2 Best Sights in King's Cross, London

These 2 acres of splendid calm are bang in the middle of the King's Cross hustle and bustle. This nature reserve, just across the road from the concrete and glass of the Eurostar terminal, provides a habitat for birds, butterflies, bats, and a wide variety of plant and pond life. Complete with a visitor's center and café, this delightful urban oasis is popular with schoolchildren and office workers on lunch break, but chances are you could have the whole place to yourself.

This delightful museum, dedicated to the rise and fall of London's once-extensive canal network, is based in the former warehouse of ice-cream maker Carlo Gatti (hence it also partly features the ice-cream trade as well as London's canals). Children enjoy the activity zone and learning about Henrietta, the museum's horse. Outside, on the Battlebridge Basin, you'll find the painted narrow boats of modern canal dwellers—a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of the King's Cross redevelopment. You can walk to the museum along the towpath from Camden Lock; download a free audio tour from the museum's website to accompany the route.