Piedmont Park combines skyline views, trails, open lawns, sports, festivals and some of Atlanta's best people-watching in the rare outdoor space that works just as well for doing absolutely nothing as it does for planning an entire afternoon. If the weather is right and you have nowhere particular to be, go to Piedmont Park. That's about as Atlanta as the recommendation gets.

Piedmont isn't #1 because it has the most difficult hiking trail or the most dramatic scenery. It's #1 because of everything that happens around the scenery. Run. Walk. Bike. Bring food. Throw a football. Find a festival. Sit on the grass. Bring somebody you're dating. Bring the kids. Bring the dog. Or bring absolutely nothing and people-watch for two hours.

And the skyline matters. There are places around Piedmont where the trees, lawn and Midtown skyline come together and remind you that you're sitting inside a major city. For Black travelers, there's another piece that's harder to quantify: we're part of the park. Atlanta's diversity actually shows up here, particularly on beautiful weekends and during major events. BlkTravel would choose Piedmont Park for: first-time visitors, walking, picnics, skyline views, dates, families, festivals, exercise and a free Atlanta afternoon.