Although it may not seem like Atlanta would be a hotspot for outdoor enthusiasts, the city has plenty to offer for people who enjoy the great outdoors. This is why Realtor.com recently listed it as the eighth-most affordable city for outdoor lovers.
Realtor.com looked at cities where the median home price is less than $300,000 and Atlanta just barely made the mark with a median home price of $299,900. Then it narrowed down its top 10 by looking at the following criteria:
- Number of national parks within a four-hour drive using Google Maps data
- Number of state parks or beaches within a one-hour drive using Google Maps data
- Restaurants with outdoor seating, using Yelp data
- Annual months of mild weather, with daily highs between 60 and 80 degrees, using National Weather Service data
- Bicycle friendliness rating from the League of American Bicyclists
- Median home prices under $300,000, using Realtor.com data
With Sweetwater Creek State Park only 15 miles from downtown Atlanta, city dwellers have the opportunity for outdoor activities. The 2,500-acre park provides picnic shelters and campsites for visitors, along with kayaking classes, group dog hiking trips and twilight lake paddling tours for birdwatchers.
The website also notes that residents can enjoy the outdoors from the city with attractions like the Silver Comet Trail. Atlanta has more than 3,000 restaurants with outdoor seating, which is one of the highest per-capita ratios in the country.