As the capital of Massachusetts, Boston is well-known and the largest city in the state as well. With over 675,000 residents, it is also one of the most populated. It is known for its participation in the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Red Sox MLB team, Boston Commons, the Freedom Trail, and its busy waterfront. Surprisingly, it is also one of the most walkable cities in the United States, scoring 83 points on the walkability meter.
Being on the northeast coast, it gets cold and snowy in Boston during the winter, sometimes getting over a foot of snow. Summers are very pleasant, though, with an average high of 78 degrees F, making it the perfect time for outdoor adventures. And with 930 parks, you can find what you want whether it is snowboarding or swimming. Many of these allow your fur baby to join you, but they usually have to be on a leash. Here are our top 15 choices of dog parks in Boston for your little buddy to play off the leash.
Bremen Street Dog Park
In the middle of downtown Boston under the Boston Expressway, you can find the awesome Bremen Street Dog Park. Being under the overpass, you and your fur puppy do not have to worry about too much sun or even rain because you are pretty much protected from all of that. It is part of the Bremen Street Community Park, which is spread out along the Massachusetts Turnpike from Porter Street to Prescott Street by the Boston Public Library.
The dog park is at the western end of the park and features a section for small pooches as well as benches and waste stations for the pet parents. The park also has some really nice agility equipment for dogs on both sides that includes elevated tunnels, ramps, A-frames, and hoops to jump through. There are also climbing steps and pause tables for teaching patience. They even have water fountains for pups and their humans.
Burlington Dog Park
Pack up your pup and head to Burlington Dog Park in Rahanis Park in Burlington, about 16 miles northwest of downtown Boston. It is situated between the Lower Rahanis Field and the baseball diamond across from the Upper Rahanis Field and tennis courts. The small dog area is about a half-acre, while the large dog section is triple that in size, which makes sense because they need more room to run. But little dogs are allowed to play in the big dog area, too.
Although we call it small and large dog sections, they call it active and passive sections. The passive section being the small one where small and timid dogs hang out. Ground cover is mostly turf but also has some gravel/sand too. But no mud, even when it rains! You can choose between a variety of seating areas, some with shade and others in the sun. They do have water fountains and doggie bag dispensers, but bring your own, just in case.
Cabot Dog Park
Nine miles west of Boston, Cabot Dog Park is a pup popular pooch park in Newton at Cabot Community Park. The small play area is at the northern end of the park on Newtonville Avenue. You will not find a bunch of fancy agility equipment or anything like that but they do have plenty of room for a game of fetch or frisbee. There is no separate section for little dogs, so if your small pooch is not good with big dogs, you may want to pass this one up.
But most of the rest of the park is pup-friendly to leashed pups, which has almost 12 acres. There are trails you and your cuddle buddy can explore, playgrounds for the kids, and picnic areas for everyone. Pooches are not allowed on the ball fields, tennis, or basketball courts. Bring extra water and poop bags to pick up after your fur baby.
Filippello Dog Park
In Watertown, just seven miles west of the City of Boston, Filippello Dog Park is a unique addition to the Boston dog park system. Instead of the modern manmade agility equipment, this park uses nature as its playground. There are huge logs to balance on, jump over, and climb under as well as boulders to sit on and jump off. The creative city workers have even set it up so that there are several logs in a row for an obstacle course.
The fully fenced yard has lots of space and is covered in pea gravel, so there is no mud even after it rains or snows. There are a few shade trees with seating, a shade shelter with benches, and water fountains for both humans and their fur babies. The waste stations have poop bag dispensers but it is a good idea to bring your own. You never know when they are going to run out.
JB’s Indoor Dog Park
If the weather outside is cold, snowy, or rainy, take your pooch to JB’s Indoor Dog Park in South Shore. It is only 21 miles south of downtown Boston in Norwell. Some pet parents would rather go to indoor dog parks to keep their fur babies from getting dirty. Nobody wants to go home and give their dog a bath after a long day at the dog park. You do not have to worry about that here. And they provide everything including agility equipment, treats, water, and toys.
They even have special areas for puppies and for small dogs. For the pet parents, there are flat-screen TVs, snacks, and beverages. You will need to pay for membership and provide vaccination records, but it is well worth the money. If they are too crowded and you do not mind driving a little bit further, they also have a location about 20 miles southeast in Kingston.
Melrose Dog Park
Your cuddly canine companion is welcome to play off the leash at Melrose Dog Park at Ell Pond, about 10 miles north in Melrose, just east of Middlesex Fells Reservation. This pooch paradise has quite a few agility stations, including a couple of giant tires in the ground to run through and a large ramp to run up, down, and under. There is even a fire hydrant to pee on. For dogs, not humans, of course.
The main complaint is that there is no separate section for small or timid pooches. Those pet parents whose little ones do not like playing with the big dogs may want to go somewhere else. There are plenty of dog parks in Boston that do have small dog sections, like Bremen, Burlington, Quincy, and Randolph. They do have benches, water fountains for dogs and humans, and doggie bag dispensers, but bring your own supplies just in case.
Park 9 Dog Bar
If you are looking for a place where you can enjoy an adult beverage without having to leave Fido behind, check out Park-9 Dog Bar. Just four miles northeast across the Charles River and Mystic River, Park 9 has it all including two full-service bars with drinks and food, a 5,000 square-foot dog park inside, and another 5,000 outside. You do not have to get a membership, either. You can get a day pass for $10 to try it out first.
The park serves cocktails, craft beer, wine, and snacks for humans as well as dog treats and dog beer for your furry family member. They even have a separate section for dogs under 25 pounds. You will need to fill out an application and provide vet records with adequate vaccinations, but that means all dogs are in good health. The park also provides dog daycare and birthday parties for pups!
Quincy Dog Park
The Quincy Dog Park was the first city park in Quincy, Massachusetts, and is one of the most pup popular as well. It is only 10 miles south of Boston on Quarry Street between Adams National Park and Quincy Quarries Reservation. This unique park has three sections. One for all active dogs, one for seniors, and another for small dogs. Each one has its own shelter pavilions for shade, benches for seating, and watering stations to keep everyone hydrated.
Besides all that, the active dogs section has a huge ramp with steps and a slide, as well as room to crawl underneath. The pooches love it, and it works for all size dogs. The ground cover is mostly turf so there is rarely any mud, and each section has a waste station with free doggie bags. After Fido gets his workout at the dog park, put his leash back on and head over to Quincy Quarries Reservation to see some of the most impressive murals in the world.
Randolph Dog Park
Get Fido, his leash, and lots of water and doggie bags, and head to Randolph Dog Park in Randolph, less than 20 miles south of downtown Boston. It is also known as Goldstein Open Space, and it is a large area of about three acres. There is a separate small dog area for little dogs and shy or elderly big dogs. It has a water fountain, benches, and waste stations, as well as some agility equipment.
But the larger area has most of the exercise equipment, including a tunnel made from recycled tires placed strategically to simulate weave poles, a concrete tunnel to zip through or hide inside, and several jumps for all-sized dogs. There are also some boulders to climb on, fire hydrants to sniff and pee on, and a trail to explore that takes you to a creek and pond area. And pet parents have lots of seating options as well as a water spigot for filling bowls.
Richmond Street RUFF Dog Park
Located in the Richmond and North Streets Park, Richmond Street RUFF Dog Park is right in downtown Boston on Richmond Stree (of course). This fun pup park has lots of play structures for your pooch to enjoy climbing on, jumping off, and running under while you watch him go! There are always other pups in the park to play with as well since this is a popular city park. This place is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week, and is fully lit for those fur babies who like to play at night.
The ground is mostly gravel, and there are several benches for pet parents to use. Or you can bring a ball or frisbee to play a game of fetch or catch with your favorite furry buddy. The name RUFF stands for Responsible Urbanites For Fido and is sponsored by community dog lovers who enjoy letting their canine companions make friends in a safe environment.
RUFF North End Dog Park
Less than a half mile north of the Richmond RUFF Park, the RUFF North End Dog Park can be found in the DeFilippo Park in the North End. Although this RUFF park is not open all night, it stays open until 9 PM, so it is fully lit as well. The artificial turf keeps paws clean, and there is plenty of shade for pups as well as pup parents. You can access the park from Prince Street at the intersection of Hull and Snow Hill Streets.
This was the first RUFF park and has more agility equipment as well as a water play area during the summer months. It also has a separate section for cuddle buddies 25 pounds and under. One of the most popular places in the park is the giant concrete tunnel covered in turf. Dogs love to climb up there and sit on top so they can look down at everyone. There is also a bright red fire hydrant that pooches love to pee on and sniff.
South Boston Bark Park
Judging by the name, you would be right to assume that South Boston Bark Park is located in South Boston. It is about four miles to the south of downtown, right next to Carson Beach, right across from the Old Harbor and Dorchester Bay. This gives you and your canine compadre an awesome view of the water, and you can even take a walk down to the waterfront as long you put your pup’s leash back on.
The popular pup place has been around for more than 15 years and has drawn a local crowd of pet parents who visit regularly. They welcome visitors whether you are new to the neighborhood or just passing through. They will make you and your fur baby feel like part of the family. There are separate sections for big and little dogs, tunnels, and boulders to play on, and lots of seating as well as water and doggie bags. But you can always bring your own, just in case.
Stodder’s Neck Dog Park
Just 15 miles south of Boston, you can find Stoddard’s Neck Dog Park on the Stodder’s Neck Peninsula. The harborside park boasts a gorgeous hilltop view of the Weymouth Back River as well as Hull and Quincy Bays. It is right across the water from Webb Memorial State Park and has a unique setup to keep your pup inside the park where he belongs. However, it is only a four-foot rock wall on one side with water on the other side, so it is best if your pooch has good recall.
It is more of a family park and beach than a dog park because families come to have picnics on the river and enjoy some fishing. However, it does have water and waste stations with poop bags. Bringing your own water and bags is recommended, though. It is the perfect place for water dogs where you can toss out the ball or other water toys for him to fetch.
Tudor Dog Park
Just about three miles northwest of downtown Boston across the Charles River, you can find the Tudor Dog Park at the northwestern end of Pacific Street Park. In fact, it is often referred to as Pacific Street Dog Park. This park has some really unique exercise play equipment like a tunnel and steps made from concrete blocks, large boulders to climb on, and special benches with areas for pups to climb underneath. There are also concrete tunnels a ramp with steps, and a slide like other dog parks.
Your cuddly canine can jump through hoops, balance on a balance beam, and run up and down the A-frame as well. During the summer, there are usually kiddie pools and water fountains, too. The park supplies pet waste stations with poop bag dispensers, but it is always nice to bring your own and even share them if you have extra. This is a nice place for both you and your fur puppy to make some new friends.
Zero New Washington Dog Park
Zero New Washington Dog Park is not a huge park, but it is very long and has some awesome athletic obstacles. This is not a dog park inside a community park. It is a pooch playground with a small picnic area just outside the eastern end of the fence. Right now, there is no small dog area but there is a plan in place to add one. Give them a call first if you want to know before you go.
You will find Zero New Washington Dog Park about three miles to the northwest across the Charles River. It has several long and short concrete tunnels for your cuddle buddy to run through as well as a long ramp with steps and a slide. The huge boulders are also enjoyable for the pups. It also has doggie bags and water fountains on each end and a gazebo in the middle of the park.
The Final Woof
Once you have visited all the dog parks and you want to do something else with your furry friend, Boston has a plethora of dog-friendly activities to explore. For instance, you and Fido can learn more about the art world at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum on Sandy Pond Road where they have 30 acres with more than 60 sculptures. Or you and your leashed pup can go see who is really buried at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery on Bedford Street like Louisa May Alcott, and Nathan Hawthorne. If you want to get out on the water, take your canine companion to Spot Pond Boathouse where you can rent a boat or enjoy a tour.
