one of the jewels inside the "preeminent jewel" of Atlanta, Piedmont Park. the aquatic center is…read morequite well-run and well-kept, particularly given all the events hosted there. one might assume this joint would show wear-and-tear, but you'd be wrong about that! I was super bummed with the attached restaurant closed, but apparently a new food place opened up in its place. I took my rugrats here for the "Splish Splash" event and really enjoyed it.

Where do you go when the Georgia sun beats down and there's no relief in sight? The pool, that's…read morewhere. This city has a good network of public pools, and some are better than others. This one is nestled in the east side of Piedmont park, accessible by a short walk through some lower traffic entrances. If there is space, park in the neighborhood bisected by Park Drive NE. You can walk through the gate, curve around the lake, and you're there. The pool overlooks the lake, a prime location indeed. Piedmont has a similar relationship to Atlanta that say Central park has to NYC. It's a large, grassy space that everyone loves, and you can see the city looming in the background. The entrance to the pool itself reflects demand; on our afternoon visit, we had to wait a bit for other visitors to leave - they have a hard cap on the crowd size. At 11:00 on a Saturday, they were charging non-members a sweet five bucks. Anyway, the pool is really, really nice. The layout is such that you can do adult things if you like (laps, whatever), or you can entertain your kids if you need to do that. The child friendly features are abundant, including a splashpad and a lazy river. Mine really dig all of that stuff. Shady areas are abundant and you can chill on a nearby grassy area with your blanket or whatever. There is no diving board (no deep end either), but what public pool has one of those anymore? Lockers are abundant and things are generally clean. What's not to like? Also, shout out to Sean's, a very capable snack bar.

After closing in 2012 because of structural concerns, former Mayer Kasim Reed rebuilt a new $23.5…read moremillion, 64,000-square-foot Recreation and Aquatic Center in the Old 4th Ward towards the end of 2017. The new facility is sparkling and definitely worth visiting if you haven't seen it yet and becoming a member if you swim work out regularly. We paid about $250 for the family to join for the year and the bonus is that it gives the whole family access to all Atlanta public pools. The building is very open, bright (lots of natural light come in through the glass), and beautifully built. While ATL isn't the Northeast, winter is still somewhat more of a period of hibernation for a lot of people and the opening of this center provides a very nice public option for continuing to be active. It seems like they offer a wide variety of classes and activities for kids. While I can't speak to the basketball gym, workout facilities, and indoor running track on the second floor, the pool is great. It's helped our toddler develop an appreciation for the water and we haven't even tried their infant swim program yet. Some highlights of the pool are that the water is very warm, they have a beach front walk-in, a separate family changing room, a variety of aquatic toys for kids to enjoy, and a few fun sprinkler type poles in the pool. For parents looking to entertain their kids this could be a great drop-in option too at just $5 a visit I believe. My only complaints are 1) We've waited months to get our membership cards and the machine that prints them is always down or unavailable for some reason. This is obviously not such a big deal but 2) As this "undiscovered" gem is no longer so undiscovered, we've seen more and more swimmers come to the pool and it can be difficult to find a free lane to swim in now (especially around peak hours weeknights after work). This may just be what happens as you become a victim of your own success. The pool is huge but it's unfortunate that the way they built it the lanes cannot be expanded or added easily because the free swim section has a giant physical barrier from the lanes part.

Great pool! A bit crowded. I don't care for lane sharing; that's why the 4 stars. Clean locker…read moreroom. Workout equipment upstairs.

Staff is always so kind and helpful, there is such a wide variety of machines throughout the gym,…read moreplus they have a pool which most gyms can't say they have. At first the membership seemed pricey, but considering all the wide range of equipment that is there it is totally worth it.

I like the facility but feel like it is too expensive ($79) for single people without kids who use…read morecardio and weights. The peloton bikes are constantly broken and take weeks to fix. It is still the best option for me and I appreciate the opportunity to be a member.

From the best-kept-secret-until-now dept.: ProMotion Fitness is designed for people with…read moredisabilities, but anyone can join. My wife and I pay about $500/yr for a two-person membership, which gives us access to the heated swimming pool, the indoor track, the gymnasium (with basketball court -- and yes, there are some talented basketball players in wheelchairs), and a gym full of equipment designed for various kinds of bodily abilities. From the NuStep recumbent crosstrainers with optional foot straps and leg braces to the multtifunction weight machines designed to be used while sitting in a wheelchair (but also convenient for able-bodied people), to the CrossFit station modified specifically to include wheelchair users, and the stationary hand-bike (which works your arms as you work the pedals at shoulder height), there's a wide variety of fitness equipment that we both enjoy using. When the weather's bad, there's no better place to work out than ProMotion. The covered multi-story garage is connected to the Shepherd Center hospital, so you won't get even a drop of rain on you as you come in. You can run, walk, or wheel on the indoor track overlooking the basketball court and watch the fencing team or the murderball team practice. (If you haven't seen murderball, go watch the documentary about it -- a brutal and exhilarating sport, and I'm only speaking as a spectator.) The heated pool is open except for nearby lightning strikes, and you can shower in private stalls before weighing yourself on the wheelchair-friendly scale. (You roll your wheelchair up onto the ramp, transfer out of it, and set the weight to zero before getting back in to see your own weight.) Parking is free with a token from the security guard at the welcome desk (I assume there are people who have to pay the $1 fee, but I have no idea who they are), and there's a cafeteria one floor away with some reasonably tasty food considering that it's healthy. The only gripe I can think of -- and I've been trying for a while -- is that phone reception can be spotty in the workout room, situated as it is deep within a large building. That's okay -- I'd just as soon not be interrupted when I've hit my stride.

As of Sept 9th, 2012 Chastain Park Swimming Pool has now closed for the season and will not re-open…read moreuntil May of 2013. It is crazy as the weather in September is often some of the best of the year (as evidenced by the glorious temperate sunny days this week), but without a heater for the pool, the season is all too short, running from early May to early September only. I will miss you for now, beloved Chastain Park Pool. :( See you next season!

The pool NEVER updates its info online or on Google. Hours are wrong, info is wrong, etc. Whose…read morerunning this thing? And then to call and try to get information, your call is never returned. The Chastain Park Civic Association also never has updated info about the pool on its site. Geez.

I really liked this gym. Even though it's smaller, it still had all the equipment I needed. I went…read moreclose to closing, so it wasn't crowded at all, which made it easy to get on the machines I wanted without waiting. I'm definitely going back to try it at different times and see how busy it gets during the day.

These are the conditions we are supposed to clean up and prepare for work in after a 5:30 a.m…read more workout? This is unsanitary and unacceptable!

I've been going to the Life Time on Roswell Road for a bit now and honestly really like it…read more The gym is clean, well kept, and doesn't feel chaotic like a lot of big gyms. The equipment is solid and there's a good mix of machines, free weights, and space to actually move around. I also really like the classes - the instructors know what they're doing and aren't over the top, which I appreciate. Locker rooms are a big plus. They're spacious and feel more like a spa than a gym locker room, which makes a difference if you're there before work or after a long day. Staff has always been friendly and helpful whenever I've needed anything, but they don't hover. Only downside is that it can get pretty busy during peak times, especially after work. You may have to wait for certain machines or adjust your workout a bit. Not a dealbreaker, just something to be aware of.

Donai was absolutely amazing. I had ongoing rotator cuff pain and was seriously considering…read moresurgery. After my sessions with her, the pain completely eased, and my shoulder hasn't bothered me since. She is knowledgeable, professional, and truly gifted at what she does.

Awesome natatorium with two sized pools, reasonable pricing and social distancing in place. I wish…read morethey would open earlier!

Great community asset…read more This pool is conveniently located in Washington Park only a few minutes from I 20. There are swim lessons, meets and open swimming. The staff are friendly and inside is clean. I'm taking one star off for the lack of cleanliness on the outside. There were chicken bones and food debris in the parking lot and right outside the main entrance. When I saw that I was concerned that the inside would be dirty, it was not and is much cleaner inside than some other county owned Natatoriums in the Atlanta Region. The showers have warm water and the pool is heated. The air conditioner was on in the locker room but that may be necessary to control the humidity. Overall, I'm glad this is close to where I live and that I am able to take private lessons here via All Star Swim Academy.

Delicious food, great service and an even better pool. I'll bring my son back next time.read more

We love the group and private lessons offered here. . They offer them on the weekends and all…read moretrainers are on the swim team at Emory. . It's very family friendly. . They have tons of seats, lifeguards on duty, and just added a cafe. They have very clean locker rooms too.

My wife and I visited Open Hand Atlanta to volunteer our time for a couple of hours to prep meals…read more Open Hand provides nutritional meals for those with chronic diseases, such as AIDS/HIV, different forms of cancer, etc. These nutritional meals promote and prolong healthier way of life. Once you arrive and sign in, you'll be taken to a waiting room area, where Open Hand staff gives you a rundown of their history and what their mission is. You also get the rules of the prep room and are gifted a one of a kind hairnet, plastic apron, and men with facial hair gets face masks. No jewelry may be at any time. Rings, necklaces, earrings, facial piercings, watches, etc. can NOT be worn. There are different things that you can do at this space, but I wanted to do meal prep. We washed our hands and grabbed plastic gloves. Keep in mind, the gloves are different sizes. The meal prep was like an assembly line. The meal we prepped was Beef Stroganoff on Noodles with Green Beans. With a scale, the first person weighed the appropriate number for the noodles, the second person weighed the right number of beef stroganoff, and the third person weighed the right number for green beans. There is then a fourth person who wipes off any excess food from around the rim of the food container. This is important so the plastic cover will seal appropriately. It's then put in this contraption that holds multiple containers and a person press seals it and puts it to the side. This is definitely quite a process, but once you get into the flow of it, it becomes easier. Some people make it a challenge against another group to see who can make the most meals. Side note: THIS PLACE IS FREEZING! The ENTIRE BUILDING IS COLD! Bring a jacket or hoody. Overall, this is a great place to come with a group or by yourself and do some charitable services. Fortunately, we came with a large group of my wife's coworkers, so we were able to knock out over 2,500 meals which was awesome! I'd definitely come back.

I volunteered at Open Hand two weeks ago (Saturday, July 22, 2017) and had a lot of fun. I didn't…read moreknow what to expect as far as working conditions, the general environment, and exactly what we would be doing. Would I be in some freezing cold meat locker? Would I be inside an insanely hot warehouse? Would I be breaking my already broken back moving heavy objects around? Would I be doing some mundane task for hours and be bored out of my mind? Fortunately, the answer to all those questions was no. I went with a big group to celebrate someone's birthday (a neat idea). Half of us did meal packing and the other half did market basket packing. I signed up for meal packing. Our meal packing session involved packing meals into bags and portioning food into individual containers (think frozen TV dinners). The food was already cooked and just needed to be heated up to be eaten. Market basket packing involves packing nonperishable foods. In this case, the food wasn't cooked and the recipients would need to cook it themselves. We signed up to work from 1pm to 4pm. Each of us had to register on Open Hand's website. After registering and reserving our spots, we received confirmation emails with information, reminders, and dress code requirements. One of the dress code requirements in my confirmation email said, "Long pants are preferred. Skirts or dresses must be shin length." I wore shorts. When standing, those shorts touched the top of my knees. My girlfriend, who also signed up for meal packing, wore shorts too. Her shorts were shorter. She ended up getting moved to market basket packing because of the length of her shorts. This wasn't a big deal, but the dress code requirements listed in the confirmation email should have been more clear about shorts or simply just said that long pants are required for meal packing. There was at least one other person in our meal packing group with knee-length shorts. When you arrive to Open Hand, the volunteer entrance is clearly marked. Each volunteer must sign in and sign out using a computer just inside the entrance. We arrived right around 1pm, checked in, and were ushered into an orientation room. The orientation was quick, about 10 minutes. A short video about Open Hand was played and then we got some in-person instruction. After that, we were whisked to our volunteer work areas. For meal packing, we had to wear hair nets and aprons. First, we helped prepare bags to place meals in, then we moved into the meal packing work area. This was a cool, clean room with various tables and assembly lines. One group was already sealing TV dinner trays when we arrived. We washed our hands and helped assemble bags with four meals in them: Monday lunch, Monday dinner, Tuesday lunch, and Tuesday dinner with cornbread and condiments (ketchup and mustard). It was pretty easy. Each person was assigned to place one or two items into each bag and pass it down. I was responsible for the ketchup and mustard. After a bag had four meals, cornbread, and condiments, it was tied and placed on a tray which was later stacked and carted off. We assembled 126 of these Monday-Tuesday meal bags. Two of our meal packing group were broken off and sent to the cornbread station where they individually bagged and sealed cornbread. The cornbread was already cooked and cut. After assembling the meal bags, we took a short break in the break room and then were called back into the meal packing room for another job. This time, we had to portion food into TV dinner trays which would later be sealed. This task was harder than the last because we had to handle food directly with our hands (wearing gloves of course) and measure correct portion sizes using scales. We packed 285 meal trays filled with chicken, mushroom risotto, and peas and pearl onions. The hands of the people scooping and portioning out the risotto and peas got tired. I helped a little bit with the peas and organizing and stacking the meal trays on bigger trays, but I mostly was responsible for placing a piece of chicken on top of the risotto. We ended up spending almost our full 3-hour allotment at Open Hand. The market basket packing group ended up finishing early, in under 1.5 hours. Volunteer Services Manager Julie Barwig was the person who oversaw our group. In the meal packing room, Andre led us for the meal bag packing and Shameka led us for the meal tray portioning. Everyone was nice and friendly. I enjoyed the experience so much that I'm now considering signing up to do meal delivery. Open Hand's mission statement: "Open Hand helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through Comprehensive Nutrition Care, which combines home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to reinforce the connection between informed food choices and improved quality of life." The campus is located in the industrial Armour neighborhood of Atlanta near SweetWater Brewing Company and the Armour Yard rail yard on the southern edge of Buckhead.