Pierce Playground, 106 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446, US

Located in the heart of a small residential neighborhood between Brookline Village and Route 9, Emerson Garden serves as a major community meeting place and often plays host to public events, including weekly outdoor concerts in the summer. The park includes a large lawn, a woodchip playground, a splash fountain and a smaller sandy playground with a boat-themed climbing structure. Emerson Garden is part of Brookline's Green Dog Program, which allows park users to let their dogs off leash during certain hours. At Emerson, dogs are allowed off leash from dawn to 9 a.m.