Splash pads in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Smith Playground is the JP family standby on a hot afternoon, sitting right at the edge of the Arnold Arboretum. The spray deck is small but well-engineered for under-fives, with a separate big-kid playground and ball courts. Boston Parks runs it on the standard schedule, mid-June through Labor Day, requiring 70F to activate. Pair the visit with an Arboretum walk (free, world-class trees, especially gorgeous in October foliage when the splash pad is closed). Restrooms are at the field house, parking is on South Street, and J.P. Licks on Centre Street is the legally required cone stop afterward.