London is a city of about 400,000 in southwestern Ontario, known as the "Forest City" for its large parks and extensive tree cover. Settled in 1826 and named after its English namesake, it grew into the commercial heart of the region between Kitchener and Chatham that Ontarians call Western Ontario.
The city is home to Western University, which gives it a lively student scene, and the downtown core along Dundas and Richmond Streets has a good mix of restaurants, bars, and independent shops. Victoria Park in the centre hosts festivals throughout the summer. The city's quirkier claim to fame is Banting House — the rented bedroom where Frederick Banting woke at two in the morning with the idea that became insulin. Just west of downtown, Labatt Park holds the Guinness-certified title of the oldest continuously operating baseball grounds in the world, and the walkable strip of cafes at Wortley Village keeps winning national best-neighbourhood polls. London is a practical stopover between Toronto and Detroit, about two hours from each.