20 Best Parks in London in 2023 (By a Local)

With so many green spaces, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to luscious parks in London. There’s just nothing quite like escaping the concrete with an idyllic lawn in the center of the city.

I’m a London local, and I can tell you firsthand that London has a wealth of parks and greenery, especially compared to most other world-class cities I’ve visited. To help you choose the best ones for you, I’ve hand selected the best parks that London offers and put them together below.

This guide may also help you determine where to stay in London, based on which parks stand out to you. Nature lovers, this one’s for you!

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20 Best Parks in London

Hyde Park

Arguably London’s most famous park, located in the heart of Westminster.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Hyde Park London Website 

Hyde Park is London’s most well-known and popular park and is one of the 8 Royal Parks in London. Located in the central London borough of Westminster, the park neighbors the stunning Kensington Gardens which were a part of the park in the 1700s.

Hyde Park has been featured in many feature films and has offerings for the whole family. Between tennis courts, a sports ground, a Princess Diana memorial fountain, a playground, and a waterside cafe, you won’t be bored here.

The tree-lined paths resemble those of New York’s famous Central Park and make for a great date spot in London to go for a stroll with a cup of tea or coffee.

👉 Pro Tip: Renting a Santander bike is a great alternative way to explore the park.

Battersea Park

One of the most beautiful parks in London that features gardens, lush greenery, sculptures, a peaceful pagoda, and an awesome outdoor cafe.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Battersea Park Website 

Battersea Park in Southwest London specializes in tranquillity. There is a peaceful pagoda located in the center of the park and close to the waterfront, which was built in 1985 and contains statues representing phases of the Buddha’s life.

This is my favorite park in London for many reasons, and it has so much to offer for individuals, couples, families, and friends. The park runs along the River Thames, making it a great place for a stroll on a nice sunny day or to watch the sunset.

Highlights of the park include the Pear Tree Cafe, a boating lake, an in-park mini golf course, floodlit tennis courts, and a trail that leads you to the refurbished Battersea Power Station; an essential stop on any London itinerary.

Green Park

Green Park provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, while also being in close proximity to Buckingham Palace.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Green Park Website 

London’s Green Park is located in the heart of central London, making you feel like you’ve escaped from the city altogether. The location of this park is great, as it is right next to Buckingham Palace, making it easy to visit both places on the same day. 

This park is a small but great place to take a quick nature break when wandering around London’s attractions and is not as busy as some of the other popular parks. In the summertime, you can find fun lawn chairs stationed around the park for a couple of dollars.

🌳 How to Get There: Green Park tube station is positioned right outside of the park and is connected to the Victoria, Piccadilly, and Jubilee lines.

Richmond Park

Home to over 600 adorable deer since 1600s, Richmond Park is London’s biggest park and nature reserve.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Richmond Park Website

Richmond Park is an excellent place to see some wildlife in the city. Famously known for its spaciousness as London’s largest park, you will likely be able to spot several red and fallow deer grazing around the park while you take a gander.

The neighborhood of Richmond, in general, is a lovely area to explore and will make you feel like you’re not even in a big city with its residential district along the River Thames. There are some great waterfront pubs to check out after your day walking around the nature reserve.

👉 Pro Tip: I would highly recommend spending the whole day in Richmond and visiting nearby Petersham Nurseries.

Hampstead Heath

A gorgeous park with an incredible view of London from the top of the hill.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Hampstead Heath Website 

Hampstead Heath is North London’s nature gem and is definitely one of the most beautiful parks in London. Something that makes this park unique is its big hill where you can lay on the grass and watch the clouds go by above the city skyline.

This is one of the best parks to have a picnic and try out some famous London foods, particularly on the hilltop. I would recommend wandering around the park first and strolling along the woodland trails, visiting the Serpentine Lido for some open-water swimming, and then making your way to the top of the hill.

🌳 Local Trivia: The park inspired the famous series ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by C.S. Lewis.

Victoria Park

East London’s gem with a bustling Sunday food market.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Victoria Park Website 

Victoria Park is a wonderful greenspace in East London, connected to the Regent’s Canal where you can enjoy a nice view on the way to the park. You’ll always find the park filled with runners, bikers, rollerskaters, and people being active. Fittingly, this park is home to the annual Hackney Moves fitness festival and Hackney Half race.

Nicknamed ‘Vicky Park’, this is the largest park in London’s Tower Hamlets and receives over 9 million visitors a year. If you visit on a Sunday, you’ll be able to enjoy a wonderful food market.

The park is also famous for its events and hosts two of London’s most popular summer music festivals – All Points East and Field Day. 

📚 Related Reading: For more great spots in East London, check out my guide to things to do in Shoreditch.

Regent’s Park

A Royal Park in London featuring a rose garden, lush tree-lined pathways, an open-air theatre, and the London Zoo.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Regent’s Park Website 

Regent’s Park is known as the best activity park in London, making it a great place to visit on a family trip to London or with a group of friends.

The park contains four children’s playgrounds, gardens with elegant flowerbeds, a boating lake with wildlife, the London Zoo, and multiple sports pitches including central London’s largest outdoor sports arena.

The park also contains an open-air theatre that hosts a wide range of shows.

🌳 Local Trivia: A scene in the first-ever Harry Potter film: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was set in Regent Park’s London Zoo.

Kensington Gardens

A flourishing green space filled with colorful flowers, art, architecture, and history.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Kensington Gardens Website 

The Kensington Gardens is one of London’s Royal Parks, defined by the aesthetically-pleasing set of blooms amidst well-groomed grass, walkways, and fountains. 

In addition to the florals, the park is home to the Albert Memorial monument, Kensington Palace royal residence, a Peter Pan statue, and the Serpentine Galleries. This park is a great place to visit for both nature and some history and culture.

Kensington Palace is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and some areas of the palace are open to public visitors for a cost. The Serpentine Galleries are two free contemporary art and architecture hubs within the park. A small donation is recommended when visiting.

Holland Park

You’ll get a taste of Japan when you step foot in West London’s Holland Park and experience the unique Kyoto Garden.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Holland Park Website

Holland Park in West London is famous for its Japanese Kyoto Garden and the largest park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The park is very well-rounded with lots to explore, including several hectares of gardens, children’s play facilities, sports areas, a cafeteria, and woodland areas with wildlife. There are many paths and trails to take when you walk through the park, which is great if you’re visiting London on a budget.

When you walk through the main entrance of Earl’s Court Gate, you’ll also see the Design Museum off to the left, which is a great place to check out some contemporary designs before wandering through the park. 

Primrose Hill

One of the best spots in London for watching the sunset or having a picnic, where you’ll be greeted with iconic views of the London skyline.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Primrose Hill Website

Primrose Hill is an extension of Regent’s Park, but boasts a completely different vibe, with its quaint and peaceful presence.

I would highly recommend visiting both parks on the same day, as they’re so close to each other. As its name describes, Primrose Hill is a large grassy hill that provides some of the best views of London’s city skyline. It’s a very romantic spot for a picnic or to watch the sunset.

The neighborhood surrounding the green space is adorable and has a lovely selection of cafes, bakeries, shops, restaurants, and a Saturday Farmer’s Market. I would recommend checking out one of the local bakeries or brunch spots and getting some takeaway treats to enjoy with the views from the top of the hill.

St James’s Park

London’s Royal Park is famous for The Mall and the Horse Guard’s Parade.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 St James’s Park Website

St James’s Park is also located in Central London and is nearby to famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Whitehall. 

The Mall is a really exciting historic landmark located within the park. This is the grand processional route in honor of Queen Victoria, which has had several royal processions over the years. 

The Horse Guard’s Parade is another iconic landmark in the park, characterized by a clock tower over an archway. This doubles as the official entrance to both St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace.

This is a great park for history buffs and is accessible by St James’s Park tube station on the District and Circle lines.

Kew Gardens

London’s famous Royal Botanic Gardens in Richmond contains the world’s largest seed conservation project.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Kew Gardens Website

Kew Gardens is a UNESCO world heritage site and a great spot to visit year-round for both plant and flower lovers alike. The botanical gardens house over 50,000 living plants, making them very diverse.

Some highlights that are worth visiting at Kew Gardens include the temperate house, the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse; Kew’s kitchen garden; the many outdoor gardens including the tranquil Japanese garden, and the great Pagoda.

The attraction aims to be as accessible as possible for all visitors so that everyone can have the opportunity to enjoy the gardens. You can find out more about their accessibility on the website.

Brockwell Park

One of the nicest green spaces in southeast London with views of the skyline.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Brockwell Park Website

Brockwell Park is situated south of Brixton amongst a hilly landscape, providing some beautiful vegetation for locals and visitors south of the river.

The park used to be the private residence of famous London glass merchant John Blades and was formally opened to the general public in 1892. 

This park is also catered to history lovers, as it contains several historic buildings and features including Brockwell Hall, the Brockwell Lido, the Walled Garden, a 19th-century Tritton clock tower, ponds, and a network of paths and vistas.

🌳 How to Get There: The closest tube station to the park is Brixton, which runs on the Victoria Underground line and is about a 10-minute walk away from the park. 

Greenwich Park

A magical Royal Park overlooking the River Thames and providing scenic landscapes.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Greenwich Park Website

Greenwich Park is a mixture of 17th-century landscape, Roman history, and beautiful gardens, all while boasting some of London’s nicest views.

There are so many incredible green spaces scattered amongst Greenwich Park, making it a great spot to sit and take in the views, perhaps with a picnic or a coffee. It is a massive park with lots to see, including rose and flower gardens, a lovely pavilion cafe, deer in the wilderness part of the park, the royal observatory, and more. 

🌳 Heads Up: The park is currently in the midst of a 4-year restoration project to keep it primed and in pristine condition for future visitors.

Bushy Park

London’s second-largest royal park is less than a 10-minute walk from Hampton Court Palace.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Bushy Park Website

Bushy Park is one of London’s Royal Parks steeped in English history. A section of the park was previously used as a US air base called Camp Griffiss in WWII.

Spanning over 1000 acres, Richmond’s Bushy Park is filled with a lovely mixture of waterways, gardens, and red and fallow deer (just like you’ll see in Richmond Park). 

Bushy Park is also very close to Hampton Court Palace, a grade I listed palace, so you could double up for a day of exploration and check out both on the same trip.

London Fields

A park is attached to the end of Broadway Market with a fun pub right in the center.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 London Fields Park Website

London Fields is another well-known park in East London, located in Hackney at the end of Broadway Market. It’s a great spot to have a picnic after picking up some street eats when you stroll through the market.

One of the highlights and unique selling points of this park is its pub, located smack dab in the center of the park, with an oh-so-original name of ‘Pub on the Park’, which boasts a nice outdoor patio and all-around good vibes both day and night.

The park also comes equipped with several amenities including children’s play areas, a cricket pitch, London Fields Lido and Lido cafe, an outdoor gym, tennis courts, toilets and accessible toilets, and more.

Clapham Common

South West London’s most famous social green space.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Clapham Common Website

Clapham Common is a place filled with people on a nice day in London, or even just as soon as the weather turns slightly warm, despite its large size.

Located between the neighborhoods of Clapham, Battersea, and Balham, the green space spans over 200 acres. The grounds are used for many different purposes, including a variety of sports, outdoor workout equipment, park runs, and leisure. 

This is the perfect place to cozy up on a sunny day with some friends and play games or go for a walk with some gelato. Nearby Clapham high street which runs along the common and also has a great selection of cafes and restaurants.

Crystal Palace Park

This is a unique park in southeast London known for its sculptures, skate park, and maze.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Crystal Palace Park Website

Crystal Palace Park has unique offerings in comparison to some of the other parks in London, one of which is a collection of giant dinosaur statues.

This is a fun park to explore as a family, as you can appreciate the statues, be entertained by skateboarders in the skate park, and try your hand at the green maze, which is one of the largest in the country.  

Dulwich Park

Picturesque park in the London Borough of Southwark with dedicated dog walk areas, sports facilities, and special features.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Dulwich Park Website

Dulwich Park is a South London gem, filled with a range of attractions and facilities. They also host an annual food festival in June called Pub in the Park, which features professional restauranteurs, cocktails, and live music.

The park offers many features park including a boating lake with children and family-sized boats, a cafe, a dog walking area, cycle hire, gardens, and sports facilities. 

Unlike some parks in London where you may struggle to find a bathroom, Dulwich Park has you covered with 3 different bathroom locations around the park.

Ravenscourt Park

One of Hammersmith and Fulham’s flagship parks is perfectly equipped for a summer day with its paddling pool.

📍 Google Maps | 🌳 Ravenscourt Park Website

Ravenscourt Park is located in the West London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and is a perfect spot to bring the family in the summertime to enjoy the paddling pool and kids’ beach. The paddling pool is also free, making it an affordable family day out.

For the adults or a day with friends or a date, the park also has a lovely tea house and garden center to explore, along with sports courts and a bowling green. You won’t be short of things to do here!

FAQs About London Parks

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Thanks for reading my guide on the best parks in London! I hope this guide has excited you about the wonders of London’s lush greenery. For more London ideas, check out my epic guide to London restaurants.