Grove Street Park & Playground

If you live in Essex, this is probably already your go-to spot — and for good reason. The equipment is genuinely new, with separate structures that actually make sense for different ages, so your toddler isn’t getting bulldozed by older kids. Shade trees do real work here on hot days, and there’s enough open grass that kids can just run without bumping into anything. The walking path and bike track give parents and older kids something to do while the little ones wear themselves out on the slides and climbing structure. Clean, well-kept, close to the trails — it checks basically every box.