Candler Park

Central Atlanta

Good For : Restaurants, Walkability, Parks, Festivals, MARTA | Home Cost : $$$$

Walk Score : 72 Walk Score | 57 Transit Score | 69 Bike Score (go to Walk Score)

Candler Park’s homes epitomize Atlanta’s early 20th-century craftsman style. With generous front porches and yards full of bright azaleas and fragrant magnolias, this neighborhood is perfect for the family who enjoys strolling the sidewalks and meeting neighbors. The community’s residents share a distinct pride, which is widely demonstrated by an enthusiasm for gardening, with bright flowers and landscaping adorning many front walks. Lots of the homes continue the colorful theme, with stained glass windows as focal points of their entryways.

Candler Park itself has a 9-hole golf course, soccer field, basketball court, a pool, and full playground for the kid in all of us. After an afternoon of play, a quick walk up McLendon Ave offers an appetizing choice of Atlanta favorites: the original Fellini’s Pizza, La Fonda Latina, and Flying Biscuit. Tucked between these culinary icons are small shops and a cherished neighborhood grocery. Head west on McLendon and in a few blocks you’re in Little Five Points, Atlanta’s mecca of alternative culture. Candler Park boasts its own MARTA stop and is connected to the surrounding areas by arterial streets like Memorial Drive, Moreland Ave and Freedom Parkway, fortunately the only remnant of a 1970s plan to slice through the neighborhood with a massive freeway. The neighbors formed a powerful coalition that defeated the plan.

But what makes Candler Park one of the most sought after neighborhoods in the city by a diverse set of families? Across from the golf course is Mary Lin Elementary, a vibrant school that continues to achieve top marks from parents, students, and the state.