Richmond & Kew Gardens
8.6Friend Score / 10#4 of 13 Parks & Outdoors in London
Known forkew gardensrichmond parkbotanic gardenred deer
Southwest London's great green escape: Kew Gardens is a 320-acre world-class botanic garden (about £20-22 adult, glasshouses and treetop walkway included), and Richmond Park, a short hop away, is a free 2,500-acre royal park where wild red and fallow deer roam. Together they make the best full day out of central London.
Key facts
| Hours | Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00 Sat–Sun 10:00–20:00 |
|---|---|
| Price | $$ |
| Phone | — |
| Website | — |
| Nearest transit | Kew Gardens station (District line/Overground), 5 minutes to Victoria Gate; Richmond station for the park and riverside |
| Time needed | A full day for both; 3-4 hours for Kew alone |
| Best time to go | Kew at 10am opening midweek; Richmond Park in early morning for deer, October for the rut |
| Last verified | July 12, 2026 |
Friend Score
8.6/10- Value8.5
- iconic7.5
- Freshness9.1
- Crowd level8.0
- Authenticity9.0
- Accessibility7.5
Frequently asked questions
- What is King Henry's Mound?
- A small rise in Richmond Park with a legally protected keyhole view through the trees to St Paul's Cathedral, ten miles away — there's a telescope. It's near Pembroke Lodge, whose garden cafe is the park's best pit stop.
- How much does Kew Gardens cost?
- Peak season (February-October) adult tickets are £20 online on weekdays, £22 weekends; kids 4-15 are £5-6, under-4s free, with cheaper winter pricing and a summer 2026 VAT-discount promotion from 25 June to 1 September. Book online — gate prices are higher.
- Where do I see the deer in Richmond Park?
- Herds of red and fallow deer — several hundred of them — roam freely and you'll almost certainly see them near Pen Ponds or across the open grassland. Keep 50 metres away, especially during autumn rutting season and June's birthing season, and never feed them.
- How do I get to Kew from central London?
- District line or Overground to Kew Gardens station — about 30-40 minutes from Westminster — then a five-minute walk to Victoria Gate. In summer, Thames river boats also run from Westminster to Kew Pier, slower but lovely.
- How long do you need at Kew?
- Three to four hours minimum — the site is 320 acres, so it's a proper walking day. The hop-on Kew Explorer land train (small extra charge) helps if mobility or small legs are a concern.
- What are the must-sees at Kew Gardens?
- The Palm House (the great Victorian glasshouse), the Temperate House, the Princess of Wales Conservatory's ten climate zones, and the Treetop Walkway 18 metres up in the canopy. All are included in your ticket; the arboretum in autumn is a bonus spectacle.
- Can I do Kew and Richmond Park in one day?
- Yes, comfortably: Kew from 10am opening for three or four hours, then the 65 bus or a riverside walk to Richmond, and the park for the golden-hour deer. It's a full day but the single best 'green London' itinerary there is.
- Is Richmond Park really free?
- Yes — it's a royal park, free and open to pedestrians roughly from dawn to dusk (24 hours in summer except during deer culls in spring and autumn). It's London's largest enclosed park at around 2,500 acres, and it feels like countryside.
Nearby in Ask London
- Kew GardensAttraction0.01 km · 0 min walk
- The Churchill Arms, KensingtonBar7.65 km · 96 min walk
- Notting HillNeighborhood7.66 km · 96 min walk
- Kensington PalaceAttraction8.02 km · 100 min walk
- Easy Day Trips from London by TrainAttraction8.04 km · 101 min walk
Where to stay near Richmond & Kew Gardens
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