Gayle and I took a long walk from our Hilton Paddington Hotel to Holland Park, specifically to see…read moreand enjoy their Japanese (Kyoto) Garden. We were not disappointed. It's a sizable park and feels more like being in a jungle vs. the more manicured London green spaces like Kensington Gardens or Hyde Park. So after our visit to the Japanese Garden, we enjoyed just wandering around and kind of getting lost. We also appreciated the peace and quiet that comes with the relative lack of crowds.

I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. This picturesque park made my family from…read morethe US feel like we lived in London. There is so much to do, plenty of walking trails and gardens, and somehow it's not a tourist trap in any way. We stumbled upon this park, but in hindsight it should've been a prime destination. It didn't hurt that the weather was absolutely perfect. Oh yeah, and there are sizable playgrounds for kids, some for toddlers and smaller kiddos, and an adventure park for older kids. This park has been one of the highlights of our visit to the UK.

This has to be one of North London's best kept secrets! I can't believe I had never heard of this…read moregarden (even my dad had not heard of it and he grew up near here.) I assume the lucky locals would like to keep this as a secret treasure, but it is too good not to share with yelpers!! The Pergola and Hill Gardens are hidden between Hampstead Heath and Golders Hill Park. The Pergola half of the garden is essentially a long raised walkway, under a long pergola made from wood and stone, covered in gorgeous smelling roses and other climbing plants. The other half of the garden has a large square pond full of lilies, sculptured hills and nice soft grass to sit on and have a picnic. I have a feeling it could be very busy on nice days...but when we visited it all seemed far quieter than Golders Hill Park - even though it is so, so much nicer. Practicalities: - If you don't want to walk, just take the 210 bus and get off at Inverforth House, you can see the signs to the garden. - It's free (!)

This place is beyond beautiful. I'm always surprised when I find places like this in London that is…read moreopen for the general public with no fee. Tucked away on the smaller side of Hampstead Heath, in between Hampstead Heath and Golders Hill Park is this little Gem. Because it's hidden away it's less busy than both the known green spaces. The pergola goes on and on with hidden entrances to the gardens. The gardens all have walk ways for you to meander through them. I can imagine that this place will get used for many photoshoots. You have to be careful you're not walking into someone else's shot. None of the photos or reviews will EVER do this place justice. Trust me and go see for yourself.

The park around Kensington Palace is one of the nicest parks that we visited during our stay in…read moreLondon. The park is immaculate with an abundance of walkways, trees and interesting statues throughout. During our visit on a chilly wet day, there were few people in the park. A massive memorial to Prince Albert commissioned by Queen Victoria is the most prominent feature of the park. A large duck pond is centrally located in the park with walkways around. Closer to Kensington, is a statue of a young Queen Victoria and a manicured English garden, complete with vine covered walkways. We saw a glimpse of a fabulous playground, currently under construction, will open in the summer of 2026. The Park was once the exclusive backyard and gardens of Kensington Palace, but now is open to all. The park is well worth a visit.

Beautiful park in the heart of the city overlooking the palace. The park boasts an expansive duck…read morepark area to walk around. Lovely!

Easily the largest park in the Shepherd's Bush/Hammersmith area. Very popular with families and dog…read morewalkers as you might expect. Despite being large it has quite a bit of character and is a much more pleasant walking route from the Ravenscourt Park station to my house than trotting up Conningham Road or whatever other awful roads. They're actually quite nice roads, the whole area is very agreeable and the park is a big contributer to that nice feeling. Good for frisbee.

This is an incredible park…read more Friends and family who visit from outside London are amazed by it. It's like one of those parks you see in old children's picture books. Not just a big expanse of green - though it has that, too - there are lots of winding pathways and a small lake with an island, ducks, swans and geese ...and three separate kids play areas, all with different activities including a zip wire, tyre swings and great climbing frames. There's a huge Paddling Pool and a sandpit. There are dog-free, dog-specific and general areas. Basketball court, football pitch, tennis courts, even a beautifully kept bowling green. And - my favourite - a walled scented garden with shaded benches. This park has everything. Not forgetting the great café, recently taken over by Fait Maison, which does drinks and food, with lots of outdoor and indoor seating and yet another play area. And if the yummy mummyness of that cafe is too much for you, the Ginko garden centre at the south end of the park (yes, it has a garden centre, too) also has a great cafe. And it's right next to Ravenscourt Park tube.

The park has been around since the 1500s and is nearly 350 acres. I've visited a couple of times…read morebut don't think I'll ever be able to cover it all. Artwork throughout the park as well as memorials. On our first visit we saw war memorials. There's one for Princess Di as well. You can swim in the lake (I've not done that...yet). Another green space offering serenity from the hustle and bustle of a big city.

On our last full day in London, we spent the day at Hyde Park, one of London's most famous public…read moreparks. We purchased sandwiches at Harrods Food Hall, and ate our lunch in the park (we also purchased some beer and wine at a cafe in the park). It was a beautiful spring day, not too hot, not too cold -- just perfect. While we didn't see the entire park (at 350 acres, that would be impossible), we had a great day -- Hyde Park was one of the highlights of my time in London. We spent the majority of our time in Hyde Park watching the birds at the waterfront. I'm not a bird expert, but I saw at least nine different kinds of birds: swans, geese, Canadian Geese, ducks, seagulls, herons, pigeons, starlings, and crows. And further in the park, we saw parakeets. The diversity was amazing! If you're in London, Hyde Park is a MUST MUST MUST SEE! It also makes for an inexpensive day. Other things to note: you must pay to use the toilet, but it's only 20p. However, you can't pay by cash, only by credit card (which was fine by me, as I hate cash), and unlike Amsterdam, which charged €1, the washroom was CLEAN (there was an attendant). While I'm not a fan of paying to use the washroom, at least it was cheap (unlike Amsterdam), clean (unlike in my city or Amsterdam), and hassle free (unlike Amsterdam). [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; London, England; Parks and Gardens]

Such a lovely park for children of all ages. There is a really nice playground with two separate…read moreareas for younger children and older children. As an American I was astonished to see that the playgrounds in the UK have much less rigid safety standards then the US and its ... AWESOME! I would have loved to be a child here. I'm pretty sure this playground has a rockwall attached to the slide. I typically use the smaller child side which has a smaller slide, small rockwall and sliding poll. There is also a small train and other small "toy" areas for very young children to play with. If your baby can stand your baby will have something to do here. There is only one baby swing that seems to be in constant use, which is why I'm scoring this a 4 instead of 5 stars. Saturday mornings are a dad fest here... As if all the moms said "get these kids out of the house! I've had them all week!" Will post photos next time I'm here.

You'll always have a lovely time at Queen's Park. Whether it's a stroll around the shady perimeter…read moreor enjoying the sometimes sun, be sure to step into the beautifully manicured corner garden for some peaceful bench-sitting and flower-gazing. The kiddos will like the sheep, goats, and fowl in the mini-zoo (parts of the year), in between playground and football. The cafe is quaint and nice for settling in with a drink and snack, or catch Shakespeare in summer. And they have tennis courts. So I'll see you there next time

I'm so lucky to have so many open spaces close to where I live. Queens Park is within walking…read moredistance, and a great place to visit during the summer months. This park comes under the City of London park group. Like Primrose Hill it is nowhere near the city, so I can't understand the connection. It is larger than it looks as from the road it looks more like a large urban square. It has plent of facilities, including a paddling pool, tennis courts, a band stand, play ground with sand pit and probably most surprising; it has a 9 hole 'Pitch and Putt' golf course. It aslo has a cafe in the centre, with plenty of outside seating available, both in the sun and shade. They do not allow cycling in the park, nor people having a BBQ. This park aslo holds festivals during the summer months. It can get really busy during the summer if the weather is nice, especially when the schools break out. I would recommend anyone to pay it a visit, especially if the weather is nice.

Large park with many entrances. Construction has closed some entrances. There is paid street…read moreparking throughout the park. There are maps throughout the park, but not all show where you are. Gardens that change with season as well as rose garden. Loo cost 20 pence. There is a theater. Lots of benches, wide promenade where dogs are allowed off leash.

Huge beautiful park with lots of greenery and flowers. As we were walking through, we could see a…read morelot of workers actively planting new flowers and such. A lot of places to chill and take pictures too.

I don't know how anyone could have anything negative to say about Primrose Hill. Perhaps I'm biased…read moreas it's the closest park to me (Hampstead Heath being the second) but I just find it so idyllic. On a warm day you'll find many people having picnics, walking their dogs, or just enjoying the view. There are also many cafes and shops within walking distance, so if you find you want something to eat you can easily get to a cafe in 10-15 minutes walking. I personally recommend Lemonia or Alma for a nice lunch. Overall I think Primrose Hill is magical and I will spend every possible second of free time I have there

Before gnawing on turkey legs and slabs of rare prime rib, Henry VIII used this patch of greenery…read moreas his hunting grounds presumably while his six wives looked on with royal comportment. The only thing that has lasted through the last six centuries is the patch of greenery which Jamie W. and I trodded upon after walking along the Regent's Canal. It was a swelteringly hot day in London except for one slight breeze we felt once we made it to the top of the hill summit. From there, you get quite the unexpected views of central London. A crowd did gather but nothing like the masses that swarm the Sky Garden or the Shard. I suggest offering to take photos of people in front of the view in order for them to reciprocate in kind. Most were very accommodating, and for those few who demur and refused to take your picture, there's a special place in hell for them where they're constantly blinded by flash bulbs. The walk down the hill was also lovely as you see civilized people doing civilized things like having a white tablecloth picnic or creating a landscape painting under a leafy tree suitable for a mid-priced motel. We just crossed Prince Albert Road to walk through Regent's Park, one of the city's more splendorous parks. RELATED - Exploring London? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zFACrx