All photos courtesy Waterloo Regional Tourism
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For those interested in travelling within Ontario, Kitchener-Waterloo has a lot going for it. This university town and techie heaven also just so happens to have a strong affection for beer, especially during the area’s annual (and usually raucous) Oktoberfest celebration, an event that’s as good as any you might find in Europe itself.
The region is also a popular family getaway hotspot, where a variety of attractions and adventures await.
In fact, it’s so easy to keep the entire family entertained here for a weekend of fun. Boasting everything from a cutting-edge waterpark, an African Safari, some ziplining, bowling, a steam train journey, tea at a castle, or even candied crickets at a butterfly conservatory, Kitchener-Waterloo has so much to offer. Find out more with our list of the best fun things to do in Kitchener-Waterloo.
Fun Things To Do in Kitchener-Waterloo
Enjoy an African Safari
Imagine, less than an hour drive from the big city of Toronto can have you thinking you are on a safari through the African savannah, face-to-face with the king of beasts. Hear their roar as you watch a pride of lions during feeding time. The African Lion Safari allows visitors to drive their own vehicles along a nine-kilometre track through seven large game reserves, including Nairobi Sanctuary, Simba Lion Country, Timbavati Lion Country, Wankie Bushland Trail, Rocky Ridge Veldt, Australasia, and The Americas.
Elephants, cheetahs, and white rhinos amble past, while exotic birds like the scarlet macaw chitter from the trees and pink flamingoes add colour to the grassland ponds. Take the park tram with a game warden who interprets what you see and has you hand-feeding graceful giraffes.
Animals are housed in many unique and naturalized environments, and the safari park has also earned an excellent reputation for their breeding, management, and care of endangered species. Remember that the park is open from May to September.
For further details, visit www.LionSafari.com.
Escape to the Tropics at the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory
While convincing the kids to head to a butterfly conservatory might seem like a losing proposition, getting them to leave after their visit is even harder. Once you walk through the doors of the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory to the atrium, the colour, sounds, and feel of a tropical jungle paradise grab hold.
Two thousand butterflies flit freely about the enclave, so make sure to have your camera handy. With its cascading waterfalls, 75 species of plants, and plenty of birds, bugs, turtles and parrots, the conservatory is a nature lover’s dream. Don’t miss the honeybee observation hive, too; their home is halved and built against a viewing window letting you see the busy bees at work.
If you visit during March Break, you might be offered the wonderful opportunity to feast on candied crickets… and yes, it’s a yummy treat.
Find out more at www.cambridgebutterfly.com.
Have Some Playtime at Bingemans
After a safari on the dry African plains, it is time to cool off. So pay a visit to the Big Splash at Bingemans and get wet and wild at the region’s largest waterpark. The Cyclone will have you feeling you’re getting flushed into the pool, while Torpedo Bay, Boomerango, and Full Throttle are high-speed waterslides that will have you competing against the kids, (tip: extra weight always wins!).
Afterwards, join in a game of beach volleyball, play mini-putt, venture into the 60-acre paintball area, or head indoors to toss a few balls at Bingemans’ Kingpin Bowlounge with 28 state-of-the-art lanes, high-tech computerized scoring and giant projection screens that add to the entertainment (or embarrassment), depending on the state of your game. Oh well, when the kids are beating me, I grab some nibbles and beer at the on-site Boston Pizza.
The Kingpin Bowlounge also features an extensive Playdium Game Centre. If you visit in October, Bingeman’s Scream Park, with themed walk-through haunted houses like The Ruins, Slaughter House, and Devil’s Manor, will bring your worst nightmares to life!!
Find out more at www.bigsplash.ca.
Enjoy Thrilling Family Adventures at Chicopee
Haven’t had enough thrills yet? Then head to the outdoor adventure centre at Chicopee Tube Park and you’ll be climbing like a monkey trying to keep up with your kids on the high-elevation rope courses. You can get launched into the air on the four-person Euro-bungy, zipline down the 80 and 300-metre runs, or enjoy the thrill of waterless tubing. And best of all you won’t deal with the crowds as in the big city.
If you have had enough thrills for the day, you can let the kids do the active stuff while you hang out in the well-appointed Chalet Café and licensed Ranger Lounge, which offers a bird’s eye view of the tube sliders outside, whether they’re sliding in summer or winter (the tube experiences are available year-round).
Check out www.chicopeetubepark.com for details.
Go Shopping at St. Jacob’s Farmers’ Market
If you can’t find it at St. Jacob’s Farmers Market, it’s probably not worth looking for in the first place. Canada’s largest year-round farmers’ market is a dazzling festival of sights, sounds, and tastes. The region is home to the country’s largest population of Old Order Mennonites, so you’ll often see farmers on local roads travelling to the market by horse and buggy.
The Mennonite farmers sell their unique wares at the market, including handcrafted furniture and locally harvested fruit, vegetables, honey, cheeses, meats… heck, if you want a horse, cow or pig for the backyard, you can buy one here, too. While I check out the handsome livestock, my wife visits with local artisans who offer unique goods like handmade bath products, jewelry, quilts, blown glass, and designs made from recycled wood.
People come from all over the province to visit., and at its peak in the summer, the market has over 600 vendors. Oh, I can tell you that the apple fritters in the foodie market are to die for!
All Aboard for a Train Trip Back in Time
Railway buffs can hop aboard the Waterloo Central Railway at the St. Jacob Market train station for a journey through Mennonite country to the Village of St. Jacobs. Pick your preferred rail coach and experience train travel like a 1920s immigrant or a 1950s vacationer.
With the whistle blowing heartily, the train arrives at St. Jacob’s station and the Restoration Shop, where you can see the Dirty Hands Club repairing and restoring various trains, including Steam Engine Number 9.
For further details, visit www.WaterlooCentralRailway.com.
Take a Stroll Through the Village of St. Jacobs
It is like stepping back in time, seeming as though nothing, much has changed since the town’s Old Order Mennonite settlers arrived here in the early 1800s in Connestoga wagons from Pennsylvania. The jingle of horse tack and the clip-clop of hooves on pavement can still be heard. An open buggy comes into view, driven by a young lady in a long-sleeved dress, apron, and bonnet.
The Mennonite farmers pride themselves in maintaining their unique traditions and culture. The many heritage buildings that line the main street are now upscale boutiques. St. Jacobs features artisan shops in historic buildings, such as the Country Mill, Village Silos, Mill Shed, and the Old Factory. Visitors may watch artists make pottery, glass vases, woven wall hangings, Tiffany lamps, and stained-glass doors.
The youngsters love the woodworker’s shop where they craft miniature doll houses. There are two blacksmith shops where you can watch farriers at work or have your horse shod (the one you bought at the market for the kids). While the kids take a horse-drawn wagon ride and my wife checks out the amazing handmade quilts in a quilter’s gallery, I buy what looks like a witch’s broom in the broom binder’s workshop and then fly over to Block Three Brewing for a pint. The “Mennonite Story” at the Visitor Centre provides fascinating insight into their life.
Find out more at www.stjacobsvillage.com.
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Contributing Editor James Ross writes about destinations and travel adventures for various international publications. You can see more of his work at www.thejamesross.ca.
