Yeah I gave up hunting for gold in parks. It will ruin your knees and drive you mad. I have had a little luck on the sidelines of soccer fields. The places listed by others are your best bet. Good luck!
I got out to the county lakeside park two days ago with gold in mind. Dug 30+ pulltabs, 20+ pennies and a half-dozen nickels. My second time out this year. Today I can’t walk I hurt so bad, and I’m generally in good shape.
Yeah, dirt gold is tuff. I've kinda stumbled on 5 Gold Rings in my 3 1/2 years detecting. I did hunt one place with tons of outdoor activity with the purpose of chasing those mid tones on the AT Pro, and I did find a 10K gold band, and my detecting buddy found a 14K gold ring. So yes, LOCATION and the POSSIBILITY of gold is really important.
So far I have had no luck for dirt gold in parks. A few silver items but no gold yet.
Only dirt gold I found, a 14K ring with 4 diamonds, was in a farm field far from anywhere. My buddy also got a man's 14K ring in the same field plus we have gotten coins from colonial coppers to modern clad there. Go figured that one.