Spectacular green spaces are part and parcel of any great city, but after the social distancing and COVID-19 measures of the past year, many of us have a new-found appreciation for the UK’s urban parks and public spaces.
If you’re looking to get the whole family together again, making use of one of these is a safe (and free!) way to do so. And if you’re lucky enough to be blessed with sunshine on the day, a picnic or day playing in the park is something all ages can enjoy.
To help you plan for a family event in the UK’s urban parks, we’ve put together this handpicked selection of our favourite spaces in some of the biggest cities across the country.
Located at the northern end of the city centre, Southampton Common is a vast green space with ample room to spread out and enjoy a picnic in peace. Across the park you’ll spot several pretty lakes, an artesian well, woodland zones and a spectacular children’s playground that the kids can really burn off energy on. It takes less than half an hour to stroll from our Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour to the Common, which could make for the perfect place to stop over while you catch up with family in the city.
Situated a stone’s throw from the city’s Northern Quarter and beside its recently revived Ancoats district, New Islington Marina is a relatively late addition to this proud northern city. Connecting two of Manchester’s historic canals, New Islington Marina is lined by newly built apartments containing hip cafes, trendy bakeries, and craft ale bars at the waterfront. On the other side of the water is a small park with plenty of picnic benches scattered around and lots of wildlife to spot. It’s just a short stroll across the city from our Manchester hotel, which can be made easier by hopping on the city’s tram system.
London has an abundance of parks and neither residents nor visitors to the capital will need to travel far to find a picnic spot. That being said, some of the city’s more central green spaces do get particularly busy, which might not be ideal for a long-overdue family catch up. Instead, head south of the river and a little west until you reach Battersea Park. Home to a sub-tropical garden, old English garden, boating lake, band stands and cafes, there’s everything you need right here to enjoy a lovely day in the sun. What’s more, you can easily get to Battersea Park from our Leonardo Royal Hotel London Tower Bridge, simply by taking the Circle and District lines westbound between Tower Hill and Sloane Square.
Much like the UK’s other capital cities, Auld Reekie has no end of beautiful parks to lay a picnic blanket down in, not least the tree-lined Princes Street Gardens or the spectacular 186 metre climb of Arthur’s Seat on offer in Holyrood Park. But for a truly special setting, Calton Hill takes the prize. Featuring the National Monument of Scotland and treating guests to unrivalled views of the city skyline, it’s the perfect place to stop for an afternoon and only a 25-minute stroll through the Old Town from our Leonardo Hotel Edinburgh City.
A fairly new addition, Birmingham’s Eastside City Park sits one of the centre’s most important regeneration zones. Beside the family friendly Thinktank Science Museum and a stone’s throw from the iconic Bullring shopping centre, you’re well served for amenities and things to do nearby. Within this small garden you’ll find exciting activities including interactive water features, a science-themed play area for kids and plenty of lawns to lounge on. What’s more, it’s a short stroll through the city centre from our Birmingham hotel. Explore our Birmingham City Guide, where you can discover an array of fun-filled activities to enjoy with family while visiting the city.
One of the most famous urban parks in the country thanks to the raft of legendary live events that have taken place there over the years, Roundhay Park covers 700 acres of north-eastern Leeds. Home to a vast lake, several playgrounds, a skate park, geology trail and even a tropical butterfly centre, there’s nowhere in the city that’s better for getting the whole family together in. And if you need somewhere to stay when you do, there’s always our Leeds hotel.
Our Leeds City Guide provides extra suggestions for enjoyable activities while you explore this stunning city with your family.
Coastal walks make for fantastic family meet-ups, and the Welsh capital Cardiff offers up plenty of spectacular seafront scenery to enjoy. A stroll along the walkways that circle Cardiff Bay provide all kinds of things to spot, including Roald Dhal’s The Enormous Crocodile, the Scott of the Antarctic Exhibition and the wildlife on show at Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve. To stop for a picnic at either end of the route, you have green spaces such as Plymouth Park with its climbing mound or Hamadryad Park with its boardwalk. And all of this is within walking distance of our Cardiff hotel.
The charming city of Bristol has a whole host of green spaces that families will love, from the beautiful views on offer at Brandon Hill to the Regency-era Queen Square. But a real standout is Castle Park, which lines the water’s edge at the heart of the city and is a short walk from our Bristol hotel. As the name suggests, you’ll find ruins of a church and castle within the grounds, but there’s also bandstands, adventure playgrounds and cafés to enjoy.
Check out our Bristol City Guide for a comprehensive list of activities and attractions to enjoy while exploring the city.
Just a short stroll through the city’s elegant West End from our Leonardo Inn Hotel Glasgow West End, Kelvingrove Park has been the city’s premier public space for more than 150 years. Famous for its collection of elegant bandstands, the park is set on the River Kelvin and offers fantastic facilities to keep families entertained, including a play area, skatepark and pretty fountains.
No matter where home is, you can look forward to a long-overdue, al-fresco catch up with the family in the coming weeks and months, thanks to some of the country’s most wonderful urban green spaces.
