It was a nice day out, and there were so many children outside playing you would think cell phones didn't exist and we were back in the 90's, I appreciated seeing so many people make use of the park. Good spot for children, dogs or people who want to walk along trails. read more

Washington Park / JJ Byrne Playground - Outside - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

On initial sight, it LOOKS like a park fulled with families of all sorts of ethnicities. After a closer look and logical thinking, I was looking at a park filled with Au pairs & nannys. None the less, it is a beautiful park covered in astroturf. read more

Washington Park / JJ Byrne Playground - Beautiful park with a cacophony of culture - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This park is a local hangout for all the parents, kids and child care providers alike. There is something for kids of all ages there, and some accessibility swings for kids who need an extra hand to play. They have a separated teeny tot lot for toddlers that has a gate to keep them separate, a splash pad, playgrounds for bigger kids, spinners and more. Plenty of benches and places to park your stroller, plenty of shade. This park is right in the heart of park slope, easy to grab food and picnic or come here before or after a meal. I visit my sister often and I'm enjoying bringing my toddler here when we come. Definitely check it out if you live in Brooklyn or if you're just passing through. read more

One of the oldest and most popular parks in the neighborhood; gets crowded really quick. There's plenty of play area for kids including a sliding water sprinkler system for children to run around. Park stretches about a block, but has loads of grassland for dogs to play. Walked around the Old Stone House and wanted a tour inside, it was closed at the time. No worries this park holds weekly farmers markets, it's a great way to purchase some fresh fruits and vegetables before heading home. Really enjoyed this park, just have to be there early to beat the crowds. read more

See all

What a cool find! Well not really this park is located right across the street from the hotel we stayed at while visiting Brooklyn. Every morning i saw kids and others playing at this park and finally decided to take a walk towards the park, as we left the room to go shopping and what a surprise. This park was EVERYTHING you need on a Saturday afternoon with the kids. There's a couple sets of swings there's a couple different sized playgrounds one for big kids and one for toddlers which is where i tool my babyboy for a lil bit he enjoyed it. The main attraction was the splash pad. Now let's back up a bit. As i stated we left the room to go shopping for a few things not once did i think the kids will end up in the water lol but I'm super easy and all it took was my daughter to ask one time and i said yes. They already had on the perfect gear my son had on swim trunks surprisingly and my daughter had a drifit shortset which dries very easily so why not. Plenty of parents EVERYWHERE strollers on every corner just a cool atmosphere for the youngins to be in. I spoke with a few parents and they all had great things to say about the area and the park. We definitely we come to this park everytime we're in park slope. read more

See all

Dog run. Skate park. 5 full court basketball areas. 8 handball courts. A soccer/ baseball/ picnic field. Newly built playground. Beautifully maintained space by the Old Stone House (supposedly the oldest building in Brooklyn) peeps. You can be mesmerized just sitting here. I ran into a friend on the way home as she was playing handball with a lot of awesome guys and gals. I sat for a while on the sidelines. Great plays. Some taken seriously. Fun. Balls whizzing by. My bones literally ache just watching and yearning to be a part of the action. And if that doesn't move you, perhaps your child playing in the water would. The cool breeze on a Summer day. The beautiful gardens. read more

I've come here many times over the years, mostly to walk through the park or to check out the Old Stone House. I was watching someone's dog today, so I decided to check out the dog run. It's tucked along the 4th St edge of the park, enclosed by two gates to prevent escapees, and is separated for bigger and littler dogs. It was a drizzly day so no one else was there. There were lots of tennis balls left behind, so I tried to play catch, but she was mostly interested in the smells. Unfortunately, a few gross humans left behind their dog's poop bags or didn't even clean up after their dogs. Very disappointing, especially considering how much work the friendly groundskeepers do to maintain this park. Still, it's a good location and there are lots of things to here for just about anyone in the community. read more

This is a big park and has a huge field and a playground. It is a great space. I think there is something for all ages. I love the old stone house and the small gardens and the mosaic sculpture in the middle. It has a great view and some nice architecture to check out as you rest yourself at a table. read more

My perspective on this park comes from two places: one over fifteen years ago, and the other in the present. Back before Park Slope's major gentrification, this park was good. There were handball courts, fountains and wide open areas to play ball, but there wasn't anything distinctive about it other than its relatively large size. Nowadays however, the park has been worked over completely. There are new jungle gyms for kids to play in, areas you can reserve for parties, a garden managed by volunteers and a really large area for playing sports such as soccer. Every time I've been there recently, there are armies of kids having a grand old time with their parents. It's alive and energetic. On weekends, you'll also find a green market off to the side of the park with vendors that sell everything from artisan cookies to some really delicious chocolate and wonderful produce. Definitely worth checking out. My only complaint is not about the park, but rather some of the people who attend it. I went recently early on a Sunday morning. I was one of the first people there and staked out a small spot to do a workout. I was in the middle of my routine when all of a sudden this small army of guys starts setting up soccer nets and ropes to set up their "boundaries" (which was pointless because they basically took over the entire open area of the park). At first they avoided me, leaving a small space that I could work with. However, as they began to let their kids play, they just pushed the rope against my feet, forcing me out instead of asking me like a civilized human being. Beware these guys, they're rude and tactless. Other than that, I have no complaints about the park. It's a lot better than it used to be and families seem to have a great time there. read more

Nice park plopped right down in the middle of Park Slope. It is not nearly as impressive as its richer, cooler and more popular older brother Prospect, but it is still nice to have. Kids can play with such things as a giant sandbox and a big slide. Adults can sit back and read a book or chat with friends on a lazy afternoon. But most of the parents are just pushing around the latest Bugaboo strollers and yapping on their cell phones. You are a few feet from some of the best dining options in Park Slope, which includes AOC bistro, Moutarde and the extremely popular Al Di La Trattoria. But if you do not want to dine out, then stroll on over to Ozzie's coffee, get a hot or cold drink, some muffins or a bagel, and then hang out in one of the many green areas of Brooklyn. read more

Ugh. The dog park here sucks. Brought my playful well behaved pup and was given the side eye from the moment we walked in. Like this was some sort of elite social club or something. Then, when two other dogs outright attacked my dog ( while my boy just laid down and submitted ), the owners did NOTHING to stop their dogs. When we tried to get our dog back on leash and out of the park, the aggressors followed us and kept attacking. Still, the owners did nothing but stare through their Gucci sunglasses. Not the place for me. Way too uppity and cold for me AND my dog. read more

This spot gets so crowded as soon as school lets out. It's also the unofficial neighborhood rest area for all the stroller warriors out there in Park Slope; the playground is geared towards the younger set with a fun sandbox and a neat slide. The park is also the home to the Old Stone House, billed as a historic interpretive center with interesting exhibits about Brooklyn's role in the Revolutionary War and old Dutch influences in the area. It itself is a reconstruction of a 1699 Dutch historic farmhouse. More for the kids and the after-school crowd, it's not a bad place if you find yourself not wanting to go uphill for three blocks to go to Prospect. It's also surrounded by a few neat businesses and is a stone's throw from the busier end of 5th Avenue. read more

Washington Park has a really diverse amount of offerings for kids and adults, mostly compartmentalized into a series of courts- tennis, basketball, and a skateboarding area. My boyfriend and I really only visit to use the skate park, which offers a fairly large open area with a launch box/pyramid in the center, some grind boxes, etc. Nothing complex but, people seem to have a good time there and bring in extra elements to make it more interesting. Its also a great spot that doesn't get super crowded and has a good amount of flat space for real beginners-like me. The biggest downside of the skatepark portion is the number of small children who are either unsupervised or simply released onto the pyramid and other skate elements to dick around. Park Slope parents- that area is what you call a skatepark, it is for skateboarding (or I guess rollerblading? Do people still rollerblade?). Teach your child to ride a bike, razor scooter, or flop around on the ground like a fish at the millions of other open space options your neighborhood affords. The pyramid is not a jungle gym or a slide, please keep your kids safe and let everyone enjoy the park's elements for their intended purposes. read more

I like to come to this dog run sometimes because I like to walk around the nabe. There's a lot happening! Lots of kids in the playground, teenagers playing handball and soccer players. If you go on a weekday there's the middle schoolers. If you go on sunday, there's the farmer's market. So if your dog doesn't like crowds, don't come here! The location of this dog run is a plus but it is hard to find. It's across from the soccer field and next to the handball courts. Now to the dog run itself: it's a decent sized run but it's separated down the middle so there's two narrow spaces for the dogs to run. They make a sharp turn to go from one side to the other through a fence door that stays open most of the time. There's running water when it's warm. There's two benches. The floor is made up of gravel. Over time, the gravel has moved around a lot. Some spots have no gravel. It gets really dusty in here!! There are large and small dogs that come here, especially on weekends. Gets busy! read more

This is one of NYC's "destination" playgrounds. One that stands above the rest. Interesting water feature, great separation between early years, toddler and big kid areas. Lots of swings, great equipment, cool educational features, large astroturf field and located near lots of cafes and restaurants. I hail from Astoria and my family likes exploring new parks and this one was on the list. Glad we visited. Lots of fun. Very busy of course, but hey, you can say that about any real destination in this little town. read more

See all

Nice park for families and pets. Lots of play areas, a dog run and fields. Things to look at (water features etc) and just a good spot to sit back and relax from a hectic day. read more

This park got renovated a while ago and is now a big hub of activity every day. I come here primarily for the dog park (go behind the school and past the handball courts, entrance is off the path that divides the apartment building from the big turf field). The dog park is nice because it has that water fountain and a holding area fenced off separately from the main area. The main dog park has a fence running through the middle, nominally to separate large dogs and small dogs but the gate in between is always open and dogs freely mix from one to the other. I find it to be a little bit of a bummer that all the different audiences for the park are so on top of one another. The guys playing handball get really competitive and scream and curse all the time, which must be a real bother to all the families with small children that come to play on the play structure, who in turn run up and harass the dogs going to/from the dog run that may or may not be friendly to children. It is a nice park though, just too full all the time. read more

An awesome park for those with small kids. Plenty of activities. They have slides for toddlers and swing set for bigger kids. They also have a water feature in the middle of the park for this hot days. Plenty of seating areas for mom and dads to sit and cool off while their little ones run around. On Saturday mornings, to sit and read the paper, drink ice cold coffee and eat freshly baked bagels and watch your kids have a blast, what else can you ask for. There are plenty of restaurants and delis around the park. You can literally spend the entire day here. It has something for the young and the old. read more

Washington Park / JJ Byrne Playground - Busy park day on Father's Day. - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I went to the JJ Byrne Dog Run looking for a place my beagle could run free in a fenced environment. I was shocked how badly it has been kept. fence was broken and wide open, gravel was a type not really suited for dogs (could harm their paws). And there were warning signs for rat poison. I think they should either renovate to a proper dog run or get rid of it all together. My dog didn't like it either. She walked thru it and ran out (perhaps she smelled or saw something awful). The park is great for people and leashed dogs, but the dog run was horrendous. read more

The park really allows parents to get together where otherwise they never would have chatted. There is such a sense of community. Sometimes the crowds can be a bit much especially for an introvert(like me). Update: equipment seems to be broken in the toddler section for a while now read more

Hooray for the farmer's market here on Sundays! Also, the water fountain/sprinkler for the kids in the summertime is mighty cute. The drinking fountains get packed with both kids and parents filling up water balloons too. The epitome of Park Slope family time. read more

My son loves it here, the equipment is decent - there are separate play areas for the super little ones, toddlers, and bigger kids. Same goes for the swings - there are swings for babies and toddlers and another set across the park for bigger kids. While the kids love it, the park loses two stars for cleanliness and safety. There's a neat sprinkler area where kids can splash about in the summer, but it's a little treacherous- I am terrified the kids will fall on all those rocks. I'm always on edge as I chase my toddler around that area. As for the cleanliness, the parents don't always clean up after themselves and their kids. read more

Pretty expansive spot with benches convenient for consuming maple creemees.

Good swings for tots and bigger. Nice tot lot, great climbers for bigger. Fields get crowded with soccer and playground MS 51 recess so plan well. Check out the skate park and the handball courts too. read more

The new playground opened last week and this design is the final jewel for the park. The playground is now a beautiful garden where there was once only a sea of asphalt. Lush planting, natural stone make this a nice place for me to hang when it's warm, and the a kick-but spray shower made this my daughters new favorite spot. I can't wait to play here again this summer. Plus the frozen yogurt across the street is a delish snack. read more

Best park in the Slope! A variety of areas for kids to play in and around!

I'm not so excited about the renovations here. Although the stones around the sprinklers look lovely (and bring some natural elements to the park)...it's unsafe for many children as they are running around. Also, I find that there isn't much more for my 2 year old...the baby and toddler sections aren't very interesting/challenging for him and the big kid part is too big. I prefer heading up to 3rd St playground in the Park, or Berkley/Lincoln at PS282. read more

Came here to play basketball the other day. There's at least 3 full courts. Some of the rims are a bit busted, and no nets. But, hey, no complaining about free outdoor courts! read more

One of the best parks in Brooklyn. Lots of space for all sorts of activities that are packed into this large park tucked into the center of the Park Slope community. Taking up the area between 3rd and 5th streets and 4th to 5th avenue it is a large enough park to accommodate the basket ball, handball, skateboard and soccer areas and still have plenty of space for gardens, the historic Old Stone House (an historic landmark where the largest battle of the Revolutionary War took place) as well as a center of the neighborhood's cultural life. Situated in one of largest dynamic neighborhoods of what is commonly called "brownstone Brooklyn" you will find a lively cross section of people who use the park. If that were not enough it is also host to one of the best farmers markets in the city. Go there and find shade under one of the many Pin Oaks or people watch on Fifth Ave. with a coffee and bagel sitting on one of the many benches situated along the avenue set among Bradford Pear trees and other attractive landscaping. There is also a website theoldstonehouse.org for more information. Check it out. read more

Great park for toddlers. Lots of activities and "safe" places for them to play. I wish I brought my daughters swim clothes because the sprinklers looked like a lot of fun. read more

Love this park! Played kickball twice at this location and it's really nice to hang out there. Also it's in the heart of Park Slope, so there are a lot of restaurants and shops to hang out by. read more