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Picnic Spots in London: 7 Ideas to Go on Your Car Trip
Picnic Spots in London: 7 Ideas to Go on Your Car Trip
We have prepared some ideal open-air locations in London you’ll like. So, grab your favorite treats, get in your car and find them!

Picnic Spots in London: 7 Ideas to Go on Your Car Trip

A road trip is a great way to explore London. It’s very convenient: you pick up a hire car from Europcar Heathrow airport immediately after landing, and you are ready to travel wherever you want with comfort.

Of course, after many hours of visiting the most interesting sights of the city, you will get hungry. Therefore, it would be a great idea to grab some fresh baked goods, fish and chips and go for a picnic.

But where to go? No worries! We have prepared some ideal open-air locations you’ll like. So, grab your favorite treats, get in your hire car and find them!

Richmond Park 

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This park is most famous for its deer, which roam freely around the grounds and allow visitors to take beautiful photos. However, Richmond Park warns that for safety reasons, it’s best to stay at least 50 meters away from the deer. It’s also not recommended to touch and feed them, as these are still wild animals. The park has a huge territory where you can easily find a cozy picnic spot.

Kew Gardens 

Autumn Colours, Kew Gardens, London © Christine Matthews :: Geograph  Britain and Ireland


As the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Gardens have one of the largest plant and herbarium collections in the world, with nearly 50,000 different plant species. This landscape gardening ensemble is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is very picturesque. Therefore, you can go there in a hire car not only for a picnic, but also for a leisurely walk through its interesting places. 

The park welcomes picnics, but asks to be careful with flower beds, trees and bushes. You can be fined for damaging the park's vegetation. Dogs, musical instruments and outdoor furniture are also not allowed in the park. Please note you need to buy tickets at the entrance to visit Kew Gardens.

Holland Park 

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This is a cozy park in the Kensington and Chelsea area that not many people know about. Holland Park is famous for its Japanese Kyoto Garden, where you can admire Japanese koi and waterfalls. Peacocks are permanent residents of the park that always attract the attention of visitors. The northern part of the park is mostly wooded, where you can sit under the shade of trees and feel like in a real forest. Near the southern entrance to the park there’s a parking lot allowing you to safely leave a hire car.

Battersea Park 

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You’ll be happy to visit Battersea Park on your car hire trip. Located close to Chelsea and Victoria Station, this is a large nature area with a magnificent river boardwalk, cozy lake with boats for hire and a petting zoo. 

Battersea Park has another attraction - the Peace Pagoda, which is a sanctuary donated to London by Japanese Buddhists in 1984. As for finding a great picnic spot, it’s better to sit near the river in order not to miss the beautiful views. We also recommend that you wait until dark to admire one of the most picturesque bridges in London, the Albert Bridge. It’s especially beautiful with night lights.

Victoria Park 

Victoria Park, London, Ontario | Victoria Park is an 18-acre… | Flickr

Victoria Park, also known as Vicky Park and People's Park, is a real oasis of East London. It’s surprising that not everyone knows about this park, because it can rightfully be considered one of the best in the city. 

When visiting the park, use the southwest entrance, as there’s a place to park your hire car. Victoria Park has three lakes: East Fishing Lake, West Boating Lake and Model Boating Lake. East Fishing Lake provides fishing opportunity, which is a rarity in London. Boat trips are available on West Boating Lake and Model Boating Lake. On the shores of West Boating Lake there’s a beautiful Chinese pagoda, where you can enjoy a picnic and admire the lake panorama.

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens 

Kensington Gardens / Hyde Park | Italian Gardens in Kensingt… | Flickr


Of course, it’s impossible not to mention Hyde Park with adjoining Kensington Gardens. Hyde Park is perhaps the most famous park in London. The park has a huge Serpentine Lake, where you can ride a boat or catamaran. This lake also has a small swimming area - Serpentine Lido. There are many birds in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: there you can find swans, geese, ducks, herons and even tame parrots that will happily sit on your hand if you offer them peanuts or a fresh apple. 

The path to the parrots runs through the Statue of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Try to find them, and you will definitely not regret it! 

There are many secluded places in the park ensemble, suitable for a picnic. The main thing is not to sit near crowds of birds. Otherwise you will have to forget about a quiet rest.

Crystal Palace Park 

File:Crystal Palace Park.jpg - Wikimedia Commons


This is another park located on a hill. You’ll find it in the south of London on the site of the former Crystal Palace - a grandiose glass building that was built in the 19th century for the World's Fair in 1851 and burned down in 1936. 

There’s an interesting sculptural group on the territory of Crystal Palace Park presented with many dinosaurs – they will definitely delight children. The park also has a small farm where you can interact with animals. Another local attraction is the garden-labyrinth, in which it’s very easy to get lost. 

Since Crystal Palace Park is located in the south, a completely different view opens up from there, allowing you to see the city from a new side. So, spread your blankets on the top of the hill, grab some food and take in a unique panorama of London!