London, Ontario is the Forest City, a friendly, mid-sized place of about 420,000 people that sits roughly halfway between Toronto and Detroit. Western University shapes a lot of the feel, with students filling Richmond Row and the cafes and bars around it. The Thames River runs through town, and the Thames Valley Parkway and Springbank Park give you long walks and bike rides without leaving the city.
Covent Garden Market is the local favourite for food, Wortley Village has the small-town charm, and Old East Village is where the arts and new restaurants are. Storybook Gardens is a hit with kids, and Stratford and the Lake Huron beaches are each about an hour away. It costs a bit less than Toronto, though prices have crept up. Winters bring snow squalls, and the region is Ontario's tornado corridor in summer. Crime is around average, with some downtown street disorder.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
Summer festivals and the September to October university move-in and Western homecoming weekends
Quieter season
January to March
Nearest airport
London International (YXU), 10 km northeast of downtown (limited domestic and some US service
Highlights
Covent Garden Market
Storybook Gardens and Springbank Park
Museum London
Western Fair District Farmers and Artisans Market
Fanshawe Pioneer Village
Banting House National Historic Site (birthplace of insulin discovery)
Grand Theatre
Victoria Park
Thames Valley Parkway
Budweiser Gardens (London Knights hockey)
Wortley Village
Lake Huron (Grand Bend, about 60 km) and Stratford (about 60 km) day trips
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
7.1/10Very good
Connector Score9.2
35 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, intercity bus, air, and local transit; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety6.8
Crime Severity Index around 85; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability6.5
Cost of living index about 100, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation10.0
Reachable by: road, intercity train, intercity bus, air, and local transit. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness7.0
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability5.7
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do7.5
Known for 9 kinds of attraction, with 10 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining6.6
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay6.4
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.0
Known for beaches, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value5.5
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness7.4
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness6.0
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife8.1
Known for its nightlife. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness6.6
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
35 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.8
Intercity train service, with 27 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience7.3
Intercity buses, with 23 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
The Forest City; Canada's London; the Ontario town on the Thames; home of Western University
Founded
1793 site chosen by John Graves Simcoe and named London on the Thames; 1826 town founded; 1855 incorporated as a city
Languages
English (official and dominant); French is an official federal language but little used day to day; Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin, Punjabi, Portuguese, Polish, Tamil and Vietnamese are among the main immigrant languages; small Francophone community; nearby Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee-Delaware Nation and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation
Airports
London International (YXU), about 10 km northeast of downtown (limited domestic and some US service, about 15 minutes by car); Toronto Pearson (YYZ) about 190 km northeast (VIA Rail, bus and shuttle); Detroit Metropolitan (DTW) about 190 km west; Region of Waterloo (YKF) about 100 km northeast
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (GST/HST/PST are added on top of listed prices, and tipping is on the pre-tax amount); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; Ontario HST is 13% on top of listed prices)
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
London City Circle
For people considering London, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 422,324 (city) and London CMA 543,551 are 2021 Census figures (Statistics Canada), recalled from the Census Profile (not opened, so lower confidence; newer estimates run higher). Land area 420.5 sq km per 2021 Census. Visitor URL and events search page are Tourism London pages seen in search results (not load-tested). Founding wording approximate. Elevation, coordinates, founding, event months, hotel ranges, tipping, cost-of-living comparisons, crime index, rent, home prices and airport distances are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified in this pass. Web fetch was not used; search snippets only. All money in CAD.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Downtown and Richmond Row for first-timers, restaurants and Budweiser Gardens
Old East Village for local dining
near Western University and Masonville for university visits
airport and Highway 401 corridor for budget chains and early flights. Tiers: budget motels
mid-range chains (Hampton Inn, Delta Hotels London Armouries, Best Western)
few luxury options (Delta Armouries, boutique inns)
Suburbs and neighboring towns
St. Thomas (30 km; car, bus unconfirmed); Strathroy (30 km; car, bus unconfirmed); Ingersoll (30 km; car); Thorndale (20 km; car); Komoka (15 km; car, bus unconfirmed); Oneida Nation of the Thames (25 km; car); Lambeth (10 km; London Transit bus)
What a visit costs
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$104/day
Lodging about CA$115 a night
Mid-range
$147/day
Lodging about CA$165 a night
Luxury
$241/day
Lodging about CA$265 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
100 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$1,750a month
Median home price
CA$600,000
Research notes
Roughly at the Canadian average or 2-5% above, and about 15% below Toronto and 10-15% below large US metros (approximate, from common indices); typical 1BR rent about $1,600-1,900 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate)
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
CA$600,000
Mortgage calculator
Benchmark home price roughly $580,000-620,000 CAD citywide (LSTAR, approximate; detached about $700,000, condos about $380,000 CAD); average 1BR rent about $1,600-1,900 CAD; market trend: prices fell after the 2022 peak and have been flat to soft with higher inventory (not verified this pass)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 13% HST plus a municipal accommodation tax of about 4%, rate not verified): budget $90-140; mid-range $130-200; luxury $210-320. Peak season is summer festivals and the September to October university move-in and Western homecoming weekends; sports tournaments and graduation weekends also raise prices; January to March is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $90-160 CAD
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Downtown and Richmond Row for first-timers, restaurants and Budweiser Gardens
Old East Village for local dining
near Western University and Masonville for university visits
airport and Highway 401 corridor for budget chains and early flights. Tiers: budget motels
mid-range chains (Hampton Inn, Delta Hotels London Armouries, Best Western)
few luxury options (Delta Armouries, boutique inns)
Places to stay
6 listings in London, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
6.8
Good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 85; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
London's Crime Severity Index is around or slightly above the national average (roughly 75-95 versus about 80 for Canada, approximate; London Police Service and Statistics Canada); main visitor risks are property crime, vehicle theft and break-ins, and occasional downtown night-time disorder. Health care: Ontario OHIP does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospitals: University Hospital and Victoria Hospital (London Health Sciences Centre), St. Joseph's Hospital, Children's Hospital at LHSC. Hazards: heavy snow and lake-effect squalls in winter (-5 to -15 C, ice); severe summer thunderstorms and tornado risk (southwestern Ontario is Ontario's tornado corridor); flooding along the Thames River in spring. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas are formally off limits. Use caution late at night in parts of the downtown core and the Dundas Street corridor east of Adelaide, and around some encampment and social service areas near Old East Village and Richmond Row edges, where street disorder and drug use are visible; some east and southeast neighbourhoods have higher property crime. Most visitor areas (Wortley Village, Covent Garden, Springbank Park) are generally fine
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
London (1 night)
3-day trip
London (1 night) → Toronto (1 night)
About 121 mi, 2 h 23 min of travel
5-day trip
London (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night)
About 163 mi, 3 h 17 min of travel
7-day trip
London (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night) → Brampton (1 night)
About 205 mi, 4 h 12 min of travel
10-day trip
London (2 nights) → Toronto (2 nights) → Hamilton (1 night) → Brampton (1 night) → Markham (1 night)
