Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
560-acre legacy parkland from the 2012 Games — gardens, playgrounds, waterways and world-class sporting venues in Stratford
560-acre legacy parkland from the 2012 Games — gardens, playgrounds, waterways and world-class sporting venues in Stratford
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park covers 560 acres of east London that were transformed from derelict industrial land into the centrepiece of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It reopened in stages from 2013 to 2014, and the postcode E20 — previously fictional, used only by EastEnders — became real for the first time.
Expect landscaped gardens with 120,000 plants, two adventure playgrounds, 6.5 kilometres of waterways and a cluster of Olympic venues now open to the public. The ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture towers 114.5 metres overhead, and the park is free to enter every day.
The land that became Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was once one of east London's most neglected corners — a patchwork of contaminated soil, disused railways and crumbling industrial buildings straddling four boroughs. When London won its bid for the 2012 Olympics, the 560-acre site underwent the largest urban regeneration project in British history. Over 2,000 tonnes of polluted earth were cleaned, waterways were restored, and a cluster of world-class sporting venues rose from the ground.
The Games ran from July to September 2012, and the park closed immediately afterwards for an 18-month transformation into its legacy form. It reopened in stages — the north park in July 2013, the south park in April 2014 — with the name Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park conferred to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Today it sits at the heart of a growing neighbourhood, with thousands of new homes, a technology campus at Here East and the emerging East Bank cultural quarter housing outposts of the V&A, Sadler's Wells and UCL.
The ArcelorMittal Orbit is the park's signature landmark — a 114.5-metre sculpture of twisted red steel designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond. Visitors can take the lift to the viewing platform for panoramic views, then descend via The Slide, a 178-metre tunnel slide that spirals through 12 loops. Below it, the 2012 Gardens display 70,000 plants from 250 species across four themed zones, and the London Blossom Garden features 33 trees planted to honour communities affected by the pandemic.
Families will find two excellent playgrounds. Tumbling Bay in the north has treehouses, wobbly bridges and rock pools set into a hillside. The Pleasure Gardens playground in the south offers climbing walls, oversized swings and wide slides. Both are free. On the water, 6.5 kilometres of restored canals and rivers thread through the park, with boat tours and kayaking available in summer.
Several Olympic venues now operate as public facilities. The London Aquatics Centre — Zaha Hadid's swooping, wave-roofed masterpiece — offers public swimming, diving and family sessions at affordable prices. The Lee Valley VeloPark has a velodrome for track cycling, a BMX track and road circuit. The Copper Box Arena hosts everything from basketball to concerts, and the London Stadium is home to West Ham United.
The park connects directly to Westfield Stratford City, one of Europe's largest urban shopping centres, making it easy to combine a park visit with lunch or shopping. Cycling and walking paths are well marked throughout, and the towpaths along the River Lea link the park to the wider Lee Valley corridor heading north into Hertfordshire.
The park itself is free to enter — charges apply only for individual venues and attractions within the grounds
From Stratford station, walk through Westfield shopping centre and follow signs to the park. It is the most direct route and takes about five minutes from the ticket barriers.
Tumbling Bay and Pleasure Gardens playgrounds are quietest on weekday mornings during term time. Weekends and school holidays bring large crowds, especially in summer.
The Slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit sells out on weekends and holidays. Book online ahead of your visit to guarantee a slot and avoid disappointment at the ticket desk.
The south park has large open lawns perfect for picnics. There are cafes dotted around, but bringing your own food saves money and lets you enjoy the riverside setting.
The park has well-surfaced cycling paths connecting all major venues. Santander Cycles docking stations are at Stratford and within the park for easy bike hire.
London Travel Writer · 12+ years covering UK attractions and tourism
Last reviewed: March 9, 2026
