Crystal Palace Park is a great place to take the kids Winter or Summer. Although of course, parks are always nicer to visit in the summer when the trees, shrubs and flowers are in full bloom and looking pretty. You can take a picnic, kick a ball around with the kids in the large green open spaces or wander around the park’s numerous paths that either take you through wooded areas or across the rolling grassland.
The highlight of the park has to be the dinosaur trail where the dinosaurs are set around the lake and cleverly placed amongst the trees.
The life-sized sculptures of giant dinosaurs were created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins around 1854. The sculptures were recently (during 2018) restored. They certainly are fun and interesting or the children
At the northern end and top of the hill lie the historical foundations of the once Magnificent Crystal Palace. All that remains of this marvellous building are the stone steps, on either side of which are two sphinxes.
Crystal Palace stadium is where the first cup finals were played and where the great exhibition was held in 1851. The palace was destroyed by fire in 1938.
The park is large with plenty to see and do
- Children’s playground with a giant sandpit area.
- A small zoo filled with small, friendly animals.
- A small free museum
- A lake where you can hire small paddle boats
A maze - Skateboard Park
- An Olympic sized swimming pool
- Tennis Courts
- Café
The park hosts the National Sports Stadium which some people think looks a bit of an eyesore. A TV mast in the park marks the highest point in South London.
Getting to Crystal Palace Park
By train
The park is a short walk from Crystal Palace Station or Penge West Station.
By bus
Routes serving the park and its surrounding area include 3, 122, 157, 202, 227, 249, 322, 358, 363, 410, 417, 432, 450.
By car
Free parking is available at the Thicket Road and Anerley Hill and Crystal Palace Park Road entrances to the park.
You can download a leaflet guide to the park here.
Address SE20 8DT
Crystal Palace Festival
A good time to visit the park is for the Festival Week which in 2019 is being held from 15th – 23rd June. The event is a seven-day celebration of music, dance, poetry and performance.
The Crystal Palace Park event will be held in the Jubilee Gardens (next to the bus station) on the 15th and 16th June. It has had to scale down the music and dance performances in the park, which last year saw thousands of people enjoying an open-air concert headlined by Stereo MC’s.
During the festival week, the high street comes to life with strolling players and lively buskers.
