Piedmont Park is a 200-plus-acre greenspace in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, bordered by Piedmont Avenue, Monroe Drive and 10th Street. This guide covers current opening hours, admission, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for a first-time visit.
This guide was updated in August 2026.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Daily, 6am–11pm |
| Admission | Free (pool $5; Legacy Fountain Splash Pad free) |
| Address | 1320 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 |
| Nearest transport | MARTA Midtown or Arts Center stations, or bus routes 27, 36 and 809 |
| Typical visit length | One to three hours; longer for events or the pool |
Piedmont Park opening hours
The park is open daily, from 6am to 11pm. Restrooms around the park keep shorter hours, generally open from 8am to 6pm daily.
5 great Atlanta experiences to book
- ✊ Take a black history and civil rights tour – the unquestioned number one option.
- 🚋 Get to know the city on a 90 minute trolley tour.
- 🍷 Go wine-tasting in North Georgia’s wine country.
- 🍽️ Taste the best of Atlanta on a Midtown food and cocktails tour.
- 👻 Explore Atlanta’s spookiest spots on an after-dark ghost tour.
Piedmont Park ticket prices
There is no admission charge to enter Piedmont Park. The seasonal swimming pool costs $5 per person and runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend; the Legacy Fountain Splash Pad, with more than 70 jets reaching up to 30 feet, is free and generally open year-round, weather permitting.
Opening hours and prices were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. Parking in the shared SAGE garage is paid and based on length of stay; street parking around the park is free but limited, especially on weekends.
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- 📉 Save nearly 50%: Enjoy a significant discount of up to 47% on combined admission to 5 top attractions compared to buying individual tickets at the box office.
- 🐘 Zoo Atlanta & Choice Sites: Includes admission to Zoo Atlanta plus your choice of two more highlights like the Fernbank Museum of Natural History or the College Football Hall of Fame.
- ⏱️ Nine Days of Flexibility: Your pass is valid for 9 consecutive days starting from the first day of use, so you can explore Atlanta’s landmarks without feeling rushed.
- 📱 Instant Mobile Tickets: Skip the hassle of paper vouchers; receive your pass via email and simply scan your smartphone for quick, contactless entry at each site.
How to get to Piedmont Park
The MARTA Midtown and Arts Center rail stations are both about a half-mile walk from the park. MARTA bus routes 27, 36 and 809 stop near the 14th Street, Charles Allen and BeltLine entrances respectively, though they run only every 40 to 45 minutes.
The Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail connects directly into the park’s southeastern corner, offering a car-free route on foot or bike from several surrounding neighborhoods.
Parking at Piedmont Park
The SAGE Parking Facility, shared with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, is located at the center of the park and is reached from Monroe Drive via Worchester Drive, or from Piedmont Avenue at the Garden’s entrance. The former surface lot has been converted back to green space, so the garage is now the main on-site parking option, alongside limited free street parking around the park’s perimeter.
How long to spend at Piedmont Park
Most visitors spend one to three hours walking the trails, visiting the dog parks or relaxing by Lake Clara Meer. A visit that includes the pool, a festival or a full loop of the park’s paths can easily fill half a day.
Accessibility at Piedmont Park
Piedmont Park is ADA compliant, with wheelchair-accessible entrances at the 12th Street, 14th Street, Charles Allen Drive and Park Drive gates. The SAGE parking garage includes ADA parking spaces, though wheelchairs themselves are not provided by the park and must be brought by the visitor.
Inside Piedmont Park
Lake Clara Meer, an 11.5-acre lake at the heart of the park, allows fishing with a valid Georgia license, though all fishing is catch and release.
The Active Oval, a former horse racetrack, now hosts a running track, two soccer fields, two softball fields and sand volleyball courts, available first-come, first-served outside permitted play.
The Piedmont Park Aquatic Center occupies a 1973 pool renovated in recent years, while Greystone, the original 1911 bathhouse, is now a 9,000-square-foot event space.
The park is on the site of the 1887 Piedmont Exposition and the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition; a marker near the 14th Street entrance commemorates Booker T. Washington’s 1895 “Atlanta Compromise” speech. The City of Atlanta purchased the land in 1904, and the Olmsted Brothers drew up a master plan for the park in 1911–1912.
Major annual events held here include the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Music Midtown and Atlanta Pride, alongside the Noguchi Playscape playground for younger visitors.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Check the Alerts & Closures page directly before playing sports, since field status can change quickly after rain. |
| Crowds | Major festivals can fill much of the park and surrounding streets, so check the Conservancy’s calendar first if you would prefer a quieter visit. |
| Layout | Bicycles and wheeled devices are banned from the grass and pedestrian-only paths, so keep to the shared paths. |
| Entry process | Gatherings of 75 people or more require a city permit, so plan ahead for large group visits. |
| On-site logistics | Personal food and non-alcoholic drinks are welcome, but glass containers and portable grills are not allowed. |
Frequently asked questions about Piedmont Park
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Piedmont Park free to visit? | Yes, general park admission is free; only the seasonal swimming pool charges a $5 fee. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Piedmont Park? | No for general visits; sports fields and courts can be reserved with a permit but are otherwise first-come, first-served. |
| Are dogs allowed at Piedmont Park? | Yes, on a leash throughout the park, or off-leash within the fenced dog parks. |
| Can you swim at Piedmont Park? | Yes, at the seasonal Aquatic Center pool for $5, or at the free Legacy Fountain Splash Pad. |
| Is Piedmont Park wheelchair accessible? | Yes, the park is ADA compliant with accessible gates and parking, though wheelchairs are not provided on site. |
Things to do near Piedmont Park
The Atlanta Botanical Garden, sharing the SAGE parking facility, is directly adjacent to the park. Park Tavern, on the park’s southeast corner, offers dining with views over the Active Oval and an indoor ice rink in winter.
The Virginia-Highland neighborhood, known for its shops and restaurants, is a short walk east of the park. Ansley Park, a historic residential district with its own small green spaces, borders the park to the north.
What to visit tomorrow
Stone Mountain Park, in Stone Mountain, is about 25 to 30 minutes’ drive and centers on the world’s largest exposed granite monolith, with hiking trails and a summit skyride.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, in Kennesaw, is around 40 minutes’ drive and preserves a Civil War battlefield alongside wooded hiking trails.
Sweetwater Creek State Park, in Lithia Springs, is a similar distance and follows a rocky creek past the ruins of a Civil War-era textile mill.
Red Top Mountain State Park, near Cartersville, is about 50 minutes to an hour’s drive and occupies a peninsula on Lake Allatoona with beaches and trails.
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, with several access points around Vinings and Sandy Springs, is about 20 to 30 minutes’ drive and offers paddling and riverside trails.
More Atlanta travel
Other Atlanta travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Why the Fernbank Museum of Natural History offers more than you’re probably expecting.
- Plan your visit to the Atlanta History Center.
- Visiting the home of the Gone With The Wind author – Margaret Mitchell House.
- Paying a visit to the Delta Flight Museum next to Atlanta Hartfield-Jackson Airport.
- Midtown Atlanta attraction guides: High Museum of Art, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Museum of Design Atlanta and Center for Puppetry Arts.
