Beckenham Place Park
BEST FOR
Ages 4-14
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Beckenham
What it’s like
A free 24-hour park with a swimming lake, playgrounds, a BMX and skate park, and geocaching trails for kids from 4 up.
You could spend a whole day here and not pay a penny to get in. The lake is the bit kids talk about afterwards: open water swimming with a season that shifts through the year, and it's the one thing on site that dogs aren't allowed in either. Alongside it there's a BMX and skate park, playgrounds, and a family trail with a story map to follow, plus geocaching if your lot like a hunt with a job at the end of it.
Ages-wise, it leans at the 4 to 14 range. The junior park run is for exactly that band, and it's the sort of thing a nine-year-old gets hooked on. For a four-year-old, the playground and the flat main route are plenty. The Homestead Café kiosk by the playground opens in the warmer months, which is handy when the small one hits the wall at 11am.
Parking's the thing to think about before you set off. There are 108 spaces including 6 blue badge bays and EV charging, it's cashless, and the site admits it fills fast at weekends. Cars aren't allowed on the grass and you can't park along the drive, so turn up early or come on the train. The main route is buggy-friendly and step-free, though some of the shorter woodland paths aren't, and those are easy to skip. Toilets at Homestead Courtyard have baby changing and a disabled loo.
Food is two café bars: Homestead Café does takeaway, Mansion Café & Bar does brunch you can sit down for, and there's the playground kiosk in summer. No BBQs and no plastic or foil confetti, so leave the party poppers in the car. Entry's free, there's no booking, and it's open to pedestrians 24 hours a day, every day of the year. A couple of hours is a nice morning; the lake and the skate park can take a full day.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 to 14; toddlers are fine on the playground and flat main route
- Parking
- Pay-and-pay car park, 108 spaces incl. 6 blue badge, cashless
- Food
- Two café bars on site (Homestead Café takeaway, Mansion Café & Bar with dine-in brunch), plus playground kiosk in warmer months
- Picnics
- No BBQs. Family gatherings possible but no cars on the grass
- Pushchairs
- Main route is buggy-friendly. Some shorter paths are not for buggies
- Wheelchairs
- Main route sticks to more accessible paths
- Dogs
- Allowed under control, but on lead in Pleasure Grounds, Formal Gardens and Homestead Courtyard
- Getting there by bus or train
- Bike racks at Homestead courtyard, lake entrance and Mansion
- Parties
- Family gatherings such as birthday parties are possible in the park, but no cars on the grass and no plastic or foil confetti
- Worth knowing
- Free entry and free family activities all year round
- Parking is cashless only, and the car park fills fast at weekends
- Cars aren't allowed on the grass and you can't park along the drive
- Dogs have to be on a lead in the Pleasure Grounds, Formal Gardens and Homestead Courtyard
- Some of the shorter routes aren't suitable for buggies or wheelchairs, though the main one is
- Teachers can run self-led school visits with no permission needed
Plan your visit
How much does it cost to get in?
Nothing. Entry is free and so are the family activities. You'll only pay for parking if you drive.
Do we need to book?
No, there's no booking. Turn up whenever you like, the park never closes to pedestrians.
How much is parking?
It's a cashless pay-and-pay car park with 108 spaces, 6 of them blue badge, plus EV charging. It fills quickly at weekends, so early is better.
Is it OK for a toddler?
The playground suits them and the main route is step-free and buggy-friendly. Some of the shorter woodland paths aren't, but you can avoid those.
What ages is it aimed at?
Roughly 4 to 14. The junior park run takes 4 to 14 year olds, and the skate park and geocaching pull in the older end.
Can we swim in the lake?
There's an open water swimming lake, and the season changes with the year. Dogs aren't allowed in it.
What's there to eat?
Two café bars on site: Homestead Café does takeaway, Mansion Café & Bar serves dine-in brunch. A playground kiosk opens in the warmer months.
Can we bring a picnic or a BBQ?
Picnics are fine, but BBQs are not allowed, and neither is plastic or foil confetti. Cars can't go on the grass.
Are the toilets any good?
The Homestead Courtyard toilets are step-free with sensor taps, a disabled toilet and baby changing in both the male and female toilets. Opening follows the café's hours.
How long should we allow?
Two hours covers the playground and a wander. Add the lake or the skate park and you're into a full day.
Is it dog friendly?
Dogs are welcome under control, but they need to be on a lead in the Pleasure Grounds, Formal Gardens and Homestead Courtyard, and they can't go in the lake or playgrounds.
Can we hold a birthday party there?
Family gatherings and birthday parties are fine in the park. Just no cars on the grass and no plastic or foil confetti.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
See all Tours, Trails & Treasure Hunts in Bromley · Things to do in Bromley
MAKE A DAY OF IT
