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Storybook Gardens #LdnOnt

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

Right after breakfast on our second day in London we left the Homewood Suites by Hilton® Hotel and headed out to Storybook Gardens, an amusement park for young children located right in London, Ontario.  A Family pass (2 adults and 2 children) for the park is $26 on weekends, and $5 a person on weekdays as rides and concessions are closed.

 

 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

The front entrance is a castle which had Keira super excited as she is going through a serious princess and castle phase.   Inside you can purchase your tickets/passes to the park and you will find a little gift shop inside as well.

Once you leave the castle you can make a wish at the wishing well before starting your adventure.  It also presents families with a great photo opp to help preserve memories of your day out!

 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

The next section of the park we encountered were the rides including a Ferris Wheel, Swings, Elephants and a Slide.  Unfortunately Keira was under the height restrictions for these rides.  Outside the park though are a carousel ans Springbank Express Train which had no height restrictions but unfortunately didn’t appear to be in operation when we first arrived, likely due to the rain earlier in the morning.  As we left I noticed the Carousel was running but Keira and I had slipped in a puddle and were a bit too cold and wet for rides at that point.  (So here is a tip, don’t attempt to power walk while carrying your toddler through a pathway covered in puddles.  It will not end well.)

Next we came upon “Old MacDonald’s Farm”, when we arrived the animals were mostly still in their stalls being fed and cared for by a staff member.  The “farm” features miniature Donkeys, sheep. goats, chickens and bunnies.  Keira loves animals and really enjoyed visiting with them so we spent awhile looking at and talking about the animals.  

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

The park is Storybook themed and you will find characters around the park like this super cute Wind in the Willows installment; we also found Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall among others.

We next visited Storybook Valley Village where kids can play in the Old Woman’s Shoe and other miniature playhouses.

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

We were lucky that we had arrived shortly after the rain ended as most of the children were on the rides so Keira had the entire Valley Village to herself.  She had a ton of fun going from house to house to look around and play with the toys she found inside each.

 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

There is even a cute little bank complete with an escape hole!

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

Of course, the Valley Village wouldn’t be complete without a peek into the Old Woman’s Shoe which leads to even more playhouses.  Kids love new toys and Keira could have easily spent hours playing there alone. 

 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

She also loved the “castle” bridge and kept asking to go across it with me.  She thought it was completely magical.

There is a Splash pad complete with change area that is open in the summer and looks to be a lot of fun.  We also noticed a bounce pad that was being cleaned off for use.

 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

We stopped to watch the ducks swimming around at the Frog Pond.  Keira has loved ducks forever.  One of her very first words was “Gaga”  (Quack Quack) meaning duck so she literally squealed with joy to see all the ducks swimming around. 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

The last stop was Pirate’s Island which features a three story tall slide and various play grounds for different ages.  There is even a really cool Toddler Play Pirate Ship which is perfectly scaled for a toddlers little legs.  Keira had so much fun steering the ship and going down the slides and just generally running around. 

Storybook Gardens London Ontario

Keira had so much fun during our visit it was hard to get her to want to leave and took some bribing with the promise of some cheese pizza.  While I wish more had been open when we arrived, particularly the rides she could actually go on, she still fully enjoyed the park so in the end it was definitely worth the visit, even on such a cold and wet day.

Storybook Gardens is open year round, with what sounds like a really fun skating trail open in the winter months!

 

Shaped by nature and steeped in history, culture, and charm, Ontario’s Southwest is the perfect place to plan a summer escape. Home to over 900 kilometres of Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair and Grand River shoreline the region boasts a diverse range of unique waterfront sights to explore and enjoy including the second longest freshwater peninsula in the world, freshwater coastal sand dunes, the southern-most tip of Canada, and some of the continent’s best birding, and a rapidly evolving wine and culinary scene.

Planning to visit Ontario’s Southwest?  Visitors can access a complete list of offers as well as find a number of helpful travel planning tools including a Waterfront Guide, a South Coast Birding Trail map, a Cruise the Coast motorcycle map and five tasting and touring itineraries at ontariossouthwest.com.

 

Wanda Tracey

Thursday 16th of March 2017

I used to go there quite often when my kids were little.It was a lovely little park where they also had live plays for entertainment.It has changed tremendously and they have added so many new features that weren't there.

Krista M

Monday 1st of December 2014

This would've been a great place to take my kids in their younger years. Sadly now they are 9 & 11 which they've outgrown places like this. Though it would be the ideal place for an intriguing cool photo shoot, with the bank & pirate ship, etc.!

Elizabeth Matthiesen

Monday 10th of November 2014

this seems to be a fun place to go with children but on the weekend of course. It's not as much fun when the rides and concessions are closed.

kathy downey

Thursday 23rd of October 2014

I would love to visit Storybook Gardens

Victoria Ess

Thursday 9th of October 2014

Oh it looks like Keira had a really great time!