Sun on your face, wind in your hair, a perma grin stretching from ear to ear. There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom when you ride a bicycle. In addition to being fun, it’s a healthy and sustainable way of exploring, plus the speed allows you to notice details you’d miss in a vehicle. Sign me up! Having explored several cities by bike in the past for the blog, I was very excited to do the same with London Bicycle Tours in London, Ontario.
Funnily enough, I once lived in London for almost a year for teachers college, yet never established a connection to my surroundings. While in school full-time I was also working a ton, so I missed out on getting to know Ontario’s Forest City. Despite my former resident status, returning to London to check out London Bicycle Tours felt more like a not-quite-first-time visitor experience. The juxtaposition of familiarity and novelty made for a fantastic day and my host, Lawrence, was the most gracious and welcoming guide.
This is a sponsored blog post in collaboration with Tourism London and Ontario’s Southwest. All opinions here remain my own.
Why Go on a London Bicycle Tour?
Sunshine and two wheels are all you need to explore and London Bicycle Tours is the best place to start while in London, Ontario. Pro travellers know that linking up with locals is the best way to see and learn about a place. Speaking of, “meet” Lawrence, the man below in the sunglasses. Lawrence is the enthusiastic and welcoming owner of London Bicycle Tours. He’s also an avid year-round city cyclist – yes, even in winter! As an inquisitive and friendly local who also knows London’s most bike-friendly streets, there’s no better person to lead a guided tour.
In addition to knowing you’re in excellent hands with Lawrence as your enthusiastic guide, there are a few more reasons to go on a London Bicycle Tour including:
- It’s super easy! All tours include a bike, helmet, and guide. Just show up and you’re good to go,
- There’s time to eat! All tours make a tasty stop for refreshments and snacks.
- They’re perfect for people of all comfort and fitness levels! All tours move at a leisurely pace and are on mainly flat terrain.
- They’re the perfect way to spend an afternoon! All tours are 3 hours in length.
- They start and end with treats! All tours start and stop at a delicious corner of town (more on this below).
- You’ll learn tons of cool historical facts, stop at picture perfect places, and glean all sorts of local insights! All tours are a blend of history, food, and fun.
Is it Safe to Bike in London, Ontario?
Like any city, London has bike lanes and quieter streets that are safer to bike on than on other roads. If we’re asking more specifically about the routes that London Bicycle Tours takes visitors on, Lawrence is very conscientious about making sure all routes are easily accessible, have low vehicle traffic or designated bike lanes, and are on flat terrain. Many of his tours include an exploration of the city’s laneways, which are a little bumpy, however there’s next to no traffic. You will also travel alongside the Thames River on the beautifully paved and well-maintained Thames Valley Parkway (TVP) which was purpose built for walkers, joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers, etc… In addition to well-thought out routes, all visitors will be provided with a helmet for their tour and the bikes are regularly serviced by the café’s bike shop.
What’s Included on a London Bicycle Tour?
When you book a London Bicycle Tour all city bikes, helmets, and the guide are included.
What Tours Does London Bicycle Tours Offer?
With 3 unique tours available to choose from, you can leisurely pedal through Forest City’s secret laneways and heritage neighbourhoods, and cruise along the cheerful Thames River. Relax and reenergize during your tour at cute cafés, marvel at vibrant murals, and learn about the history of the famous green Blackfriar Bridge.
Old North Bicycle Tour
The Old North tour caught my attention because of its focus on London’s history and unique architecture. I heard “secret laneways” and thought, “Yes please!”. We also went on a treasure hunt for London’s unique Keyhole Houses and learned about the famous Blackfriars Bridge – which is also a part of my #TMcONT160 series. We stopped along the way at a special bookstore and at a local café for a quick bite to eat. The tour was a great introduction to the city’s history and left my curious brain wanting to dig even further into London’s story.
Wortley Village Bicycle Tour
Also known as the “Heart of London’s Old South”, Wortley Village is a beautiful area with mature trees, independent shops and galleries, unique food spots, and gorgeous old homes. The tour crisscrosses the Thames River over 4 bridges, with stops at a hidden dam, the “poet tree”, and a café for ice cream. After enjoying the neighbourhood charm, you’ll find it no surprise that in 2013 it was named the “Best Neighbourhood in Canada“.
Thames River Bicycle Tour
The Thames River Bicycle Tour is a calm celebration of the city’s waterway. To start, you’ll head to the picturesque Western University campus, which quite honestly feels like a dreamy movie set. It is one of Canada’s more beautiful university campuses. In contrast, you’ll also pass through the amusing locally-known “Banana Kingdom”. While traversing the river’s many bridges, discover how the neighbourhoods bordering the river are protected and what’s so special about certain London doorways.
What to Bring on a London Bicycle Tour
As with any excursion, big or small, it’s important to arrive prepared. First and foremost, dress for the weather. This means layers, sunscreen, a hat, deodorant, and sunglasses. If it’s a windy day, bring a windbreaker or light sweater. If it’s a hot one, you still might prefer to have a long-sleeve shirt to protect your arms. I’d suggest wearing pants or shorts that aren’t baggy and won’t interfere with the bike. Any sports shorts will do quite nicely. You could wear sandals like Birks, however I prefer running shoes when on a bike tour. Definitely bring a water bottle (my favourite one is below). I would also suggest a backpack that can hold a camera or other small items like your wallet, snacks, or Dr. Ward’s Fresh Mist.
Pro Tip: My favourite water bottle is technically a water bag. The Vapur Collapsible Water Bottle comes in 4 sizes: 0.5 L, 0.7 L, 1 L, and 1.5 L. My preference is the 1L because it’s a great size without being too bulky and still keeping you well-hydrated.
How to Book with London Bicycle Tours
Booking a tour with London Bicycle Tours is super easy. Simply go to their website, click on any of the bright pink “Book a Tour” buttons, and complete the short form.
Where is London Bicycle Tours Located?
Remember when I said, “all tours start and stop at a delicious corner of town (more on this below)”. This is where I start to spill the beans on the two fantastic local eateries where you stop and start your tours! To find the starting location of your tour, type “London Bicycle Café” into your GPS.
Where to Park for London Bicycle Tours?
You’ll find London Bicycle Café at 320 Thames Street, beside District Ice Cream and across from Ivey Park. Beside the park is a small parking lot. From Monday to Saturday, the hourly rate is $4.50 and the daytime max, which goes from 8am – 6pm is $14. The evening maximum to pay is $11 between 6pm and 11:59pm. To park all day, from 8am to 11:59pm, it is $23. Parking is free on Sundays.
The London Bicycle Café also has bike parking if you choose to bring your own two wheels.
London Bicycle Café
Hearty Dutch sandwiches, fresh baking, and a wide array of local beverages from craft beer and cider to kombucha are available at this bright and friendly café. This is the perfect spot to for both an energizing pre-tour lunch or something tasty and light. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with plenty of room for you and your friends or family when you book a group bicycle tour.
The London Bicycle Café also sells everything you could want as a cyclist, from ebikes, cargo and family bikes, to helmets, baskets, and a plethora of biking accessories. On top of their café and and bike shop, they’re also the supplier of the bikes used for London Bicycle Tours.
District Ice Cream
I don’t know about you, but after a bike ride in the summer all I want is something delicious and cold! District Ice Cream makes premium small batch handcrafted ice cream with both classic and creative flavours. Their ingredients are as clean and wholesome as can be, with hormone free milk and cream from grass fed cows, fresh eggs from free range chickens, and organic vanilla beans. Throughout the menu you’ll find a mix of dairy free, gluten free, vegan, and vegan options as well. Choose from cups and cones to take home ice cream cakes. Or, if you’re like me, make the decision process even easier and get a flight of 4 different scoops!
How to Get to London, Ontario
London is located on approximately 2 hours west of Toronto and 2 hours northeast of Windsor. From either direction, it’s a straight shot along the 401, which makes directions super easy!
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Helpful Tips for Booking Your Trips
Flights
If you want affordable flights, you must get into the points and miles game. Check out my Travel Coaching services to help Canadians fly for less than a tank of gas!
Car Rentals
To help you explore new destinations, turn to Discover Cars for a huge range of vehicle options and excellent prices.
Accommodation
There are so many options for affordable, comfortable, and unique accommodation. Some of my favourite accommodation options are housesitting and hostels. I’ve been using Trusted Housesitters and Hostelworld for years. If you prefer hotels, then check out Booking.com.
Activities
Get Your Guide is a fantastic resource for different activities to try when travelling. They have everything from walking tours, food tours, tickets to attractions, and multi-day trips, and more. Check out this super cool view I had of Tallinn when I was in Estonia for the Christmas markets in 2023, all because of a Get Your Guide experience. My favourite tour so far that I’ve been on with Get Your Guide is a fantastic walking food tour I did in Dublin. That experience had a wild twist, but you’ll have to read this blog post to find out why!
