Things to do in Victoria Park

Holding Green Flag and Green Heritage awards, parts of the park are Grade 2 listed and were designed by the famous architect Sir James Pennethorne in 1842. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the park’s different areas and the various types of trees and plants that grow there. Planning a visit? We’ve rounded up everything you can do here.

Head over to the park every Sunday from 10am until 4pm to enjoy the Victoria Park market. Full of tasty treats you can grab a bite to eat or stock up on fresh food for the week ahead. 

Every week you’ll find everything from organic butchers to local craft beer and wines as well as live music and children’s activities. It’s the perfect year-round place to find different seasonal delights. 

Throughout the year, you’ll find a number of Victoria Park events. From Teddy Bears Picnics to summer music festivals, there’s always something happening.  Victoria Park London is host to the popular All Points East festival held every year in August, as well as the free four day community event In The Neighbourhood. Find more information on Victoria Park Events here.  

Take a wander through the park and keep your eyes peeled for some interesting sights. The impressive Dogs of Alcibiades, two identical replica statues have stood guard over the Bonner Street entrance for over a hundred years and were restored following vandalism in 2009.

The Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain is a Grade II listed drinking fountain designed by Henry Darbishire. Also known as the Victoria Fountain, this park fixture, near to the Hackney gate entrance has been in place since 1862, and was one of the reasons why Victoria Park London was named the Best People’s Park in the city after its installation in 1862. 

Near the North East end of the park at Hackney Wick, you can also find two stone alcoves from the original London bridge that were erected in the 1760s. Donated to Victoria Park in 1860, the alcoves have sheltered Londoners for over 250 years.    

A visit to Victoria Park wouldn’t be complete without enjoying one of its many walking trails. 

The West Walk takes approximately an hour and showcases some of the most attractive features of the park’s west side. There are even 27 different types of tree to spot! Find the route here.

The East walk takes just over an hour, covering the largest section of the park. As well as 22 different types of tree, you’ll also pass the boating lake, deer enclosure and Old English garden. Find the route here. At around three miles long, the Avenue Perimeter Walk is the longest walk in the park. Whilst you are walking you can also learn more about the history and design of the park’s plants. Find out more here. 

If you’ve brought the kids, you won’t want to miss the Victoria Park playgrounds. You’ll find the V&A Playground at the west side of the park near Grove Road which features swings, climbing equipment, sand play and water pumps. 

The east side of the park also features a play area with large slides, climbing equipment, a splashpool play area and water jets in the summer months. Close by, there is a skate park suitable for skateboards, roller blades, BMX bikes and scooters. 

Victoria Park is home to great sporting facilities too. There are five football winter league pitches, two summer league pitches, three artificial cricket wickets, three cricket practice nets, four tennis courts and a bowling green. Head down on a sunny afternoon and enjoy everything the park has to offer with family and friends. 

Not sure where to start? Why not join the local Tower Hamlets Football Club, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets Athletics Club or Victoria Park Community Cricket Club? For more information on local sports teams, click here.  

When you visit Victoria Park London, make sure to pay a visit to the Pavilion Café or Hub Café. Both serve up breakfast, brunch, lunch and freshly baked goods all day, so you can grab a bite to eat and enjoy it while looking over the boating lake or Victoria Park playground. 

Want to discover more about the wider area? From the 24-hour neighbourhood that is Stratford Cross to the amazing Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there is so much to see and do in this part of London. Download the Stratford Cross app and catch up with all things Stratford! The app is available on the App Store and the Google Play Store.