The Greenway is such a breath of fresh air. So crazy how the highway used to be in its place. There…read moreis quite a bit to look at while walking - pop up art pieces all along the way, beautiful trees, and even some wildlife - mostly birds and rabbits, but every now and again, I'll see a turkey. Toward the North End, there's a carousel and often there is at least one food truck - usually a sweet treat. Luke's lobster is nearby the carousel too. During the summer, they have an artisan market and even some food trucks. There aren't any bathrooms but right across the street - Atlantic, there are a few options--the Marriott at Long wharf, Boston Harbor Hotel, and the Intercontinental.

This is a lovely green space, throughout a part of downtown Boston. I came to see the jahari Ortega…read morepublic, interactive, installation art exhibit. That looks like doorknocker earrings, but it's an actual swing. It took me back to my preteen/teen years in the 90s. The "green space" itself is covered with lush grass, beautiful flowers, and trees. There are quite a few benches for you to sit and rest, enjoy a snack or lunch. I followed the Greenway all the way down to Fanueil Hall, where there was a farmer's market and a carousel. Nice way to spend an afternoon.

Next time you're in the North End, you gotta stop by this park. It's very well maintained and there…read moreis something for everyone. My favorite part is the the Rose Garden. They take such great care of it and it's a nice spot to take a break. Throughout the year, they hold various events at this park. My favorite is when Santa comes to town in his red helicopter. They also have a very cute "Tunnel of Love" during February. This park is very dog friendly and there are bathrooms nearby too - just right at the Marriott hotel. They have some outside or if you prefer, you can go inside the Marriott and go up the escalator. FYI, right now the escalator is out of order, but you can take the elevator up to the UL. Oh, and they have a Starbucks right inside too. Next time you're in the area, check the park out for yourselves.

Lovely waterfront park only steps away from Quincy/Faneuil Market…read more Lots of green space and picturesque views of the Harbor.

Romantic notion when you're pretty much skating on concrete?…read more The admission fee and rentals make this spot totally not worth. You're really only here for the location and that nebulous "romantic feel". The ice itself is atrocious, even though the rink (and I use that term lightly) does get a Zamboni out from time-to-time. But the ice is so uneven. You can see concrete in some spots, with how some of the ice is so thin. You'll encounter a lot of folks that cannot stay vertical on skates, it's just the reality. Don't be surprised when someone behind you suddenly grabs you in desperation to prevent themselves from falling. Plus it's super crowded here during peak times. There are so many other nearby spots of grab better and more affordable concessions, so don't fall for the ones here.

Had a great time skating there with one of my friends the other day it was quite busy which is…read morefine. Unfortunately when I went I needed my blades sharpened but the guy who could do that wasn't there, oh well next time. Went to go get a locker and u have to pay for it when u enter and it just wasn't clear and I felt like I was cutting the long line by getting a locker. Stopped and grabbed a lil snack and my friend and I both got the 50/50 and fries were good but they had the best onion ring I've ever had! If you have them I recommend bringing your own skates to save time and money but a great activity for almost any age

A beautiful park . To look at the stars at night . It's safe and they have amble parking on the…read morelot or metered parking . They have a portable bathroom in the softball field adjutant. .

When my dog was spotted herding other dogs at our usual park today, it dawned on me that I needed…read moreto find him a spot with more space to run. He's also very easily distracted and needs to be in a fenced in park...enter Brookline Avenue Playground. I doubt we'll get there much in the warmer weather when it is an off-leash park only before 1 pm, but for the winter months, dogs have free reign of this large space all day. It's right on Brookline Ave, which means street parking is readily accessible. There is also a water fountain, but I didn't see any poop bag stations- good thing we brought our own. It wasn't too crowded in the late afternoon today, but the couple of owners I did meet were cool. There is definitely space for dogs and owners to do their own thing, or for the dogs to play together.

I love well planned green spaces in the central areas of big cities, some of the most famous of…read morewhich are Central Park in NYC and of course, Boston Commons. Tonight after our dinner we enjoyed walking through here and Boston Public Gardens for a good 1.5 hrs catching up with our daughter. There was a growing crowd of happy people (families and children too) cheering the Iraq World Cup team who will play their first match tomorrow against Norway here in Boston. About a dozen Boston police were watching from the sidelines on their motorbikes and I prayed all would stay peaceful. Meanwhile, pedestrians, dog walkers, families were enjoying the fresh cool evening amidst the grandiose trees, lawns, ducks, fountains, and historic statues. If you're in the area, definitely stop by, and also check out the Boston Public Gardens, which are even more landscaped and welcoming!

This review is separate from the Boston Public Gardens which is just across the street and pretty…read moremuch connected. Boston Commons is a normal urban park in some ways with a playground for kids, a pond, park benches, a carousel, baseball stadium, and food vendors. It's also part historic park with monuments including one of the 54th Civil War all black regiment, a plaque saying this is the oldest park in America and others. It's also a part of the Freedom Trail. There's also a small cemetery in the park. The park is both busy and relaxing. It's smaller than I expected but that may just be because it felt like I went through it quickly. Time flies when you are having fun so maybe distance does too. Boston Commons is a must stop on any trip to Boston.

Honestly, pretty nice experience…read more I was here during a big Pokemon Go event, so it was extremely crowded. But, it was fine. Bring your own water in the summer, because it's very hot, even in September, and the cost of drinks is crazy in the area.

The Harbor Walk is a must do when in Boston. Great way to see a lot of the building you typically…read morecant see. Whats better than water views. Ive seen some of the best sunsets on my walks around Boston Harbor.

So after reading Stevens review here on Yelp I had to try this park... I went last night (as you…read morecan see from my 392 pics uploaded - sorry I take a lot of pic, Dont Judge me! lol)... I loved that it was gated, Loved the rubber Floor... Loved the little watery thing and the idea that he can make tunnels in the sand at the end to make water flow all through it (even though I have crazy OCD and go nuts when baby gets the slightest bit messy)... Loved the Tree-House Like structures (Yes, I stole Stevens description of them and have actually Googled what they are called to only find "Bases" or "Equipment", Ive been reviewing ALOT of parks lately - I have a toddler. So Im stealing & running with Tree-House Like Structures)... So back from my rant... Loved that there were a few different ones... None too overly Big Kid that I was scared to let my 2 year old freely explore. There could be more benches over by the swings & water thing (that arent picnic tables)... People have come & donated TONS of toys... My son loved one of the cars that was there & rode it around for a while... There were several little Kitchens & Stove Play things in this little hut area that made it the perfect little cover to hang out... There is a Baseball Field ( you cannot access from the Playground) and tons of picnic tables and benches at the front of the park also. The lights in the park even came on as it started to get darker it was soo cool & they were cool OldStyle Lights... The park was wonderful & the reason I cannot give it 5 stars is because there was no Sprinker or Water thingy to play in & get wet for summer time.... Otherwise if I had found this park in the Fall I prolly would have given it 5 stars, but because Water Parks are my main thing right now I have to give it 4... Will be a frequest stop for me... Love the park - Give it a try!

Is it illegal or just creepy for me to review a park and playground, considering I don't have any…read morechildren of my own? Hold on just a minute, someone is knocking at my door. Oh hey, how's it going Chris Hansen? In all seriousness, while babysitting our preschool-aged nieces, my wife and I became very well acquainted with the playground at Hodgkins Park in Davis Square. This review is both an evaluation of the beautiful park and playground, which was recently renovated by the City of Somerville, and a testament to how far playgrounds have come since I was a child. Not being professional parents, we asked ourselves what would one do when their children had enormous energy reserves to burn? Go to the the playground, of course! It just so happened that the City of Somerville had recently revamped Hodgkins Park in Davis Square, so we strolled on down to take a look. As we passed through the front gate, under the steel Hodgkins Park sign, past the exquisitely manicured baseball field, we turned left to enter the gated playground. When I was a child, our playgrounds weren't gated or fenced in. I wouldn't say that we were encouraged to run-off, but with freedom so close, we were tempted. The first thing I noticed was that the pavement was spongy under foot. Can this be, I thought? But it was true...a rubberized surface! Children can repeatedly fall face-first from their scooters without any loss of teeth or IQ points. When I was a kid, we paved our playgrounds with asphalt and cement, and a fall from anything meant butterfly stitches at best. We continued further, and found treehouse-like structures with all sorts of fun accessories. After climbing into the treehouse by ladder or stairs, you could make a fast or slow descent via straight or curvy plastic slides, respectively. Well now smack my butt and call me Susan! If this wasn't the most revolutionary thing in slide technology I have ever witnessed. When I was a child, we had metal slides. Not only did you rocket down these things like a greased pig, always missing the "soft" (i.e. dirt) landing, but they were great conductors of heat. In the summer, the hot metal burned our legs, and in the winter, it stuck to our tongues like super glue. Next, we arrived at the playground's sand box. This wasn't really a box, per se, but rather an exhibit in interactive sand design. There were plastic buckets, shovels, trucks, and numerous other ways to move sand from place to place. This was sand Nirvana, and there was oh so much of it! When I was a child, you had to bring your own toys to the sandbox, and then hope that no one stole them from you. Furthermore, real sand was considered a luxury. If we were lucky, "sand" was delivered once a month. The street sweeper would back up to our playground and empty its contents into our 8' X 8" wood bordered sand box. Oh the fun we had separating the "sand" from cigarette butts and other refuse. Many future recycling and reclamation workers were trained in that sand box. Perhaps this is one instance in which it was better when I was a child...our playgrounds provided career training. Next we moved on to the swings, which were well anchored into the ground, and whose chains didn't pinch young fingers. They seemed perfectly safe, and the girls loved them. The Hodgkins Park Playground has a water feature! I was in awe! Water cascading down metal chutes, inviting children to splash and soak each other in the hot afternoon sun. Again, in my day, we had stagnant mud puddles. We stopped briefly at the merry-go-round. The children sat safely behind bars that held them in place as we spun it faster and faster. When I was little, the bars were meant to be held onto, in order to counter the centrifugal force. If you let go, bones would surely be broken. Last, but not least, the playground has a variation on a jungle gym with monkey bars, which our older niece gleefully enjoyed. She swung back and forth dozens of times, and if she accidentally fell, the surface was as soft and safe as the rest of the park. When I was a child, I specifically recall that our jungle gym was constructed from reclaimed lead pipes. We risked tetanus and heavy metal poisoning every time we climbed upon it. Despite these hazards, we would climb to the top of the jungle gym to look at the curious little score marks in the pipes. You see, it was rumored that one of the older kids, Billy "Screw-Eye", used to hang from the upper rungs by his teeth. I wonder what ever happened to Billy? We left, completely exhausted, after more than an hour of pure, blissful playground fun. The children enjoyed themselves so much, and I was amazed at how far playgrounds have evolved since I was a child. Kudos to Somerville and its workers for providing local children and parents with such a fun, safe place to play. Tremendous design and topnotch construction! Now if you'll excuse me, Chris wants me to take a seat and tell him what's in the paper bag.