Favourite finds in Forest City

Living in a new city can be difficult and it’s not always easy to find things to do in your down time. Sure, there are the big festivals you hear about on the radio, but people aren’t always around to tell you about the smaller things that keep them from getting bored all summer.

Here are some must-see attractions in London.

The essential food destination of downtown is Prince Albert’s. This cozy little establishment is decked out to look like a retro diner straight out of a TV show. Prince Albert’s is famous not only for its decor, but for the milkshakes and adventurous variety of hamburgers.

After you’ve had your fill, you might want to take a stroll through Victoria Park, directly across from the diner. This downtown park plays host to a number of festivals throughout the summer.

If you need a morning pick-me-up, check out one of the city’s lesser- known attractions, the Locomotive Espresso bar. This café sells on using locally sourced goods to provide great caffeinated beverages in London. By collaborating with the local businesses, Locomotive has been able to cultivate a unique coffee/espresso café with a healthy selection of foods to complete the experience.

A newer attraction to the London Downtown core is the Cardboard Café. Although it looks unassuming from the outside, the café has an inventory of over 400 board games. If you can’t convince a group of friends to accompany you, Wednesdays are set aside for league games where you can sign up and play with other café visitors.

A gym isn’t something you’d expect to see on this list, but London has a unique one, which goes by the name of Junction. Located in a warehouse in the Old East Village, this gym is completely dedicated to rock climbing. With walls nearly four stories tall, and about 60 different climbing routes, it beats any other rock climbing facility in London. The best part about Junction is that it offers a student discount on day passes and monthly memberships.

If you’re looking to make a daylong outing, East Park Golf has the perfect collection of attractions. It boasts a full 18-hole golf course, a driving range and two 18-hole mini golf courses. If golfing isn’t your thing, you may want to try driving bumper cars, go karts, practicing swings at the batting cages or playing at the arcade. Finally, perhaps the greatest part of East Park is its water slides and splash pad, which could entertain for an entire day.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a cheap date night, check out Rainbow Cinemas in Citi Plaza downtown. The Fanshawe Student Union offers four-dollar movie tickets through the Biz Booth for a Wednesday night movie at the theatre. If you don’t like the movie being played, cheap Tuesday tickets are only five dollars; a small price to pay in comparison to other theatre chains.

If you want to find more little gems in your part of London, check out neighbourgoodguide.ca. The website has an extensive list of lesser known attractions, and even a feature that lets you search by location.