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.

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]

Woah! This park has it all! Also known as St Mark's Park…read more(after the street on which is located) Kensington memorial is brilliant and the perfect place for kids and adult to go crazy. This park has been recently refurbished and I am very happy because its like 10 mins away from mine. It is wheelchair accessible, has a adventure playground with colourful apparatus+ sand box, a larger play area for older children with space rockets climbing frames etc and a large water park that is an absolute blessing on these hot, hot day! And the best part?! It is all free!! There is also a small shop(open during the summer months) that sells hot/cold snacks and chairs and tables you can eat at. Lots of toilets, grass, shade etc. It also includes tennis courts, football, junior cricket classes and One O'clock club which is managed by Family and Children's Services. The park was opened in 1926 in memoriam to those who fell in the Great War.

This place is amazing. Truly amazing…read more While visiting South Kensington for a family vacation, our football-obsessed son was craving a spot to stretch his legs and kick a soccer ball around. It's surprisingly difficult to find a place to do that. There's plenty of neighborhood green areas in Kensington but those don't allow ball play. There's also large lawn areas but those don't have goals. After a ton of random searching, I came across this spot and thought I'd chance it. This place checks all the boxes. Astro turf. Free Not crowded Food/coffee nearby (via the local church) 100% win

Tucked away just off the King's Road next to the church where Charles Dickens said his "I do"s, is…read moreSt. Luke's Gardens. Popular with locals at lunchtime, yoga practitioners throughout the day, mums & nannies taking little ones for walks, and plenty of friendly pigeons, it's a lovely little spot. I've wandered here a few times over the past few years, but recently found solace under a tree on a dry bench as a flash rain shower soaked everything and everyone around me. I got about 3 drops on me - which was pretty cool. It's nice to know there's a little haven amongst the local hustle and bustle to escape to. I'm a big fan of church yards in general and while I do find it weird that the old gravestones have mostly been removed and lined up around the fence wall by the church, it's still a beautiful & relaxing spot to enjoy.

Home Park is the name given to the area of Hampton Court Palace park which is open to the public…read more It is a large expanse of parkland (over 550 acres) and a perfect place to get some exercise and fresh air, and escape the urban bustle of west London. I've always found it surprisingly quiet - less busy than adjacent Bushy Park or Richmond Park. It is easily accessible from either Kingston-upon-Thames (a 10 minute walk) or Hampton Court railways stations (5 minutes). The area has been a royal hunting ground for centuries, but it was Henry VIII who enclosed the area to form the park as it is now. In 1639 Charles I created the Longford river to bring water to the park, and in 1661 Charles II created the main feature, the "Long Water", effectively a wide ornamental canal, over half a mile long, flanked with a double row of trees on each bank. It was in the park that William III had his riding accident in 1702 (when his horse stumbled on a molehill) from which he died shortly afterwards. The park was opened to the public in 1893 and the golf course opened in 1895. The area south of the Long Water is mostly occupied by the golf course: the park is otherwise a mixture of small wooded areas, ponds and small lakes, and uncut acid grassland; this grassland is home to a wide variety of insects and attracts many different bird species as well as colonies of bats. The park also contains 7,000 trees (including a nationally important concentration of mistletoe, growing on lime trees) and a herd of 300 fallow deer. It is therefore protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Access is through various gates: the closest to Hampton Court is a 5-minute walk along the river bank from the end of Hampton Court Palace bridge. There are also gates along Hampton Court Road and close to Kingston Bridge. There are paths for walkers and cyclists: vehicles are only permitted for those members driving to the golf course. if you are walking in winter, the paths can get very muddy, so waterproof walking boots are advisable. Visitors are advised to stay at least 50 metres from the deer, and to keep dogs on leash when in their vicinity (it is an offence to let dogs approach or chase the deer, and the park noticeboards record a number of prosecutions of dog owners for this, as a warning). Fishing in the ponds and Long Water is strictly by permit only. The park is closed at sundown - closing times are posted on gates, and also on the park website.

What a delightful hidden gem!…read more Cricket in the summer, joggers doing their thing, ice cream van parked up and us rugby boys running amok on a Thursday night. What's not to like? Squirrelled away in South Fulham, this little park is hidden by residential housing on all sides. It's worth finding it though, it's just so lovely. This is hidden London, the stuff the tourists will never see. I'd thoroughly recommend grabbing a wee picnic and some beers and parking up for the evening to watch some cricket in the sun and generally feel very smug about how good life can be sometimes....

What a lovely park!…read more I discovered this place as I met up there for lunch with a friend who works nearby. It's like a magical walled little respite away from the busy road and bustling bridge traffic just nearby. Lots of sports pitches, grass open space, play space for kids, and beautiful big trees to relax under. An all-around beautiful park!

Take a stroll along the canals through Little Venice, with peaceful surroundings leading to lively…read moredining and entertainment as you wind toward Paddington. Enjoy the eclectic boats parked along the way; maybe the On Air sign will be lit on the radio boat. Be sure to visit Rembrandt Gardens at the canal fork, then decide if you"ll head left toward Regent's. Of course we'll return.

A wonderful part of the city near Paddington Station where you can walk along and around the canal…read morearea and just take in the scenery. It was nice and quiet in the morning, there were a few cafes close by in the area as well. While on the path keep an eye out for bike riders going by as they use the canal path too.

went to the park last week with our children and saw the new slide area which is absolutely…read moreterrible. To be able to get up to the slide, you have to crawl through small holes which are very dangerous if you step backwards and forget that it's there.. I'm surprised it's been allowed. Also considering it's near Great Ormond Street Hospital, you would think it was more of an SEN friendly park. Such a shame.

Wish the ground is soft neat foam like ground not dirt ground. Other than that seems more down to…read moreearth than US ones. Two bouncing crossing ropes" are extreme fun for 5 yrs n plus kids.

I mean, the place inspired one of the best rom coms of the 90s so you better believe it's cute,…read morequaint and romantic! Explore the neighborhood of Notting Hill and you'll see streets filled with iconic, colorful houses. But not all the houses are colorful. In some parts of the neighborhood, there are gorgeous white buildings with beautiful architecture! A google search will give you some of the best streets to walk through or even a path to explore from top to bottom! There are a variety of little shops and a regular farmers market (although it's not must on days other than Saturday). Overall, it's a fun visit if you'd like to step away from the busy city and see some cute sights, but I wouldn't put it on the list as an absolute must visit.

Notting Hill is a neighborhood in West London that is known for shopping, and the movie 'Notting…read moreHill'. A lot of the filming for this famous film with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant was done in Notting Hill. This is a fun place to explore, shop and dine

Heyy yall!! This park is a great place to bring family!... besides the pond... my daughter was…read moreplaying near it and FELL IN!! She's ok I think. I hope she'll shower off. But my son joshiph started eating the grass because he thought it was gummy worms. He's ok but yolo (please say that was funny)

I love walking around in parks all over the world to see how other people enjoy their lovely days…read more This park is quite nice and super safe while walking around. I found a lot of ducks walking around and also beautiful scenery everywhere. The trees are so beautiful here and just walking around the area. Take some time here and just enjoy the scenery!