Springtime in metro Atlanta brings scenic views and moderate temperatures that make it easier to increase the family’s fitness level.
If you’re in a position to take your grandkids on hikes or introduce them to the positives of running and walking, April is prime time to get up and go.
These activities and events are a mix of opportunities for different ages — some will cast grandparents as chauffeurs or spectators, while others are all-ages opportunities where the adults will get moving too.
Credit: custom
Credit: custom
Atlanta Track Club Midweek Mile & Dash
5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 12, free, Blackburn Park, 3493 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Brookhaven.
This event welcomes kids to the joys of running, whether they show promise as future track stars or just enjoy jogging down a track at their own pace.
Atlanta Track Club’s elite athletes are on hand to introduce concepts and talk up youth programming. Those ages 6-14 can take on a mile run and anyone 14 and under are welcome to participate in a 50-meter dash. If your group is the hardy sort, note that these midweek runs and all similar ATC events go on rain or shine, though the threat of lightning or other severe weather could force a delay or cancelation.
You can register online here until midnight on April 11 or at the race in person on the 12th.
Spring plant sale and walk at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia
2-6 p.m. Friday, April 14, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 15. Garden admission and parking are free. Horticulture Complex, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 S. Milledge Ave., Athens. 706-542-1244. garden@uga.edu.
Here’s a win-win day trip for grandparents and grandkids alike. The plant sale emphasizes native plants and experts are on site to give purchase and general gardening advice. It’s delightful even if you don’t buy a single fern.
The younger set may not want to shop, but they’ll surely enjoy a walk through the 2.5-acre Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden. It offers edible plants (clearly labeled), a tree house and a fossil wall, and other features, so grandparents may find it appealing too.
Find a list of plants for sale here and a map of the hummingbird trail here.
Credit: Brian O'Shea
Credit: Brian O'Shea
Bark in the Park at Fort Yargo
4-5:30 p.m., Saturday, April 15. Admission is free, parking is $5. Fort Yargo State Park, 210 S. Broad Street, Winder. 770-867-3489.
Has it been far too long since the bunch of you have laced up your hiking shoes and grabbed water bottles for a morning or afternoon hike? Get back in the habit and thrill the family dog at the same time with this 2.2-mile hike on the Wilkins-Greenway Trail at Fort Yargo State Park.
The drive takes you about an hour outside Atlanta, so plan to enjoy the mountain scenery. Arrive early to enjoy views of the 260-acre lake and the swimming beach. It will probably be too chilly to swim, but you can still dig and splash. Older teens might enjoy the park’s extra challenging disc golf course.
All dogs must be leashed.
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