Ryan Park (aka the Father Francis A. Ryan Memorial Playground) is a public park and playground area…read morein the Mattapan section of Boston, Massachusetts. Amenities at the park include a playground with multiple playscapes, a splash pad with a wading pool, basketball courts, tennis courts, public restrooms with changing areas, walking paths, and convenient access to the nearby Neponset River Greenway. My family and I visited Ryan Park this past summer while we were cycling along the Neponset River Greenway. I had previously visited the park back in 2023 while I was cycling the trail with my older son. He had a lot of fun playing on the playscapes. Unfortunately, I didn't bring his bathing suit along on that trip and he felt bad that he couldn't play on the splash pad. On my more recent trip to Ryan Park, we were joined by my wife and younger son and this time we made sure to bring bathing suits. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the splash pad had been completely redone since my last trip. The newer splash pad had features that were more consistent with a wading pool. Both of my sons had a blast splashing around. Once swim time was over, we all enjoyed our prepared picnic lunch on a nearby picnic table. Afterwards, both boys had fun running around on the playscapes. Overall, my whole family thinks that Ryan Park is a great place for young children and it's easily accessible by motor vehicle, bicycle, or public transportation.

Why did I only find this on the LAST day of summer??!?…read more Seriously though. This spray park is AMAZING. It is really just a water slide short of being an actual tot water park. You would pay a $60 entry fee for access to a little water play area like this at a big water park. It's got a really good sized wading pool with lifeguards on duty. There are tons of spray features - an alligator, a turtle and a snake. There's also this awesome bucket contraption that fills up six buckets with water and then dumps them out over and over. It's totally fun! There are plenty of benches, with nice sun canopy shades overhead. There's even a bathroom / shower facility adjacent to the water features! That's just the water park. Ryan playground is seriously stacked. There's a huge area with two giant play structures. It's got a wood chip base (not updated with the rubberized surface that many newer playgrounds have) and some benches. There are also tennis and basketball courts! And it looks like they are currently finishing construction of a walkway to provide access to the Neponset River walkway. I'm excited for that! Last but not least - this is Boston after all - there is a parking lot! YES - parking. It is small, but dammit, it's there and it's free!!! We will be back SO many times. I wish it didn't take me this long to realize this place was 5 minutes from my house. Hidden Bostonplayground gem!

What a fun little pond!…read more There is a path that cirles the pond that you can take a stoller on without issues. As you stroll, you'll see lots of birds in the trees & on the pond. There are a few benches on the path of you want to stop & enjoy being in nature. I'll definitely be back soon with baby & stroller in tow.

Great place for a walk around the pond. Can't get lost because the pond is oval and the trail…read morebegins at parking lot and brings you back in about 20 minutes. There are waterfowl turtles and fishing with a permit.

This medium sized park is located along Eliot Street and within easy distance of the Capen Street M…read moreLine station. It is surrounded by old growth trees and higher end residential neighborhoods. Aside from the small amount of traffic on Eliot Street, it is quiet and peaceful. The 5 acre park has a nice set of playground equipment and features a little league sized baseball diamond. There's also a very small "Free Little Library" outlet here. There is parking here for perhaps a dozen cars if they do so with care.

The park was bustling with hockey activities, softball games, and little league matches while the…read moretot lot was filled with energetic kids enjoying their playtime. It's wonderful to witness the park coming to life and the community making the most of the beautiful weather. I am eager to see the upcoming plans and renovations for this park.

What a lovely playground that is great for both younger and older kids. The little kid play area is…read morecompletely fenced in and features slides and climbing structure. The older kid area had several slides perched up on a hill. The ground is rubber so no worries about the little one getting hurt. There is a splash pad but it only had a small misting spray so not really a true splash pad. The little kid area has some shade in the morning but the big kid area has no shade. Closed in dog park next door if you want to bring your dog.

Lovely walk around Jamaica Pond! It was cold and raw and lightly raining but still very serene and…read morebeautiful. Lots of runners and walkers passing by me, it was nice to feel the fresh air and get some exercise. Street parking and not too far from the downtown area of JP.

I'm absolutely obsessed with Jamaica Pond. I've driven by a hundred times and now I've finally gone…read moreout to run it this summer and let me just say - where have I been! It's so big which is great for mid-length walks and runs (I'm still trying to figure out the exact distance of one lap though). There's plenty of benches along the loop to sit down and catch your breath, people-watch, read a book, meet a neighbor, etc. They also have a few outdoor exercise stations during one stretch of the loop and I've seen people use them! A really cool addition to have. There's street parking and I've had no troubles finding a spot. The best part: SHADE. This summer has been the summer of Jamaica Pond and I think a large part is due to how shaded the path is! This heat wave is no joke! Sometimes there's folks playing instruments in the gazebo which is always fun to hear.

Super beautiful great place to go on a walk, run, jog, or to go cycling. There are always people…read morewalking their dog so even if it is a little chilly outside, you will see people enjoying the views. The park is quite long, it starts in Quincy/Dorcester area, goes through Milton, and I believe ends in Mattapan (Since it is a long path, I have not quite walked/cycled the whole way). On warmer days, there are more people out and about, but it doesn't feel crammed at all. Pros: - View of the water & the city depending on where you start - A few places to park your car (I normally park on the Dorcester side and have yet to see the lot completely full) - There are a few athletic fields so could be a great place to play some ball Cons: - There is almost always dog poop in the grassy area so be careful about where you step & if you are considering a picnic I would carefully inspect the floor before laying claim to a piece of grass.

Have always liked the idea of this park with all the land, and the parking right there & picnic…read moretables... There is often not a rush or HUGE amount of people... But after going today with my (almost) 2 Y.O., I realized its not really suitable for a toddler thats just learning how to maneuver the Slides & climbing things... The ground was that rubbery surface, but if he fell he was going to hurt himself & the slides are really high & he has no concept of slow down or be careful... So it is a beautiful place for walks or flying a kite, but the playground is for older kids... Other than that a great place to visit!

The address on Yelp will lead you to the parking lot for a skating rink and a community pool. It is…read morea convenient place to park, but I am not sure if is the best place to access longer trails. This location is not near the lake. The area is beautifully wooded, providing plenty of shade on a sunny day. The trails here were relatively short. I ventured off the main trail and discovered areas with overgrown greenery, lots of graffiti and decayed benches. Without anybody else around, it looked like a post apocalyptic world, and it felt eerie! Not sure who is supposed to fund or do the maintenance for this beautiful nature spot, so close to Boston, but it really needs some love! Without signage in the area and no phone connection, I almost got lost! I Ma aged to walk/run the trails for an hour but would love to explore different areas of Stony Brook if in the area again.

I used to come here often while walking my two Jack Russell Terriers. One day we were near the…read moreGeorge Wright golf course when (at least) two coyotes snuck up behind me and almost got one of my dogs. The coyotes were wicked bold and only my loud yelling got them to back off but they still followed. I'm bummed that I can't go any more because it is nice and quiet and the dogs love being off leash. Not trying to discourage anyone from going but if you have small dogs off leash, be careful.

Nice playground that's rarely crowded! Biggest drawback is that it's not fenced in, so you need to…read morewatch your kids or trust they won't wander off (good luck with that last one). Plenty of room for big groups here -- we held our three year old's birthday party here, and we certainly didn't feel like we were in anyone's way at all. My kid especially loves the big seesaw!

Nice place to have your lunch if you work in the area really peaceful even with all the kids having…read morefun! Huge park lots of kids and adults eating lunch, laying in the grass and chit chatting. I really like this place it's like a little oasis in the heart of Washington street!

Challenging parking situation, especially after hours but still a great option for a walk, run, or…read morephotoshoot. We made the best out of an overcast day & the few trees still in color pulled their weight - for us and many others. I like that their map is so straightforward. There is one main paved roadway & several smaller unpaved offshoots.

I love the Arboretum at all times of the year! I've been coming here for many, many years. It is…read morewonderful to have a place like this in the city, and it's something to behold in every season. I Winter can be beautiful whether there is snow or not. There's plenty of evergreen trees for it to still be color. Spring and summer offer beautiful flowering trees and florals in abundance and in the fall during peak foliage season, the colors are gorgeous. It's such a perfect place to come for a walk, a run, a picnic, or a photoshoot. Its dog friendly, and kid friendly too. I see many people walking their dogs, and kids riding their bikes. If you are looking for a place to escape to nature but don't want to leave the city, the Arboretum is the place to go! Photos are from the snowstorm a few weeks ago, and springtime and falltime photos from a photoshoot I took here in the spring.