St James’s Park is one of the most delightful places to stop off in central London. Within a small area, it features a lake with pelicans, beautiful views of London’s landmarks and well-tended gardens, situated right between Buckingham Palace, Westminster and Trafalgar Square.

You don’t need to plan a separate visit just for the park. It works best as a pleasant walk between the city’s most famous landmarks.

Allow 30–60 minutes to walk through it, stopping to take photos along the way.

If you want to stay within walking distance of the park, The Z Hotel Victoria is often a more affordable option in the otherwise expensive city centre.

It’s in an excellent location between Victoria Station and Buckingham Palace, but be prepared for very small rooms. We compare other areas and specific hotels in the chapter ‘Where to stay in London’.

• Admission: free and no booking required
• Opening hours: daily 5.00 am–midnight
• Time needed for a visit: 30–60 minutes
• Top attractions: pelicans, the lake and the views from Blue Bridge
• Best way to visit: on foot between Westminster and Buckingham Palace

Is St James’s Park worth a visit?

Yes, I really enjoyed it there. St James’s Park isn’t as vast as Hyde Park nor as peaceful as Green Park, but within its small area it offers plenty of interesting views and places to stop.

Its biggest advantage is its location. The park lies between Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. You’re therefore likely to walk through the park even without planning to do so.

If you only have one day in London, I wouldn’t walk all the way round the lake. Walk through the park in one direction, stop at the Blue Bridge and carry on to the next landmark.

What to see in St James’s Park

Blue Bridge and the best views

Blue Bridge spans the lake roughly in the middle of the park and is its main photo spot.

From a single bridge, you can enjoy two very different views:

• to the west – the lake, trees and Buckingham Palace,
• to the east – Duck Island, Horse Guards, the towers of Whitehall, the London Eye and part of Big Ben.

Don’t just stop in the middle of the bridge. You’ll often get the cleanest composition looking towards Horse Guards from the southern part of the bridge, whilst Buckingham Palace stands out well from the centre or the northern side.

The lake, pelicans and Duck Island

St James’s Park is famous for its large number of waterfowl. As well as swans, ducks and geese, it is also home to a colony of pelicans, which have become one of the park’s symbols.

You’ll most often see them on the lake or around the protected Duck Island on the eastern side. The island itself is a nature reserve and is not open to the public.

Buckingham Palace and the flower beds

At the western end of the park, the gardens around the Victoria Memorial lead directly to Buckingham Palace. From here, there is a classic view across the flowerbeds towards the palace and the memorial.

The flowerbeds are at their most striking from spring to autumn, but they are kept well-tended throughout the winter as well. This area tends to be very busy, particularly before and after the changing of the guard.

Horse Guards Parade and The Mall

On the eastern edge of the park lies the parade ground known as Horse Guards Parade. Through the passageway in the Horse Guards building, you can reach Whitehall directly and then on to Big Ben or Trafalgar Square.

Running along the northern side of the park is the ceremonial avenue known as The Mall, which connects Admiralty Arch with Buckingham Palace. During important state visits, celebrations and parades, The Mall and some entrances to the park may be temporarily closed.

Pelicans and feeding time

The first pelicans arrived in St James’s Park in 1664 as a gift from the Russian ambassador to King Charles II. Since then, more than 40 have lived in the park.

The pelicans are fed fish every day, usually around 2.30 pm, near Duck Island Cottage. This time is not a guaranteed public event and may change depending on the birds’ care needs, so I wouldn’t base your entire day’s programme solely on the feeding.

You can usually spot the pelicans throughout the day on the lake, on the rocks near the island, or whilst walking along the shore. Please do not feed them your own food, and give them plenty of space when taking photographs.

Up-to-date information is published on The Royal Parks’ official website.

The most beautiful walking route through the park

The most practical way is to walk through the park in one direction only, from Westminster to Buckingham Palace:

1. Start at Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
2. Continue along Great George Street to the park entrance at Storey’s Gate.
3. Walk past Horse Guards Parade and Duck Island Cottage.
4. Carry on along the lake to Blue Bridge and cross to the other side.
5. Follow the southern bank to the gardens in front of Buckingham Palace.
6. From the palace, you can continue through Green Park towards Piccadilly and the Mayfair district.

The route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace is about 1.5 km. Without stopping, you can walk it in roughly 20 minutes; allow 45–60 minutes if you stop to take photos and watch the pelicans.

You can, of course, walk the same route in the opposite direction. If you’re heading towards Trafalgar Square, leave the park via Horse Guards and walk through the passageway onto Whitehall.

St James’s Park or Green Park?

If you only have time for one of these parks, choose St James’s Park. It’s more photogenic, has a lake, pelicans and far more interesting views.

Green Park consists mainly of open lawns and mature trees. It is quieter and better suited to relaxing or having a picnic, but has fewer attractions that tourists would specifically seek out.

Green Park is best enjoyed as part of a walking route from Buckingham Palace to Piccadilly, Mayfair or Hyde Park. I wouldn’t plan a special trip here just for the park itself.

Admission and opening hours

Entry to St James’s Park is free and no booking is required.

The gates open daily at 5.00 am and close at midnight. Individual entrances and paths may be temporarily closed during state ceremonies, demonstrations or maintenance work.

The St James’s Café is located by the lake, and there are also several smaller stalls selling coffee, drinks and snacks in various places. Their opening hours vary depending on the season.

How to get to St James’s Park

The park is about 1 kilometre long, so the best station to use depends on your planned route.

• St James’s Park – District and Circle lines; best for the southern side of the park and for travelling from Westminster Abbey
• Westminster – Jubilee, District and Circle lines; best for combining a visit with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
• Green Park – Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines; best for Buckingham Palace and the western part of the park
• Charing Cross – Bakerloo and Northern lines, and the railway station; best for Horse Guards, The Mall and Trafalgar Square

For shorter journeys through the city centre, buses are often more practical than the Underground. Depending on your destination, get off at Whitehall / Horse Guards, Westminster, Trafalgar Square or Buckingham Palace Road and continue on foot through the park.

You can find current fares and rules for paying by card in the Transport in London section.

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