A scenic South End neighborhood park with a nice garden area, benches and a drinking fountain. The fenced in play area has a rubber surface and a large wooden climbing structure complete with tower and slide. There are bucket and open seat swings and a pavement area, ideal for tricycle and bike riding. the "Friends of Ringgold park" are making plans for a large victorian water feature in the center of the park. Sometimes spelled Ringold. Events are brought to you by the Friends of Ringgold Park, a small group of South End neighbors - mostly parents - who believe that by demonstrating our commitment to improve our community resources, we can inspire others, and our children, to help make the world a better place.

You know the kid who got more attention growing up, who consequently became the favorite? That's the Public Gardens compared to its "ugly" counterpart, the Boston Common. Always pristine, always in everyone's wedding photos- this park is beautiful. Manicured with the best flowers, and shrubbery sculpted weekly- The Public Gardens is the city's crown jewel of parks. Situated at the head of both Back Bay and Beacon Hill, the park offers a beautiful lake, the famous bronze ducks sculpture (from a great children's book), swan tours (big boat shaped like swans), a wonderful bridge, and small little fountains at the corners. The statues of note-worthy Bostonians gives the park a "larger-than-life" feel. The Public Garden has been compared to Oz. You almost feel comfortable enough to run around barefoot in the grass. In the summer, you'll find musicians playing soft music. By fall, the leaves on the trees change and the park transforms into a picture-worthy playground. Set up a picnic, or just come to stroll. You won't be disappointed.

This large play area has safe and well maintained climbing structures, sandboxes, swing sets and open play areas, making this location very popular with youngsters and parents alike. After you've done Newbury Street, take the kids over to the Clarendon Street Playground. This is the spot where real city kids hang out. Inside the fenced and gated area, you'll find lots of playing possibilities. The equipment is fairly new and the playground is kept reasonably clean. Climbing is the big attraction; several structures invite children of all ages to test their muscles. There are slides (large and small), and bucket and sling swings, a sand area, and a tire swing. Free-use toys galore: Tonka trucks, riding toys and even a few plasma cars. The play surfaces are mostly sand. There is plenty of shade all day. For kids who need to run, the playground has a large open area where kids can play soccer, tag, or a small-scale game of baseball. Watch toddlers around the many steps that lead to this area - when they venture down alone, scraped arms and knees may ensue.
Clarendon street playground is celebrating it's 30th birthday on Monday September 29th 2008 4PM - all welcome for play.

Dell Avenue Rock consists primarily of a puddingstone ledge arising approximately 40 feet above Hyde Park Avenue. There are some outcrops near the top of the rock. The site is dominated by woodland, comprised of small and medium sized maples, oaks, cherry, and birch with sparse, grassy ground cover. This site provides a pleasant visual buffer along a busy, dense stretch of Hyde Park Avenue. Views from the top of the rock overlook the Stony Brook Reservation and in the winter there are views of the Blue Hills. The open, grassy areas on the lower portion of the site provide a quiet retreat for picnics or reading.

The Frog Pond is a Boston institution. A reflecting pool in the spring and fall of each year, a wading pool for youngsters in the Summer, and a skating rink in the winter. Picturesque, centrally located, with plenty of open space and a nearby playground. A perfect spot for some relaxation and fun with the family. More about the summer water feature: only 6 inches deep; ideal for toddlers seeking relief from the summer heat; a spray head provides a fountain of water that adds fun to the wading experience. In winter: a skating in Downtown Boston! The Frog Pond Skating Rink is open from November to mid-March with at least 100 days of seasonal skating.

The pond is a natural feature, a "kettle pond" it was formed by glacial recession during the last Ice Age. It is also a park, making up a piece of the "Emerald Necklace". It is approximately a mile around and that makes its circular path a favorite place for walkers and runners. The Jamaica Pond was a habitat for Neponset Indians for part of the year in the era before English settlers arrived. In the 1790s it became a water supply for Boston. The ranger station under the bandstand has one of the high tech waterpipes from that time on display (a hollowed out log). Later, the Pond became a player in the ice industry, with cutters taking the ice, storing it in ice houses on the banks and shipping it far and wide. Nowadays, the Jamaica Pond is an idyllic enclave in a bustling world (that is, if you can ignore the cars zipping by on the roads that surround it!)

Greek mythology aside, you'll find plenty of fleece here, golden and otherwise. The helpful staff will answer any questions you might have about the fleeces ($68-215), parkas, or the right kind of hiking socks ($9-19). The popular Capilene silkweight shirts ($32-34) and long underwear ($30-50) are ideal for hardcore winter sports. Wide selection of luggage, hiking boots, books, Nalgenes, etc., is available. Check upstairs for sale items. 1% of profits or 10% of sales (whichever's higher) goes toward a variety of grassroots environmental groups.

The HarborWalk is designed to connect the public to a beautiful and restored Boston Harbor. Included along the way are parks, sculptures, and observation points. Right now it's about 80% complete, and once finished, the HarborWalk will stretch some 46.9 linear miles along wharves, piers, bridges, beaches and shoreline from Chelsea Creek to the Neponset River. Some of the landmarks along the way are Rowes Wharf, Piers Park, Constitution Beach, the JFK Library and Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Titus Sparrow Park is in the South End between Huntington and Columbus Streets, next to the Southwest Corridor. It's a great family-friendly enclave secluded within the hustle and bustle of the city. They have tennis, basketball courts, a jungle gym and a grassy area that's perfect for a picnic. Also, the Titus Sparrow Park is a great spot to walk your dog (on-leash). Titus Sparrow Park was created in 1976, and after nearly 30 years of intensive use, the Boston Parks Department gave Titus Sparrow Park a major rehabilitation. Since reopening in 2005, the park is more heavily used than ever by all ages all over it -- sledding, rolling, sun-bathing, sitting, football and baseball games, and splendid children's programs and evening concerts in the summer. On a warm weekend the basketball courts, swings, play structures, and tennis courts will be packed. There's even a pet water fountain for all of the neighborhood dogs. Titus Sparrow Park is named for an active resident of the South End, Titus Sparrow. Founder of the Sportsmen's Tennis Club and the first African American umpire in the USTA, Titus Sparrow developed a progam that allows less fortunate children to learn the game of tennis for free. Today, the park is bustling with children and adults of all ages. The beautiful landscape and fun play structures make it a popular meeting place for nannies and parents alike. The South End is famous for it's parks, however, Titus Sparrow is definitely one of the nicest in the neighborhood. The park is primarily volunteer-maintained by the "Friends of Titus Sparrow Park." Currently, they need volunteers to help with gardening, graphic design, and public relations. For more details, see their volunteer page. There are 15 community gardens, open to residents of the four neighborhoods involved in designing the park.