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Regent's Park is one of London's most popular open spaces, covering 410 acres in north-west London. Originally a hunting ground for Henry VIII, it remained a royals-only retreat long after it was formally designed by John Nash in 1811; only in 1845 did it open to the public as a spectacular shared space. Attractions run from the animal odours and noises of London Zoo to the enchanting Open Air Theatre. Various food and music festivals pitch up here over the summer and rowing boat hire, bandstands, beautiful rose gardens (with some 30,000 roses and 400 varieties), tennis courts, ice-cream stands and eateries (including the delightful Garden Café) complete the picture. Regent’s Park has several playgrounds, but the most interesting is at Hanover Gate where, in 2010, a timber treehouse area for older kids was built within a large sandpit next to the boating lake and existing playground.
Visit more of London's biggest and best parks
Frieze Sculpture returns for another year, transforming one of London's prettiest parks into a massive outdoor gallery. This summer, visitors can see artworks by artists including Alicja Kwade, the mega-colourful Ugo Rondinone and the super-playful John Wood and Paul Harrison. Slap on the suncream (or a raincoat) and go soak up some art.
The megalithic mother of all art fairs, Frieze London returns to Regent's Park once again. For five days, 160 of the world's best contemporary art galleries all come together under one giant marquee roof, offering visitors the chance to either line up some mega purchases or just do some serious art window shopping.