Boston's 100+ Playgrounds (By Neighborhood)

Boston has invested millions in its outdoor play spaces. Here's a list of its public playgrounds by neighborhood.

Neighborhoods

Allston-Brighton | Back Bay-Beacon Hill | Charlestown | Dorchester | Downtown | East Boston | Fenway-Kenmore | Hyde Park | Jamaica Plain | Mattapan | Roslindale | Roxbury | South Boston | South End | West Roxbury

Allston-Brighton Playgrounds

Artesani Playground is a pirate-themed playground in Brighton. It features twin disk swings, climbing prisms, aquatic-themed seesaws, play cannons, swirly slides and sailor-themed toddler play stations.

• Artesani Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• Fidelis Park (Allston-Brighton)

• Hardiman Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• Hobart Park (Allston-Brighton)

• Hooker Street Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• Joyce Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• McKinney Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• Penniman Road Play Area (Allston-Brighton)

• Portsmouth Street Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• Ringer Playground (Allston-Brighton)

• Rogers Park (Allston-Brighton)

• Shubow Park (Allston-Brighton)

• Smith Playground (Allston-Brighton)

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Back Bay-Beacon Hill Playgrounds

• Clarendon Street Play Lot (Back Bay-Beacon Hill)

• Myrtle Street Playground (Back Bay-Beacon Hill)

• Phillips Street Play Area (Back Bay-Beacon Hill)

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Charlestown Playgrounds

• Barry Playground (Charlestown)

• Caldwell Street Play Area (Charlestown)

• Cook Street Play Area (Charlestown)

• Edwards Playground (Charlestown)

• Harvard Mall (Charlestown)

• Mayor Menino Park (Charlestown)

• Peter Looney Park (Charlestown)

• Ryan Playground (Charlestown)

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Dorchester Playgrounds

Franklin Park Playground is a hidden gem in Dorchester. It can be accessed via American Legion Highway or the park's scenic walking loop. It has outdoor fitness equipment, a massive climbing net and toddler-sized slides.

• Adams/King Playground (Dorchester)

• Byrne Playground (Dorchester)

• Doherty Playground (Dorchester)

• Dorchester Park (Dorchester)

• Downer Avenue Playground (Dorchester)

• Elmhurt Park (Dorchester)

• Garvey Playground (Dorchester)

• Hannon Playground (Dorchester)

• Hemenway Playground (Dorchester)

• Martin Playground (Dorchester)

• McConnell Park (Dorchester)

• Mother’s Rest at Four Corner’s (Dorchester)

• Nellie Miranda Memorial Park (Dorchester)

• Reverend Loesch Family Park (Dorchester)

• Roberts Playground (Dorchester)

• Ronan Park (Dorchester)

• Stanley Street Play Area (Dorchester)

• Walsh Playground (Dorchester)

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Downtown Playgrounds

The Esplanade Playground is an outdoor ropes course. It features a netted hammock, bridge and swing, a rock climbing wall that looks like an actual rock, a kid-friendly zipline, and a super tall slide.

• Boston Common (Downtown)

• Christopher Columbus Park (Downtown)

• Cutillo Park (Downtown)

• Defilippo Playground (Downtown)

• Elliot Norton Park (Downtown)

• Esplanade Playground (Downtown)

• Langone Park (Downtown)

• Tai Tung Park (Downtown)

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East Boston Playgrounds

American Legion Playground is a nature-themed playground in East Boston. It features tons of brightly colored green and brown climbing structures.

• American Legion Playground (East Boston)

• Cuneo Park (East Boston)

• East Boston Memorial Park (East Boston)

• Noyes Park (East Boston)

• Paris Street Playground (East Boston)

• Prozio Park (East Boston)

• Sumner Lamson Streets Playground (East Boston)

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Fenway-Kenmore Playgrounds

• Back Bay Fens (Fenway-Kenmore)

• Edgerly Road Playground (Fenway-Kenmore)

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Hyde Park Playgrounds

Stony Brook Playground is a nature-themed playground in Hyde Park. It features a child-sized rock climbing wall, plenty of slides, tree-shaped canopy shelters and a ropes obstacle course.

• Amatucci Playground (Hyde Park)

• Dooley Playground (Hyde Park)

• Iacono Playground (Hyde Park)

• McGann Playground (Hyde Park)

• Ross Playground (Hyde Park)

• Stonehill Park (Hyde Park)

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Jamaica Plain Playgrounds

• Brewer-Burroughs Playground (Jamaica Plain)

• Forbes Street Playground (Jamaica Plain)

• McClaughlin Playground (Jamaica Plain)

• Mission Hill Playground (Jamaica Plain)

• Mozart Street Playground (Jamaica Plain)

• Murphy Playground (Jamaica Plain)

• Rossmore & Stedman Street Park (Jamaica Plain)

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Mattapan Playgrounds

• Almont Park (Mattapan)

• Ernest Chery Jr. Playground (Mattapan)

• Harambee Park (Mattapan)

• Nature Nook (Mattapan)

• Thetford Evans Playground (Mattapan)

• Walker Playground (Mattapan)

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Roslindale Playgrounds

• Fallon Field (Roslindale)

• Healy Playground (Roslindale)

• Parkman Playground (Roslindale)

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Roxbury Playgrounds

• Beauford Play Area (Roxbury)

• Ceylon Park (Roxbury)

• Children’s Park (Roxbury)

• Clifford Playground (Roxbury)

• Dennis Street Park (Roxbury)

• Edna V Bynoe Park (Roxbury)

• Franklin Park (Roxbury)

• Gibbons Playground (Roxbury)

• Holborn Street Playlot (Roxbury)

• Howes Playground (Roxbury)

• Jeep Jones Park (Roxbury)

• Lambert Avenue Playground (Roxbury)

• Little Scobie Playground (Roxbury)

• Malcolm X Park (Roxbury)

• Marcella Playground (Roxbury)

• Mount Pleasant Play Area (Roxbury)

• St James Street Park (Roxbury)

• Trotter School Playground (Roxbury)

• Walnut Park Play Area (Roxbury)

• Winthrop Playground (Roxbury)

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South Boston Playgrounds

• Buckley Playground (South Boston)

• Christopher Lee Playground (South Boston)

• Flaherty Park (South Boston)

• Medal Of Honor Park (South Boston)

• Moakley Park (South Boston)

• Orton Field (South Boston)

• Sweeney Playground (South Boston)

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South End Playgrounds

• Carter Playground (South End)

• Frieda Garcia Park (South End)

• Haynes Park (South End)

• Monsignor Reynolds Playground (South End)

• O’Day Playground (South End)

• Peters Park (South End)

• Ramsay Park (South End)

• Ringgold Park (South End)

• Titus Sparrow Park (South End)

• Union Park Street Play Area (South End)

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West Roxbury Playgrounds

Draper Playground is a well-loved play area in West Roxbury. It has monkey bars, an elevated bridge, tall slides and a fire pole. It's conveniently located next to athletic fields, an indoor pool and a little free library.

• Beethoven School Play Area (West Roxbury)

• Billings Field (West Roxbury)

• Draper Playground (West Roxbury)

• Hynes Playground (West Roxbury)

• Millennium Park (West Roxbury)

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What's The Difference Between A Public and A Private Playground?

Public playgrounds are often operated by the city or the state and are accessible to the public. We included one exception, which is the nature nook (a nature-based playground) located at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan. It too is free and open to the public, but is listed as an exception because it is owned by a nonprofit. Private playgrounds are owned and operated by individual institutions like private community centers or churches. You'll often notice they have "private property" signs, and /or can only be accessed by their members. The playgrounds listed above are public.

Do All Playgrounds Have Bathrooms?

No. While you may be able to walk to a local restaurant or business to use their bathrooms, some playgrounds are in residential areas or tucked away from other buildings all together. If you're out and about with your little one, consider traveling with a portable potty (or urinal) and wipes. Portable potties are also great for...

• long road trips

• if your little one is afraid of public restrooms

• if the restrooms aren't clean

• if there are no family restrooms (for example a dad who doesn't want to take his daughter into the men's bathroom).

Let us know if we missed your playground. Want ideas on things to do today? Here are some.

Until next time...

Love The Journey,