Checking out the castle at London (ON): Storybook Gardens

Storybook Gardens @ London,ON

Ok, if we hadn't had a lot of time to spare and did not want to walk along the Thames River by Springbank Park, I don't think we would be going to Storybook Gardens. Sure we were not expecting a Canada's Wonderland or Disneyland but this park still underwhelmed us. Storybook Gardens was just so-so. We paid about $30+ for the family but many of the rides/attractions were closed or under repair. Admission should have been discounted but well, they have to maintain the place. And it was pretty well-maintained--not run-down or tacky.

at the entrace, Storybook Gardens, London ON

Rides were also not included in the admission. Good thing we did not get ride tickets since there were only 4 operational rides (out of 6). They were also mostly kiddie rides as well, for children maybe 3-5 yrs old. The splash pad was under renovation and Old McDonald’s Farm (petting zoo) had been closed (following a fire, apparently). 

The grounds had some pretty nice picture spots, though, 

Storybook Gardens @ London, ON

Storybook Gardens @ London, ON

Storybook Gardens @ London, ON

 and the kids enjoyed the massive playground over at Pirate’s Island. Here was where we spent bulk of our time. 

Pirate's Island @ Storybook Gardens

We also managed to catch a musical show of the Princess and the Pea. Good to see such wonderful energy from the actors/singers despite a not-so-responsive audience. 

2 hours was more than enough to get through everything, very leisurely at that. Good for younger kids and if you are in the area and really have nothing better to do. They are also open for winter, too, so that should be good!

Storybook Gardens @ London, ON

Treats at the Western Fair Farmer’s Market and Covent Garden in London, On

Western Fair Farmer's Market @ London, ON

 We went on a dessert-buying spree over at the Western Fair Farmer’s Market at the Confederation building in London, ON. Open only on Saturdays, we managed to get there before lunch and stayed for a couple of hours. Along with the treats, we got some mini pizzas and meat pies. Good thing we brought our cooler!

Here are some of the delicious goodies we brought home:

1. Fire Roasted Coffee—hand-roasted artisan coffee with over 50 varieties. As coffee-lovers, this was just awesome! We brought home some dark, Ethiopian roast—fair trade and organic!

Fire Roasted Coffee Company from London, ON

2. Habitual chocolate— Beautiful artwork on the large bars caught our eyes along with rows and rows of chocolate bars! It took us a while to decide on which to get! We tried 3 flavours: Sea Salt, mint and coffee. These were just melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, but may have been a little too dark for us. The chocolates were hand-made and surely habit-forming!

Habitual Chocolate from London, ON

3. Dutch Bakery--Apple Fritters: crispy on the outside with a wonderful apple and custard filling. Best consumed upon purchase!

Apple Fritters from London Farmer's Market

4. Dessert Buns-- Cinnamon Buns: so delicious, just like our favourite Cinnabons!

Cinnamon Buns @ 2f London Farmer's Market

We also tried the Maple Sugar Cotton Candy at the Maple Sugar Company: what more can I say, Cotton Candy is ALWAYS yummy!

Covent Garden @ London, ON

And at Covent Garden, the big spread of The Chocolate Factory drew us in to bring home one of their best-sellers: Mint Smoothies. 

The Chocolate Factory @ Covent Garden, London, ON

Mmmmmmmmmmm. This one is sublime. Delicious milk chocolate with a mint-infused chocolate soft centre. Now why did  I not take home 2 boxes?! I wonder if they deliver…

Mint Smoothies from The Chocolate Factory @ Covent Garden, London, ON

We were very happy with our loot and these definitely made going to London worth it! Happy Eating!

Roadtrip to London (Ontario, not England)

Downtown London, ON

Well, I wish I was writing about taking a drive out to the UK, but no. We only took a 2 hour drive from Toronto to explore London, Ontario. This small city was indeed quite small and our overnight trip was more than sufficient time to see the city. It was also complete with all the big box stores and a huge hospital complex. Its downtown streets were named like Toronto’s downtown but less vibrant.

We skipped the Fanshawe Pioneer Village and other museums (including Children’s museum) but we managed to check out a few attractions:

1. Western Fair Farmer’s Market:  We scheduled to go on a Saturday so we can go to the Farmer’s Market (open only on Saturdays). It was smaller than the St Jacob’s Farmer’s Market in Kitchener but had the same feel to it. We just got some soup and sandwiches from a couple of stalls for lunch before we went on our dessert-buying frenzy. The 2^nd floor had a big spread of arts and crafts—it was like being in those “One of a Kind” shows.

Farmer's Market @ London,ON

Confederation Bldg @ London, ON

 2. Covent Garden Market: now this one was almost as nice as St Lawrence Market in downtown TO but was much smaller and with hardly any fresh meat or produce (or at least I did not see much). There was underground free parking (with validation and maximum stay) and the feel was more upscale. There were more dining spots here and the 2^nd floor had a lot of seating areas.

Covent Garden @ London, ON

Covent Garden @ London, ON

3. Storybook Gardens: as we waited for this amusement park to open, we strolled along the adjacent Springbank Park. The park is located along the stretch of the Thames River and is the largest park in London, ON. The park was definitely lovely. Post on Storybook Gardens to soon :)

Storybook Gardens @ London, ON

If you get an early start and a late end, a day trip would suffice for London. We were a bit underwhelmed as we were expecting more of a quaint town not a small city. Nevertheless, there were some decent places to visit.