Why We Love Biking in Atlanta with Kids

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See that mom with three kids on her bike cycling through Midtown? Or that dad racing the neighborhood kids on his bike during his last few blocks home from work? Metro Atlanta is fast becoming a bicycle friendly city.

With more opportunities through a growing network of pathways, bicycle lanes and bicycle friendly areas, families are biking together all around Atlanta and finding lots of benefits, from a healthier lifestyle to together time. If your family wants to give it a try, now is the perfect time, with a confluence of great greenways, mild temperatures and the virtual Atlanta Cycling Festival.

“I was really active but didn’t cycle before I got a big family cargo bike,” says Rebecca Wells, who has been loading her three kids, ages 3, 5 and 7, on the bike for a couple of years, for trips to their childcare center or errands around Midtown. “Now they’re like superstars on the back of the bike.”

Corny Delasalas of Decatur took up cycling as a stress reliever, but became an accidental role model in his neighborhood when kids started racing him home. “My son and daughter [5-year-old twins] are learning how to ride, and so are their peers. And, of course, the parents have to start biking to keep up.”

Aside from health benefits and family time, “It’s just fun to see the city in a different way with your kids,” says Jeffrey Wisard, organizer of the Atlanta Cycling Festival.

“The timing is right for biking in Atlanta,” Wells says. “It’s good for the community, good for kids and good for what we need, for people taking pride in their community.”

Where to Bike in Atlanta with Kids

Metro Atlanta likely has a bike trail or bike friendly area near your home, so it’s easy to get started. “The Silver Comet Trail is the first thing to come to people’s minds,” says Jeremy Leifheit with Atlanta Cycling in Vinings and Ansley Mall. “If you live near it, it’s an awesome path for kids and families, with no steep gradients.” Another good path for families is Big Creek Greenway in Roswell and the BeltLine in Atlanta, he says.

Everyone has their favorites, from biking through Piedmont Park to tooling around Freedom Park or Stone Mountain Park and Yellow River Park in Gwinnett County.

Atlanta BeltLine

Made up of multi-use trails and colorful art and murals, the Atlanta BeltLine is a pedestrian friendly area that can be used for biking as well as jogging and walking. The BeltLine links many of Atlanta’s existing parks and trails together with dining and retail options nearby. Take stops for playgrounds at Piedmont Park or the Old Fourth Ward Park. You can also reserve a spot on one of the bike tours.
Where: 24 Fairlie St. NW, Atlanta.

Chastain Park Trail

This trail is made up of a three-mile path around Chastain Park, and on any given day you can find it full of bikers and joggers. The trail is marked as two 5K courses and a separate 3K course. It is an asphalt trail with a few hills, which may be more challenging with a stroller, or young child.
Where: Chastain Park Trail, Atlanta.

East Cobb Trail

In Marietta next to Roswell Road, it is a short trail, around two miles long, but perfect for young bikers and with parents walking or running beside them. It is also an easy connector to many neighborhoods in the area. Make sure to also check out the events listed on their website, as well as the playground.
Where: 3322 Roswell Rd., Marietta.

Stone Mountain Trail

This 19-mile on-street and dedicated trail offers great views of Atlanta (bring a camera to take a picture at the Jackson Street bridge near Downtown), and has several great stopping points along the way. Take a stop at Stone Mountain village, Milam Park in Clarkston, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Candler Park, and Downtown Decatur.
Where: Begins at Piedmont Ave. in Downtown Atlanta and ends at the loop around Stone Mountain.

Arabia Mountain Trail

Made up of 30 miles of biking, hiking and running trails, the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Trail takes you past exposed granite and lakes along the way.
Where: Arabia Mountain Trail, Stockbridge.

Silver Comet Trail

This 61.5-mile trail is named after the Silver Comet Rail Train that once ran from Atlanta to Birmingham. Ride your bikes across a 500-foot trestle and bring a picnic basket on this woodsy, paved trail.
Where: Mavell Road Trailhead, Smyrna.

Atlanta Biking Resources

– Amanda Miller Allen

This post was originally published in May 2017 and updated in April 2021.

The post Why We Love Biking in Atlanta with Kids appeared first on Atlanta Parent.

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