A number of stops on the Underground Railroad, a network set up by abolitionists in the 19th century to help slaves in the United States escape to freedom in Canada, were located in Southwestern Ontario. These include the Buxton National Historic Site, one of the last stops on the route that features buildings erected by slaves, and Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site in Dresden, which chronicles the life and accomplishments of one of the most famous liberated slaves, Reverend Josiah Henson.
Southwestern Ontario is also home to a number of pioneer villages and museums where visitors can immerse themselves in the routines of quotidian life in 19th century rural Ontario. A notable example is Fanshawe Pioneer Village in the city of London. Also in London is the Lawson Prehistoric Iroquoian Village Site, which was inhabited by Neutral Iroquois up until 500 years ago.
At the 10,000-square-foot Stones 'N Bones Museum in the city of Sarnia, the entire family can marvel at enormous shark jaws, fossilized animal remains and fluorescent minerals. For kids ages 12 and under, there is the London Regional Children's Museum, which offers three floors of interactive exhibits. Also in London is the Elgin County Railway Museum, where visitors can view a number of steam, diesel and electric locomotives and a caboose from 1891.
Storybook Gardens in London offers rides and attractions based on classic children's tales and rhymes, such as Humpty Dumpty and Old McDonald Had a Farm. Southwestern Ontario is also home to a number of water parks, such as Bluewater Fun Park in Sarnia, which offers speed slides, mini-golf and bumper boats among other activities, and Lake Lisgar Water Park in Tillsonburg, which boasts a heated pool and a 186-foot twisted water slide.
There are a number of national parks in Southwestern Ontario. Thirty miles southeast of Windsor is Point Pelee National Park, which lies on the migratory route of more than 370 tropical bird species and is therefore one of the best sites in North America for birdwatching. The annual Festival of Birds is held at Pelee in May. From June through October, you can visit the Clovermead Adventure Farm in London, an interactive bee farm with live bee exhibits.
