Tourism London - Index

Tourism London - tourismlondon - Index

ST. MARYS
Take Richmond St. North (Hwy. 4)
or Highbury Ave. north out of the
city, past Hwy 22 and turn east at
Hwy. 7. Watch for the T intersection
to the left marked Perth
Road 25, turn left and continue
to town.
St. Marys, just a 45-minute drive from
downtown London, has a character all
its own. It is a community very much in
tune with its history. And no wonder—
reminders of this history are all around!
Settlers in the early 1840s were
first attracted to the fast-flowing
rivers and they built mills where Trout
Creek joins the Thames River. Another
early attraction was limestone, close
to the surface and ready to quarry.
Today the mills have long since shut
down, but the old millrace is a feature of a
beautiful park and walkway along the river.
The days of quarrying St. Marys limestone
for building blocks are over but many fine
stone buildings from the 1800s remain
as a lasting legacy to that earlier time.
Four passenger trains a day stop at
the VIA Rail Station, a restored 1908
building of brown “railway” brick that also
serves as the Tourist Information Centre.
A bridge over the Thames River is part of
the Grand Trunk Trail, a two-kilometre
walk through the north part of the town.
From it you can admire breathtaking
views of the town and the Thames River.
One of the main tourist attractions
is the Canadian Baseball Hall
of Fame. Open May to October, the
amphitheatre-style ball fields, unique
museum and nature walking trail
—32 acres in all—will fill your day.
But while rich in history, St Marys has
many modern features to offer visitors. By
far the most popular summer attraction
is the Quarry, a swimming pool of deep,
fresh spring water where once stone was
quarried for building material. Billed as
“Canada’s Largest Natural Swimming
Pool”, it has lifeguards, diving boards,
changerooms and picnic facilities.
Nearby Wildwood Conservation Area
offers swimming, fishing and boating
along with campsites for tents and trailers.
For more information, call
800-769-7668. Find out more about
the town at www.townofstmarys.com
46–LONDON VISITOR
Stratford’s double-decker tour
ST. THOMAS &
PORT STANLEY
For St. Thomas take Wharncliffe
Road (Hwy 4) or Wellington
Rd. south and continue south
through Union to Port Stanley.
Known as the “Railway Capital of
Canada”, St. Thomas is just a few minutes
south of London. The St. Thomas “On
Track” group is busy restoring the city’s
railway heritage. Visit the Elgin County
Railway Museum, open seven days a week
from June 1 to Labour Day or attend the
city’s annual Iron Horse Festival each
August. Train enthusiasts might also want
to stop by Jumbo Hill commemorating
world-famous circus elephant Jumbo’s
tragic demise when felled by the Grand
Trunk Railway in St. Thomas back in 1885.
Just south of St. Thomas and still
only 25 minutes from London is the
picturesque fishing village of Port Stanley,
complete with mooring trawlers, tugs
and watercraft of all sizes—including the
occasional tall ship. It’s fun to poke in
and out of the many boutiques along the
route to two main beaches, or dine at one
of several restaurants or small inns nearby.
Port Stanley harbour
The town’s large sandy beach
attracts families from all over. Cozy
bed-and-breakfasts abound, along
with the fully restored 1849 vintage
Kettle Creek Inn featuring comfortable
guest rooms and suites.
Every weekend from late March
through December, families and friends
are drawn to Port Stanley to take the
scenic “Port Stanley Terminal Rail”
tourist train along the Kettle Creek
Valley to either Union (40 minutes
round-trip) or St. Thomas (90 minutes
roundtrip). Enjoy seasonal themes like
the Easter Bunny or Santa Express,
or murder mystery rides. Visit www.
pstr.on.ca for complete schedule.
The Lake Erie shoreline is also host
to spectacular bird migrations—from
Tundra Swans to the American Kestrel.
Almost all manner of hawk take wing each
fall near Hawk Cliff. To get to Hawk Cliff,
take highway 4 to County Road 27, turn
right on Highway 22 and proceed to
Lake Erie.
For more information on the St. Thomas
and Port Stanley area, call
1-800-GO-ELGIN or
www.elginconnects.ca