Hyde Park

The largest of central London’s Royal Parks, Hyde Park is home to some of the most iconic open air features in the capital including the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and Walk and the Serpentine lake, Gallery and Lido.
The park features one of the most-loved playgrounds in the city, complete with an impressive pirate ship.
Hyde Park also has a long history of rallies, marches and protests on its grounds - head to Speaker's Corner on a Sunday morning to hear voices from all walks of life.
Don’t miss the numerous concerts, funfairs and other events that take place seasonally throughout the year, including the famous Winter Wonderland.

One of the most famous parks in London, Hyde Park provides endless family fun for kids and is one of the largest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks. The huge expanses of greenery will call to your little kickers, tree-lined paths make for the perfect autumn walk, and the park’s abundance of memorial statues, fountains and gardens will keep you busy for hours. Don’t miss lounging on the deck chairs if you’re visiting in summer and dropping in to the Serpentine Gallery whilst you’re there.

Hyde Park is home to one of the most unique playgrounds in London; the Diana Memorial Playground features a giant pirate ship, marooned on an enormous sandpit beach complete with a trickling stream. Bring your own buckets and spades to enjoy sand and water play. There’s also a wooden climbing structure with slides and ladders, teepees for kids to explore and various carved trees to be discovered. The Diana Memorial Playground also offers a lovely sensory trail, which is really well spaced out so it never feels too crowded. The Diana Memorial Fountain is also the perfect place to cool off in the summer. This gorgeous structure is built in a large oval shape and the water is shallow all the way round, flowing in both directions for kids to follow and explore.

If all that wasn’t enough, Hyde Park also includes the Serpentine Lido and a wonderful boating lake. The Lido features plenty of sunbathing space, a cool, natural swimming pool and a children's paddling pool, as well as a small playground on site to keep everyone occupied. For active family fun that doesn't depend quite so much on the weather, check out the Serpentine boathouse, where you can rent canoes and paddle boats to enjoy on the lake.

What to know before you go

The smaller South Carriage Drive Playground is located at the southern edge of the park, so if you're coming from Knightsbridge or the West End this one is much more convenient.
There are toilets and baby changing facilities located within the Diana Memorial Fountain playground.
There are plenty of places to eat in Hyde Park including the Italian Gardens Cafe in nearby Kensington Gardens and the Serpentine Lido Cafe, both open from 8am with outdoor seating. The trendy Serpentine Bar and Kitchen is open from 10am, serving hot and cold meals and snacks, and The Lodge Cafe at Hyde Park Corner is open from 7am serving simple British food and homemade breakfasts. There are also numerous Refreshment Point kiosks dotted throughout the park for takeaway snacks and drinks, as well as the Broadwalk Cafe in the Memorial Playground.
Hyde Park is wheelchair accessible, providing Liberty Drives free mobility and online resources to assist you when planning your visit.

Getting there

Pay-and-display car parks are located at West Carriage Drive and at either end of the Serpentine Bridge from 8.30am - 6.30pm, but spaces are limited so visitors are recommended to arrive by public transport.
Four Tube stations surround Hyde Park - Marble Arch and Lancaster Gate via the Central Line, or Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge via the Piccadilly Line.
The Diana Memorial Playground is located in the north west corner of Hyde Park - the nearest Tube station is Queensway and there is some parking around the station on weekends.
The Diana Memorial Fountain is located on the south bank of the Serpentine, near the Serpentine Lido. The nearest Tube station is Knightsbridge, but be prepared for a 10-minute walk from the station through the park.
Buses from each direction serve Hyde Park - North: C2, 6, 7, 10, 16, 19, 23, 36, 52, 73, 82, 98, 113, 274, 390, 414; South: 2, 36, 137, 148, 159, 436; East: 8,15, 23, 30, 38, 274; West: 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 94, 148, 414.