Canada's first and only elevated park and of course it's in Saint Thomas which is known as the…read moreRailway City. Similar to New York's High Line, the park is a flat and level 5.3 mile out-and-back trail that takes over the former railway and includes crossing the Michigan Central Railroad Kettle Creek Bridge that is 95 feet above the road and was built in 1929. The Elevated Park is completely free and is open seven days a week, from 5 am to 11 pm. I found parking nearby on Centre Street. It was a really nice walk (I didn't do the whole thing) and of course be aware of wildlife, both four- and two-legged. [Review 1440 of 2024 - 118 in Ontario - 22463 overall]

The views are spectacular The native species of plants they've planted are exceptionally beautiful…read moreif you know when to goBring an interesting lock with your names & dates & put it on the lock sculptureGREAT JOB ST. T

This park is absolutely beautiful! And it adds so much to the cute little town of St. Thomas…read more I visited on a sunny day in May with my family, and we had a great time. Parking is free, the park itself is beautiful - there were bridges, a mini waterfall, lakes, a playground and a splash pad! Little critters are everywhere - turtles, snails (big ones too!), and lots of squirrels and birds! Waterworks Park seems like the perfect place for a picnic, a mini day trip, or just a place to relax. I can't wait to visit this place again! The drive from London to St. Thomas to go here is definitely worth it.

I saw this park pop up on my list for St Thomas and normally I dont do reviews on places, but this…read morepark is special. I've gone to all the different parks in St Thomas and most of them are REALLY NICE, but this one and Pinafore Park are truly great. You want a playground? check. You need a splashpad? check. Want a nice paved path to push a stroller around for a walk? check. You want nice gardens and just nice pleasant landscaping. check. Heck i even heard/saw people fishing in the river that's nearby? I don't even fish and that sounds like a awesome bonus! And i used to do the Pokemon thing and there's a TON of stops and gyms or whatever there so you can literally walk around a beautiful park playing your game or taking a seat on one of the benches, maybe have a coffee with you and chill. It's great... there's bathrooms and change rooms, its never too busy. I have zero bad to say about this place. Bring your kids.... enjoy it, we are lucky to have this.

Rock Glen was a gem to visit. Only about a 20 minute drive from London Ontario, this magnificent…read morenature conservation is majestic all around. A beautiful place for a family picnic or simply a walk amongst nature.

The Rock Glen Conservation Area is a local area municipalities-run spot (like all Ontario…read moreconservation areas) surrounding Rock Glen Falls, a historical site. Since there isn't a larger provincial budget, these places run on a low budget with limited staff who can only do so much. That means the entrance fee of $4 cash is with the honour system where you deposit the fee into a slot on the door, rather than have someone constantly monitoring the entrance. There's no point in trying to cheat the system by not paying, as they rely on this revenue stream to operate and maintain the grounds. There are no vehicles allowed in the park, and I found out that includes bicycles. The view as you enter the front gate is welcoming, pastoral and pleasant, with a flowing scene of clearings, trails leading here and there, mature trees, and picnic tables scattered around. Impressive! There are hills and valleys throughout and some nice trails too. Best are the wooden stair structures that you can find within the trees where they are provided to give views of the gorge and bush surrounding it. If you listen, you can hear the falls, which was at a trickle when I was there but that can change through the seasons and years. There are about 100 stairs to get down to the base of the falls, with a gate that was padlocked just before reaching the bottom, to keep people safe. But it was easy to swing a leg over and climb, and even if you're short, it wouldn't be a problem. Looking at the falls, I could see how some of the large rocks near the top could easily fall at any time so keep that in mind. But there's nothing like being close to waterfalls to feel the spray and breathe in the mist. Close to the falls, the smell of the water and greenery was incredible, along with the stunning visuals of the water streaming down some of the vines and different plants and flowers vibing away constantly. At the bottom is a nice sized bowl of water where it collects after falling. I was tempted to go get my swim suit and have a dip even though there were large dead branches along one side and a swirling pattern of foam on the top of the water. Then I realized I was wearing a puffer so maybe another warmer day would be better. Since that area is so sheltered, I can see it as being heavenly going for a dip there.

McLennan Park is the site of the old landfill in Kitchener (hence the nickname of "Mount Trashmore"…read moreby the locals) and occupies 39 hectares in the Laurentian Hills neighbourhood. There's truly something for everyone, including a dog park and a skate park, playground, and a relatively new BMX bike park. There is also a washroom building here as well as parking on-site. There are pedestrian trails for those who like to take a nice walk. Beach volleyball and basketball courts are also available for booking. In the winter, people of all ages love to toboggan down the hill. For those looking for fun in the great outdoors, look no further than McLennan Park!

Great place to camp, relax, take some short hikes and just enjoy nature. We camped in the Dunes…read moresection, and had about as close to an ideal tenting experience as you're going to find at a large, popular park. I was concerned when I booked the site that the Ontario Parks website described its privacy as "poor"--were we going to have people walking through our campsite constantly? Hardly. Compared to sites in Michigan state parks, where I've done a lot more camping, we were well sheltered by the tall trees and roadside brush. We were at the edge of the pavement and had a fair number of people walking by on their way to the beach, along with an occasional car, but they would have had to make some pretty determined efforts to stare at us (and really, doesn't everyone have better things to do? Not at some parks, I've learned). We'd have had more shelter at a site further back on the half-circle we were part of, but honestly, we were fine. There was plenty of room to put up our tent and dining shelter. No electricity or water on site (Pinery has another unit with more developed campsites), but there was a flush toilet nearby, a showerhouse in easy walking distance, and drinking water faucets regularly spaced through the campground. We could walk to the edge of Lake Huron in less than 10 minutes. The showers were clean with abundant hot water. The toilet station nearest us was also very clean, and when a flush handle broke Sunday afternoon, it was replaced in matter of hours. As I mentioned, Pinery is a popular park, and in the evening there is a modest amount of noise, though not enough to drown out the whipporwills and coyotes. Generally, the farther you are from the beach, the visitor centre, and the camp store, the better your chances for quiet and solitude. The trails are generally short--mostly in the 1-2.5K range, but wide and well kept. Their width is a good thing, too, since this may be one of the most poison-ivy infested parks I've ever seen. On the other hand, our visit was amazingnly bug-free. I do wish there were some longer trails here--it seems like that would be possible in the east end of the park. But the forest, dune, and wetland scenes along the existing trails are lovely. Have wanted to check this place out for a long time and glad we finally did.

Visiting friends and family in the area and what would a trip here be without a stop at the Pinery…read more We came by two days in mid August. This is a large Provincial Park with pretty much something for everyone including a dog beach, plenty of biking / walking trails, camping, a place to canoe and of course...the amazing beaches. One feels like you are holidays in Mexico when you are on these beaches...warm clear water, a few waves and great sand. We brought beach umbrellas and chairs and highly recommend some type of protection from the sun on hot sunny days. It was a very positive beach/nature experience and happy to recommend the Pinery.

Komoka Provincial Park is an excellent place to spend a day taking a hike!…read more There's a few things worth noting if you're going to head here for the first time: - It's not very accessible via city bus, so it is best to carpool - Don't rely on your smartphone to give you accurate directions to the entrance. My group had a few people end up near Sifton Bog rather than Komoka thanks to plugging the park's address into their maps app. Instead, just find the park on GoogleMaps and drop a pin, or just look for the sign off Oxford St. or Gideon Dr. - The older map of the park trails you'll find online on the Middlesex County website and that is sometimes distributed around town (the map without any satellite image shown under the trail lines) is outdated from what I could tell. It states that dogs are only allowed on certain trails, but this rule isn't listed elsewhere and when we arrived at the White trailhead (where the old map said "walking only", so we assumed dogs were not allowed. It says 'leashed pets' for the other 3 trails), there were no posted restrictions and lots of people walking dogs. - The trails are not super challenging, but there are parts with large tree roots, rocks, and somewhat steep inclines. - The trails are marked with blazes or small arrows. There are portions where it is possible to get lost. It is important to stay aware and remember when you've taken a turn, etc. - The park has no staffing or facilities, so be prepared to take out what you bring in. People had left piles of dog poop bags and empty cups, etc. at the entrance, which is gross. Please carry your trash out! The trails are mostly shady and through heavy forest, which makes this a pleasant place to walk on a hot day. There are portions through open field though, so don't neglect sunscreen!

KOMOKA PROVINCIAL PARK / KOMOKA TRAILS Official London…read moreOntario Park Gideon Drive and Brigham Road HAPPY FUN TIMES RATING: 5 SNORTS *Highest likemendation! Parking, benches, streams, beach, marked trails This is one of my most sooperfavoritist places to go exploreaventuring, guys!! It's 'MAZING and everything!! There are big piles of soopercool walkingroads plus trails for kikering plus even some little wooden paths too!! Yup!! Some parts are sooperhigh up and wayfaraways from MisterRiver, butt in other places, you can walk right up to him or even jump in for a wet, watery hug!! I did!! Plus and this is where I play Hidey-Go-Seek with my friend Steve the Deer! He is very good at hidey-go-seek! I've only seen him one time so far! Best part of Komoka Trails for puppies is that there are lotsa leafytrees for shadyparts plus, tricklestreams and burblecreeks plus MisterRiver himself to cool off in!! There are some sittingbenches for taking restingtimes, and even the most biggest crooked hill (wooden staircase) I have seen in evertimes!!I am not even joshing!! I give this park my highest likeamendation 'cuz it is a FIVE SNORT RESORT!! Yup!! Shanksh for being so awesometimes, park!! The end.

Unfortunately no Dogs allowed! Sorry Ozzie…read more Sand is quick nice and deep, but shoreline has driftwood, debris that has washed up on shore. Water was cold at noon time mid Aug) hardly anyone in the water. Im sure it would be busy on a hot summer day in July. Life Guards on duty! Small businesses nearby for ice cream, breakfast lunch, parking is ample but paid parking. Prices range from $4/hour to $10. Nearby walking parks and paths.

The beach is fairly busy, which is expected because it's very popular. The sand is soft but…read morelittered sometimes. The waves are very nice in the mornings and cools down by the evening. Parking is $20, there are places to eat right near by, a lighthouse to walk to, and lifeguards.

Just 1 hour from downtown Toronto, and in the heart of Guelph, I found this nice Park to stop in on…read morethe way to Elora. We actually came back on the way back! The park is really nice and green. There's lots of do here, and great for picnics, kids etc. There's lots of grassy areas and picnic tables to set up your lunch, also you can find a spot right by the riverside. The park seems really dog friendly as well, and not sure if it was allowed, but saw lots of dogs run off the dock and jump into the water. For kids, there's also a carousel on the weekends and a small train that goes around a designated spot in the park. Parking is free. There's also the really nice Floral Clock (no flowers on it this time) and Gardens, which could be really nice for photos. It was so relaxing here and lots of explore and lots going on!

Great spot for families with young kids. Lots of picnic areas, two playgrounds, and rides too: a…read morecarousel and a train ride. You can purchase a seasons pass (only sold during weekdays) that costs only $17 for one adult and one child, or buy individual ride tickets which cost $2.55 at the concession stand. Concession stand also sells Chapmans ice cream, soft serve ice cream, snow cones, slushies, hot dogs etc. Bathrooms in the same area as concession stand. There's a nice view of the river and some paths for walking. Will definitely return!

MEDWAY VALLEY HERITAGE FOREST ESA - SOUTH Official London…read moreOntario Park 23 Metamora Crescent HAPPY FUN TIMES RATING: 5 SNORTS! *Highest Likemendation! Wow! Also... Wow! This park was super-awesome and fun and stuff! It's giant-sized and has tons of squiggly, rolly, hilly paths, little roads, a giant staircase, waterfalls, a secret chair, gates, lookout points for making out, and a burbling creek runs right through it and everything! I took my ladyfriend, Bella and she loved it! We even had to break up a squirrel fight that got ugly! It was super fun! You should go! The end.

London is truly known for its wonderful parks, but in my opinion, this park is the best one in…read moretown. The Thames River flows along this park, and there is even a Kiwanis Music Park right on the park site for people to play at with the musical instruments that are set up there. How cool is that! There are lots of nice, quiet, peaceful trails that make up this park - this is an ideal place to get your exercise done at, or even just unwind at or meet up with friends at. The park is overall well maintained and kept well clean. Just be mindful of the numerous geese that take over this park. You therefore will want to watch your step while walking - you sure don't want to step on top of their crap! I wish more people knew about how serene of an experience Gibbons Park provides. It truly is the best park in the city, at least in my opinion.

Community pool, splash pad, several playgrounds, beautiful trees, and riverside scenery make for an…read moreabsolutely gorgeous outing for families. Usually has outhouses, especially during the summer when it's crowded, so washrooms are readily available! Lots of seating - both benches and picnic tables for large groups. The park is bursting with paved bike paths, and a foot bridge that crosses the Thames river right near all the action. There's a pavilion and other standard park fair. Cross the foot bridge, and you're in Waldorf park just across the river, which is just a few blocks from Western's campus. There's plenty of parking, but be warned: it's a 3 hour maximum, and they will enforce this. One of the best parks in London!