Escape the city with these four summer getaways

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Grand Bend

Grand Bend is one of the most popular beach towns in Southwestern Ontario. Located approximately one hour from London, this is a great spot to spend the day or entire weekend. From camping at the Pinery Provincial Park to tasting craft beer at the Bad Apple Brewing Company Ltd., there is something for everyone. Grand Bend appeals to the adrenaline junkies with their skydiving at the Grand Bend Sport Parachuting Center, jet ski or sea doo rentals from Xtreme Watersports and parasailing on Lake Huron with Grand Bend Parasail. For a relaxing getaway you can easily spend the entire day laying on the sandy beach and taking a dip in the lake. To find more information about all the fun you can have in Grand Bend visit grandbend.com.

Elora Gorge Conservation Area

This beautiful 200 hectare piece of land is located approximately one and a half hours from London and is a great spot for a day trip or to pitch a tent for the whole weekend. With camping rates starting at only $34 a night, you can spend a weekend of your summer on the Grand River. The park allows you to experience the Elora Gorge in the most exciting ways. You can spend the day walking along the three kilometres trail, zipline across the Gorge, or tube down the Grand River. Tubing registration is $7 or you can get the entire tubing package with all the required equipment for only $30. If you are looking for something else to do you can take a stroll into downtown Elora where you will find restaurants along the Grand River, boutiques, and the Elora Brewing Company gastro pub and brewery. To learn more visit grandriver.ca.

Niagara Falls

Located approximately a two hour drive away from London, you can find one of the top sights in all of Canada. Whether you are a first time visitor or heading back Niagara Falls should be on your summer checklist. To experience the Falls on another level you can take a Hornblower Cruise to get up close views of the Falls, a Journey Behind the Falls to see the Horseshoe Falls from directly underneath, or go on the Wildplay Niagara Zipline and descend 2200 feet above the Niagara Gorge. If you are looking for a deal you can buy the Clifton Hill Fun Pass for $29.95 which gets you six of the top attractions in the city including the 175 feet Niagara Skywheel and a tour of the Movieland Wax Museum. You can also sign up for the Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) Niagara Falls Trip on June 23 where a bus will take you from Fanshawe to Niagara Falls. Tickets are $25 for students and $30 for guests and must be purchased in advanced at the Biz Booth.

Port Stanley

Another beach town you will not want to miss out on is Port Stanley. This harbour community is only approximately 45 minutes from London and is located on the North Shore of Lake Erie and at the mouth of Kettle Creek. Port Stanley hosts a number of events throughout the summer including their annual Canfest on June 29 to July 2 and their Harbourfest on August 10 to 12. Both of these events draw large crowds and include fireworks, street performers, parades and more. Another popular spot in the town is the award winning bar GTs on the Beach. With a 400 seat patio and eight beach volleyball courts you are guaranteed to have a great time on the water. The activities are never ending in Port Elgin with their stand up paddle board and kayak rentals from Sport in Port and 12 to 24 hole golfing at Bluffs Golf Course. To find out more visit portstanley.net.