It stretches roughly from Lebanon Street east to the Saugus, Massachusetts line and is positioned in between the Mount Hood Golf Club neighborhood (to the south) and the Horace Mann neighborhood (to the north).

The area was mostly built out in the early twentieth century with a large majority of the houses being Colonials and Victorians.

The park is the only one of its kind in Melrose and serves as a central meeting place for citywide activities such as summer programs and Fourth of July festivities.

The East Side is the closest Melrose neighborhood to Saugus and US Route 1.

Additionally, MBTA bus route 131 runs to and from Melrose Highlands through the East Side to Malden Center Station or Oak Grove Station on the MBTA Orange Line during the morning and evening rush hours as well as in the afternoon.