Plan Your Visit
To plan a visit to Larz Anderson Park: it's open dawn to dusk and the Town lists no entry or parking fee; drive in from Newton Street in Brookline and park in the rink or summit lot; and decide which of the paid extras you want — the auto museum ($15 for adults, 10 am – 3 pm, Tuesday through Sunday), a weekend car show from May to October, or winter skating at the outdoor rink. Everything else carries no fee: the Boston view from the top of the hill, the lagoon and Temple of Love, the playground, the lawns and, after snow, the sledding slopes. The busy times are car-show weekends and snow days.
Your Visit at a Glance
Choose Your Visit
- An hour for the view: park in the summit lot and walk the Top of the Hill.
- A museum morning: the auto museum opens at 10 am, Tuesday to Sunday.
- A summer Sunday: a lawn event at the museum plus a picnic.
- A family afternoon: the playground, a reserved grill site and a walk to the lagoon.
- A winter day: public skating, then sledding.
- A dog walk: on leash anywhere allowed, or off leash on the hilltop for registered Green Dog dogs (dog rules).
Getting There
The park sits at Goddard Avenue and Newton Street in Brookline. Cars use the park road: in from Newton Street, past the ice rink lot, up to the summit lot, and out onto Avon Street. Parking is free but limited to designated spaces during park hours, and the museum warns it gets very tight on car-show days, when it suggests carpooling, a rideshare or a bike. Read the parking guide before a weekend trip.
When to Go
- Spring: dogs stay off the fields while the ground thaws (generally March).
- Summer: picnics, the playground and car shows (May through October); reserve grill sites early.
- Fall: the Town lists the slopes for watching sunsets, and car shows run through October.
- Winter: the outdoor rink opens and the slopes fill with sleds after snow; Green Dog off-leash hours extend to dawn to dusk.
What to Bring
- Food and drink — picnics are welcome, but no alcohol anywhere in the park.
- Cash for show-day food: the museum says Putterham Grille sells food at lawn events, cash only.
- A blanket or chairs. Leave the tent: Brookline's park rules require a permit to pitch a tent or put up a structure.
- A kite, a frisbee or a ball — the Town lists the slopes for kite flying, and fields are first come, first served.
- Skates, or $8 for rentals at the rink; a sled after snow.
What to Leave at Home
- Portable grills and hibachis — use the park's grills, by permit.
- Drones — banned in the park, per the museum, and the Town bans aerial devices.
- Inflatables, fireworks, amplified speakers and alcohol.
- Fishing gear — no fishing in the lagoon.
Accessibility
The Town's rink plans keep accessible parking at the top of the hill and describe a lower accessible parking area by the rink. Paths around the lagoon were repaved in 2022, and restrooms are next to the play area; the Town proposes accessibility upgrades to that comfort station. A portable accessible picnic table can be requested from the Park Ranger, first come, first served. The park is a hill with what the Town calls sweeping slopes, so plan your route with the park map.
Who to Call
- Park maintenance (Town Parks and Open Space): (617) 879-5650
- Permits and reservations (Brookline Recreation): 617-730-2069
- Ice rink, in season: (617) 879-4998
- Larz Anderson Auto Museum: 617-522-6547
- Emergencies: 911
More: hours and fees · rules · park map · FAQ · park history.
Visit Planning FAQ
How long do you need at Larz Anderson Park?
There's no time limit; the park is open dawn to dusk. A walk to the hilltop and the lagoon is a short visit; the museum or a car show makes it a longer one.
What is there to do at Larz Anderson Park?
Visit the Larz Anderson Auto Museum and its lawn-event car shows, skate at the outdoor rink in winter, sled, picnic, see the lagoon and Temple of Love, use the playground, and take in the Boston skyline from the top of the hill.
When is Larz Anderson Park busiest?
On car-show weekends from May to October, when the museum calls parking very limited, and after a snowfall when the sledding slopes fill.