St. James's Park Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Park

Westminster, London –

The oldest of the Royal Parks of London, fifty-eight acre St. James’s Park attracts more than five million visitors annually thanks to its proximity to Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the Horse Guards Parade grounds, and several other signature London destinations.

The name comes from a bygone leper hospital, which formerly occupied the grounds where St. James’s Palace – located just north of the park – has stood for nearly five centuries and remains an active royal property.

Bounded by such regal architecture, it’s no surprise that the area is chockfull of tourists; their cameras popping away at the looming shadow of the London Eye Ferris wheel, the daily Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham, or the array of ceremonial processions that take place down The Mall, a beautiful rust-colored boulevard that runs along the park’s northern edge.

The lake at the park’s center is a very popular destination for lunchtime picnickers when the weather cooperates, while even the foggiest days see avid athletes kicking a ball around the lawns and birders getting their feathered fix from the variety of ducks, geese, and swans that commingle with a colony of pelicans that have occupied the grounds since the 1600s.

The Inn The Park café, meanwhile, provides a wonderful year-round – albeit pun-heavy – spot to grab a nosh in a modern but cozy building that was designed to blend with the natural surroundings.

Bustling with a pleasant, unhurried energy, St. James’s Park is a wonderful locale for anyone to enjoy the beauty and history that make London such a singular destination.