Best Parks in East London | Shoreditch, Newham & More
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While we all know and love central London, with all of its attractions, East London has just as many hidden gems for you to discover. There are tons of nice parks in East London, from Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, to a few others.
You may find yourself wondering what other things to do in East London, well, why not take a walk to one of the lovely parks in the surrounding area. Here, you can spend a sunny afternoon people-watching or catching up on reading that new book you brought.
Gather your picnic basket, add some light snacks and a refreshing drink, then wander to one of these beautiful parks in East London.
Best Parks, East London
Spending a day in East London doesn’t have to be all about museums, history, art and the like. You can also spend the day cruising through the streets, visiting some of the best East London food markets and enjoying your takeaway at one of the beautiful parks.
Whether you’re looking for some sunshine, a little bit of greenery or the most gorgeous flowers in bloom, you can find a park suited to your most spontaneous of whims.
Allen Gardens, Shoreditch
Out of all the parks in Shoreditch, this is one of the most unique ones. Imagine evergreen yew trees welcoming you, with green grass under your feet.
Allen Gardens has you covered if you love working in gardens or just enjoying some beautiful blooms all year round.
Allen Gardens gives other parks near Shoreditch a run for their money as the park has so much on offer. Kids can explore the play area, and adults can enjoy zip-lining.
If you’re blessed with green fingers (or feel the need to pretend), there is also the Growing Communities communal garden. Volunteers can help out as they’re needed.
London Fields
In Hackney, London, you can find a park adored by locals. In this 12.65 hectares (31.3 acres) piece of land that dates back to the 13th century, you can enjoy a range of fun activities for every kind of traveller.
Catch a dip in the heated lido, sip some morning coffee at the lido cafe or bowl a few spinners on the cricket pitch. The thrill-seekers can head down to the BMX track, watch the Aquatics club hard at work or
enjoy a game of table tennis.
London Fields also holds a Green Flag Award for being so well kept and is considered one of the best spaces in England.
Victoria Park
You may have heard of this park from all of the festivals and concerts hosted there from year to year. Victoria Park, East London, has some of the best facilities on offer. This 218-acre park has been around the longest and has been dubbed “the people’s park”.
You can expect tons of amenities, from ducks and geese on the pond to the coffee shops on either end.
Explore the English Garden or enjoy the adventure playground and splash pool. There is something for everyone at these regal gardens.
Get a breath of fresh air from your morning jog or catch up with friends during your afternoon tea among the trees. You can also grab your binoculars and books to learn all about the wildlife within the park.
Plaistow Park
The Plaistow Park in Newham is an ornamental garden with stunning features like a water fountain and radial paths. The park is designed with an old Victorian theme and includes all of the amenities you would love to see at a park.
Allow the kids to go wild on the playground, explore the paddling pool or have their fair share of free throws on the soccer pitch.
Take your budding botanist along the pathways as you learn all there is to know about the area from ornamental plantings of the prettiest petals.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
While a cemetery park doesn’t necessarily sound like something you’d want to explore. The Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park combines the living and the dead into a unique experience that you’ll never forget.
Here, you can explore the local nature reserve while learning about the historic cemetery. The cemetery dates back to the Victorian era with a thrilling tale to tell.
There are also lovely volunteer programs for nature fundis where you can get to know all there is about the surrounding nature and wildlife that you may come across.
Stepney Green Park
Stepney Green used to be a part of the Mile End Green and is paved with noteworthy historical moments from the Peasants’ Revolt to a tumultuous WWII.
The park as it’s known now was landscaped in 2000 to include an astroturf and sports pitch. You’ll find the Stepney Green Gardens and the Stepney City Farm if you walk across the street.
Head over to the city farm on a Saturday morning for a detour to the Farmer’s Market from 10:00 to 15:00.
Bethnal Green Gardens
As with most gardens, Bethnal Green Gardens is a wonderful park open to anyone willing to make use of the space.
While it’s not the most adventurous park out there, it is quite unique and beautiful in its own right.
The park is host to some functions, so if you’re having a birthday – why not celebrate amidst nature and all its glory. There are also basketball, football, and netball courts on the grounds if you’re looking to watch (or play) a friendly match.
Epping Forest
This is one of the largest open spaces in London. The privately-owned park consists of woodland areas, volunteering opportunities, a self-guided fowl walk, and so much more.
The Epping Forest is filled with adventurous activities for just about anyone. The large spanning park has white river rafting and even a museum for those looking to avoid too much adrenaline.
You can also spend an hour or two here learning about the history, heritage, and culture dating back to the iron age.
If you can see yourself playing a game of paintball, getting lost (metaphorically) in a helicopter ride, or cycling through beautiful trails – this is the best park in East London for all your desires.
St. Mary’s Secret Garden
This secret garden hides a well-kept de-stressing tool called eco-therapy activities. If you’re big on wellness and the therapeutic benefits of being outside and caring for agriculture, then look no further.
St. Mary’s Secret Garden offers people a space to go when there doesn’t seem much else to do. It’s designed to help those combating isolation and build personal development skills through gardening.
While you can check out various therapeutic programs at the garden, it’s also open for school visits, a casual stroll, or just as a means to reach out to the community.
Walthamstow Marshes
Out of all the parks in Walthamstow, the Marshes are a special site of scientific interest. This means that it is protected through conservation efforts. So, the wildlife there is absolutely enthralling.
Between the Skipper butterfly and a range of insects, there is so much to see and learn that you may find it hard to leave.
While it used to be a common land mainly for grazing, it is currently open to the public to witness the treasure trove of the grasslands.
There are facilities for angling, horse-riding, cycling, and athletics, so this place is perfect even if you’re not planning to develop the entomologist within. Go for a morning walk, afternoon jog, or a weekend of camping.
Springfield Park
Since 1905, Springfield Park has offered formal gardens, been home to conservation efforts, and displays excellent panoramas from across the Walthamstow Marshes.
The area was restored in 2017, which saw the addition of a new play area for kids and a fancy glasshouse for events. Head down for your morning coffee at the café at the Old Bowling Green (soon to be moved to Springfield House).
There is a fountain, outdoor chess boards, rivers, ponds, and many sporting facilities. From tennis, cricket, and even a bandstand, there’s no wonder this park has received the Green Flag Award as well.
Thames Barrier Park
Found in the London Borough of Newham, this park was opened in 2000 and has since been abundant in wildlife, picnic spots, and fun playgrounds for kids.
Sit back at the pavilion and enjoy your cup of tea while overlooking the Thames Barrier. If you’d like, you can also walk around to spot the 32 fountains, stone courtyard, or the eye-catching Green Dock.
The Green Dock symbolises the park’s heritage while serving a practical purpose as well. It helps shield the surrounding plants from the wind to promote better blooms throughout the year.
The birds and the bees adore it, so I’m sure that you will too.
Mile End Park
Imagine burnt out and bombed-out industrial land doomed by the Second World War. Now imagine those barren lands being revamped to include sunshine, greenery and all sorts of beautiful ornamental plants.
Well, this park near Brick Lane is really all that. It’s home to an ecology park as well as a multitude of pavilions. This park covers the spectrum of fun things to do in a park, from art to playtime and even a climbing wall.
You can grab your skates or skateboard and head to the Urban Adventure Base, visit the outdoor gym or check out the Mile End Park Leisure Centre too.
Bow Creek Ecology Park
While many of East London’s parks seem to have a unique backstory or have been repurposed to take the ugly and make it beautiful, this one knocks it out of the park.
The land was previously an ironworks, coal wharf and shipyard. Now, it’s home to newts, water scorpions and a ton of birds just waiting to be admired.
This is a beautiful place to sit back and soak up the synergy that nature brings.
Frequently Asked Questions on East London’s Parks
If you’re wondering about a nearby park in East London, here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions.
What’s the Biggest Park in East London?
Epping Forest is the biggest in East London. Here, you can go cycling, play cricket, football or tennis. This park is also dog-friendly so that your furry friends can get some fresh air. The park is easily accessible by train, car or by bus.
Who Owns the Parks in East London?
The parks in East London are all run by other local entities. The Local Borough runs the gardens while the National Trust oversees them and is owned by the City of London Corporation.
What’s the Oldest Park in East London?
Victoria Park, also known as the People’s Park, is the oldest in East London. The park opened to the public in 1845 and has remained open ever since.
The park itself has tons to do like cafés and pubs for dining, lakes for swimming, and a few sports clubs to join.
What’s the Most Beautiful Park in East London?
Well, if you’re in the area, you may have searched for “nice parks in East London”. A few stunning places include Allen Gardens, Epping Forest and Thames Barrier Park.
Sadly, beauty is subjective, so the answer to this is definitely up for discussion. Although searching for one may be a great thing to do in London for couples.
Are There Any Royal Parks in East London?
Most of the Royal Parks are found in London. While East London is somewhat of a stone’s throw away, there isn’t, unfortunately, any Royal Parks in East London.
There are eight Royal Parks in London – the most popular parks are Richmond Park, Regent’s Park, Hyde Park and St. James Park.
Final Say on East London Parks
Now that you’re fully aware of where to find the best parks East London has on offer, all that’s left to do is pick one.
And if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, you may want to check out the bottomless brunch spots or coffee shops in East London as well.
Be sure to pack in some sunscreen, a bottle of water, good walking shoes and your most adventurous personality to enjoy all there is to do in East London’s parks.