Travel: Five Reasons to try Glamping this Summer

Let's Go Glamping

Ah summer! The weather is all warmed up and nature is calling everyone outdoors. I love this time of year! People smile more and are generally in a better mood. I love that everyone has a little more energy to plan some outdoor fun and I like to extend this energy into the autumn months too.

One of my favourite ways to spend time outdoors in the summer/early fall is to go camping with a group of friends. We've done this for the last few years, and my husband and I always talked about going just the two of us as well.

We thought it would be so romantic and relaxing with the quiet setting, a burning fire and a sky full of stars.


To be honest - the amount of work that comes along with camping is what has deterred us. From planning, to packing to setting up - it's way too much for two people to do alone.

That's why I was so excited to learn about Glamping! If you haven't heard of it before, it's glamorous
camping. A solution for those who love the wilderness but not the idea of "roughing it".

Want to know more? Here's my top five reasons you'll want to try the trend.

Enjoy the Outdoors

The number one reason to go camping is to immerse yourself in nature. This is true for Glamping too, and there's nothing like the serenity and peace that comes from breathing in fresh air and listening to the birds in the trees.

A stunning sunset from our last Glamping adventure in Norfolk County, in Ontario's Southwest

Save time and energy

Camping requires a lot of planning. In order to "rough it" you have to plan your meals, figure out your sleeping arrangements and set up your accommodations. I know it's part of the fun but it can honestly be a lot of work. You will be saving a whole lot of time and energy if you glamp instead.

This campfire was already waiting for us when we arrived at Long Point Eco Adventures

Pack less

It's funny that doing something that takes you back to nature would require you to bring so much along. From canteens of water, to firewood, pillows, sleeping bags and everything in between, it's a lot to pack.

Bringing utensils and pots/pans - not to mention the other things you would normally take on vacation (bathing suits, towels, sunscreen etc.) - it's just a ton of STUFF. If you Glamp instead, you can leave all that at home and just bring what you would need on a summer overnight.

Sleep Comfortably

One of the most attractive features of Glamping is being able to enjoy a soft and comfortable place to sleep. Most glamping sites offer beds with fresh linens in a tent that is more like a room. Some even offer heating and air conditioning!

Suitable for all ages

Glamping is an amazing experience and suitable for all ages because you will find the same comforts of a hotel room - running water, electricity, indoor lighting and even a private washroom with a shower all within your tent.

So whether you want to bring someone who is 5 months or 85 years old, you will have what you need to have an enjoyable experience.



Now that you know WHY you should try glamping, let me share with you WHERE you can do it, here in Ontario!

My glamping experience was at Long Point Eco Adventures in Norfolk County. It's about a two hour drive from Toronto and offers incredible outdoor experiences without all the extra work.

Located within the broader region of the Long Point UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the campgrounds   overlook the inner bay of Lake Erie and Turkey Point Marsh.

At Long Point Eco Adventures, they have amazing wilderness suites which are equipped with everything you need to have a comfortable overnight experience in the woods. The rooms are safari style tents with sliding glass doors and offer the following little luxuries:

• a king or queen size bed
• heated blankets for those crisp nights
• a ceiling fan and electric heater
• a mini fridge
• a lamp and electrical outlets
• a full hotel style washroom 
• an outdoor shower so you can bathe under an open sky
• a deck with Muskoka chairs

Basically - all the best parts of camping are waiting for you when you arrive.



They also have great activities available on site like Tree Trekking and Ziplines, axe throwing and a state of the art Observatory with an incredible Night Sky program - we saw Saturn!

To help you unwind, there's a fabulous winery, Burning Kiln, which is within walking distance from the campgrounds. It's the perfect place to enjoy a tour or tasting in the middle of nature.

When it comes to food, a full, all you can eat breakfast is included in your stay. We  enjoyed fresh coffee each morning with sausages, eggs  and toast as well as some fruit and yogurt.

For lunch, you can check out the onsite food truck where you can get delicious tacos and sandwiches - perfect for enjoying outdoors.

There are also communal barbeques set up in case you want to bring some groceries and make your own meals. Each suite also has a mini fridge to store the essentials. Personally, I enjoyed having a break from the meal preparation.

Why Go Now?

I personally love getting outdoors all season long but especially in the late summer/early fall months. The reason? It's no longer peak Camping time but - the colours are so beautiful! The air is a little fresher and cooler which means its perfect to enjoy long days outside and get active too!  Also has anyone else noticed less bugs and mosquitos as the summer winds down? And - fire side s'mores are just so much tastier when there's a little chill in the air!

Hope I've inspired you to experience something different and enjoy an incredible Glamping holiday this year. I for one, cannot wait to go back!


A special thank you to my friends at Norfolk County Tourism and Long Point Eco Adventures for sponsoring this blog post. As always, all views and opinions are my own.

Travel: Exploring London, Ontario

A Weekend Escape to London, ON

This summer, I want to explore and enjoy as much of Ontario as I can. We're so lucky to live in such a beautiful province that has so much to offer!

We kicked off this summer goal with a weekend in one of Southwest Ontario's larger cities- London.

I haven't been to London for about 13 years. I used to compete on a dance team and our annual competition was in London. However, since then, I've only ever driven through on our way to other destinations in Southern Ontario. It was about time I stopped to see what London has to offer - and verdict?  I was very happily surprised!

We found London has a nice combination of small town and big city vibes. You can definitely find quiet time as well as bustling night life here. Not to mention the up and coming culinary scene.

Below, I've shared from of my favourite places to eat and some fun things to do during a visit to London, Ontario if you decide to plan your own weekend escape!

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Hotel Metro, which is a boutique hotel right beside Convent Garden Market. We found the location to be perfect for us as it was walkable to Richmond Street and to many of the other places we wanted to go.

                            

I also loved that the rooms were exceptionally spacious. We stayed in the Loft-style King room and it was perfect for us. I loved the high ceilings and exposed brick walls.

The room definitely had a special style and ambience. Despite the construction going on right outside, we heard nothing and slept very well on their extremely comfortable beds.

Black-out curtains are what we are used to at home, so they were a welcome change from standard hotel drapery. I slept like a baby and I'd highly recommend this hotel for comfort, location and ambience.

Where to Eat

The Bag Lady

The Bag Lady is the perfect place for brunch. It's a quaint vintage variety store and breakfast is served all day. The food here is delicious to say the least and it's affordable too!

We had the loaded Breakfast Burrito and the Breakfast Pizza - a thin and crispy crust, topped with eggs, veggies and cheese. It was all so delicious. I might have to go back for this!

DolcettoDolcetto is a lovely Italian restaurant with a relaxed and modern atmosphere. They serve great homemade pizzas, pasatas and other Italian dishes.



You can also find traditional brunch items on the menu on Sundays. We went for the Fico (Fig) Salad, Salmon Picatta with lemon, capers and angel hair pasta as well as the Portofino Pizza (mozzarella di bufala, house made spicy sausage, rapini and chilies.

The food here was great and especially loved their decor and patio.

Los Lobos

Los Lobos is a modern Mexican restaurant with a fantastic patio. If you sit outdoors, make sure you take a look at the wall art inside, it's outstanding! 

I loved the stuffed poblano pepper with rice, chorizo, salsa and cilantro. I'd also highly recommend their margaritas and tacos. We tried the pork belly, chicken thigh, cauliflower and carnita tacos - they were all delicious!

Hunter and Co

This was probably my favourite culinary stop over the weekend. Hunter & Co. offers a unique experience with chef-crafted dishes that are full of flavour. Personally, I loved the experience of dining here.

The menu is tapas style and they recommend ordering four to five dishes to share. Each dish comes out one at a time so you can fully enjoy and appreciate the flavour combinations.

I loved everything we ordered but my favourites were the stuffed boneless chicken wings and the cashew shrimp. The dishes were so delicious, I can see why this restaurant is always bustling! The service was also excellent and I'd highly reccommend dining here.

The Bungalow

The Bungalow is a low key restaurant with a family friendly vibe. We sat outdoors to enjoy the weather. This restaurant has been featured on the TV show, "You Gotta Eat Here" and I'd heard so much about the famous burgers that I decided to give one a try.

Hubby and I shared some grilled salmon with a salad and a lamb burger. I loved the long list of toppings available so you could get the perfect combo. I went with grilled pineapple, sauteed onions, tomato and jalapenos. The list of fancy and house made condiments was equally as long and impressive.



The burger was perfectly juicy - I'd say succulent even, and was quite honestly the best burger I've ever eaten. If you're a burger lover, I'd say - you gotta eat here.

The Tea Lounge

The Tea Lounge is a lovely place to stop in for an afternoon indulgence. They have over 150 varieties of ethically sourced tea. The owner, Michelle, also makes sure to pick the best quality leaves and teas to ensure that her customers maximize on the health benefits.

What I loved it that she also ensures all her suppliers, farmers and growers are paid fairly for their work. Got to love a company that has ethics at the heart of what they do.



We enjoyed the serenity of their porch and had a little down time as we sipped a beautiful blooming tea. You can also try their newly launched, lunch experience which includes soup, salad and a cheese board (or go for the vegan cheese board).



Our tea guide, Spencer, gave us a wonderful education about the proper way to pour and prepare tea. As a tea lover, I found this to be so interesting and loved learning more about one of my favourite beverages.

Haven's Creamery

Just down the road from The Tea Lounge is Haven's Creamery. They are a small batch ice cream shop and focus on bringing a high quality product to their customers.

I loved the ambience and the delicious ice cream which really hit the spot during the summer heat.

Roli Poli Ice Cream

If you're looking to try something different, you may want to stop in at Roli Poli's on Richmond Street. They specialize in hand rolled ice cream. Choose your ingredients (fruits, candies, toppings) and they are hand mixed into the cream.

 Then the cream is frozen on a stainless steel plate and rolled by hand. The result is paper-thin ice cream rolls which are then topped with fruit and whipped cream. 

Things To Do

There are so many ways to spend some time in London and I had the opportunity to explore quite a bit when I was in the area.

Richmond Row  

Richmond Street (also known as Richmond Row) is the main street for shopping and browsing in London, Ontario. There are over 200 businesses in this area including, but not limited to, clothing boutiques, health and beauty shops, restaurants, bars and pubs.

We spent some time walking up and down the street, admiring the rooftop beer garden at Toboggan and the churches we passed.

My favourite shop here was a peaceful botanical haven called "Grow and Bloom". I just loved the decor, ambience and the little home decor treasures that I found here!

London Libations Pedal Pub

One of the reasons I wanted to come to London for this weekend was to experience their brand new Pedal Pub. This is something I've wanted to try out for the last few years while on vacation but it never worked out. I was so excited to learn that this experience is now available in Ontario. The Pedal Pub is a giant bicycle that seats about 10 pedallers, 1 driver and 5 people who can just enjoy the ride. London Libations offers a two hour tour with stops scheduled at some of London's craft brewhouses.



The tour I was on stopped at Anderson Craft Ales and The London Brewing Co-op . We had 4-6 tastings at each stop.

Pedal Pub costs about $60 and was such a  fun experience. We rode with a group of friends who were celebrating a birthday. This is the perfect group activity. It was an exciting way to get from brewery to brewery and perfectly safe as a designated driver does all the steering.

Currently, there's a facebook contest going on, check it out for a chance to win passes for a London Libations Pedal Pub tour!

Budweiser Gardens

While visiting London, I had the chance to catch a show at Budweiser Gardens. But it wasn't just any show, it was my first Cirque Du Soleil experience! I saw a breathtaking show called "Crystal". It was a classic Cirque show with acrobats, jugglers, corde lisse and lots of stunts but it was all on ice!
Added to that, was the indoor snow fall, live music, incredible lighting and ice dancing. It was a magical experience!



If you're in town and Cirque isn't, you can always catch other shows at the Gardens. This summer, Shania Twain will be in town, as well as the Smashing Pumpkins. The Gardens will also host Keith Urban in the fall.

Tree Trekking

If you love physical activity, make sure to check out Boler Mountain for an amazing tree trekking adventure. It's an outdoor adventure park that consists of rope bridges, swinging tires, wooden platforms and swings that connect between trees.

Did I mention the park is suspended about 40 feet above ground? It's definitely an exhilarating way to test your strength and agility. I enjoyed channeling my inner Indiana Jones and trekking from platform to platform.

Don't miss the zip-line course which consists solely of zip-lines of various lengths. It's so much fun and will really give you that free-flying experience. If heights aren't your thing, Boler Mountain also has hiking trails and bike rentals that would suit anyone who'd rather keep their feet on the ground.

Covent Garden Farmer's Market

One of my favourite things to do in any city I'm visiting is to check out the local farmer's market. It's a great way to get to know a community and to become a part of it.



In London, I loved wandering through the rows of market vendors at Covent Garden Farmer's Market. It's a large indoor market in the heart of downtown London.

At the market you can find fresh local produce, craft batch condiments, gourmet jams and delicious cheeses. You will also come across bakeries, florists, homeopaths and Kombucha brewers. On Thursdays and Saturdays there is also an outdoor market featuring local artisans, wineries and growers.

Jill's Table

This is a lovely foodie stop with incredible local sauces, jam and honey. At Jill's Table, you'll find the perfect hostess gifts as well as some amazing kitchen tools and gourmet ingredients. You can also take a hands-on cooking class taught by guest chefs, each with their own areas of expertise.

                                    

Victoria Park

We stumbled upon Victoria Park as we explored Richmond Street and just loved it! It's a large green space in the middle of the city and was a great place for a stroll. If you're planning to visit with your family, Victoria Park would be a great place for a picnic and some outdoor fun for kids. Many outdoor festivals are held here, so definitely check out what's on in local events while planning your trip.

We had a great time exploring London, Ontario for a weekend. It's a lovely city with a great food scene and lots to do! If you have any favourite things to do or see in London, please let me know in the comments below or on Instagram @angeliesood.


A special thank you to my friends at Ontario's Southwest and London Tourism for partnering on this post. As always, all views and opinions expressed are my own.