Perkerson Park

Just half a mile from the BeltLine, this 50-acre City of Atlanta park is one of the largest parks south of I-20. About 7,000 Atlantans live within a 10-minute walk, which explains why the “Fitness Zone” there was the busiest of all the parks we visited.

Location: 770 Deckner Avenue in southwest Atlanta between Capitol View and Sylvan Hills

Workout equipment: Tucked away near the baseball field (if your timing is right, you can watch a game while you exercise), this workout area features:

• A lat pull down, designed to strengthen the upper back, shoulders, biceps, and core
• A chest press for the chest, shoulders, upper and mid abs, forearms, and triceps
• A vertical press for shoulder and arm muscles
• A leg press for the quads and calves
• A cross-country ski machine for strengthening leg muscles, improving cardio endurance, and improving agility
• An inclined sit-up/crunch bench for strengthening the obliques and abdominal muscles
• An air walker for cardio endurance
• A pendulum machine with built-in abs and dips station for mobility and strength work
• A power rower for cardio endurance and strengthening the back, shoulders, arms, and abdominal muscles
• A set of two-level horizontal bars for pull-ups and chin-ups

Since most of the equipment can accommodate at least two people at a time, up to 23 users at once can take advantage of this outdoor gym.

Other amenities: Six tennis courts, one and a half basketball courts, two baseball fields, a softball field, disc golf course, splash pad, playground, rec center, walking paths, woodland area, and a stream that flows diagonally through the whole park