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]

Gladstone is a nice reprieve from the crowds, with peaceful paths winding up and around trees and…read morehills with scenic views. Visit the cafe and grab a seat on a bench to watch the world go by, and return often morning or afternoon throughout the seasons. You'll have plenty of shade if it's sunny, and space to enjoy the sun on a grassy knoll. I'll return weekly, at least, for my morning run.

Lovely park down the street from me. There's a community…read morecenter attached that has a great yoga class and a small gym. There's a coffee shop hidden beyond a walled garden at the top of the hill (you gotta work for that latte gurrlll). And two, count em, TWO different playgrounds. lots of lovely grass to lounge and be one with nature. or enough space to get away from the yummy mummys enjoying the facilities at well.

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!

Perhaps you'll miss out on some over-stimulation while visiting The Regent's Park. You won't see…read moremany dancers, won't ride any rides, can't see any guards changing. But come for the scenery and relaxation to see why this Royal Park rivals all others on the list. You'll see roses most of the year, with an explosion of scent and color during high spring. Ask you symmetry fans won't leave disappointed either, with plenty of geometric shapes to satisfy the harshest shape critics. If you bike, even though you'll walk through much of the park. you'll have several roads to explore, including going around the Queen Mary's Garden loop x infinity. After that catch some match game ball sport activity or grab a degree or two from Regent's University on-site. Why not?!? Later in the morning the zoo calls, and if you're not local, you have plenty of hotel choices nearby. Or do like us locals and stroll over from a nearby tube stop. You'll find Baker Street, Regent's, or Camden Townamong others within 15 mins or so, and of course pass plenty of food stops along the way. If you go into too much tourism-withdrawal, you remain close to the London city-center scene, all the while knowing you can escape back to serenity like the royalty did here before it was open to all us plebes. Remember they close those big golden gates at dusk, which is way too early in winter, and look out for me there next time because I'll be returning again and again and again.

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.

We walked thru St.James Park on our way to Buckingham Palace. This is the oldest Royal Park in…read moreLondon. Over 57 acres with a small lake,it borders Buckingham Palace and the Clarence House. Many benches through the park as well as a nice kids play area. We loved watching all the various ducks and other waterfowl in the lake.

We walked from Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace and we went through all of Saint James Park…read more What a lovely area of London and so relaxing compared to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There were families, relaxing in the grass, couples hanging out having lunch, kids running around and everybody just seemed to be enjoying the beautiful London weather. It's a long walk from Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace, but it was so relaxing and so enjoyable to look around and see the swans and ducks and just all of the English enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather

The Westminster Council website describes the Channel 4 Community Gardens as : 'A small informal…read morelocal park adjacent to and at the back of the Channel 4 building. It is a semi public garden, serving mainly its local residents but fully publicly accessible'. This lovely little spot off Medway Street is the perfect place to go after picking up some awesome eats over at Strutton Ground Market. The economic backgrounds of the people that hang out in the park are very diverse... But you would hardly tell this to look around. Everyone always seems content and chilled. This is a place where people come to forget their worries There are plenty of lovely plants and benches dotted around, and even a jungle gym. I wish I knew how to use the various pieces of equipment (it's not that I haven't tried, believe me!).

Walpole Park has a lot going for it. It's only a few minutes from Ealing Broadway station and the…read moreshopping areas. It's a good size, and can easily accommodate several football matches while leaving room for picnickers. It has duck ponds, open grassy areas, trees and shrubs, a small gazebo, a (quite busy) young children's playground, lots of benches, and a really nice pond with some small bridges (the latter area often used for wedding photos). There are flower beds here and there, but mostly you just feel it's lawn and bushes and trees. It's well-kept, and I see constant renovation to keep it up (new trash bins and benches are being put in). Come here on any sunny weekend and you'll see families having lunch, people feeding the ducks and squirrels, playing football and frisbee, and people running. I use this park all the time for running. The paved path around the perimeter is almost exactly 1 mile in length (as is Lammas Park, which is just across the street on the south side of Walpole). The Ealing Summer Festival (http://www.ealing.gov.uk/services/leisure/ealing_summer/) uses Walpole Park a lot. The Comedy Festival and the Jazz Festival both set up here for a week each. It's a great place to hold large-scale tented events, and miraculously the grass comes back every year! The London Wildcare Field Centre was opened here a couple of years ago, which rehabilitates injured urban animals. Kids can see birds, foxes, and other animals here and learn a bit about them. I see a lot of animals in the park anyway: many birds and squirrels and ducks, and even cranes in the pond by the bridge. Pitshanger Manor is in the park, a beautiful historic home with a free art gallery inside, open 6 days/week. Walpole Park is open 7 days a week, but, like most, its hours vary according to the time of year. It's roughly open when it's light. Downside: like any public place, you do sometimes get people drinking and sleeping in the park. In the evening, teens do gather and inhabit it (even after closing). As a result, there is a blanket order that police can order you not to drink in the park, or ask you to leave if you fail to do so. This order's clearly aimed at troublesome and underage drinking, though, and they never bother those just having a quiet picnic.

A nice park tucked away behind Ealing Broadway shops. It's close enough to the shops that in good…read moreweather you can grab a sandwich and then saunter into the park and locate a bench for a leisurely lunch. There is a cafe in the park but it only opens in the Summer. There is an ornamental pond where a variety of ducks and geese hang out, and a walled rose garden. A small area is given over to rescued animals that can't be released back into the wild, the albino squirrel is unusual, there's also an owl, some foxes and pheasants. A playground geared to pre-schoolers is invariably busy. Expect to see dogs being walked, footballs being kicked and lots and lots of squirrels. (Update: the animal section has now closed.)

A tiny little green space along the Thames in Pimlico which I didn't know was there until recently…read morewalking past. Definitely the sort of park that is great for a picnic or a relaxing pause on a bench, as opposed to the sort of park that's great for frisbee or chasing a dog around. There's a boating club abutting the one side and a nifty statue at the other end. Views across the river to Nine Elms and Vauxhall.