| |
Guide to London, Canada
|
Click to go to Flight Prices for London
|
LondonTaking after the English capital, London, one of the closest cities to US/Canada border, can be thought of almost as a home away from home for natives of the most popular of the UK's metropolises. Roughly 150 miles from Ontario's own star city, Toronto, London is a tourist trap where people expect a likeness to the place over the ocean, and they get a likeness. Complete with its own Thames, its neighbor, Stratford, and Stratford's famous stream, the Avon River, there's little chance of those coming over from the Queen's territory feeling homesick. Of course, London, Ontario, hasn't been this way forever. Centuries ago, quaint villages made up the territory on which the city sits today. Preservations of these native land-grabs can still be seen today in the Fanshawe Pioneer and Ska-Nah-Doht Iroquoian Villages. London's planners compromised with locals as to the city's development beforehand, and what turned out was, well, quite impressive. Buildings whose origins stretch as far back as the early 19th century are among the most popular destinations in town, and with plenty of English nuances in an otherwise heavily French province, you can indeed enjoy a genuinely good stay. The tourism sector of London never makes assertions that it'll surpass its inspiration across the Atlantic, but if you're interested to see what North American imaginations are capable of churning out, Ontario's southernmost big city might just get two thumbs up from you as well.
When to go:
Possibly the most southern of Canada's cities, London experiences much of what the northern half of the US experiences in the way of climatic shifts, particularly those felt and seen by the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. Apart from winter, moments of the year during which travelers should stay away from the region are few. Summers offer great stretches of ideal weather, though with the city's proximity to Lake Erie, barraging storms are not all that uncommon. Spring and autumn are known to be the bearers of chilly mornings and evenings, though with light insulation, you can easily get through those frosty periods.
Getting there and around:
London International Airport (not to be mistaken with Heathrow or Gatwick) is fairly well connected to the greater Western world, though its overseas ties are few. If you're able to squeak by with a direct flight from a major UK or Central European terminal, kudos. If not, a trip to New York, Portland, or Chicago will be necessary. Airport shuttles, taxis, and car rental agencies all cater to arrivals. Destinations within London are typically kept within walking distance of one another, making for easygoing ventures for visitors and local commuters alike looking for a nicely placed alternative to roadway travel.
Attractions:
If traditions and ethnic delights are especial favorites for you when traveling to a foreign land, a day spent in the recreated Fanshawe Pioneer town will give you a hands-on tutorial of how items were made before outsourcing was a global practice. Specific sites of interest for the general permanent and temporary populace are: the Eldon House, the city's oldest building; the London Regional Art and Historical Museum; the London Museum of Archaeology; and the Canadian Regiment Museum.
|
|
|
