London (Ontario)

London, population 378,000, is a major manufacturing centre for southwestern Ontario, founded in 1793. Nicknamed the "Forest City," London has an abundance of urban parks and woodlands. Early in its history it was considered as a potential site for the capital city of Upper Canada, but that title eventually went to York (later Toronto). The city is roughly rectangular in shape, approximately 16 km (10 miles) from east to west, and 13 km (8 miles) from north to south.
Many cities, towns, counties, and rivers in this area of Southwestern Ontario take their names from their counterparts in England, and London is no exception. London features landmarks such as Picadilly Street, the Covent Garden Market and the Thames.
In the 1920s, London-born Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians hit the U.S. music scene and went on to achieve legendary fame. London's Wonderland Gardens later became a big-band hot-spot in 1935 - being situated on the Thames river where Guy Lombardo developed his love for speedboat racing by racing his father's small motorized boat on the Thames River behind the Labatt Brewing Company.
With 2 major hospitals, London is a regional medical centre, treating patients from up to 200 km away. London also has the region's only university (University of Western Ontario) which has all the typical professional schools (business, law, medicine, engineering, education) as well as sciences and the arts. Since the city is also home to Fanshawe College, students comprise a significant percentage of London's population during the school year.
Visitor information centers are located at:

• Dundas Street (Downtown) Information Centre

  address: 267 Dundas Street

• London Tourist Information Centre

  address: 696 Wellington Road South

By plane

• London International AirportThis airport is served by a small handful of airlines. Air Canada and Westjet offer service from most major cities in Canada while United Express offers service to Chicago. City bus route 36 (Airport Industrial) connects to the airport. Aboutown AirbusExpress and RobertQ Airbus have regular routes to London from Detroit and Toronto airports and some other Southwestern Ontario cities.

By train

By car

London is most readily accessed from Highway 401 which runs along the southern edge of the city and connects London with Toronto (200 km to the north east) and Windsor (200 km to the Southwest). Highway 402 runs due west from its connection to the 401 in south-west London and ends about 100 km to the west at the Ontario-Michigan border in Sarnia. The speed limit on the 401 in most parts is 100 km/h, but expect most people to be travelling at ~120 km/h in good conditions. The easiest exit off the 401 to London is #186, Wellington Road North. This will put you right into a busy shopping district and pointed in the right direction to get to the downtown core. There are no highways running through the city, so getting around by car necessitates travel on 2- or 4-lane roadways with speed limits ranging from 50 to 70 km/h.
London is fairly easy to navigate, as its streets are based on a grid system. Oxford Street, Dundas Street and Commissioners Road are the main east-west arteries. Fanshawe Park Road runs east-west across the northern part of the city. Southdale and Exeter Roads are the main arteries which run east-west through the southern half of the city. The main north-south arterial roads are Wonderland Road in the west, Wellington Road/Richmond Street and Adelaide Street in the centre, Highbury Ave and Clark roads in the east.

By bus

The Greyhound Canada bus station, +1 519-434-3245, is downtown at 101 York Street. Various other bus terminals are mostly in downtown London.
Aboutown's NorthLink connects communities from Owen Sound through to London along Highway 21, Bruce County Roads 6 and 1, Huron County Roads 20 and 22 and Highways 86 and 4. Arrival and departure from the Greyhound terminal.

By transit

The London Transit Commission (LTC) operates within the city at a $2.75 cash fare (2017), ticket strips are available at a reduced price at most convenience stores, and monthly passes are available. Children 12 years and under ride for free. Buses vary from every 5 minutes downtown, to every 15 to 60 minutes in various other areas. The LTC doesn't operate past midnight on major routes, so expect to travel by taxi after that time.

By taxi

• U-Need-A-Cab, +1 519-438-2121.
• London Taxi, +1 519-657-1111.

By bike or on foot

The city has an extensive bicycle path network, and many (but not ubiquitous) bike lanes on the roads. A biking and walking map can be found here (warning - large PDF).

• Museum London

  phone: +1 519-661-0333
  address: 421 Ridout Street North
  Contains art and historical exhibits.

• Eldon House

  phone: +1 519-661-0333
  address: 481 Ridout Street North
  London's oldest surviving residence, containing heirlooms and furniture reflecting life in early 19th-century London.

• Banting House National Historic Site

  phone: +1 519-673-1752
  address: 442 Adelaide St. North
  Tu-Sa noon-4PM. Chronicles the life and achievements of Canadian Sir Frederick Grant Banting, the discoverer of insulin. Adults $5, students and seniors $4, children under 5 free.

• Blackfriars Street BridgeA rare example of a bowstring truss bridge. Built in 1875 and spanning 65.8 m, it is the longest working span of its kind in North America.

• Wortley VillageWortley Road between Askin Street and Tecumseh Ave, was voted one of Canada's coolest neighbourhoods in 2002 by enRoute magazine. Filled with eclectic, locally-owned merchants and cafes.

• The Arts Project

  phone: +1 519-642-2767
  address: 203 Dundas St
  Tu-Sa noon-5PM, later for theatre show nights. A downtown art gallery devoted to rising artists with an adjoined blackbox theatre devoted primarily to alternative fare.

• Jet Aircraft Museum

  phone: +1 519 453 7000
  address: 2465 Aviation Lane, uit 2

Parks

There are lots of parks in downtown London. They include:

• Springbank ParkA charming destination west of downtown complete with green space, picnic areas & facilities, formal gardens, wading pool, playgrounds, small family train track, merry-go-round and Storybook Gardens. Its paved trails are part of a 30-km system for walkers, cyclists, runners and roller-bladers.

• Victoria ParkAccording to the City's website this park is one of the most important designed landscapes of the 19th century and has been a hub of social and recreational activities since 1874. Many festivals and events take place here throughout the year. Bring nuts to feed the squirrels.

• Fanshawe Pioneer Village

  phone: +1 519-457-1296
  address: 1424 Clarke Road
  Open-air museum tells the story of rural communities from 1820 to 1920. Pioneer Village Café on-site, campground at conservation area.

• Storybook GardensSpringbank Park. A family attraction open all year round - animals, rides, games, play areas, a splash area in the summer, skating in the winter, and beautiful gardens.

• Labatt Brewery Tours

  phone: +1 519-850-TOUR
  address: 150 Simcoe St
  Simcoe Street Brewery. Guided tours of the brewery where Labatt founder John Kinder Labatt started brewing beer over 160 years ago. The brewery now produces more than 1 billion bottles of beer annually.

• Thames Valley TrailWalk or hike part of the 109-km hiking trail which follows the Thames and North Thames Rivers along most of the route. Group hikes for the weekend and following week are listed each Thursday in the London Free Press Thursday Ticket section. The trail is paved for an easy walk in Gibbons, Harris, and Springbank parks.

• East Park Golf Gardens and Wally World

  phone: +1 519-451-2950
  address: 1275 Hamilton Rd
  18-hole golf course, driving range, mini golf, waterslides.

• Forest City Velodrome

  phone: +1 519-878-7849
  address: 4380 Wellington Road South
  Check out the race calendar or find out more about riding on the track. Bike rentals available.

• The Grand Theatre

  address: 471 Richmond St
  Live plays and performances. The mainstage season runs from September to May. There is also a secondary venue downstairs called The McManus Studio which is primarily used for the theatre's UnderGrand alternative theatre series, running roughly from November to March and local theatre group rentals for shows of their own.

• Budweiser Gardens

  address: 99 Dundas St
  Check out what attractions are coming to town. You can catch the London Knights - the local OHL hockey team - in action from late August to March. The London Lightning is a professional basketball team in the NBLC playing Nov-Apr.

• Labatt Memorial Park

  address: 25 Wilson Ave
  The Guinness-recognized oldest baseball park in the world, having been continuously used since 1877. The semi-pro London Majors play from April through August.

• Delaware Speedway

  phone: +1 519-652-5068
  address: 1640 Gideon Drive, Delaware
  Delaware Speedway is Canada's oldest paved automobile racetrack, open since 1952. It is one of only two tracks in Canada running NASCAR late models. Racing runs on the 1/2-mile egg-shaped oval every Friday night from April through September, weather permitting, with occasional bigger races on weekends.

• Centennial Hall

  phone: +1 519-672-1967
  address: 550 Wellington Street
  Concerts and events - check the event schedule to see what's on.

• Palace Theatre

  phone: +1 519-432-1029
  address: 710 Dundas Street East
  A theatre devoted to primarily classic mainstream revival fare by the amateur London Community Players and musical theatre productions companies with a theatrical season running from October to June. There is also an adjoining smaller secondary venue, The Procunier Hall, for primarily alternative theatre in a more intimate setting. Parking available behind the facility.

• The Spriet Family Theatre

  address: 130 King Street
  90-seat theatre primarily used by the Original Kids Theatre Company, a youth theatrical educational institution, with occasional independent theatre company rental runs.

• Western FairThe fair takes place the first two weeks of September. The site is also home to the Western Raceway, for harness racing and 750 slot machines.

• SunfestTakes place in July and features top professional world music & dance and jazz ensembles from Canada and abroad. Free admission.

• Donnelly Museum

  phone: +1 519-227-0756
  address: 171 Main Street, Lucan
  Museum about the Black Donnellys and local history.

According to London Tourism, London has "more shopping per capita than anywhere else in North America."

• CityLights bookstore

  phone: +1 519-679-8420
  address: 356 Richmond Street
  One of the best used bookstores to be found anywhere, and a city landmark. A huge selection with a particularly good science fiction section.

• Covent Garden Market

  phone: +1 519-439-3921
  address: 353 Clarence St
  London's downtown food and crafts market centre. Retail items include fresh produce, baked goods, bulk foods and small crafts along with eating establishments. There is an upper walkway that includes space for special events, retail outlets and services and arts facilities, including the Spriet Family Original Kids Theatre.

• Grooves Records

  phone: +1 519 640 6714
  address: 236 Dundas Street
  London's last downtown independent record store, specializes in new and used vinyl and hard-to-find CDs.

• Heroes Cards and Comics

  phone: +1 519-439-4955
  address: 186 Dundas St
  A large downtown collectable store devoted to pop culture genre print media and collectables. There is a wide variety of comics and books to suit any age and taste, toys like action figures, trading sports cards and T-shirts with a knowledgeable sales staff to help with any questions. Easily accessible a few doors east of London Transit's primary downtown bus transfer point at Dundas and Richmond.

• Masonville Shopping Centre

  address: Fanshawe Park Road & Richmond St
  one of London's two major malls and anchors the major retail development in the north end. Try also the Hyde Park big-box development, two miles west on Fanshawe Park Road.

• PT Campbell BookDealer

  phone: +1 519-640-5333
  address: 388 Richmond St
  London's family friendly used book store with over 35,000 titles to choose from. Specializing in out-of-print and antique books.

• Speed City Records

  phone: +1 519-858-2680
  address: 294 Springbank Drive
  Specializes in punk and metal, with a gigantic, unorganized dollar vinyl section. Surly clerks are right out of Central Casting.

• White Oaks Mall

  phone: +1 519-681-0434
  address: 1105 Wellington Rd
  Over 175 stores and services, anchoring a larger big-box retail development stretching up and down Wellington Road between Southdale Road and just south of Highway 401.

Most of the Canadian and North American chain restaurants are represented in London, including The Keg, Kelsey's, Red Lobster, Tony Roma's, Milestones, Swiss Chalet and East Side Mario's. Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, has about 30 locations within the city.

Downtown

Budget

• Barakat Restaurant

  phone: +1 519-850-8080
  address: 551 Richmond St
  Middle Eastern food including fantastic shawarma and falafel. Meals $5-15.

• Ben Thanh

  phone: +1 519-438-4888
  address: 57 York St
  At Ridout. Very popular Vietnamese/Thai restaurant with many vegetarian options and reasonable prices. has recently opened a second location at Wellington Road and Southdale in the south end of the city.

• Billy's Deli

  phone: +1 519-679-1970
  address: 113 Dundas Street
  Great for breakfast, Mennonite-inspired food and good portion sizes. Seasonal desserts are not to be missed and sell out quickly, particularly during strawberry season.

• Covent Garden Market

  phone: +1 519-439-3921
  address: 130 King Street
  Great place to get food downtown - over 30 vendors offer food that caters to a wide variety of tastes.

• Prince Albert's Diner

  phone: +1 519-432-2835
  address: 565 Richmond St
  Locally famous greasy spoon popular with students and the after-bar crowd. The menu is standard (but good) diner fare, but the milkshakes are terrific.

• Spageddy Eddy's

  phone: +1 519-645-3002
  address: 428 Richmond St
  Inexpensive pasta bar popular with students. The pricing is enabled by bulk quantity with the typical servings in large individual bowls.

• Stobie's Pizza

  phone: +1 519-432-2228
  address: 484 Richmond St
  A local favourite with great tasting, gigantic slices of pizza. Usually open past 3AM.

• Western Meats and Deli

  phone: +1 519-433-7838
  address: 241 Hamilton Rd
  A butcher shop with a grill counter, Western Meats and Deli serves hamburgers, souvlaki, steak sandwickes (New York style or Philly style), chicken fingers, and similar lunches - but only lunches - in generous portions for low prices. Takeout only.

• Black Walnut

  phone: +1 519 850 2253
  address: 724 Richmond Street
  Great coffee and cakes, but also sandwiches, pies, etc.

Mid-range

• Dragonfly Bistro

  phone: +1 519-432-2191
  address: 715 Richmond St
  Intimate bistro, good food, reasonable prices. Indonesian cuisine served on Monday evenings.

• Joe Kool's

  phone: +1 519-663-5665
  address: 595 Richmond St
  Their slogan, "Minutes from all major hospitals", belies the excellent bar and grill-style food. Great value for money. A local institution.

• Manna Grill

  phone: +1 519-439-5770
  address: 276 Wharncliffe Road North
  Authentic Korean dishes and Japanese fare.

• Marienbad Restaurant

  phone: +1 519-679-9940
  address: 122 Carling St
  Open since 1974, the Marienbad serves German and Eastern European food in a cozy, old-world atmosphere. Be sure to check out Chaucer's Pub next door as well for London's best selection of beer.

• Raja Fine Dining

  phone: +1 519-601-7252
  address: 428 Clarence St
  An excellent Indian restaurant.

• The Church Key

  phone: +1 519-936-0960
  address: 476 Richmond Street
  Gastro pub, excellent Sunday brunch.

• 519 Kitchen

  phone: +1 519-433-2337
  address: 585 Richmond Street
  In the Tobaggen brewery. They serve pizza, sandwiches, fonduata, etc. And they can pair you food with the right beer.

• Los Lobos

  phone: +1 519-601-8226
  address: 580 Talbot Street
  Tex Mex, does not take reservations. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.

• Gigis Spice Corner

  phone: +1 519-453-4445
  address: 1761 Oxford St E
  Indian restaurant.

Splurge

• Bertoldi's Trattoria

  phone: +1 519-438-4343
  address: 650 Richmond St
  At Pall Mall. Traditional Italian family-run trattoria. Noted for wood-oven pizzas and one of the best Italian wine selections in London. Great service.

• The Black Trumpet

  phone: +1 519-850-1500
  address: 523 Richmond St
  If money is no object, the Black Trumpet is the place to go. Widely considered the top fine dining restaurant in London.

• Armouries Grille

  phone: +1 519-679-6111
  address: 325 Dundas St
  Hotel restaurant well known for having an excellent Sunday brunch, including waffles, omelettes, and a sauteed shrimp station. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Michael's on the Thames

  phone: +1 519-672-0111
  address: 1 York St
  Essentially unchanged since the day it opened in 1983, Michael's is a classical fine dining experience popular with an older crowd.

South

• Shiki Japanese Restaurant

  phone: +1 519-668-7407
  address: 715 Wellington Road South
  This popular place serves fresh and delicious authentic Japanese fare. A rare find and a perfect place for a friendly lunch meeting or romantic dinner date.

• Craft Farmacy

  phone: +1 519-914-2699
  address: 499 Wharncliffe Road South
  Local imaginative craft food. A dozen craft beers on taps, interesting cocktails.

East

• The Coffeehouse

  phone: +1 519-266-7584
  address: 754 Dundas Street
  Eclectic yet cozy atmosphere.

• Vietnam Restaurant

  phone: +1 519-457-0762
  address: 1074 Dundas Street E
  Do not let the dive atmosphere or the industrial neighbourhood fool you - Vietnam Restaurant has authentic and excellent Vietnamese cuisine.

North

• The Waltzing Weasel

  phone: +1 519-663-9194
  address: 1324 Adelaide St. N
  Authentic English pub food and a wide selection of ales.

• Milestones Bar and Grill

  phone: +1 519-850-5116
  address: 1680 Richmond St. North
  A warm, cozy atmosphere and homestyle cuisine.

• Beer Town

  phone: +1 519-679-5424
  address: 109 Fanshawe Park Road East
  Good food and lots of great beers.

Generally, the locals head to the bars and clubs around 10-11PM and stay until closing time at 2:30AM (last call is at 2AM). Cover charges are minimal ($5-10) or nil, while drink prices are relatively reasonable.

• Barney's

  phone: +1 519-432-1425
  address: 671 Richmond St
  A very entertaining bar with good crowds, reasonable drink prices, and pleasant staff. The patio is extremely popular in summer, expect long lines.

• Call the Office

  phone: +1 519-432-BAND
  address: York & Clarence
  Live rock music five nights a week, CTO is the anchor of London's independent music scene. Retro night on Sundays is extremely popular.

• The Ceeps

  address: 671 Richmond St
  Officially the CPR Hotel, the Ceeps has been in existence since 1890 and has never stopped being one of the most popular UWO bars. The local joke is "your grandfather drank here, your father drank here, and your son someday will too".

• Chaucer's Pub

  phone: +1 519-679-9940
  address: 122 Carling St
  London's largest selection of beer, specializing in Eastern European lagers and ales. The old-world atmosphere is unique in the city, featuring a gigantic stone fireplace, no TVs, and music provided only by a piano.

• The Bungalow

  phone: +1 519-434-8797
  address: 910 Waterloo St
  Build-your-own-burgers, wine and draught beer in the heart of London's historic Old North neighbourhood.

• Lavish

  address: 238 Dundas St
  London's only LGBT club. Can be fun but monotonous at times.

Budget

• Fanshawe Conservation Area (Camping)

  phone: +1 519-951-6181
  address: 1424 Clarke Road
  Popular campsite run by local conservation authority. Usually fully booked on holiday weekends.

Mid-range

• Staybridge Suites

  phone: +1 519-649-4500
  address: 824 Exeter Rd
  Near Highway 401 on the south edge of town. All suite hotel. Full kitchens (including dishwasher), jacuzzi, breakfast and dinner buffet is included for around $100. Excellent value. London's #1 rated hotel on TripAdvisor.

• Hampton Inn London Ontario

  phone: +1 519-649-6500
  address: 840 Exeter Rd

• Country Inn & Suites

  phone: +1 519-430-1150
  address: 774 Baseline Rd E

Splurge

• Delta London Armouries

  phone: +1 519-679-6111
  address: 325 Dundas St
  Downtown. Converted from an armoury built in 1905. Indoor pool, whirlpool and children's splash pool, plus saunas and a fitness room. Excellent Sunday brunch ($25pp, reservations recommended). Pet-friendly. Rooms start at $180 per night.

• Doubletree by Hilton London Ontario

  phone: +1 519-439-1661
  address: 300 King St
  Downtown. Fitness room and pool. Rooms start at $140 per night.

London is a very safe city for the most part. There is urban blight on Dundas Street east of Adelaide and in the surrounding neighbourhood, but the downtown area is generally safe.

• Central London Public Library

  phone: +1 519-661-4600
  address: 251 Dundas Street
  All London library branches (there are 16 throughout the city) offer free computer/internet access for 90 minutes a day. WiFi access requires a London Library card.

• Grand Bend and the Pinary 70 km NW of London.
• The beautiful town of St. Marys is located north of London.
• Stratford, home of the Shakespeare Festival from May to October, is about 60 km north of London and is a great day trip for theatre-goers.
• Toronto, the multicultural capital of Ontario, is about 200 km east.
• Detroit, Michigan, is about 190 km south-west.
• Niagara Falls, Ontario; Niagara Falls, New York; and Buffalo, New York are about 200 km north-east.