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If you have a requirement to get to a park in rush hour then you’re hosed. Those parks are all 5-15 minutes from the midtown during regular times or on the weekend. Trying to get across the connector is particularly horrible and Atlantic Station/Home Park is bad, but there are parks and greenspace to the west. Memorial Park (3 miles) and Westside Resevoir (3 miles) are close and against traffic (sort of) during rush hour.

Traffic is really horrible in Atlanta but I was able to plan around it so that it didn’t bother me much. But I would never think of distance against rush hour unless I had a specific reason. So while it may suck to drive during rush hour to get to a park, just don’t do that. Traffic is dead at 6am and is fine until 330 or after 7. Even a block from Piedmont park, I don’t think I ever went there except mornings, evenings, and weekends. This is different from other cities where there’s just no getting around traffic.

Living in midtown (or anywhere) without a car is hard, but there’s lots of cities that also require cars but don’t have so many parks and outdoor stuff.

There’s definitely a car culture and that’s a downside, but there are lots of parks.