Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
Step inside the restored home and office of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, where many iconic American parks were planned. Visitors can tour the drafting rooms, explore archival exhibits, and walk through the thoughtfully designed grounds that preview his larger park projects. It’s a quiet, leafy stop just off busy Route 9.
Phone: (617) 566-1689
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
Visit the modest Beals Street home where President John F. Kennedy was born and spent his early childhood. Guided tours share family stories, original furnishings, and the neighborhood context of early 20th-century Brookline. The small yard and tree-lined residential block make it feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
Phone: (617) 566-7937
Edward Devotion House
The Edward Devotion House is one of Brookline’s oldest surviving colonial homes, preserved with period rooms and exhibits. Visitors can learn about the Devotion family, early town life, and the legacy of land set aside for public education. The clapboard exterior and small lawn stand in striking contrast to the modern storefronts nearby.
Phone: (617) 566-5747
Longyear Museum
Longyear Museum sits on a hilltop estate, displaying art and historic furnishings tied to the early history of Christian Science. Visitors can wander through elegant period interiors and enjoy sweeping views over the treetops of Brookline. The carefully maintained grounds and stonework give the property a stately, museum-campus feel.
Phone: (617) 278-9000
Larz Anderson Auto Museum
Housed in a picturesque carriage house overlooking the city, the Larz Anderson Auto Museum showcases vintage automobiles, early motoring artifacts, and rotating exhibits. Car lovers can get close to brass-era vehicles, European roadsters, and classic American designs. Outside, the stone structure and views across the park make it a favorite photography spot.
Phone: (617) 522-6547
Larz Anderson Park
Larz Anderson Park is Brookline’s largest green space, with rolling lawns, a hilltop gazebo, and long views toward the Boston skyline. Visitors come for picnics, sledding in winter, outdoor concerts, and sunsets over the pond. The park’s historic landscape design and stone walls give it a classic estate-park character.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Brookline Reservoir Park
Once part of Boston’s 19th-century water system, Brookline Reservoir Park now offers a tranquil walking loop around the water. The stone gatehouse and embankments speak to the site’s infrastructure past, while today joggers, dog walkers, and birdwatchers circle the shoreline path. The reflections of houses and trees in the water make it especially photogenic at sunrise and sunset.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Corey Hill Outlook Park
Perched high above the surrounding streets, Corey Hill Outlook Park rewards visitors with some of the best skyline views in Brookline. A small lawn, benches, and mature trees create a peaceful overlook, popular for sunsets and evening walks. The steep approach streets showcase classic three-deckers and brick apartment buildings on the way up.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Hall’s Pond Sanctuary & Amory Woods
Hall’s Pond Sanctuary and the adjoining Amory Woods form a rare pocket of wild wetland and forest in dense North Brookline. A boardwalk and narrow trails loop past the pond, bird habitat, and a small formal garden, offering an easy nature escape steps from busy Beacon Street. Visitors often pair a walk here with time on the adjacent ballfields and tennis courts at Amory Playground.
Phone: (617) 730-2088
Griggs Park
Tucked into a residential enclave, Griggs Park features a circular walking path, willows, and open lawns ringed by homes. Families spread out for picnics, kids explore the playground, and dog owners make use of the park’s off-leash hours. The sense of enclosure and mature trees give it a cozy, neighborhood-commons atmosphere.
Phone: (617) 879-5650
Dane Park
Dane Park is a wooded hillside preserve with rocky outcrops, loop trails, and an outdoor classroom space. Visitors can hike short accessible paths, explore volcanic rock formations, and enjoy a surprisingly wild feel within suburban Brookline. Interpretive signs and the quiet atmosphere make it an easy nature walk close to town.
Phone: (617) 879-5650
Fisher Hill Reservoir Park
At Fisher Hill Reservoir Park, an old water reservoir has been reimagined as a multi-level landscape with lawns, pathways, and a preserved historic gatehouse. Visitors can walk the terraced slopes, relax on benches overlooking the open field, and notice how the design weaves new recreation into an industrial heritage site. It’s a favorite spot for neighborhood soccer, dog walking, and stargazing.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Lost Pond Sanctuary
Hidden behind suburban streets, Lost Pond Sanctuary offers woodland trails around a kettle pond and wetlands. The paths lead to quiet overlooks where you can spot birds, frogs, and seasonal wildflowers. It’s a peaceful place for a short hike that feels far removed from nearby Route 9.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Skyline Park
Skyline Park combines a synthetic turf field, playground, and walking paths with views toward the wooded hills and Lost Pond Sanctuary. Families bring kids to climb, slide, and scooter while older visitors use the loop paths for exercise. The open, elevated setting gives the park its name and makes it an airy, all-ages recreation spot.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Harry Downes Field & Playground
Harry Downes Field is a major athletic complex with grandstands, a running track, and adjacent playground facilities. On game days the stands fill for school sports, while off-hours joggers use the track and families gather at the play structures. The open field and lighting make it an active hub from morning practices through evening games.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Emerson Garden
Emerson Garden is a small, lush neighborhood park with lawns, shade trees, and winding paths that invite casual strolls. Benches tucked under canopy trees provide quiet corners for reading or coffee breaks. The compact size and flower beds make it feel like a shared backyard for the surrounding homes.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Waldstein Playground
Waldstein Playground, also known as Dean Road Playground, sits along the MBTA tracks with a mix of play equipment, courts, and open turf. Kids watch the Green Line trains roll by while climbing on structures or splashing in seasonal water features. The park’s layout offers both active play areas and quiet seating along shaded edges.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Clark Playground
Clark Playground is a neighborhood play area with swings, slides, and a central open lawn. Parents gather along the perimeter benches while children move between the play equipment and ball courts. The mature trees and compact scale make it easy to supervise kids and relax at the same time.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Schick Park
Schick Park climbs up a steep hill with terraced lawns, a small playground, and a surprisingly expansive skyline view at the top. Locals use the paths for quick cardio climbs and bring kids to the play area sheltered by trees. The sloped lawns also become informal sledding runs when snow falls.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Soule Recreation Center & Playground
The Soule Recreation Center pairs early childhood programs with outdoor play spaces and fields. Families visit for youth sports, day camps, and open play on the lawns and courts. The campus-like setting, with its mix of buildings and green spaces, makes it a busy hub for kids’ activities year-round.
Phone: (617) 730-2069
Minot Rose Garden
Minot Rose Garden is a compact but colorful formal garden filled with rose beds, shrubs, and seasonal plantings. Visitors stroll the short paths, photograph blossoms, and pause on benches surrounded by fragrance. It’s a charming, low-key stop for anyone who enjoys horticulture and quiet corners within the city.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Knyvet Square
Knyvet Square is a small triangular green framed by historic apartment buildings and tree canopies near Coolidge Corner. People use the curved paths for short walks and grab a shady bench between errands or after coffee. The space functions as a tiny neighborhood plaza, linking streets and storefronts with a touch of greenery.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Brookline Golf Course (Robert T. Lynch Municipal)
Brookline Golf Course offers an 18-hole municipal course woven through rolling terrain at the town’s southern edge. Golfers can enjoy tree-lined fairways, practice facilities, and a clubhouse that hosts events and casual dining. The open greens and long views make it feel surprisingly rural for a course so close to the city.
Phone: (617) 730-2078
Allandale Farm
Allandale Farm is a working farm and seasonal market on the Boston–Brookline line, offering fresh produce, flowers, and local goods. Visitors wander the greenhouse aisles, browse the farm stand, and explore trails that connect into nearby conservation land. It’s a rare chance to experience active agriculture within minutes of downtown Boston.
Phone: (617) 524-1531
Brookline Arts Center
The Brookline Arts Center offers classes, exhibitions, and community art events in a converted fire station near St. Mary’s Street. Visitors can see student and professional work, drop into workshops, and enroll in everything from painting to ceramics. The brick building and large arched doors hint at its past while the interior buzzes with creative energy.
Phone: (617) 566-5715
Puppet Showplace Theater
Puppet Showplace Theater is a tiny performing arts venue in Brookline Village dedicated to puppetry for all ages. Families pack into the intimate theater for imaginative shows, while adults enjoy late-night performances and special events. The storefront space under the train tracks is easy to spot thanks to its colorful signage and whimsical window displays.
Phone: (617) 731-6400
Gateway Arts Gallery & Store
Gateway Arts showcases work created by adult artists with disabilities, displayed in a bright gallery and sold in an on-site store. Visitors browse textiles, ceramics, paintings, and mixed-media pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind. The space doubles as both a supportive studio environment and a destination for distinctive local art.
Phone: (617) 734-1577
Coolidge Corner Theatre
The Coolidge Corner Theatre is a restored Art Deco movie palace showing independent films, documentaries, and cult classics. Inside, moviegoers find ornate details, a large main auditorium, and smaller screening rooms added in a recent expansion. Special events, midnight screenings, and live discussions make it a cultural anchor for the neighborhood.
Phone: (617) 734-2500
Brookline Booksmith
Brookline Booksmith is a beloved independent bookstore with new titles, used books downstairs, and regular author events. Visitors can browse crowded shelves, pick up gifts and stationery, and linger over staff recommendations. Its location in the heart of Coolidge Corner makes it a natural stop before or after dinner and a movie.
Phone: (617) 566-6660
Public Library of Brookline – Brookline Village
The main Brookline Village Library branch occupies a handsome early 20th-century building with large reading rooms and modern additions. Inside, visitors find quiet study spaces, children’s areas, exhibitions, and frequent community programs. The front lawn and steps are a favorite meetup spot right off Washington Street.
Phone: (617) 730-2370
Coolidge Corner District
Coolidge Corner is Brookline’s busiest commercial crossroads, filled with cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and small shops. Visitors stroll along Beacon and Harvard streets, grab coffee, explore boutiques, and enjoy street life anchored by the S.S. Pierce Building and the theatre. The area is especially lively in the evenings and on farmers’ market days.
Phone: Not listed
Washington Square
Washington Square is a village center along Beacon Street known for its cluster of restaurants, bars, and corner shops. Diners can choose from sushi, tapas, New American cuisine, and classic pubs, all steps from the Green Line. The wide median with the trolley tracks and old lampposts adds a distinct, transit-oriented charm.
Phone: Not listed
Brookline Village Historic District
Brookline Village retains a classic New England main-street feel with brick commercial blocks, town buildings, and small shops clustered around the MBTA tracks. Visitors can walk narrow side streets, explore cafes and bakeries, and spot historic details on Victorian-era facades. It’s a great starting point for exploring nearby parks, playgrounds, and the library.
Phone: Not listed
Longwood Mall
Longwood Mall is a historic linear park featuring one of the country’s oldest collections of European and American elm trees. A central lawn and pathway run between rows of stately trees, framed by 19th-century homes. It’s a pleasant green corridor for a short walk between Brookline and nearby Longwood Medical Area.
Phone: Not listed
Olmsted Park (Emerald Necklace)
Olmsted Park is part of Boston’s Emerald Necklace system and edges along Brookline with ponds, trails, and meadows. Visitors jog and bike along the paths, watch ducks and herons at Leverett Pond, and cross rustic stone bridges. The park’s curving shorelines and carefully framed views reflect Frederick Law Olmsted’s signature design style.
Phone: Not listed
The Riverway (Emerald Necklace)
The Riverway follows the Muddy River with a narrow park corridor and multi-use paths connecting Brookline to Boston. Cyclists and runners use it as a green commute route, while others stop on the small bridges to watch the water and passing trolleys. The mix of stone walls, river views, and overhanging trees creates a distinctly urban-park experience.
Phone: Not listed
Amory Park & Tennis Courts
Amory Park combines open fields, clay tennis courts, and shaded seating areas adjacent to Hall’s Pond Sanctuary. Tennis players book courts for league play and casual matches, while others picnic under large oaks or watch baseball on the central diamond. The park’s bowl-like shape shelters it from traffic noise, making it feel like a green amphitheater.
Phone: (617) 730-2000
Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink at Larz Anderson
The Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink is an outdoor facility at Larz Anderson Park offering public skating, lessons, and hockey under the open sky. In winter, families and skaters glide around the large rink while music plays and the hillside park glows under lights. It’s a classic New England cold-weather outing with hot chocolate nearby.
Phone: (617) 879-4998
Brookline Farmers’ Market (Coolidge Corner)
On seasonal Thursday afternoons, the Brookline Farmers’ Market fills the Centre Street West Parking Lot with farm stands, baked goods, and specialty vendors. Shoppers sample local produce, chat with growers, and pick up dinner items just steps from Beacon Street. Live music and the bustle of Coolidge Corner add to the festive atmosphere.
Phone: (617) 730-2610
Coolidge Corner Library (Public Library of Brookline – Coolidge Corner Branch)
The Coolidge Corner Library branch sits just off Beacon Street in a modernized building with large windows and a bustling children’s room. Residents stop in for book pickups, study sessions, and small events before heading back into the lively commercial district. The branch’s compact size and central location make it a convenient cultural stop between errands.
Phone: (617) 730-2380
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