guide to boston splash pads

It’s time to throw on the water shoes, put on your bathing suit, and beat the heat! Boston Moms polled real, local moms and compiled this list of Greater Boston splash pads that are worth driving to for a day of water play! (Plus, we have a comprehensive list of Boston-area splash pads — by town — below!)

Ryan Wading Pool

350 River Street, Mattapan

Voted Boston’s best splash pad for multiple years, this DCR park is the perfect place to cool off on a hot day in the city! It has an expansive shallow wading area for little ones, buckets that dump water overhead, and turtles and alligators that spray water. There is plenty of shade and an adjacent playground for kids to enjoy.

Beaver Brook Spray Deck

621 Trapelo Road, Belmont

Fun water features will keep your little ones cool and happy on a hot day! The splash pad sits adjacent to a fantastic playground and shady tables and benches, plus plenty of green space and a shallow stream to explore in the beautiful Beaver Brook Reservation. Tip: Be sure to bring water shoes to protect little toes. The rocks in the splash pad area can get slippery. 

Artesani Playground Wading Pool and Spray Deck

1255 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton

This park runs along the scenic Charles River, and it’s loaded with fun! The wading pool has brightly colored water features that are perfect for toddlers and little ones (including zero-depth areas with small fountains), and the adjacent spray deck provides even more water fun. And whether it’s water weather or not, the on-site playground is one all ages will love.

Petersen Splash Pad at Watson Park

Gordon Road, Braintree

This large splash pad boasts more than 4,000 square feet of fun! Water dumps from brightly colored buckets, sprays from arches, and keeps visitors happy and cool! The seasonal water play area stands adjacent to a fantastic playground.

McDonald Playground

8 Cutter Street, Waltham

Though it is on the smaller side, kids will love being sprayed by the run-through water arches and sprinkling snakes at this adorable spray pad! It sits adjacent to a newly renovated playground for a trip filled with fun! 

Nelson Memorial Playground and Splash Pad

255 Water Street, Plymouth

Nelson Park is the perfect destination for a summer day! The beachfront playground has picnic tables, benches, and a large grassy area to relax on. Kids love to look for shells on the small sandy beach, and the 5,000-square-foot splash pad is fun for everyone! There are also bathrooms and a refreshment stand, and delicious food trucks love to visit the area!

Freetown State Forest Splash Pad

110 Slab Road, East Freetown

This splash pad in the forest is great for little ones! The wading pool has lifeguards on duty and is handicap accessible. Bathrooms are also available on premises! 

Capron Park Zoo Splash Pad

201 County Street, Attleboro

The Capron Park Zoo is a great place to bring the entire family! This zoo is a small park with plenty of animals to see, and it has a large playground and fantastic splash pad to cool off in during the summer months! 

Zoo Admission:

$10.00/adult (age 13+)
$8.50/child (age 3-12)
$7.50/Senior (age 65+)
$5.50/Military w/ID
Children under 3 admitted free
Attleboro residents receive discounted admission.

Are you looking for a quick splash a little closer to home? This is a comprehensive list of splash pads and spray decks in the Greater Boston area! 

Reminder: We update this resource to the best of our ability each year, but please check each individual location before making the trip!

{This guide is set up accordion style. Click on a tab with a town name, and you’ll find that town’s parks and addresses listed!}

Dallin School Spray Park : 185 Florence Avenue

North Union Spray Park : 60 North Union Street

 

Beaver Brook Spray Deck : 621 Trapelo Road

Manning State Forest Water Park : 39 Chelmsford Road

Alfond Spray Deck : 280 Charles Street

Artesani Playground Wading Pool and Spray Deck : 1255 Soldiers Field Road

Charles Bank Playground and Splash Pad : Charles Street at Longfellow Bridge

Charlestown Naval Shipyard Park : 36 1st Avenue

Christian Science Plaza : 250 Massachusetts Avenue

Frog Pond : Boston Common

The Greenway Fountains 

  • North End (North and South Canal)
  • Armenian Heritage Park (Labyrinth Fountain and Split Dodecahedron Sculpture)
  • Wharf District Parks (Ring Fountain and Harbor Fog Sculpture)
  • Chinatown Park (Chinatown Stream)

Hynes Playground : 502 Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway, West Roxbury

Dorothy Curran Play Area at Joe Moakley Park : 1005 Columbia Road

John T. Moynihan Spray Deck : 920 Truman Parkway, Hyde Park

Johnson Playground Spray Deck : Corner of Lamartine and Green Streets, Southwest Corridor Park, Jamaica Plain

Joyce Playground : Union Street and Lynne Road, Brighton

Neponset Landing II Spray Deck : Corner of Hill Top Street and Granite Street, Dorchester

Olsen Spray Deck : 95 Turtle Pond Parkway, Hyde Park

Paris Street Playground : 112 Paris Street

Ryan Playground : 350 River Street, Charlestown

Stony Brook Spray Deck : Corner of Lamartine and Boylston, Southwest Corridor Park, Jamaica Plain

Sweeney Playground : 180 West Fifth Street

Buzzards Bay Park : Main Street and Canal Street

Petersen Splash Pad at Watson Park : Smith Beach parking lot at Edgehill Road and Vinehill Road (this parking lot for non-Braintree residents only)

James Edgar Park : 177 Dover Street

Manning Pool : 470 Forest Avenue

Billy Ward Playground : 133 Brook Street

Clark Playground : 195 Cypress Street

Coolidge Playground : Coolidge Street

Cypress Street Playground : Cypress Street and Davis Avenue

Daniel W. Warren, Jr. Playground : Eliot Street

Daniel F. Ford Playground at Emerson Garden : Davis Avenue and Emerson Street

John E. Murphy Playground : Kent Street and Brook Street

Juniper Street Playground : 80 Juniper Street

Lawton Playground : 125 Lawton Street

Longwood Playground (at Lawrence School) : 27 Francis Street

Margaret E. Robinson Playground : 110 Cypress Street

Pierce School Playground : 34 Harvard Avenue

Soule Recreation Center : 652 Hammond St., Chestnut Hill

Jean B. Waldstein Playground : 1 Strathmore Road

Winthrop Square (Minot Rose Garden) : St. Paul Street and Freeman Street

Simonds Park : 10 Bedford Street

Alden City Park : Oxford Street and Sacramento Street

Alexander Kemp Playground : 36 Waterhouse Street

Bergin Park City Park : Haskell Street and Pemberton Street

Reverend Thomas J. Williams Park : 2 Cedar Square

Corporal Burns Playground : Memorial Drive

Dana Park : Corporal McTernan and Lawrence Streets

Danehy Park : 99 Sherman Street

Father Callanan Playground : Concord Avenue

Glacken Field and Playground : 600 Huron Avenue

Hurley Street Park : 252 Hurley Street

North Point Park Spray Deck : 6 Museum Way

Universal Design Playground City Park : 66 Field Street

Box District Park : 22 Gerrish Avenue

Creekside Commons Park : Cabot Street 

Edson Street Park : Edson Street

Highland Playgrund : Willow Street

John Ruiz Park : Washington Avenue at Bloomingdale Street

Quigley Park : Essex Street

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool : 184 Carter Street

Emerson Playground : 261 Thoreau Street

Water Wizz of Cape Cod : 3031 Cranberry Highway

Allied Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool :  65 Elm Street

Florence Street Park : Florence Street

Kearins Playground : Meadows Park

John Gramstorf Playground : Florence Street

Swan Street Playground : Swan Street

Cellucci Skate & Splash Park : 37 South Street

Nelson Splash Pad : 235 Water Street

Imagination Station : North Street and Pleasant Street

Albion Playground : Albion and Lowell Street

Chuckie Harris Playground : Cross Street East and Broadway

Conway Park : Somerville Avenue and Central Street

Corbett-McKenna Park : Munroe Street and Prospect Hill Avenue

Dickerman Playground : 33-47 Craigie Street

Dilboy Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool : 110 Alewife Brook Parkway

Florence Playground : 18 Florence Street

Foss Park : 49 Fellsway West

Grimmons Playground :  87 Governor Winthrop Road

Kennedy School Community Playground : 5 Cherry Street

Kenney Park : 20 Grove Street

Lexington Park : Hancock Street and Lexington Avenue

Lincoln Park/Argenziano School Playground : 290 Washington Street

Latta Brothers Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool : 235 Broadway

Otis Playground : Otis Street and McGrath Highway

Perkins Playground : Perkins Street and Perkins Place

Trum Playground : Cedar Street and Franey Road

Walnut Street Park : 19 Walnut Street

Bradley Palmer Wading Pool and Playground : 40 Asbury Street

Center Pool & Wading Pool : 144 School Street
($10/person daily rate)

Bobby Connors Playground : Sunnyside Street

Drake Playground : 3 Hazel Street

Fitch Spray Park : 14 Ash Street

Graverson Playground : 16 Pine Vale Road

Lazazzero Playground : 7 Shore Road

Msgr. McCabe / Warrendale Playground : 90 Charlotte Road

McDonald Playground : 8 Cutter Street

Nipper Mahar Park : 65 Dartmouth Street

Thompson Playground : 95 Charles Street

Chesterbrook Housing : Brookway Court

Nipper Maher Park : 65 Dartmouth Street

Filippello Playground : 109 Arlington Street

Boston water parks

If you are looking for bigger water fun, check out the amazing water parks that are within driving distance of Boston! We have guides to the best outdoor water parks and indoor water parks, too!

The Cape Codder Water Park :: 1225 Iyannough Road Suite #4, Hyannis, MA

Water Wizz :: 3031 Cranberry Highway, East Wareham, MA

Breezy Picnic Grounds and Waterslides :: 520 NW Main Street, Douglas, MA

Cape Cod Inflatable Park :: 518 Main Street, West Yarmouth, MA

Canobie Lake Park :: 85 N Policy Street, Salem, NH

Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags New England : 1623 Main Street, Agawam, MA

Water Park of New England : 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA

Great Wolf Lodge : 150 Great Wolf Drive, Fitchburg

Boston Moms
Boston Moms is a rapidly growing community of moms in the Boston area, providing a collaborative parenting resource written and read by local moms. We are passionate about engaging with our readers online through mom-to-mom content + recommendations, and offline through our exciting local events that connect moms to each other and to local and national businesses they should know about!