Sandwiched between three royal palaces, St James’s Park is a haven for tired tourists and sun-seeking office workers alike. Turn your back on Buckingham Palace and walk to the right; you’ll soon be strolling among tall trees that muffle the insistent roar of London traffic. From April to September the park is dotted with deck chairs as pale Londoners try to catch some sun or read the paper before returning to the office. The park is a lot more than lawns and benches, however, as a short stroll around the lake proves. Duck Island is home to a vast range of birdlife, including the most noisy and insistent residents, the crowd-pleasing pelicans. The lake is also fringed by new reedbeds, designed to encourage wildlife including dragonflies and bats. When hunger strikes, head for the grass-roofed restaurant, Inn the Park. The imaginative menus feature the best of seasonal British produce from specialist farmers and growers, giving you a real taste of the countryside without the travel. A two-course lunch costs less than $40. There are free wildlife and heritage walks all year round, but if you prefer to put your feet up, head for the bandstand near Marlborough Gate and listen to the bands that fill St James’s Park with music every afternoon on summer weekends.