a thousand dancing jets by the canal
1,080 free choreographed fountains dance at King's Cross, free to run through all summer and lit up at night. See opening times and the best time to visit.
Free to visit · King's Cross · King's Cross St Pancras · N1C 4AA
Opening: Daily, 8am until dusk (around 8pm in summer), lit after dark
More than a thousand fountains dance in choreographed formation at Granary Square, and you can run straight through every one of them for free. They run daily from 8am until dusk, roughly 8pm through the summer, with the jets individually lit and timed to rise and fall in waves. On a hot day the same jets double as London's best free splash pad for kids of all ages.
The square opens onto the canal with broad steps down to the water, so you can buy a coffee or just sit on the terraces and watch the boats and the spray. After dark the jets switch to a floodlit, colour-changing show, calmer to watch but just as free.
It anchors a wider free wander, the restored Coal Drops Yard, the towpath, Gasholder Park and the university gardens are all a few steps away. As a free spot to cool off or kill an hour, it is hard to beat.
Getting there: Two minutes north of King's Cross and St Pancras stations, along the canal behind the Granary Building.
Best time to go: A warm afternoon when kids splash through the jets, or after dark when they light up.
Insider tip: On a hot day bring a towel and let the kids loose in the jets, which are designed to be run through. After dark the lit fountains plus the canal reflections make a lovely free evening photo.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide