St. James's Park, London: Hours, Address, St. James's Park Reviews: 4.5/5
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.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
Features animals
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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
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
10,000 within 5 kms

Crystal Moon Lounge
455
0.4 km€€€€ • European • British • Vegetarian Friendly

The Royal Automobile Club
221
0.5 km€€€€ • European • British • Vegetarian Friendly

The Northall
760
0.4 km€€€€ • European • British • Vegetarian Friendly

The Admiralty
1,482
0.4 km€€ - €€€ • Bar • British • Pub

Prezzo - Northumberland Avenue
1,410
0.4 km€€ - €€€ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly

The Red Lion
1,489
0.3 km€€ - €€€ • Bar • British • Pub

50 Kalò di Ciro Salvo
549
0.4 km€€ - €€€ • Italian • Pizza • Mediterranean

The Old Shades London Pub & Dining
527
0.3 km€€ - €€€ • Bar • British • Pub

Two Chairmen Public House
272
0.4 km€€ - €€€ • Quick Bites • Bar • British

Scully St James's
298
0.6 km€€ - €€€ • International • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Attractions
2,154 within 10 kms

Churchill War Rooms
23,157
0.2 kmMilitary Museums • Historic Sites

The Household Cavalry Museum
456
0.2 kmSpeciality Museums

Banqueting House
643
0.2 kmHistoric Sites • Architectural Buildings

Whitehall
262
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks

Open Garden Squares Weekend
42
0.1 kmCultural Events

Cenotaph
227
0.2 kmMonuments & Statues

Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall
1,001
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks

Statue of the Earl Kitchener
8
71 mMonuments & Statues

Sir Keith Park Memorial
9
66 mMonuments & Statues

Downing Street
898
0.1 kmHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Contribute
Popular mentions
4.5
18,967 reviews
Excellent
13,152
Very good
5,238
Average
532
Poor
33
Terrible
13
Lilac R
15 contributions
May 2022
This is an excellent and well maintained park with views over Buckingham Palace. Lovely in the sunshine - lots of ducks and pelicans to admire and a great place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of London.
Written 22 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Amanda B
Houston, TX168 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
Large park with a lot of pretty plants and wildlife. Plenty of green spaces and benches to sit on. Great place for a picnic
Written 21 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Simon M
Kendal, UK108 contributions
Jun 2022
A beautiful park with the centre piece of the lake. There plenty of space to stop and chill out for a while. The mature trees and the wild areas are great for wild life. The waters birds had a lot of young just waiting to be photographed. The squirrels are always around as well. The pelicans on the lake are adorable, amazing to be in the centre of London. The cafe on the side of the lake has reasonable coffee and cakes, it serves hot meals too. It's a great connection between the Palace and House Guards.
Written 19 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
C Riddle
Kansas City, MO5 contributions
May 2022
If you go to Buckingham Palace, it's worthwhile to take the time to enjoy a relaxing stroll in this beautifully landscaped park. The park’s famous flower beds at the front of Buckingham Palace are a familiar backdrop to pageants including Trooping the Colour, as well as state visits and other ceremonial occasions. Enjoy impressive views of the lake and fountain from St James’s Café. Pelicans have lived in St James’s Park for nearly 400 years. They were originally presented as a gift from the Russian Ambassador to King Charles II. St James’s Park is one of London’s eight Royal Parks and covers an area of nearly 57 acres.
Written 17 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Salyslapcabbage
Cardiff, UK39 contributions
Jun 2022
One of the most relaxing parks I have been to . Very tranquil and beautiful lovely views of Buckingham Palace from the bridge and also lots of baby ducklings and signets when we were there so a bonus not to mention the Pelicans . Good toilet facilities and icecream ! lovely day ,w ell worth a visit .
Written 16 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hayley B
Widley, UK5 contributions
May 2022
We went to St James' park during the Jubilee celebrations, beautiful and a lovely place to walk around with all ages.
Written 15 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Maureen398
Horsham, UK219 contributions
Jun 2022
Great place to walk around and take in your surroundings. When we visited there were lots of young birds with their parents, lovely to see.
Written 12 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
IrishRover
Pittsburgh, PA2,587 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Nice walk through the park from Buckingham Palace to Windsor. A little peace and quiet in the middle of the the city. Great city views from the walking patty’s and an overall joyful place
Written 11 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JuliaCornwall
Newquay, UK74 contributions
Jun 2022
Lovely park with large lake with various water fowl in and around including pelicans and parakeets and squirrels in the trees! Plenty of grassed areas to sit and relax and a nice cafe to sit and have a coffee, snack or both!
Written 8 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
smalousek
Ashland, NE121 contributions
Jun 2022
We walked through the park on our way to Buckingham Palace. The grounds are beautiful. It was hard to get pictures and stuff the day we were there as there was a lot of security for the Queen's Jubilee. The bridge would be an exceptional place for pictures but they were moving people along across it so we could not stop to get any.
Written 8 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
TheConqueror
Brussels, Belgium9 contributions
Is there around a parking place??
Kind regards..
CarlosRibeiroRecife
Recife462 contributions
Por ficar diante do Castelo de Buckingham não deve ser possível estacionar muito fácil.
TshOxenreider
1 contribution
Does anyone know where in the park to go to rent a deck chair? The chair rental website doesn’t say specifically, so I’m curious if someone could give me an idea...
Arne S
London, UK266 contributions
Just grab an available chair and the collectors will soon arrive - sometimes they are not around so that would be some spare cash to spend on a charity
TshOxenreider
1 contribution
Does anyone know where in the park to go to rent a deck chair? The chair rental website doesn’t say specifically, so I’m curious if someone could give me an idea...
Susie W
Pewsey29 contributions
Question already answered by other reviewers see above.
How much is entrance fee?
Cleo L
21 contributions
It is free. Great park for picnics, they have a kids play area at the end by Buckingham palace.
Marktayl6
Unecha, Russia1 contribution
hello dear friend
I'm going to travel to Morocco with this company Visit-Morocco-Sahara,com
did you have experience with this tour Company?
Wanda M
Birmingham, UK156 contributions
No , I would research the company before booking, not just on here.
Happy holiday to Morocco .
Sukanya R
Jaipur, India1 contribution
Can i see the change of guards in buckingham palace from this park ?
Not really, you'll have to get closer to get a good view.
איך האטרקציות באזור
rulu12
Tel Aviv, Israel10,206 contributions
הפארק מגיע עד לארמון המלוכה .עמידה על המדרכה מאפשרת לצפות בחילופי המשמרות. בפארק אגם עם ברבורים ועופות מים שמצפיים להאכלה. בתקופה זו של העונה סנאים רבים המגעים צמוד מאד אליך וממתינים שנאכיל אותם. כדאי להצטייד במזון מתאים.בקצה הפארק אנדרטה לשוטרים שנהרגו במהלך שירותם..היציאה קרובה מאד לטרפלגר סקוויר
Frequently Asked Questions about St. James's Park
- St. James's Park is open:
- Sun - Sat 05:00 - 00:00
- We recommend booking St. James's Park tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 126 St. James's Park tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience St. James's Park:
- Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise with Optional London Eye (From €43.64)
- Classic London Landmarks Bicycle Tour (From €46.06)
- London Royal Parks Bike Tour including Hyde Park (From €33.11)
- Westminster Walking Tour with a Local: 100% Personalized & Private (From €145.46)
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace Guided Tour - Semi-Private 8ppl Max (From €85.20)
- Hotels near St. James's Park:
- (0.31 km) Great Scotland Yard Hotel
- (0.38 km) The Trafalgar St. James
- (0.42 km) Corinthia London
- (0.20 km) Stronsay Fish Mart
- (0.45 km) Sofitel London St James
- Restaurants near St. James's Park:
- (0.17 km) St. James’s Café
- (0.27 km) The Clarence, Whitehall
- (0.31 km) The Red Lion
- (0.31 km) The Old Shades London Pub & Dining
- (0.24 km) Onetwentyonetwo
- Attractions near St. James's Park:
- (0.20 km) Churchill War Rooms
- (0.14 km) Trooping the Colour
- (0.17 km) The Household Cavalry Museum
- (0.21 km) Black Cab Heritage Tours
- (0.19 km) Banqueting House