The metro area is rife with great spots to haul a picnic basket on warm, sunny afternoons. This list of picnic spots is by no means a complete one, just some of the best beyond such perennial favorites as Piedmont Park, Chastain Park and Kennesaw Mountain.
Best with a dog — Sweetwater Creek State Park. Multiple areas spread out around the lake at this state park in Douglas County west of downtown make it a good place to picnic with your pooch. After lunch, take a hike with your leashed companion to the mill ruins on the bank of Sweetwater Creek, a popular trail often populated with dog walkers. $5 parking fee per vehicle. 1750 Mount Vernon Road, Lithia Springs.
Best for families and groups — Tribble Mill Park and Harbins Park. These Gwinnett County parks within a few miles of each other have more than enough room and facilities to accommodate groups small and large. The main difference between them is that Tribble Mill has a lake and meadows, while Harbins is more woodsy. Each has a large playground and miles of trails to explore. To reserve facilities at either park call 770-822-5414. Tribble Mill: 2125 Tribble Mill Parkway, Lawrenceville. Harbins: 2995 Luke Edwards Road, Dacula.
Best for special events — Town Green in Duluth and Courthouse Square in Lawrenceville. Both of these Gwinnett cities have town centers with large public green spaces suitable for spreading out a blanket to take in concerts and festivals. The centerpiece of Duluth's Town Green is an amphitheater with a terraced lawn where the Barefoot in the Park festival takes place on May 11 and 12. In Lawrenceville, the Moonlight and Music concert series occurs the last Friday of each month this summer. Town Green: 3142 Hill St., Duluth; Gwinnett Historic Courthouse: 185 W. Crogan St., Lawrenceville.
Best hidden spots — Lullwater Park and Hahn Woods at Emory University. These two gems are connected by a creekside foot trail through the woods. Choose a site next to the waterfall, in the woods or on a rolling lawn next to Candler Lake at Lullwater. No parking exists at Lullwater Park, only an easy-to-miss pedestrian entrance off Clifton Road, but free public parking is available at Hahn Woods. 866 Houston Mill Road, Atlanta.
Best romantic spot with a historic covered bridge — Indian Island at Stone Mountain Park. Away from all the activity and attractions around Memorial Lawn, a quieter, more idyllic respite is found on the east side of Stone Mountain, on the shore of the lake. A circa-1891 covered bridge, relocated from Athens in the 1960s, leads to a wooded island with a picnic area and trails. A scenic grist mill is nearby. $10 entry fee per vehicle. 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain.
Best neighborhood pond — the Duck Pond in Buckhead. Tucked away in the verdant and historic Peachtree Heights East neighborhood, this pond is privately owned by the neighborhood association but open to the public. A grassy peninsula makes a good spot for an urban oasis-type picnic setting that contains a surprisingly abundant variety of small wildlife. Don't feed the ducks — that's a big no-no here. Two blocks off Peachtree on Lakeview Avenue. Street parking only, opposite the lake. Be mindful of driveways.
Best for nature lovers — Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Panola Mountain State Park and Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve are both part of this national heritage area, which is one of only three in Georgia. Explore the granite domes containing specialized ecosystems with colorful displays of red diamorpha, yellow daisies and various lichens and mosses at different times of year. A PATH trail runs between Arabia and Panola mountains. Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve: 3787 Klondike Road, Lithonia; Panola Mountain State Park: $5 parking fee, hikers must be part of a guided tour on the mountain, other trails are self-guided. Call 770-389-7801 for reservations. 2600 Ga. 155, Stockbridge.
Best lake views — Red Top Mountain State Park. Multiple shady picnic sites are found on the forested banks of Lake Allatoona inside this state park just east of Cartersville. Even the sites that aren't directly on the lakeshore provide nice views of the 12,000 acre lake. $5 parking fee per vehicle. 50 Lodge Road, Cartersville.
Best spot that doesn't feel like it's close to Hartsfield-Jackson — Reynolds Nature Preserve. Four miles away, as the crow flies, from the world's busiest airport, you wouldn't know it while inside this Clayton County preserve with its 146 acres of woodland and a small lake. On April 6, the Wild Azalea Festival takes place, featuring live animal presentations, guided hikes and environmental education seminars. 5665 Reynolds Road, Morrow.
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