Piers Park Children's Playground

Piers Park Children's Playground in East Boston's Jeffries Point neighborhood is one of Boston's most dramatically situated free playgrounds. Sitting directly on Boston Harbor, the playground offers views across the water to downtown Boston's skyline, Logan Airport, and the busy shipping lanes — a sensory backdrop that makes even a routine playground visit feel special.

For families who live in East Boston or are passing through (the Airport Blue Line stop is walkable), Piers Park is an easy and excellent outdoor option. The playground equipment is well-maintained, and the surrounding Piers Park green space connects to the Harborwalk path, which is stroller-friendly and offers an extended walk in either direction along the waterfront.

Little kids love the harbor setting in ways that adults sometimes underestimate — the planes taking off and landing at nearby Logan, the tugboats and ferries on the harbor, and the smell of the salt air all create a multisensory environment that's genuinely stimulating for young minds. Older kids tend to be drawn to the views and the openness of the park area itself.

The Blue Line MBTA provides car-free access from downtown Boston and Cambridge, which is a meaningful advantage for Boston families who don't own a car. The Airport station is a short walk from the park.

East Boston's food scene is genuinely excellent and underrated — Taqueria Jalisco, La Sultana, and numerous other authentic Latin American restaurants are nearby. Combine playground time with lunch in East Boston for a thoroughly enjoyable family outing that costs almost nothing.