Ann DeNicola Memorial Playground

This one’s a solid go-to in Bedford — the enclosed layout makes it easy to keep tabs on little ones while the bigger kids do their own thing on the climbing structure or fight over the tire swing. The water feature buys you extra time in the summer, and there’s a merry-go-round that the 6-to-10 crowd absolutely refuses to leave. Shade trees and covered seating mean you’re not just standing in the sun watching the clock, and the restrooms are actually clean, which matters more than people admit. The open grass field and walking path give you somewhere to stretch out beyond the playground itself. Good for a wide age spread — we’ve done it with a one-year-old and a ten-year-old at the same time and both were happy.