London is known as a big and bustling city, but there are a lot of parks in London where you can relax. Here are some of the big parks in London where you can relax, get some fresh air and admire the gardens.
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Parks in London City
The Regents Park and Primrose Hill
At the top end of the city off Marylebone Road is The Regents Park. Underground stations nearby are Great Portland Station, Regents Park and Baker Street.
There is so much to see and do walking through the gardens, and it can take you as long or as short a time as you like. At 410 acres (166 hectares), you could end up spending the whole day here.
The Queen’s Mary’s Gardens hold the Rose and Begonia Gardens. When in full bloom, this part of the park will be full of colour and well worth a visit.
Walking through here, you will find a cascading waterfall on the Japanese Garden Island.
London Zoo
At the northern end of the park is London Zoo, a great place to visit, especially for families.
With many walk-through areas, you can get up close to animals and see them in as near an environment as they are from.
Hours
ZSL London Zoo is normally open every day of the year except Christmas Day.
| Dates | Opening | Last entry | Closing |
| 29 March – 1 September 2024 | 10:00 | 17:00* | 18:00* |
| 2 September – 27 October 2024 | 10:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 |
| 28 October 2024 – 14 February 2025 | 10:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 |
| 15 February 2025 – 29 March 2025 | 10:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 |
- The last admission is one hour before the advertised closing time
- Some animal exhibits may close up to 30 minutes before closing time
Eateries and cafes
- Coffees and hot drinks are available from our Barista Bar outside The Terrace Restaurant from 10 am until the Zoo closes. The restaurant is open for takeaways from 11.30 am – 3.30 pm.
Prices
All tickets must be booked in advance, which you can do on their website.
Going further north is Primrose Hill, with great views of London and a beautiful spot for picnics. This will make a lovely end to the day, or you can head into Camden Town.
Hyde Park
At 350 acres (23 hectares), Hyde Park is the second-largest in London city.
If you visit Hyde Park on a Sunday, go to the Speakers Corner to hear people’s views. You can then head over to the Serpentine, where you go on a row or pedal boat.
If you walk through to the end, you’ll find Kensington Palace and Gardens.
Kensington Palace
Take a tour of the Palace, learning all about the history of the Royals that have called it home.
Hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 10.00 – 18.00 last admission: 17.00
The Sunken Garden, featuring the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, can be viewed during normal opening hours only, Wednesday-Sunday:10.00-18.00
Prices
- Adult: £24.00
- Child: £12.00
Read more on Kensington Palace on my blog, Using the London Pass.
St. James’s Park
With Buckingham Palace at one end and the Horses Guard Parade at the other, St. James’s Park is my favourite park.
At 56 acres (23 hectares), this is the second smallest park in London, but still worth a visit. It’s a very central park with a lot of attractions only minutes away, like the Churchill War Rooms, Westminster Abbey, the Royal Mews and the Queen’s Gallery. You can find more information on these attractions on my blog, Using the London Pass.
With beautiful gardens, a lake in the middle and wildlife on both the water and the land, this makes it a great park to just sit and relax and watch everything that is going on.
Green Park
Green Park is another central park next to Buckingham Palace. This is definitely the park to relax in, with deck chairs available for rent.
With an underground station next to it, this park it’s very accessible.
A new addition to the park is the RAF Bomber Command Memorial. This memorial commemorates the 55,573 airmen who lost their lives during World War 2.
Parliament Square Garden
In the heart of the political capital are the Parliament Square Gardens. This green oasis borders the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the Supreme Court.
Visit here to see statues of great people from history, Churchill, Mandela, Gandhi and Millicent Fawcett or to take a break from exploring.
Parks in Greater London
Kew Gardens
One of the best parks, Kew Gardens, is 300 acres (121 hectares), and you can catch the underground on the District line, one station back from Richmond just outside of central London.
Another vast park where you can spend all day exploring the gardens and hothouses and do the Tree Tops Walk.
Walking 18m off the ground, you get to see the gardens from the perspective of a bird, far up in the canopy of the trees.
From here you can also visit Kew Palace. Home of George III and Queen Charlotte, you can also view Queen Charlotte’s Cottage. There is also the Great Pagoda which you can climb, although it is 253 steps if you are able.
Both of these attractions require further payment.
Hours
10 am – 7 pm (last entry 6 pm) every day.
Prices
Please check their website to see current prices.
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is the biggest park in London, covering 2500 acres. This is a massive park, and if you want to explore it, it would be best to stay in the area unless you have a car to get around.
The Richmond Line is the best way to get here from London, and you can explore Kew Gardens, the stop before, on this line as well.
It is home to many types of wildlife, including Deer, bats, squirrels and birds. Rabbits and foxes, as well as many smaller mammals, are also here, although may be harder to find.
If your interest is in insects or flora, this park will also interest you. It is not only diverse but has a protected status on it, as it’s an important habitat for all wildlife it contains.
It is one of the best parks to visit from London, but you can also base yourself here and explore this area which is rich in history as Hampton Court Palace, Runnymede, and Windsor are not far away.
Bushy Park
Bushy Park is another one of the great parks in London to visit. It is the second-largest park at 445 hectares (1,100 acres) in the area and just across the road from Hampton Court Palace.
There are plenty of parking areas and walks to be had here as well as the Pheasantry Cafe for freshly baked refreshments.
The Deer once again are free to wander the grounds, and if you’re lucky, you might see some squirrels as well.
This is an excellent park in Greater London for families to enjoy, whether you have a picnic or just walk through the parkland before or after a visit to Hampton Court Palace.
Conclusion
I hope that you will get time to enjoy the parks in London. It certainly is great to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city and breathe some fresh air.
If you want more to see and do in London, then check out my other blogs Merlin London Big Adventure Pass and Using the London Pass.
Where I Stayed
I stayed in four YHAs while spending time in London, YHA London St. Paul’s, YHA Central London and YHA London Oxford Street.
All are near attractions which is why I moved around. YHA London St. Paul’s is convenient for St. Paul’s, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, but for getting up early to get those dawn shots as it’s so close to the River Thames and the Millennium Bridge.
YHA London Oxford Street and Central London are the best stays for attractions north and west of London like London Zoo, Madame Tussaud’s and Buckingham Palace.
Facilities
YHA London Oxford Street
- Free Wi-Fi in common areas and Internet
- 24-Hour Reception
- Towels, padlocks and power adapters are available for rent
- Hostel Activities like walks, pub crawls etc
- Meal Available
- Late check out
- Luggage Storage
- Laundry
- Bar
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Key Card Access
- Near bus stops and underground
- Vending Machines
YHA London Central
- Wifi and full mobile coverage
- Stylish cafe and bar at the heart of the hostel
- Self-catering Kitchen
- 5-minutes Walk from Oxford Street
- Self-catering facilities are available at any time of the day
- 24-hour access after check-in and 24-hour reception
- Ambulant and Wheelchair accessible
- Contactless payments
- Evening meals
- Licensed bar
- Near bus stop, train station and underground
- Water refill station
- Luggage store
- Vending Machines
- Unlimited Breakfast
YHA London St. Paul’s
- Free Wifi
- Internet Access
- Fully Licensed Restaurant
- Free City Maps
- Linen Included
- Common Room
- Security Lockers
- Hair Dryers and Towels For Hire
- Restaurant, Cafe and Bar
- Bicycle Parking and Hire
- Laundry Facilities
- 24-Hour Security
- Late Check-Out
- Luggage Storage
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Tea & Coffee Making Facilities
- Vending Machines
Where They Are
YHA London St. Paul’s is located in a former St. Paul’s Choir School at 36 Carter Lane.
YHA London Oxford Street is at 14 Noel Street, one block back from Oxford Street and between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road Underground Stations.
YHA London Central is at 104 Bolsover Street, a 5-minute walk to Great Portland Street Underground Station and Marylebone Road.
How To Book
If you would like to stay at the YHA London St. Paul’s, the YHA London Oxford Street, the YHA London Central or the YHA London Lee Valley, click on the links and get ready to start your adventure in London.
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I have just walked through all those beautiful gardens in London your description of each of them was so good felt like I was walking around them myself really enjoyed your photography as well feel like I have a lovely day out
Thanks very much, Kathy. I’m glad that you felt as though you were walking the parks as you were reading.
Beautiful London parks, and fantastic photos. There is a 3-d quality to your animals that really brings them to life.
Thanks Rhonda. It’s easy to take photos of beautiful places and nature.
While I visited most of these beautiful parks in London, Kew Park is on my bucket list. Love to do that tree-top walk and visit the great pagoda!
I agree Michela, Kew is beautiful and I’d go back as the nearly 3 hours I had there wasn’t enough.
These photos are incredible! I had no idea there were so many stunning parks in London.
Thanks, Stephanie. These parks are my escape from the crowds and hectic pace of London.
For such a city with such a high population density London really does create and appreciate open and natural spaces – love it!
Thanks, Gabby. I love escaping the crowds to one of their parks and I just love the squirrels.
Lovely post! And photos! I also shoot with a Nikon! I especially love the animal photos! I was in England 15 years ago and have wanted to go ever since! I was too young to realllyyy appreciate it
Thanks, Lauren. I hope that you get back and make fresh memories in the United Kingdom.
This is a great post, I wish I would have read it before visiting LOndon 🙂
Thanks, Ann. It’s always the way you find out something about somewhere after you’ve left.
Your photos are really lovely. Ive been to a couple of these but most I’ve never heard of. Saving to refer to on my next trip!
Thanks, Laureen. I hope that you get to visit them all next time.
What gorgeous wildlife photography. You have a great eye. I know lots of visitors come to London to look at the sights, but I love wandering around the parks, it’s great that there are so many green spaces in the capital.
Thanks, Jay. I couldn’t agree with you more about parks. They are a great escape from all the hustle and bustle of the city.
Wow your pictures are incredible. lovely inspiration.
Thanks, Karen.
Love the parks and have visited a few because I enjoy a touch of nature even in a bustling city like London. You have showcased them very well.
Thanks very much, Alma. I love London, but I love getting into the space and fresh air of its parks even more.
What a fabulous resource for when I am in London next fall. I’ve been to only a couple of these. Your photos are really lovely too.
Thanks very much, Laureen. I hope you enjoy the parks as much as I do.
I’ve only been to London for very short periods and never explored the parks. I will next time!
They are a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Denise.