Super beautiful great place to go on a walk, run, jog, or to go cycling. There are always people walking 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. read more

Pope John Paul II Park - Many doggies go here - Playgrounds Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Have always liked the idea of this park with all the land, and the parking right there & picnic tables... 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! read more

Pope John Paul II Park - Entrance to the Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

If you're looking for a relaxing trip out of the city, but not for a far distance, go to this park. Pope John Paul II Park, on the banks of the Neponset River, is a 65-acre park that's been recently restored, filled with scenic areas, playing fields and native plantings (meaning trees and shrubs). People say black ducks, mergansers, teal, snowy egrets, and great blue herons have been spotted here, but I've never seen any of them. So don't come here with high hopes of bird watching, all I saw so far are a few pigeons. You can go fishing here too, but I don't recommend it because it might still be polluted. The park is empty most of the time. It's very relaxing and quiet, unlike the Boston Common, very crowded with people and tourists. What you will find here are: - Seats, tables, and shelters for having picnics - Small playground for kids - Lush grass for basking in the sun - Paths for riding bikes, jogging, walking the dog.. - Large fields for soccer, football, kite flying.. - Restrooms too. read more

See all

This is my favorite place to go with the dog. There's a huge field where he can just run around and not bother anyone. There are always other dogs here too, but the park is so big you won't be bumping into them too much. There are a few water fountains around the park in case you or the doggie gets thirsty too. It's a great place for walking, jogging, plenty of space to ride your bikes and rollerblading. There's even a playground for the kiddies to play in. Pope John Paul II Park is a fave summer time spot.. can't wait to pull out my kite! read more

I went to this park today for the first time. I had always seen it driving on 95 and kept saying to myself "I have to get there someday" well let me tell ya i am so glad i did. It's easy to get to and there is ample parking. I brought my bike with me. What a beautiful park with views of the water. There was a soccer game going on in one spot, people walking their dogs and 2 people were flying kites! You can get to a bunch of spots nearby too. I rode about 20 miles all along the harbor. This is one of my new favorite places to go!! read more

There are great walking and biking trails here. Over the summer, there are free movies on the grass. On windy days, there are often groups flying kites. The park is dog friendly, as long as they're on leashes. You often see families enjoying the day at the playground, and on the trails. I'm a fan of stopping by to get some walking in on the trails by the water. read more

Attention Residents of Dorchester: Hate driving across town for a decent park? Would you like a little scenery complete with ocean-scent? Is your dog demanding something new? Pope John Paul II Park is one of the best things going in this part of town. Granted, it's right next to the highway, but it doesn't feel like it. The space is wide open, and even on a day with a lot of activity/people it never feels crowded. Lots of scenery and places to sniff for your dog. Ours enjoyed the nice long walk, and unbeknownst to me, there were hardly any other dogs around (which is a good/quiet thing for us). read more

I really like Pope Park for walking and an open area to play with children or dogs. It is near the highway and easy to get to but still has a view of the water and doesnt seem too noisy. It does get chilly whereas there is nothing blocking the wind and it is so open so bring your jacket or hoodie. There is a small playground for small children and plenty of room to teach rollerblading or how to ride a bike. read more

Great park for the dogs to go for a walk. It's got a great view of the Neponset river; which also keeps the area cool and breezy. The park is usually low key, so it's like I have the whole area to myself unless there's a soccer game going on in the field. Either way, the parking lots are never full. read more

Pope John Paul II Park - Just three dogs hanging at the park on this beautiful fall afternoon - Playgrounds Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

This is one of the many reasons I love Boston. Its parks are really spectacular. They are incredibly well kept and user-friendly. The views from this park is amazing. There is ample parking on the Hallet Street side if you're coming from farther away. There are ample trash cans all around. I feel safe when I come here, and that's huge. There is a smaller park that is great for kids. There's even room for hockey. Great picnic areas, too. read more

The sun is out. There is a possibility of me getting a tan... we have survived winter! CUE THE TRUMPETS! My "special friend" and I opened the blinds and the saw sun, so of course we immediately booked it to the nearest park. This place is beautiful, there are multiple gazebos where you can leisurely eat and chit chat. There appears to be some great trails to walk or run around. Lots of people bring their dogs, some people picnic with their families, and still others jazzercise. Needless to say this is a great place to people watch and enjoy the sunshine. read more

The park itself is truly beautiful. The walking trails are nicely kept and you get some really nice views of Quincy and the Neponset River. It's a great dog walking park, though I wish they had an area set aside to take dogs off leash. The jungle gym is nicely upkept and always full of kids, but I wouldn't say it's the best park for kids under 3. The large flat field is for sports and there is a strict 'no dog' policy for this grassy area. On the other side of the park, though, there aren't any restrictions. The past few times I've been here, there have been some trouble makers on mini bikes terrorizing the walkers, and almost running over my dog. I hope that the State Troopers who frequent the park have since nipped this in the bud. read more

Perfect place to fly a kite! I went this past Friday and their was plenty of parking- it was easy to get to and a nice place to hang out. There are some small gazebos and shelters from the sun but for the most part it's pretty open so be sure to wear sunscreen. There are some nice paths to walk and the grass is kept up and clean (no dog doo that I could see!) Definitely a nice oasis away from the city. read more

Any weather: great for long walks, rollerblading, walking your dog, letting your children run free. Be wary of ticks or stray refuse in the wilder areas, but in the well-manicured lawns and hills, it's great! I've only been in the fall and this past mild winter, but I've enjoyed the quiet walks on the trail. read more

Great park right off Neponset with a small little playground for kids, an athletic field, and loop trails for walking, running or biking. Well maintained park. There's a parking lot and a small covered picnic area with 4 tables and a couple of ports potties nearby. There's are also some covered benches to sit along the loop with a water view. Can get crowded on the weekends and can get a bit noisy as you can see and hear the cars on the highway, but overall a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon. read more

A nice place to go for a Sunday morning stroll, dog-walking, or perhaps throwing a frisbee around or flying a kite. There's no shade to speak of at the park, so it can be brutal on a sunny July day, but the views of the Nepsonset River are nice, there's enough open space so that you can find a quiet spot, and it's very convenient to downtown Boston (about a 7-minute drive without traffic). read more

Great for walking, running, lounging on the grass in the sun. The bike path runs through here and is a gorgeous walk/run/bike. The park itself gets very hot in the full sun and can be incredibly windy. Dorchester Bay is beautiful! read more

This park is amazing. I love to take my dogs running here. It's typically quiet and well-kept. There are a lot of paths and great views of the water, and a place where dogs can take a dip in the river. There's a little water park for kids to run around in and a jungle gym. read more

This place is beautiful. Its very well kept. It has amazing walking trails. I love bringing my daughter here to play at the playground and to ride her bike around. Even though its right next to the highway it is still very relaxing. read more

this is a lovey park...good, friendly people. Just a warning to other dog owners and parents with children...everyone...Today at noon, i was walking my 5 month old dog. a man with 3 large grey weimaraner or danes were on the walking trail and NOT ON LEASHES. as we got closer the owner did not get them on leashes. one of his dogs approached my dog and started to growl, attacked him and immediately pinned him to the ground with his mouth around his neck. my dog was screaming for help. this dog was 3x his size. the owner DID NOTHING. i was pleaded for him to get his dog off mine. my dog somehow got loose from the dog and ran. he is a puppy. 5 months old. i could not catchup to him, thankfully he ran back to our car. curled up in a ball. i checked him out and then as i got back to my front seat, saw the owner with the 3 dogs again and STILL NO LEASHES. clearly, he didn't have any with him. i told him he has to get his dogs on leashes. he ignored me. i called the police. and followed him to his car. he got 2 dogs in the car, 1 of them ran away (no leash!) in front of the Gym where he was parked. BEWARE if you go to this park and you see this truck: KNESTRICT'S BOSTON DESIGN WORKS (commercial truck) BLUE and SILVER 4 DOOR TRUCK His dogs are not friendly and they are NOT on leashes. and the owner doesn't care. read more