Your Favorite London Parks?
 

Ok....so I will be going on my 2nd trip to London this spring.

I have already seen most of the main sites, except for Buckinham palace and the London bridge and many museums.

Would it be difficult to visit Westminster abbey? What are some great parks to visit for a single person traveling alone? What are some authentic english restaurants to eat at?

Your great suggestions for fun things to do in London are greatly appreciated.

My favorite park is St. James's--beautiful grounds and waterways.

London Bridge has been gone to Arizona for many years; what you want to see is probably the Tower Bridge. If you haven't yet seen the Tower, put that on the top of your list, followed by the British Museum.

I recommend going out to Kew Gardens. It is a fabulous park, and should be beautiful in the Spring. Don't miss walking through the Victorian Greenhouses.

Have lunch or tea at the Original Maids of Honour on Kew Rd. after touring.

cw

Within the city of London, St. James Park and Regent's Park are my absolute favorites. Kew Gardens is also lovely and unique, but it is outside London.

Only use London Bridge (built 1972) as a viewpoint for Tower Bridge (built 1894 and certainly more a tourist symbol).
Also, exit at Regent's Park or Great Portland Street tube station and head northwards through Regent's Park and up to Primrose Hill. in Spring the park is awash with colour. Beautiful gardens, May blossom, fountains and the exotic cries and growls from animals in London Zoo.

"Would it be difficult to visit Westminster Abbey?"

Can't think why you'd think it would be - it's one of our major tourist attractions!

This site lists opening times:
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/visitor/open.html
You can't visit 'as a tourist' on Sundays, but you're more than welcome to attend a service. The Abbey is occasionally closed for special services (e.g. memorials, royal weddings, that kind of thing), but these will be listed on the above site.

Who moved Kew gardens? Not in London? Where are they, then? Last time I went, I got the District Line tube to Kew Gardens station (border of zones 3 & 4), although I could have got a national rail train to Kew Bridge. Wheere do I have to go now?

Kew is in Surrey. Whilst it is within the M25 it's not technically London, and there is a definite 'journey' involved to get there. It is, however, worthwhile.

Quote:
it's not technically London

So why it in the LONDON Borough of Richmond, and under the authority of Mayor Ken & the GLA? Does this mean I can refuse to pay the GLA levy on my council tax?
BTW, it's in Surrey by a matter of yards - it's the posh bit of Brentford! (which is in Middlesex, but also in the LONDON Borough of Hounslow) or does LONDON only mean Zone 1, or the square mile, or some mystical distance therefrom, or what?
If it has an 020 telephone code, is in a London borough and has a tube station, it's in bloody London, OK?

Kew is not considered to be in London? I thought Richmond Upon Thames, which includes Kew, was considered to be one of London's outer boroughs.

Agree that it's a bit of a journey, perhaps 40 minutes?

And speaking of Richmond, Richmond Park is a gorgeous place to spend the day. Richmond is just beyond Kew. And fwiw, the royalparks.gov.uk site refers to it as London

Geez, didn't mean to get into a turf war with anybody!! I just meant it wasn't a "city" park like St. James and Regent's. And, yes, it is definitely worthwhile to visit Kew.

"Turf war" seems like such an appropriate thing for a disagreement about parks!

St. James Park is wonderful. there's a lovely restaurant near the Admiralty Arch called Inn the Park. You can have a full meal or there's take out (neat stuff for breakfast and lunch) and I think there's also a cafeteria type operation. Nearby is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. there's a lovely rest. at the top of the Portrait Gallery with a view over London to the Thames. I can't imagine that a single traveler would not feel comfortable in any of these places.

If you're near St Paul's or at The Museum Of London you could easily pop into Postman's Park (King Edward Street) for a delightful little postage stamp with a most amazing collection of glazed tiles - plaques dedicated to individuals who gave their life in the course of saving others. The language used is very endearing in itself - "David Selves aged 12 off Woolwich supported his drowning playfellow and sank with him clasped in his arms. September 12 1886" and the plauqes are a unique and strangely moving collection of heroic deads.

Novelty value undoubtedly - no one ever goes there except local office workers taking their lunch. You'll be off the tourist trail (if only for twenty minutes) for sure!

Dr D.

And people looking for movie locations i.e. Closer

It's been so long but I remember loving the speakers in Hyde Park, it reminded me what the Boston Common was like long ago, strolling St James. Regents park with the oldest public zoo, and Queen Mary's Rose Garden.
There was a medicinal garden that friends took me too somewhere off the upper King's Road, I think it was affiliated with a hospitl...brain freeze.

chigalechanta - Chelsea Physic Garden is the name that escapes you - www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk. Delightful but restricted opening times and so need to check.

Birthdaygirlstrip - there are so many great parks in London especially some of the Royal Parks already mentioned - check the site mentioned by obxgirl.

Holland Park is lovely too and Kensington Gardens.