St James's Park
57-acre Royal Park in Westminster with a pelican colony, lake views of Buckingham Palace from the Blue Bridge and open access year-round
57-acre Royal Park in Westminster with a pelican colony, lake views of Buckingham Palace from the Blue Bridge and open access year-round
St James's Park is the oldest Royal Park in London — 57 acres of ornamental lake, plane trees and flower beds between Buckingham Palace and Parliament. Henry VIII drained the marshland in the 1530s to create a deer park.
The resident pelicans have been here since 1664, fed fresh fish every afternoon near Duck Island. Stand on the Blue Bridge for the most photographed view in London: Buckingham Palace framed by willows at one end, Whitehall and the London Eye at the other.
The lake runs east to west through the park, a curving stretch of water that looks natural but was engineered by John Nash in the 1820s. Before Nash it was a straight canal laid out for Charles II in the French style; Nash softened the geometry into the serpentine shape that survives today.
The pelicans are the park's most famous residents. The colony began in 1664 when the Russian Ambassador presented a pair to Charles II. Today six pelicans — five Eastern Whites and one South American White — are fed fresh fish by staff between 2:30pm and 3pm near Duck Island Cottage. Duck Island is a small nature reserve supporting nesting waterfowl, cormorants and herons.
The Blue Bridge, built in 1957, is the single best viewpoint in the park. Looking west, Buckingham Palace rises above the water framed by willows and plane trees. Looking east, Horse Guards Parade and the towers of Whitehall fill the horizon, with the London Eye and the Shard beyond. On a still morning the reflections double the effect.
The Mall borders the northern edge, serving as the route for the Changing of the Guard procession — time your visit for 11am on ceremony days. Horse Guards Parade on the eastern side hosts Trooping the Colour each June.
St James's Park is famous for its flower beds, among the most elaborate in London. The beds along The Mall are replanted several times a year, producing bold displays of tulips in spring, roses in summer and dahlias in autumn, designed to complement royal occasions.
Deckchairs line the lakeside lawns in spring and summer, and Inn the Park — a restaurant with a curved timber roof by Hopkins Architects — serves lunch and seasonal British food. The central position makes the park a natural rest stop: Westminster Abbey is five minutes from the eastern gate, Buckingham Palace sits at the western gate, and Trafalgar Square is a 10-minute walk.
St James's Park is completely free to enter year-round — deckchair hire and the restaurant are the only paid elements inside the park
The pelicans are fed fresh fish daily between 2:30pm and 3pm near Duck Island Cottage on the east side of the lake. Arrive a few minutes early to get a good spot — it draws a crowd every day.
The view from the centre of the Blue Bridge looking west to Buckingham Palace is one of the most photographed scenes in London. Early morning or late afternoon light gives the best colours and reflections.
The guards march along The Mall past the park's northern edge. Check the schedule on the Household Division website — the ceremony takes place at 11am but not every day. Arrive by 10:30am for a good viewing position.
St James's Park sits between Buckingham Palace and Westminster. Walk through it to connect the two rather than following the busy roads. The full walk from palace to Parliament takes about 15 minutes.
Deckchairs are dotted along the lakeside lawns in spring and summer. They cost about two pounds an hour and are a pleasant way to sit and watch the waterfowl between sightseeing stops.
London Travel Writer · 12+ years covering UK attractions and tourism
Last reviewed: February 27, 2026
