KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During a non-pandemic winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.

I have always liked visiting Cornwall. Lamoureux Park with the St. Lawrence River as a backdrop is, in my opinion, one of the best parks in Ontario. Also, the fact that Cornwall has one of the highest ratios of pizza joints doesn’t hurt either.

For our most recent trip to Cornwall, we decided to try out a few new activities. In recent years, Cornwall has made major improvements in their cycling infrastructure. This has included the City of Cornwall bike rentals.

We arrived in the city and headed down to Marina 200. Besides doubling as the city marina, it was also the location of the bike rentals. Cornwall has an extensive network of bike paths along its waterfront. We picked up our bikes and headed west along the trail to Lamoureux Park.

The park seems to be the meeting place for all Cornwallians. We came across a huge playground and splash pad that would have been perfect for our son, David, a few years ago. We also saw a group of high school seniors having an impromptu graduation celebration.

Biking further west, we were treated to spectacular views of the Cornwall canal and the St. Lawrence River. There were information plaques explaining the history of the region. We also saw abundant wildlife including a Great Blue Heron.

We were starting to get hungry so we headed back to return our bikes. Since the pandemic started, our family has tried to support local restaurants and businesses. I was happy to see Cornwall has a vibrant downtown with many locally owned stores and restaurants.

We had read great things online about the Truffles Burger Bar so we decided to check it out. It was our first time sitting outside on a patio in a year and a half. The restaurant did not disappoint. We started off with a delicious plate of calamari. Staying true to the name of the restaurant, we all ordered hamburgers and loved them. It felt good to be enjoying the simple pleasure in life of going to a restaurant and having a great meal.

After finishing our meal, we took a stroll down main street. We came across a store that looked too delicious to pass up. Happy Popcorn had an array of different flavors of popcorn. They also had a display of retro candies - some that I had not seen since my childhood.

I had the chance to speak to the co-owner of Happy Popcorn, Bill Halman. “We started the Happy Popcorn company because our son, Jack, was diagnosed on the autism spectrum,” said Halman. “We wanted a place for him to work in the future. We also employ four other individuals who have recognized disabilities. We want to be a place of inclusion and most importantly, fun!”

We could not leave without getting a bag of movie theatre and cheddar-flavoured popcorn.

For our final activity, we checked out Archies Family Golf Centre. From friends, I had heard Archies was an institution in Cornwall. It is well-known for its golf course, driving range and mini-putt. Perhaps even more so than golf, Archies is famous for it’s ice cream shop. We played a round of mini-golf then headed over for an ice cream. David and Sandy chose the Moose Tracks while I got a bit funky and opted for the coconut.

Cycling, hamburgers, popcorn and ice cream - not a bad way to start the summer.

As restrictions are lifted, further attractions will open. These include the Cornwall Community museum, Rush Hour escapes, Cornwall Food Tours, and Boatingery (kayak and stand-up paddleboard rental). It’s best to check their website for full hours and opening details.

For further tourism information about Cornwall, visit www.cornwalltourism.com

Disclaimer: Stephen’s bike rentals and meal at Truffles were covered by Cornwall Tourism. All opinions are his own.