Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

The park still feels almost too shiny for East London sometimes — like a slice of futuristic parkland dropped between Stratford and Hackney Wick. The ArcelorMittal Orbit looms overhead, and you can actually slide down it now. Despite the crowds, it's easy to find a quiet towpath or wildflower meadow. Since 2012, it's matured from an architect's model into a place with proper life: kids at Tumble Bay playground, cyclists on the Lea Valley route, and locals swimming at the Aquatics Centre. The wetlands and riverside gardens are lovely on summer evenings when the light hits that red sculpture. It has its corporate moments, but you can wander from the stadium to Hackney Wick for a canalside pint, feeling like you're in a connected part of the city.