Hampton Court Palace is in Surrey, on the edge of London next to the River Thames. Hampton Court Palace is famous as the home of King Henry VIII (he of the eight wives and many beheadings). Henry liked to come here and shoot deer and the area is blessed with parks as a result. The palace itself has a fine home park of 700 acres, across the road is Bushy Park and not far away is the huge Richmond Park - deer still abound and these days enjoy a more peaceful existence.
The magnificent palace building is made up of two different styles: the Tudor palace of Henry VIII, which is about 500 years old, and the more modern Baroque palace of William III, dating from the 17th century. You can wander through the State Apartments and into royal bedrooms and galleries, see the beautiful Chapel Royal and the medieval Great Hall. There are also 60 acres of gardens ranging from the kitchen garden to formal landscaped gardens, rose gardens and a grapevine planted in 1768 which still produces grapes every year.
Hampton Court Palace is only 30 minutes by train from Waterloo Station in central London (exit Hampton Court Station). Then it's a short walk across the bridge over the Thames River. Essential things to see are the Hedge Maze, the Great Hall and the Chapel Royal which has been in continuous use for 450 years. Helpful red-coated guides are everywhere and happy to tell you all about the palace while making sure you keep your hands off the valuable furnishings.
