This pushed my limits but in a good way. These gardens were everything great about the British…read moreempire, surreal like an episode of Dr Who, but also Italianate, like a harlequin. Wonderful color harmonies, and thick cosmos flowers. We had questions about some of the plants, were they kale or garlic?

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!

It's a nice park in downtown Kitchener offering lots of options to enjoy. It has a playground,…read moresplash pad, basketball courts and picnic areas. It is a family-friendly park and you can enjoy walking, running, biking or roller skating in the park while your children are busy playing in the playground. There is plenty of shade to move the picnic tables and enjoy a nice meal.

The first time I passed by Victoria Park was by accident. I drove along and noticed this beautiful…read morepark. It was in the wintertime. I vowed to come back when the weather was warmer. Well, with the recent heatwave that happened, I was in the neighbourhood, saw a parking lot, and decided to stop by. It was 36°C outside. With the humidity, it was much hotter. I am crazy, but I am glad that I stopped by. I walked around the park. It's picturesque and I can understand why folks choose to get wedding photos taken here. There are plenty of benches around. The bike and walking paths are generous. There are a ton of bridges over the water. Lots of folks were out and about. I also got to say hi to a dog and his owner. For kids, there's a splash area. There were plenty of cheerful kids cooling off and having a good time. I liked the canoe that was at the park. It was different, but a good fit. I spent nearly an hour there. I left fearing that I would be a water blob from the heat. I will try coming back here when it's not as humid. It's the perfect way to relax, take a stroll, and take photos of this beautiful park. (254)

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.

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.

Great open area to run around in if you are a kid or an adult. Seems maintained well. Next to a…read moreriver but looks protected so no worries of falling in. There are cement paths to walk or bike on and a small water park (that was closed as it was winter). Area seems a bit low key but friendly enough.

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.

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.