St. James's Park
St. James's Park
4.5
05:00 - 00:00
Monday
05:00 - 00:00
Tuesday
05:00 - 00:00
Wednesday
05:00 - 00:00
Thursday
05:00 - 00:00
Friday
05:00 - 00:00
Saturday
05:00 - 00:00
Sunday
05:00 - 00:00
About
This 90-acre park, the oldest Royal Park in London, features a large lake that is a wildlife sanctuary for ducks, geese, swans and even pelicans.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Top ways to experience St. James's Park
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Westminster
If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand scale, Westminster would be a wise place to start. The ornate Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey sit adjacent at a corner of Parliament Square, and a short stroll along The Mall leads to Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column are just up the road as well. As captivating as the architecture is, the wonders of Mother Nature are highlights of the area too. St James's Park (arguably London's loveliest), the expansive Green Park, and pedestrian friendly tree lined paths along the river showcase the exquisite manicure provided by English gardeners. Just beyond the landmarks and the gorgeous outdoor spaces, quiet residential squares and age old local pubs offer a more subdued take on this global seat of power in the heart of London.
How to get there
  • Charing Cross • 6 min walk
  • Embankment • 8 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Jeffry b
    Essendon, Australia14,153 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Park is the real thing
    St James's Park is the oldest Royal park in London. It is traversed by the famous Blue Bridge, which offers marvelous views of Buckingham Palace and beyond. St James's Park is surrounded by three palaces, including the Palace of Westminster, which now houses the Houses of Parliament. This large lake is noted for its waterfowl. St James's Park has lent its name to many recreation grounds around the world, it's satisfying to see the original.
    Visited January 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 March 2023
  • WOWKay
    Inverness, United Kingdom25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great for young kids
    We went on a sunny April day and my 6 year old son enjoyed the park. The kids playground - particularly the sand pit with boulders - was good fun, indeed we were there for 2 hours. Nice to see all the ducks and geese, and nice views of Buckingham Palace. I was pleasantly surprised that such a nice park existed in such a busy part of London. Ice cream shop handy and kids only toilets a nice idea.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 3 April 2023
  • Frido B
    Stiefenhofen, Germany405 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Adventure
    Beautiful flowers. Diverse, often tame animals such as squirrels, parrots, ducks and geese. Interesting people, very often very adventurously dressed, from all over the world. Definitely enjoy a few hours while visiting London.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 9 April 2023
  • Kaustubh K
    40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful, tranquil spot in the middle of London near Buckingham Palace!
    Beautiful, tranquil spot in the middle of London near Buckingham Palace! We spent time here after watching changing of the guards. The crowds were large but weather and daffodils were fantastic!! Would highly recommend for a picnic or just to chill and unload.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 9 April 2023
  • mirunavrn
    Bucharest, Romania394 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely park
    The park wasn't on my list, by I crossed it on the way from Buckingham Palace to the National Gallery. The park is lovely and, even though it was busy when I walked around it, it was peaceful. I enjoyed the nature and the fact that there were many squirrels and swans.
    Visited September 2022
    Written 1 May 2023
  • Carmen Santiago
    Mountain View, California164 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Smaller than Regent and Hyde, bit more crowded, but a special place.
    Bring a real camera, you can get some incredible shots (even if you are not a great photographer!). The lake is smaller than Hyde, but seems to have just as many geese and swans and geese. You'll be a breath away from Buckingham palace, close to that edge you'll see folks under a tree holding up there hands for treats for bright green parrots. Other fun stuff all around, keep your eyes peeled.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 1 May 2023
  • Deb W
    Reno, Nevada2,571 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Peaceful Park
    This is a great way to walk through the city. We were here while to coronation was taking place. Walking through here was a nice break from the huge crowds gathering on the mall. We enjoyed the many different birds we saw here.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 8 May 2023
  • abzee
    4 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    St James's Park is a royal park in London that offers scenic views, historical landmarks and diverse wildlife.
    I had a wonderful time at the St James Park yesterday. The view of the lake was breathtaking, especially when the sun was setting and the water was shimmering like a million diamonds. I saw some ducks and swans swimming peacefully, and a couple of squirrels running around the trees. I also met a friendly old man who told me some interesting stories about the history of the park. He said he used to come here with his wife when they were young and in love. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who needs a break from the city life.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 14 May 2023
  • pfefmeister
    San Francisco, California3,043 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice Walk after the Palace
    After visiting Buckingham Palace, we walked through the park on the way to the Churchill War Rooms. Though crowded, it is well maintained, with a nice cafe about halfway through the park. There’s a lot of ducks and geese, so much poo everywhere. Definitely a pleasant stroll thru a lovely park, and a rewarding thoroughfare to other sites.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 June 2023
  • lamarbradley
    Nashville, Tennessee1,190 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visited this on the way to Buckingham Palace
    This was an unexpected part of an Evan Evans tour of London. We were on the way to see Buckingham Palace and our tour guide took us through this park. Very nice and we were able to see a guard on horseback as well as beautiful views. Very tranquil.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 19 June 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles19,209 reviews
Excellent
13,328
Very good
5,296
Average
540
Poor
34
Terrible
13

helensims61
Wark, UK508 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
Came to London on a mystery tour weekend had 6 hours to go around. As it was a nice day thought I would take a walk in the park. Not to busy, good to see people enjoying the park. Loved see some small children wonder in the daffodils. Worth a visit if you have time
Written 18 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bluebellplasnewydd
Cardiff, UK2,000 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
This is one of the loveliest Royal Parks and is best visited in March/April when the spring flowers are out and the early leaves are bright green. Also walk through in the morning to see the military bands and guards outside Buckingham Palace. There is a large lake and plenty of swamis, geese and ducks. Not much in the way of benches however.
Written 16 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tita Elvie
Canada102 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Could spend hours walking around this park and sitting on benches. A beautiful experience. Make sure to allocate time to relax here.
Written 10 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

acs1984
Cockermouth, UK1,649 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Had a short walk through the park whilst walking up to Buckingham Palace. Saw a few different birds on the water and a squirrel.
Written 21 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pab
Peak District National Park, UK224 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
A must to walk through if getting from Buckingham Palace to horse guards parade / Big Ben. Lovely park and enjoyable despite the crowds. Good spot for photos 👍
Written 14 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Solo
PROS
* Big royal park
* Lots of nice walkways with large lake
* Friendly birds and swans an squirrels (see my "helpful" photos)
* Adjacent to many historical buildings that can be seen through the foliage (see my "helpful" photos)

CONS
* Can be crowded

"I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
... when I walked from the Houses of Parliament past Westminster Abbey and towards the Mall and Buckingham Palace. The lake is large. I crossed it on the Blue Bridge

WAS IT WORTH THE COST?
It is free.

WOULD "I VISIT THIS PLACE" AGAIN?
Sure, when traversing between Westminster and Buckingham palace

ADVICE
* It is worth it to walk through here
* Observe the overly friendly fowl and small animals
Written 13 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lenny H
Auckland, New Zealand795 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
What a treasure. Lots of happy people around, even though the weather wasn’t great. Fun watching the squirrels play. A variety of bird life. Pretty gardens.
Written 9 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tarangelaben
Heywood, UK240 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
We visited on a bright sunny day so it was rather busy. There were still plenty of spaces to explore and there were lots of ducks (some varieties I haven't seen before) and the pink pelicans are very special and they seemed very friendly. If you go over the bridges you get lovely views of the London eye etc so well worth a visit and a stroll.
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris
Hinckley, UK952 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
We were in the area and decided to have a walk around here. The place was quite busy more so in certain parts. It is nice to have a walk around, there is squirrels, ducks and other birds here which is good to see. The bridge across the water is nice. There is some benches around the path.

Overall this is a nice place to have a walk. It seemed clean with the odd bit of litter about.
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Garfieldluvr
Denver, CO958 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
During our trip to London, we had planned to walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. By chance, we ended up at St. James Park, and it was the best of the bunch. Full of all different birds and a beautiful lake/pond, this park is worth visiting while in London.
Written 8 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ST. JAMES'S PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about St. James's Park

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