Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park & Playground

Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park is the kind of urban park that makes you wonder why every city doesn't do this: take a strip of harbor-front land, add a good playground, beautiful landscaping, and harbor views, and give it to families for free. Located between the North End and Boston Harbor, it's both a neighborhood park for North End families and an unknown gem for visitors.

The playground is modern and well-maintained, with equipment suitable for toddlers through about age 10. It sits directly on the harbor, so kids play with sailboats and ferries as their backdrop. The park's long trellis walkway is covered in flowering wisteria in late spring — one of the prettiest spots in the city — and the central fountain provides a gathering point.

The strategic value for families: this park is a 2-minute walk from the North End's Italian restaurants and bakeries. The classic family evening goes like this: early dinner at Regina Pizzeria (or any North End restaurant), walk to the park for playground time, grab cannoli from Mike's or Modern on the way, eat cannoli on the harbor benches while the kids play. It's a perfect sequence.

The Rose Kennedy Greenway, which runs adjacent to the park, adds summer splash fountains (free, no reservations), art installations, and food trucks. The Harborwalk — a continuous waterfront path — connects the park to the New England Aquarium (5 minutes south) and the Charlestown Navy Yard with the USS Constitution (20 minutes north). The park is a natural hub in the waterfront network.