We walked from the London Eye to Southbank Centre for a late lunch one afternoon last month, and…read moreour path went right through Jubilee Gardens, a vibrant landscaped public park. Our kids pointed at ice cream trucks and a merry-go-round, and it took some effort to keep them on track so we could feed them actual food.
We had no set plans after lunch and decided to indulge them by going back into Jubilee Gardens. We started with a ride on the carousel, which cost £4 a ticket, and required a paying adult to ride with small children. It was, at least, a pretty fun carousel, classic horses painted in extremely bright colors, and what felt like unusually high speeds.
Our boys then wanted ice cream, and we took a little walking survey of the options on offer. There was a paleta stand that actually looked good, but one of our kids will only eat ice cream with chocolate. We ended up back toward the London Eye, where there were two very similar carts selling standard ice cream bars and slushies. Our six-year-old got a classic Magnum bar, while our three-year-old insisted on a blue slushie. It was a hot day and he had his shirt unbuttoned, and he walked around Jubilee Gardens sipping on that blue drink. A regular boardwalk dirtbag.
The park was full of interesting sights, not least of them the Thames and the London Eye, which overlooked it all. We stayed on the promenade, but it was obvious even there that the landscaping was well done. Lots of space to walk along the river, with tons of shade from a line of tall trees. There were several street performers out doing their thing. Living statues, dance crews, singers with acoustic guitars.
We apparently missed an enormous playground, but we got plenty of entertainment in the riverfront section of the park. My boys had a blast at Jubilee Gardens, and we'd all love to go back.
