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St. James's Park

St. James's Park, London: Hours, Address, St. James's Park Reviews: 4.5/5

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St. James's Park

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St. James's Park
4.5
18,939
#2 of 2,499 things to do in London
Parks
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5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Monday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Friday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
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
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: 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
Restaurants
10,000 within 3 miles
Crystal Moon Lounge
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0.3 mi$$$$ • European • British • Vegetarian Friendly
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The Northall
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The Red Lion
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Prezzo - Northumberland Avenue
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The Old Shades London Pub & Dining
518
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50 Kalò di Ciro Salvo
532
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Mediterranean
One Twenty One Two Restaurant
861
0.3 mi$$$$ • European • British • Contemporary
Scully St James's
296
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • International • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
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Attractions
2,141 within 6 miles
Churchill War Rooms
23,106
0.1 miMilitary Museums • Historic Sites
The Household Cavalry Museum
456
0.1 miSpeciality Museums
Banqueting House
643
0.1 miHistoric Sites • Architectural Buildings
Whitehall
263
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Open Garden Squares Weekend
42
470 ftCultural Events
Cenotaph
227
0.1 miMonuments & Statues
Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall
1,000
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
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Sir Keith Park Memorial
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
18,939 reviews
Excellent
13,128
Very good
5,235
Average
532
Poor
33
Terrible
12
Kate
London, UK248 contributions
Parakeets in the Park
Jan 2022 • Couples
What an amazing park - a lovely space to get away from it all in one of the busiest cities in the world.

This park is right beside Buckingham Palace so you can enjoy a peaceful walk when coming from Westminster or Leicester Square direction to Buckingham Palace when visiting the city.

When spending time in this park, you'd almost forget that you are in a city - even though its not a huge park. It is the perfect place to spend an hour or even just a short lunch break.

Lovely squirrels everywhere with a fantastic lake filled with waterfowl including coots, moorhens, swans, ducks, geese and pelicans!!

One of the most unexpected animals to find living in the park is the wild parakeet population of London. Beautifully stunning tropical birds hanging out in the trees above.

The Park rangers ask the public to not feed the wildlife in the park as it can negatively affect the health of the animals and their behaviour in the wild - so keep in mind to not litter or feed the wildlife when visiting this city park.

You can't cycle or use scooters in this park either, so enjoy it by foot next time you're in the city.

Highly recommend walking through the park on your way to Buckingham Palace!
Written January 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Dan D
Stourhead14 contributions
Lovely little park in the middle of it all.
Oct 2021
I've visited this park several times, and obviously it's better in good weather, but the cheerful if unexpected parakeets and other non-native birds like the pelicans are a bit of a change of pace when you thought you were getting the hang of London. Many parts of the city are losing their lustre, but this simply makes the parks and other open spaces more appealing, since they just seem to improve year-on-year.

If you're worn out from schlepping around London, this is one of the best parks there are to enjoy. Regent's is nice, Primrose Hill also, but for loction St James' Park is hard to beat, and just a hop, skip and a jump from the buzz of Trafalgar Square, through Admiralty Arch. Recommanded for a moment of zen.
Written October 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Traveller162014
Leeds, UK636 contributions
Pretty Park
Aug 2021
What a pleasant breath of fresh air this is amongst the chaos and noise of central London. Near to Buckingham Palace, this park provides a wonderful escape from the masses of (irritating) tourists of the city. We enjoyed the views while wandering through at a leisurely pace.
Written August 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mcmonScotland
Girvan, UK843 contributions
A Nice Day in January
Jan 2020
We visited on a weekday in January when the weather was not at all wintry. It was pretty busy but, it is central London and it was warm and dry in January. It was nice to have a stroll and see the famous pelicans (a gift from Russia), ducks and other birds.
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
KAL
Fort Lauderdale, FL63 contributions
Beautiful in the Winter, Would love to see the Summer!
Dec 2021
This park was in our route home to Westminster where we were staying as we explored about and rode the Tube. Many people were out enjoying walks, bike rides and feeding the birds (even though signs said not to). We walked through in the evening hours and felt safe. The view of the river, Buckingham Palace and the view of the London Eye was really cool in the evening. Can't wait to go back and see it in the summer with all the flowers and trees in bloom!
Written January 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kim D
9 contributions
Nice park to scoot around for a few hours!
Jan 2020
I went with my 7 year old son, we had the usual selfies infront of the palace and then spent a lovely few hours scootering around the park which is opposite. Its not huge but big enough for a play in the very nice play park (which has a sand pit and slides etc), a picnic and feeding the ducks in the huge lake. I would say its the kins of place you might spend a few hours at while taking in the sights of that part of the city. Loads of coffee ad food kiosks dotted around.
The only reason Im not ableto give it full stars is the awful toilet situation. It cost 20p for a wee and the loos were absolutely awful- grimey, stained and in need of a proper refit. I would think the revenue they must get a year would more than pay for a re fit. NOT something that makes me proud to live on London. What must the tourists think?!
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ummy
16 contributions
Beautifully maintained.
Aug 2020
Beautiful park close to Buckingham Palace. On the other side of 'The Mall' road the Green Park continues. St. James Park has reserved areas for wildlife besides the water where you can observe different kind of birds and other animals. A great place to photograph or just to watch them. Ducks, geese, pelicans and squirrels to name only a few. A section with deck chairs (you have to pay for) and a cafe is also available.
Written January 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
borrum
London, UK960 contributions
Charming spacious park in the centre of London.
Apr 2022
London’s oldest Royal Park, with walkways and flowerbeds, and close to Buckingham Palace Clarence House, and Houses of Parliament. At the very heart of the park is the Tiffany Fountain, a striking 20ft water plume.

The roof terrace of St James Café looks out upon the impressive Tiffany fountain, and on the lake with its colonies of waterfowl, including swans, ducks, geese and pelicans.
Written April 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Scarlett Torres
Australian Capital Territory, Australia10 contributions
excellent park
Sep 2021
Wow , what an excellent park . This park is other than Buckingham royal residence in London. This is the most established Royal park in London and elements an enormous lake where you see a ton of untamed life like birds, ducks, geese, swans and even pelicans. Wonderful park with a ton of excellent nurseries. Great landscape everywhere, a pleasant spot to unwind a lot. A mobile distance to different focal points in London, similar to the Buckingham castle, Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square. A pleasant spot to visit in case you're in London.
Written December 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Travel-Eventstyle
London, UK5 contributions
Plan a visit
Feb 2022
This park is a 57 acre park in the borough of Westminster, central London. The park is surrounded by Buckingham Palace to the west, the Mall to the North and Bird Cage walk
to the South. The park has a small lake, St James's Park lake which has two islands, West Island and Duck Island , with a collection of waterfowl .
Written February 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about St. James's Park
St. James's Park is open:
  • Sun - Sat 5:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
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 124 St. James's Park tours on Tripadvisor