Back to School = Back to Adventure with Story City and Atlanta Parks

This school year, afternoons just got a whole lot more exciting.

In a brand-new partnership between Story City and the City of Atlanta Parks & Recreation Department, families across Atlanta can now dive into interactive, choose-your-own-path stories in parks and rec centers all across the city. It’s all part of a mission to reimagine what public parks can offer—turning them into creative playgrounds for imagination, curiosity, and connection.

Using Story City’s location-based storytelling app, each experience is designed to be unlocked only when you’re standing in the right place, making every step of the journey part of the adventure. Whether you’re chasing pirates, brewing potions, or dodging hot dogs, these stories give Atlanta’s youth the chance to become the heroes of their own park-based quests.

This partnership is part of the Atlanta After School initiative, a larger effort to use storytelling and technology to:

• Boost after-school engagement
• Activate less-trafficked parks
• Make city spaces more magical for everyone involved

7 Interactive Stories Across Atlanta Parks

Thanks to a collaboration with the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta After School Initiative, families across the city can now dive into a collection of story-powered adventures—designed for kids, caregivers, and curious minds alike. Whether you’re solving riddles, tracking aliens, or jumping through time, each experience transforms your local park into the setting of something unforgettable.

🌭 The Unexpected Cookout

Created by Tamara Angela | Art by The Junkyard Chef | Narration by Bree Webber

You stumble into a dreamlike version of Atlanta… and someone’s hosting a cookout? Solve riddles, prove your ATL pride, and earn your way home in this surreal city-based challenge. Available in 18 Atlanta parks.

🧪 The Atlanta Magical Exploration Society

Created by Tamara Angela | Art by The Junkyard Chef | Narration by Bree Webber

Rain has vanished, and only your puzzle-solving skills can bring it back. Join Dr. Silas in uncovering hidden potion ingredients to save the city from a mysterious drought. Start your magical mission at any participating park.

🏴‍☠️ The Last Treasure Hunter
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Created by Natalie Merizalde | Art by The Junkyard Chef | Narration by Bree Webber

You’ve tracked the Fountain of Youth to Atlanta—but a pirate crew is standing in your way. Face their challenges, chart your path, and uncover the truth in this high-stakes treasure hunt.

🪷 The Earth Goddess of Atlanta
Step into the heart of Piedmont Park, where a frail but powerful Earth Goddess calls upon your crew to complete a magical mission. Your first task? Solve a rhyming riddle and awaken her mysterious, amphibious friend from his cursed slumber in the botanical garden.

🛸 Agent 82 Atlanta (Rodney Cook Sr. Park)
Created by Nick Manning
A scrambled transmission. A secret mission. And yes—aliens. As a freshly recruited CIA agent, you’re sent to Rodney Cook Sr. Park to uncover geo-locked intel and avoid extraterrestrial imposters. Choose your age, dodge the broccoli, and get ready for a classified adventure.

🕶️ Agent 82 ATL (Centennial Olympic Park)
Created by Nick Manning
Centennial Olympic Park has been compromised—and only you can help. As a freshly tapped CIA recruit, your mission is to uncover hidden intel while outsmarting shape-shifting aliens posing as adults. Choose your age, brace for broccoli, and dive into this out-of-this-world operation.

🌀 ZeNGY Time Travel Tour
Step into the past—literally. Guided by the quirky ZeNGY computer, your crew travels to 2024 (yes, back in time) to explore powerful Civil Rights landmarks in downtown Atlanta. But when your return portal malfunctions, it’s up to you to solve riddles, reboot the system, and continue the mission before you’re stuck in the real-world past.

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Where Can You Play?

These new experiences are bite-sized, family-friendly, and perfect for a spontaneous afternoon of fun. They’re playable in 18 parks and rec centers across Atlanta, including:

Adams Park, Anthony Flanagan Memorial Rec Center, Bessie Branham Rec Center, C.T. Martin Natatorium and Rec Center, Coan Park, Collier Park, Dunbar Rec Center, Grant Park, Grove Park, Rev James Orange Rec Center, M.L. King Jr. Rec and Aquatic Center, Peachtree Hills Rec Center, Perkerson Rec Center, Pittman Park, Rosel Fann Rec Center, South Bend Center for Art & Culture, Thomasville Rec Center, William Walker Rec Center.

💡 Pro tip: Just bring your phone—the rest unfolds from there.

How It Works:

• Download the free Story City app on your smartphone
• Head to any participating park or rec center
• Launch one of the three featured stories
• Follow the clues and explore the park as the story unfolds

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📲 Download the Story City App and start your school year with a sense of wonder—because adventure is always just a few steps away.

Want to Help Shape What’s Next?

We’re building Universal Adventures—interactive stories that work in any city around the globe. And we’re inviting you to help us test them.

If you’re the kind of person who loves a good plot twist and wants early access to new stories, sign up to become one of our Play Testers. No tech skills required. Just curiosity and a love for getting outside.

As a member of our Play Testers team, you’ll:

• Shape, twist, and test the stories before they go live
• Get early access to new interactive adventures before anyone else
• Unlock exclusive perks like discounts on stories, special badges, and members-only merch
• Earn the chance to become a ‘Mayor’ of your city—an honorary title and reward for our most active players
• Help us spot bugs and shape stories before they launch
• Get a sneak peek at what’s coming next—before anyone else

Ready to be part of the inner circle? 👉 Sign up here to become a Play Tester!

Grab your phone, pick your adventure, and explore! There’s already a story waiting for you.

📲 Download the Story City App