit for the day or $40 to visit for the whole year.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Overview:  When you first see the playground at Stone Mountain, you notice all of the green and silver climbing structures and ropes. It’s like a giant spider web in one area and a tightrope in another. This park is a haven for every child climbing enthusiast. We visited on a Saturday morning – it was reasonably crowded and even parents were getting in on the climbing here. The park features a large playground with equipment for children aged 2-5 and equipment for children 5 and up. There are a few covered pavilions in the area, a restroom and water fountains.

The playground equipment for children 2-5 features slides, many climbing areas, and a few areas for imagination play. Please note, there are no swings here.

The play equipment for children 5 and up features a playground of ropes, ladders, climbing walls and slides. It seemed like every part of the playground area was climbable. This structure was fully shaded by trees. There were also these green teacup spinners in the area that were a favorite of children and parents alike.

Parking: Dedicated lot

Surrounding Area: Stone Mountain Park

Pay to Enter: Yes, $15 for daily pass to Stone Mountain Park, $40 for annual parking pass

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible: Yes somewhat

Ground Cover: Wood chips

Seating: Park benches and picnic tables

Pavilion: Yes

Restroom: Yes

Direct Sun or Shade : Very shady

Fenced in? :  YES. Perfectly enclosed.

Infant Swings: No

Quality of Playground Equipment: Very good

Ball Fields: No

Overall:  I wish our son was a little older to fully enjoy the beauty and complexity of this park. The other children we noticed who were 5 and up were enjoying themselves tremendously. There wasn’t a lot for my active 2 year old – especially with no swings – but we did enjoy ourselves a lot. If you get a yearly pass, it really pays for itself to visit more than a few times. This park was very shady and fenced in so it alleviated a lot of my worries.

South Peachtree Creek Trail – PATH

The South Peachtree Creek Trail is a PATH trail. It runs between Mason Mill Park and Medlock Park. From Mason Mill Park, it can be accessed at the opposite end of the park of the playgrounds near the tennis courts. From Medlock Park, it can be accessed from the parking lot near the playground and baseball fields.

The South Peachtree Creek Trail features a paved walkway in certain areas and a boardwalk in others. It has a series of hills. There are a few bridges with the creek flowing below.  There are many access points where you can walk off trail. There are many areas to sit down and rest or enjoy nature including alcoves in the boardwalk with views over the creek. It is very well maintained.

There is a bridge where you can watch trains travel below you:

There is some interesting graffiti in the “Ruins” area.

Things to Note:  This trail can be very busy with people walking, pushing strollers, riding bikes, etc.  There is a part of this trail that intersects with a street. Please use caution when crossing with small children.  For the most part, the trail is shady but there are some areas that are in direct sunlight.

Overall: This is my son’s favorite place to go for a run. The boardwalk is a safe place for him to run free and enjoy nature but you need to be mindful of bikes.

McKoy Park (Decatur)

McKoy Park is located at 534 McKoy Street, Decatur, GA 30030.  There is an entrance on McKoy Street with a parking lot that has direct access to the pool and the baseball field. There is also an entrance on Adams Street on the dead end with closer access to the playground and pavilion.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Overview:

There is playground equipment for younger children (2-5) as well as older children (5+) featuring small and large slides, music instruments like drums, monkey bars and many climbing/balance beams and activities. There are two infant swings, two belt swings and two accessible swings.  This park also features water fountains, restrooms and tall trees which provide ample shade.

The baseball field is fenced in, lighted and features a concession stand. This park also features an outdoor seating area for classes or impromptu meetings. This area is located near the skate park and basketball court.

McKoy Pool is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. It is open as early as 9am. There are season passes available for non-Decatur residents. There are picnic tables surrounding the pool area and a very nice shallow end for younger or less experienced swimmers. More information and photos available after the pool season starts.

There is a skate park at McKoy Park which features many ramps, rails and drop-in areas. There is usually a few people skating during the day and it’s much more full on weekends. There is a pergola area near the playground where spectators can watch the skateboarders.

 

According to the City of Decatur website, the park will be undergoing renovations during the second half of 2016. An update after the renovation will follow.

Parking: Dedicated lot

Surrounding Area: Residential, with a school nearby

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible: Yes, with a ramp into playground

Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Seating: Park benches, picnic tables and a small wall that many parents sit on in the playground area

Pavilion: Yes, with 2 grills.

Restroom: Yes

Direct Sun or Shade : Reasonably shady depending on time of day. Lots of tall, old trees nearby. Infant swings can be in sun.

Fenced in? :  No

Infant Swings: Yes, 2

Quality of Playground Equipment: Ok

Ball Fields: Yes. There is a baseball field with concession stand and a basketball court (that needs a little TLC)

Overall: We visited on a spring morning and there were a few nannies with their charges which were younger than 5. The skatepark had a few visitors and it was generally quiet. My son had a lot of fun exploring all this park had to offer – especially watching the skateboarders. I am happy that the City of Decatur chose this park for a renovation as the playground equipment looked in need of a refresh. We will definitely be returning.

Orme Park (Atlanta)

The approximate location of Orme Park is 774 Brookridge Drive NE, Atlanta GA 30306. It is located in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood of Atlanta.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Overview: Tucked away in a very nice neighborhood is Orme Park. Upon first glance at this park, you’ll notice the push toys and toy trucks and cars that were donated by parents in the neighborhood. This park consists of a large playground structure, 2 sites with swings, a sandbox and a creek with small bridge.

The playground is fit for all ages with small and large slides, rotatable blocks with X’s and O’s, monkey bars and climbing/balance beams and areas for imaginary play like a toy kitchen. There is a circular sand box that is usually full of digging toys.

Parking: Street, free

Surrounding Area: Residential, park is beneath street level

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible: Yes upon entry. May be inaccessible in certain areas

Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Seating: Park benches, picnic tables and a small wall that many parents sit on

Pavilion: No

Restroom: No

Direct Sun or Shade : Reasonably shady depending on time of day. Lots of tall, old trees nearby.

Fenced in? :  No

Infant Swings: Yes, 4

Quality of Playground Equipment: Good

Ball Fields: No

Overall: This park is a great park for children as it boasts a great playground, many ride-on toys, swings and a sandbox. I have visited this park many times and always find it busy with children and their parent or caregiver. The push toys are a little weathered but that doesn’t bother the children. Due to the sandbox, this is one of my son’s favorite parks. Lack of a restroom and water fountain are the only real cons.

Willis Park (Avondale Estates)

The approximate address of Willis Park  is 51 Dartmouth Avenue, Avondale Estates GA.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Overview: This park was recently renovated in the Spring of 2016, the first renovation in its 92 year history. The park contains a large green-space area, newly paved walking paths, ample benches and seating, a pavilion with picnic tables, several areas to swing for both infants and children including a tire swing, a large merry-go-round, a smaller play structure for children aged 2-5 and a larger play structure for children aged 5-12  which includes a large spiral slide, many climbing structures and a balance beam. The play equipment is brand new as of Spring 2016.

I visited this park on a weekend morning in the Spring with my husband and nearly 2-year-old son. It was moderately crowded with average children age ranges between 2-8.

Parking: Street, free

Surrounding Area: Residential with close proximity to a school and members only pool

Wheelchair/Stroller Accessible: Yes

Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Seating: Park benches, adult swings, and picnic tables

Pavilion: Yes

Restroom: No

Direct Sun or Shade : Park is for the most part, very shady. Play equipment also has some sun/rain protection.

Fenced in? :  No, but playground is set back farther from the street

Infant Swings: Yes, 4 plus a Mommy and Me swing

Quality of Playground Equipment: As of 2016, brand new.

Ball Fields: No but there is a large open green-space for informal soccer or football games

Overall: This park is brand new, very clean and safe. It has something for every kind of child whether they prefer swings or climbing. The landscaping is excellent with freshly laid sod. Downsides include lack of restrooms. I will definitely return again to this park.