As the evenings get lighter and we all get happier there's a whole lot of fun to experience outdoors at the Royal Parks.
With spring in action and daffodils blooming there's heaps of arts and culture, history, and wildlife to experience in some of the greatest outdoor spaces in the capital.
From a royal gun salute to celebrate The Queen's birthday and guided walks to the London Marathon and the British Summer Time party, here's a low down on what you can get out and about to explore from April.
1. Row, row, row your boat
Why not take out a rowing boat or a pedalo and soak in the wonderful picturesque surroundings of Greenwich Park, Hyde Park or Regent's Park .
In Hyde Park there is also the chance to jump on the sun powered "Solarshuttle" which will take you from the boathouse to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.
Dates vary, check locally with parks.
2. The Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park
Be stunned by this enchanting 40-acre woodland garden with a kaleidoscope of colour in the Isabella Plantation.
Bluebells carpet the floor and evergreen azaleas and rhododendrons put on a bewitching display of vivid pinks, purples and reds - best time to see them is end of April start of May.
A free minibus service stops at several places including the main Richmond Park car parks and the Isabella plantation, operating every Wednesday from April 5 until October 25 2017.
3. Discover the history of the Victoria Cross
Stroll through the Royal Parks for a trip down memory lane to remember heroes from the UK and Commonwealth.
In June 1857 Queen Victoria, on horseback, presented the Victoria Cross to the first 62 men to receive the medal.
Since then just over 1,350 Victoria Cross medals have been given to brave soldiers in the Armed Forces.
Now you can join an organised walk which tells the story of the Victoria Cross with a visit to the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park; the Australian, New Zealand, Machine Gun Corps and Royal Artillery memorials at Hyde Park Corner and the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill.
When: 8 April, 10.30am-Noon
Where : Meet by the Diana of the Treetops Fountain, Green Park.
Cost: £5. Book in advance.
4. Watch a royal gun salute to celebrate The Queen’s birthday
On April 21, a royal gun salute will take place in Hyde Park and the Tower of London to mark The Queen's birthday.
The basic salute is 21 rounds, however in Hyde Park and Green Park an extra 20 rounds are added because they are both Royal Parks.
So head down to Hyde Park for the momentous occasion next month.
When: April 21, Noon.
Where : Parade Ground. Hyde Park.
5. Virgin London Marathon
Thousands of people including celebrities will take on the gruelling 26.2 miles race course on April 23.
Cheer on runners from the sidelines as they set off from Greenwich Park to the finish line at The Mall in St James's Park.
For more information about the marathon visit the Virgin Money London Marathon website .
6. The art of yoga in Hyde Park
Take up an adults-only yoga class in the tranquil surroundings of Hyde Park.
Yoga teacher Mercedes Sieff, a qualified positive psychology coach, will be running a "vinyasa flow" yoga session in May.
The class will be an introduction to the principles of Positive Psychology commonly known as "The Science of Happiness".
This class is suitable for all abilities.
When : May 8, 6.30-8pm
Cost: £15. Book in advance .
7. Watch a play under the stars in Regent’s Park
The open-air theatre season is almost here and this year there are two classic Charles Dickens productions on the schedule.
Between May and September the outdoor auditorium set in the beautiful surroundings of Regent's Park will open up once again.
So why not book your seat to watch A Tale of Two Cities or Oliver Twist or both!
When: 19 May- 16 September.
Book: via the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre website .
8. Get arty in Bushy
Fancy yourself as a bit of an artist then why not sign up to a one-day course in Bushy Park.
Wildlife guide and illustrator Alex Bass will be leading the course teaching people about the techniques of pen and ink illustration.
And your inspiration for drawings will come from the grounds of the Royal Park.
The course is for adults only.
Where: Bushy Park
When: May 21, 9.30am-4pm
Cost: £25. Book in advance via the Field Studies Council website.
9. Chestnut Sunday at Bushy Park
With its roots in Victorian times, Chestnut Sunday is an annual celebration of the blossom on the horse chestnut trees in Bushy Park.
Festivities will begin with a parade through Chestnut Avenue at 12.30pm, complete with military vehicles, vintage cars and City of London horses.
There will also be live music, pony rides historical re-enactments, and traditional fairground rides.
When: May 14, 12.30-4.30pm.
10. Buy tickets to BST music festival at Hyde Park
Some of the biggest names in music will be performing at the party of the year as Barclaycard present British Summer Time for a fifth year running at Hyde Park.
With a line-up including the likes of Phil Collins, Green Day, Justin Bieber, Kings of Leon, The Killers and many more, it is one rave not to be missed!
Headline acts will take to the stage over a week in the summer performing over back-to-back weekends from Friday June 30 to Sunday July 9.
Book tickets via the BST Hyde Park website .
For a full list of what’s happening in the Royal Parks visit www.royalparks.org.uk/whats-on
Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.
You can even set it to receive push notifications for all the breaking news in your area .
Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android now!
