Cabrini Playground

If you live Uptown or Mid-City and want a low-key spot that actually has parking, Cabrini is worth knowing about. The enclosed play area keeps the little ones contained while you decompress on a shaded bench — the tree cover here is legit, not just a couple of scraggly branches. Kids 2 and up will find enough to do between the slides and climbing structure, and the open grass field doubles as a decent pickup soccer spot for older ones. It stays pretty quiet for a city park, and locals will tell you the equipment is consistently well-kept. Bring the dog too — this crowd is friendly about it.