Is Hyde Park Worth Visiting? 5 Reasons to Go & Why to Skip
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We visited Hyde Park the most when we lived in London. Our dog loved to chase squirrels under the maples and we loved our long walks. While we enjoy the park, here are five reasons to help you determine: is Hyde Park Worth Visiting?
Hyde Park is worth visiting for fresh air, long walks in the gardens, cafes, and activities all located within 350 acres in central London. A perfect park to escape the cityscape. Located near London attractions like Buckingham Palace and the Natural History Museum, it is part of a great day in London.
Hyde Park seamlessly connects with Kensington Gardens to the west making for a total area of 625 acres in west-central London. Hence, the Royal Park is considered the Central Park of London. Here are five reasons why Hyde Park is worth visiting during your trip to London.
And for those on the fence about making time to visit Hyde Park, I’m sharing reasons why you should skip Hyde Park. No place is perfect, even in London, so understanding these drawbacks will make for a better visit to this historical and vast London park.
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Why Hyde Park is Worth Visiting
London is the greenest major city in Europe per the report Green Spaces: The Benefits for London by the City of London Corporation. Hyde Park is 350 acres of the 35,000 acres of public parks and woodlands in London. Out of all these green spaces, is Hyde Park worth visiting?
Is Hyde Park Worth Visiting? Here are five reasons to visit:
- Easy to get to in central London
- Provides peace and solitude in a busy city
- Things to do include boating, swimming, cafes, and more
- Flora and fauna abound in the park
- The design combines wild meadows with artwork and memorials
Out of these reasons, we believe Hyde Park is worth visiting, our biggest reason is how seamlessly Hyde Park combines with Kensington Gardens to make it a destination.
Brief History of Hyde Park
The two parks, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens were owned by the monks of Westminster Abbey through the Middle Ages. As part of Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, he acquired the manor of Hyde from Westminster Abbey in 1536.
The meadows and woods were enclosed to be used for royal hunting grounds. By the 18th century, the area was mostly open to the public. Queen Caroline, in the early 18th century, is credited with leading the design of what Hyde Park looks like today, including the building of the Serpentine (a former river turned into a lake in Hyde Park).
Queen Caroline split the area into Kensington Gardens to the east of the Serpentine and Hyde Park to the west. Serpentine Bridge divides the two parks. During the day, one can’t tell the difference between the two areas but at night, Hyde Park remains open till midnight.
Hyde Park has played host to fairs, exhibitions, concerts, and royal jubilees in the 19th through 21st centuries. Hence, Hyde Park has been worth visiting for centuries.
How to Make Hyde Park Worth a Visit
Head to both Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens throughout your stay in London for some solitude or make a full day out of exploring this green area of London. Hyde Park is part of a wonderful day in a very green part of London.
A perfect day walking through London starts at Kensington Palace on the west end of the green space. Take a tour of the palace, walk through Princess Diana Memorial Garden (sunken garden), walk past the sunbathers around Round Pond, walk under the tall London Planes toward the Serpentine to go out on a paddleboat, get lunch at Serpentine Bar and Kitchen, take a tour of Aspley House (click for directions), walk under Wellington Arch, and into The Green Park.
From Green Park, walk the footpaths to Buckingham Palace and into St. James’s Park for lovely fountains, ponds, and gardens. Come out of the east end of St. James’s Park close to the Thames River, Trafalgar Square, Imperial War Museum, and many more famous London attractions.
Related article: 12 Best London Museums That You Shouldn’t Miss
Is Hyde Park Worth Visiting? 5 Reasons to Say Yes
If you’re visiting during the worst time to visit London or the best time, here are details on why Hyde Park is worth visiting.
1. Ease of Access
A big reason Hyde Park is worth visiting is how easy the park is to get to when staying in London. Compared to The Regent’s Park in north-central London, Hyde Park has more tube stations at its borders, attractions nearby, and is easier to walk.
One can get to Hyde Park by Underground, bus, taxi, or any other mode of transport in London.
Hyde Park is located in central London, about 3.5 miles to the west of the City of London.
The neighborhoods of Knightsbridge to the south, Kensington to the west, Paddington to the north, and Mayfair to the east border the park.
Head to the following Underground Stations to get to the border of Hyde Park:
- Lancaster Gate
- Marble Arch
- Hyde Park Corner
- Knightsbridge
Plan your journey with Transport for London if heading to Hyde Park. Friendly reminder, we recommend using public transport to get around London. If you’re thinking of getting a rental car, read our Should You Rent a Car in London?
The park is mostly flat with miles of paved walking paths making the park accessible for many people.
2. Quiet in a Busy City
Though Hyde Park is located in a busy area, Londoners escape to Hyde Park for peace and quiet. From joggers in the morning to couples out on dates at night, you can always find folks enjoying the peace of the garden paths.
We enjoy the park for the numerous walk trails. You can walk Hyde Park for a year and still find new paths to take and benches to listen to the birds.
Cut off from a small footpath to park yourself under a tree. The solitude will make Hyde Park worth a visit.
Hyde Park is very popular with sunbathers. When the sun is out in London, you will find the green spaces littered with sunbathers, picnics, and small parties.
3. Things to Do in Hyde Park
Looking for peace or a little fun, Hyde Park has a lot in store for you. Our favorite thing to do is walk the paths under the large trees. Our kids’ favorite thing to do is to rent a paddleboat in the Serpentine. Figure out how to best use your time to make Hyde Park worth visiting for you.
Here are some things to do in Hyde Park during your visit:
- Swim at Serpentine Lido – the iconic open water swimming location that lets you escape from the summer heat. If the lake doesn’t look enticing (ducks, lots of ducks), watch the swimmers from the Lido Cafe Bar.
- Speakers’ Corner is located in the northeast corner of Hyde Park, the open-air public speaking area is where “standing on a soapbox” got its name. Listen to political, religious, conspiracies, and anything else folks want to share with the public.
- The Serpentine is popular for walking around or rent a pedalo or a rowboat throughout the year. Best on a hot day, enjoy time out on the water.
- Princess Diana Memorial Fountain may be the most popular sight in Hyde Park. Use Google Maps directions to find it as it is located on the south side of The Serpentine.
- Park Sports Hyde Park is open to the public for tennis, padel, netball, football, pickleball, and lawn bowls.
- Serpentine Galleries are two galleries located on the north and south banks of the Serpentine. They are free to enter. Enjoy the art!
See below for fountains, sculptures, and gardens worth visiting.
4. Flora and Fauna of Hyde Park
Is Hyde Park worth visiting? It is for us thanks to the abundant nature in the middle of London. Hyde Park is a wonderful place to explore gardens, listen to birds, or walk underneath the towering trees.
The 9,000 elms that were planted in the 20th century were all destroyed by Dutch elm disease. Today, most of the trees are maples, limes, and London planes.
Like many parks in London, the grass is uncut in many places inside the park. The uncut grasses make for private places to escape and a wild feel to this otherwise perfectly landscaped park.
We enjoy seeing the ducks, swans, and geese playing in the ponds and the Serpentine.
5. Fountains, Sculptures, and Landscape Design
Take in the many fountains, sculptures, playgrounds, and memorials throughout Hyde Park. The wild green spaces combined with the artwork make for interesting walks.
Here is a list of memorials to be found in Hyde Park.
- 7 July 2005 Memorial to those killed in the London bus bombings
- Britain’s Holocaust Memorial
- The Calvary Memorial
- Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial
- The Standing Stone
- Scattered
If landscape design and artwork are on your London bucket list, then visit Hyde Park. Unusual sculptures are located in and around Hyde Park.
The Italian Garden in the northwest corner of Hyde Park and the Rose Garden in the southeast corner are popular gardens to explore.
Is Hyde Park Worth Visiting: Reasons to Skip Hyde Park
We enjoy visiting Hyde Park but there are things to note before you visit. By understanding these drawbacks, you may find Hyde Park more attractive.
- Public toilets are limited and hard to find. They are clean but you must pay 20 pence to enter. Credit card is accepted.
- Hyde Park is sprawling but it can still feel crowded on sunny days in the summer. Londoners embrace the sun when it comes out, hence greenspace can disappear. The areas near the gates are the busiest, walk deeper into the park for quiet.
- There are a lot of waterfowl enjoying the park. Hence, the water and sidewalks (pavement) near the ponds and the Serpentine can get dirty.
- As the park is large, be ready for a long walk to get from one attraction to another. The paths aren’t always in a straight line.
- St. James’s Park is better known for its gardens and landscaping while Hyde Park is more popular for open spaces.
- Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park is a large Christmas market that pops up for the holidays. While it is a popular attraction, the market is more of a carnival than a traditional European Christmas Market. Be ready for rides, beer halls, and vendors.
Is Hyde Park Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts
We always recommend our friends and family visit Hyde Park when in London. It is one of our favorite parks in all of London and London is famous for its parks.
Make Hyde Park worth visiting by checking out the things to do above or just enjoying a sunny day in the park. One can learn a lot about Londoners and the culture by visiting Hyde Park. The wonderful locals who take advantage of Hyde Park’s amenities provide a glimpse of life in London.
