Murphey Candler Park — Attraction in Brookhaven

This park has been a constant in our lives for years. It’s where we go to clear our minds, take family walks, and squeeze in trail runs when time is tight (though you’ll need a few laps if you’re training for anything longer than a 10K). The trails are peaceful and shaded, and the whole space feels like a retreat tucked into our little corner of DeKalb.

We taught our kids to ride bikes, skate, and run at the pocket park, and even had family photos taken there. It’s the kind of place where you bump into neighbors and friends without planning to—one of those rare public spaces that truly fosters community.

The infrastructure investments over the past few years have made a noticeable difference. While a few old favorites are gone, the park is in the best shape it’s been in a decade. Clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully updated. Murphy Candler Park isn’t just a place to visit—it’s part of our family’s story. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a versatile, welcoming, and beautifully kept...

This is a gem of a park. The park has a baseball field, tennis courts, and public access to a swimming pool (for a fee). There is a sizable lake that is home to tons of fish as well as various species of ducks, mallards, and Canadian geese. The first time I visited, I had no idea the entire park wasn't stroller friendly, so towards the middle of going around the lake, I was having to maneuver my kid's stroller over some pretty hefty ground (tree trunks and such). Thankfully, there were helpful families willing to help me through the really rough patches. I was wiser the next times I went and carried my son and let him walk some of the way.

If you are going there specifically for watching nature, there are a variety of beautiful birds, both on the lake and surrounding.

Plenty of picnic areas and benches as well to spend the day. They even painted the large utility things around the park so it wasn't...

After moving here from Dallas (Texas) where you can't find cozy nature-y parks anywhere, we are so glad to have found an amazing park for our dog only five minutes away from us! We've been coming to Murphy Candler Park at least every weekend with our dog, who (I think) absolutely loves it. She's always in her own world smelling all the smells and having a good time. Even when we visited a day after it rained, it wasn't muddy at all and still easily walkable. The pathway around is for the most part pretty flat and easy on the legs. There are plenty of trash cans around so if your dog is not the brightest and poops more than once and you've already thrown away her first bagged poop, thankfully you'll soon find another trash can to throw away her second...