The Atlanta Free Family Guide
100+ Free Things to Do in Atlanta with Kids
Every park, playground, museum, nature trail, library program, and seasonal festival that's free for Atlanta families — updated for 2026, all in one place.
📬
Get the Weekly Free Atlanta Family Digest
Every Thursday: 5–10 free and low-cost Atlanta events for the weekend, hand-picked for families. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
🌳 Parks & Playgrounds
Free outdoor fun across metro Atlanta — open year-round unless noted.
Piedmont Park
FREE
Atlanta's premier urban park. Playgrounds, splash pad (summer), dog parks, and miles of trails connecting to the Beltline.
📍 Midtown
Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail
FREE
Walk, scooter, or bike a 2.25-mile linear park with public art, food options, and playgrounds along the way.
📍 Multiple neighborhoods
Woodruff Park ATL Playground
FREE
Giant "ATL" letter-shaped playground in downtown — climbing, slides, and spinners.
📍 Downtown
Centennial Olympic Park
FREE
Fountain of Rings splash play, open lawns, and regular free events including summer concerts.
📍 Downtown
Blue Heron Nature Preserve
FREE
30-acre preserve with a 3-mile Blueway Trail through woodlands, wetlands, and meadows.
📍 Buckhead
Dunwoody Nature Center
FREE
22-acre preserve where kids can climb, slide, spot frogs, and play along the river bank.
📍 Dunwoody
Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark
FREE
Atlanta's first public skatepark plus playground and multi-use field — great for picnics.
📍 Old Fourth Ward
Morningside Nature Preserve
FREE
Shallow creek, beach area, and easy trails perfect for wading and rock-hopping.
📍 Morningside
Chastain Park
FREE
Atlanta's largest city park — playgrounds, pool, walking paths, and the PATH trail.
📍 Buckhead
Westside Reservoir Park
FREE
Panoramic views, grand overlook, and former film location (Stranger Things, Walking Dead).
📍 Westside
Legacy Park
FREE
77 acres in Decatur with playgrounds, community gardens, trails, and seasonal free events.
📍 Decatur
Avalon Green Space
FREE
Outdoor shopping center in Alpharetta with a kids' play area, bean bag toss, and a seasonal ice rink.
📍 Alpharetta
🎨 Free Museums & Culture
Many Atlanta museums offer free days or are always free — mark your calendar.
High Museum of Art — 2nd Sundays
FREE
Free admission plus kids' art-making and performances on the second Sunday of every month.
🗓️ 2nd Sunday / month
Michael C. Carlos Museum
FREE
Emory's museum is free for Emory affiliates; suggested donation for others. Ancient Egypt, Greek, Roman art.
🗓️ Year-round
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
FREE
Tour Dr. King's boyhood home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the visitor center — always free.
🗓️ Always free
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum
FREE
Free for kids 16 and under on the 30-acre green space with Japanese garden and koi pond.
🗓️ Free for kids 16 & under
Atlanta Monetary Museum
FREE
Self-guided tours inside the Federal Reserve — watch millions being counted and see the robotic vault. Weekdays only.
🗓️ Weekdays, free
Fernbank Science Center (DeKalb)
FREE
Exhibit hall, observatory, planetarium, and live animals. Free admission to exhibit hall with reservation.
🗓️ Free with reserved ticket
Anne Frank Exhibit — Sandy Springs
FREE
Powerful permanent exhibit about Anne Frank and the Holocaust — always free admission.
🗓️ Always free
Atlanta History Center — Free Admission Days
FREE
Check their calendar for free admission days throughout the year; Goizueta Gardens always free.
🗓️ Select free days
Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
FREE
First Friday of the month is free admission — great introduction to design for kids.
🗓️ 1st Friday / month
🌲 Nature & Trails
Hikes, trails, and nature preserves that won't cost a thing.
Sweetwater Creek State Park
FREE
Historic mill ruins, easy-to-moderate trails, and creek access. $5 parking, otherwise free.
📍 Lithia Springs
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
FREE
Hike on ancient granite monadnock with wildflowers in spring — feels like another planet.
📍 Lithonia
Silver Comet Trail
FREE
61-mile paved trail for biking, walking, and scooting — ride across a 500-foot trestle.
📍 Smyrna to Alabama
Sope Creek Park (Chattahoochee NRA)
FREE
Kid-friendly bike trails, creek play, and paper mill ruins to explore.
📍 East Cobb
Cascade Springs Nature Preserve
FREE
120 acres of old-growth forest with easy trails and a historic spring.
📍 Southwest Atlanta
Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary
FREE
Free sanctuary housing farm and exotic animals — donations appreciated.
📍 Locust Grove
Tiny Doors ATL
FREE
Hunt for 30 teeny-tiny magical doors by local artist Karen Anderson Singer — a citywide scavenger hunt.
📍 Citywide
Chattahoochee River Recreation Area
FREE
Multiple free-entry units for hiking, picnicking, and shallow water play.
📍 Multiple locations
Ready to book a paid experience too?
4kiddos has hundreds of camps, classes, and enrichment events across Atlanta.
Browse All Events →🌸 Seasonal Events & Festivals
Atlanta's biggest free annual events for families — plan ahead.
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
FREE
Spring fixture at Piedmont Park — music, art, food, and a kids' village. Always free.
🗓️ April
Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival
FREE
Live music, food, kids' activities celebrating spring blooms.
🗓️ March / April
Atlanta St. Patrick's Parade
FREE
Downtown parade on Peachtree Street — bring the whole family.
🗓️ March
Smyrna Jonquil Festival
FREE
150+ arts & crafts booths, food, entertainment, and kids' activities.
🗓️ Spring & Fall
Chamblee Art Fest
FREE
Street festival in downtown Chamblee with 120+ artisans and family activities.
🗓️ April
Movies in Central Park (Atlantic Station)
FREE
Summer outdoor movie series — bring a blanket and snacks.
🗓️ Summer evenings
Movies on the Town (Brookhaven)
FREE
Free outdoor movie nights at Town Brookhaven all summer.
🗓️ Summer evenings
Ponce City Market Earth Day
FREE
Annual Earth Day programming with local environmental organizations.
🗓️ April 25
Piedmont Park Summer Concerts
FREE
Free evening concerts throughout the summer at Park Tavern meadow.
🗓️ Summer
City of Atlanta Parks & Rec Free Events
FREE
Check atlantaga.gov for year-round free kid events by the city.
🗓️ Year-round
🏛️ Free Indoor Fun
Rainy day saviors that won't break the bank.
Mall Play Areas (Perimeter, Northpoint, Lenox)
FREE
Soft play areas perfect for toddlers and preschoolers — always free.
📍 Multiple malls
Ponce City Market
FREE
Wander the food hall, play on Skyline Park rooftop (paid), or hit the Beltline entrance.
📍 Old Fourth Ward
Babyland General Hospital
FREE
Where Cabbage Patch babies are "born." Free admission to watch the show.
📍 Cleveland, GA (day trip)
Delta Flight Museum — Free 1st Sundays
FREE
Free admission on the first Sunday of each month. See planes from the 1930s to today.
📍 Hapeville
Local Toy Stores Storytimes
FREE
Shops like Brain Surgeons Toys and Toy School host free weekend events.
📍 Multiple
Apple Store Kids Programs
FREE
Free sessions on coding, photography, and music at Apple locations.
📍 Lenox, Perimeter
Home Depot Kids Workshops
FREE
First Saturday of every month — free kids' building workshops with a keepsake project.
📍 All locations
Michaels & JOANN Craft Classes
FREE
Rotating free kids' craft sessions on weekends.
📍 Multiple
📚 Libraries & Community Programs
Your public library card unlocks more than books.
Fulton County Library Storytime
FREE
Weekly storytime for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers at every branch.
📍 All FCPL branches
DeKalb County Library Programs
FREE
STEAM labs, crafts, and teen programs at 23 branches.
📍 DeKalb branches
Cobb County Library System
FREE
Free passes to local museums and attractions with library card (check availability).
📍 Cobb branches
Museum Passes via Library Card
FREE
Many metro libraries partner with museums for free family passes — ask at the desk.
📍 Most library systems
Summer Reading Programs
FREE
Every library system offers free summer reading with prizes, performances, and free books.
📍 Summer
Atlanta Beltline Partnership Programs
FREE
Free walking tours, public art programs, and seasonal family events on the Beltline.
📍 Citywide
Piedmont Park Conservancy
FREE
Free yoga in the park, guided walks, and kids' nature programs.
📍 Piedmont Park
YMCA Free Community Days
FREE
Atlanta-area YMCAs host free community events — check each branch's calendar.
📍 All locations
🎯
Know a free activity we missed?
We update this guide regularly. If you host free family programming in Atlanta, we'd love to feature you.
List Your Event (Free) → Suggest an Activity