Franklin Park

Franklin Park is Boston's largest park — 527 acres of meadows, woodlands, hills, playgrounds, and athletic facilities designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1880s as part of Boston's Emerald Necklace park system. Olmsted also designed Central Park in New York, and the same grand, naturalistic sensibility is evident here.

For families, Franklin Park serves as a genuinely immersive outdoor experience in a city where large open green spaces are at a premium. The park encompasses multiple distinct environments — the Ellicott Dale meadow is ideal for picnics and kite flying, the wooded sections provide shade and trail hiking, and several playground areas serve different age groups.

The Franklin Park Zoo occupies a corner of the park and has its own admission fee (approximately $20+ per adult). The zoo is a worthy addition to any park visit and combines naturally with a park picnic before or after.

For older kids and tweens, Franklin Park has a skate park, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a baseball complex. The William J. Devine Golf Course is also within the park's boundaries — an unusual coexistence of active recreation in the same green space.

The park is in the Roxbury/Dorchester neighborhood, accessible by car (free parking in multiple lots) or the MBTA Green Line (E branch to Arboretum and a short walk). The park feels genuinely spacious and restorative even on busy weekend days — it's simply large enough to absorb crowds without feeling crowded. No admission fee for the park itself.