Kitchener-Waterloo Attractions

Arboretum at University of Guelph, The

University of Guelph
Guelph ON
519-824-4120 fax 519-763-9598

165 hectares (408 acres) of greenspace, gardens, nature trails, showcasing 30 plant collections, workshops, as well as a dinner theatre and meeting, banquet & wedding facilities.

Bingemans

425 Bingemans Centre Dr.
Kitchener ON N2B 3X7
519-744-1555 (800)667-0833 Fax: 519-744-1985

Located on 200 scenic acres along the historic Grand River, is this 470 campsite resort and family playground with on-site rustic log cabins for rent. For day-use, there is The Big Splash waterpark with wavepool, 6 waterslides, two 18 hole mini golf courses, go karts, bumper boats, batting cages, driving range, beach volleyball and more. There’s also a 9 hole Glen Ridge Golf, a Halloween Screampark, and a 40,000 square foot conference centre (often used for trade shows) CourseAdmission.

Brubacher House

c/o University of Waterloo, North Campus
North Campus Road off Columbia Street
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6
(519) 886-3855

The 1850 Brubacher house is typical of Pennsylvania German architecture and set on the side of a gentle hill. Magdalena and John E. Brubacher raised fourteen children, who farmed the land until 1965 when the property was purchased as part of the University of Waterloo and preserved in recognition that all the university’s land was once farmland. One hour tours are also available by appointment, for up to 40-50. Open May 1 – October 31, Wednesday – Saturday: 2:00 – 5:00 pm. Admission by donation

Cambridge Sculpture Garden

Grand Ave South
Cambridge ON
519-622-2719

On the Grand River, this landscaped outdoor gallery displays both temporary & permanent sculptures, with free children’s sculpture programs over the summer.

Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery

25 Caroline Street North,
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 2Y5
519-746-1882 Fax: 519-746-6396

The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery hosts critically acclaimed exhibitions, lectures, conferences, classes, workshops, tours, and has a specialized library, archive, and research centre. It has an ever-expanding collection of historical and contemporary Canadian ceramic, glass and enamel art. It also offering a vast array of classes and workshops, and tours. Open Tuesday to Saturday: 10am to 5pm, Sunday: 1 to 5pm Closed Monday. Admission: $3 for Adults, $2 for Students and Seniors, Families $7

Children’s Museum, The Waterloo Regional

10 King St. W.
Kitchener ON N2G 1A3
519-749-9387 fax 519-749-8612

Located in the historic former Goudies department store building, in the heart of Kitchener, the Children’s Museum is where art and technology meet to provide 4 levels of entertaining and enriching activities for all visitors. Popular for school trips. Admission FREE until you’re 3, $7.00 for everyone else, and $5.00 per person in groups of 6 or more.

Doon Heritage Crossroads

10 Huron Road, at Homer Watson Boulevard
Kitchener, Ontario, N2P 2R7
519-748-1914 Fax: (519)748-0009

This living history museum recreates life in 1914 on 60 beautiful acres of environmentally sensitive forest, marsh and farmland. Doon Heritage Crossroads includes a rural village with 20 furnished historic buildings and two farms, with costumed interpreters, period furnishings, farm animals, heritage gardens, and demonstrations of daily chores. This showcases the region’s distinctive history and culture prior to World War One. Open May to December season,

Earth Sciences Museum

Faculty of Science
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519-888-4567 Fax 519-746-2543

The museum features a Parasaurolophus dinosaur and a “paleo pit” dinosaur dig, a Great Lakes Fountain water feature, a simulated mine, and 8.5 metre tall gneiss monolith (weighing 2 tonnes) from Parry Sound. The Museum is open weekdays 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. and at other times by special request for group tours, Brownies, Cubs, Beavers, adults, children and etc. Admission by donation

Elliott Avedon Museum and Archive of Games

University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519-888-4567 x84424

Since 1971, the Museum has been dedicated to researching, collecting, preserving, and exhibiting games and game-related objects. The Museum website features photographs, other graphics, and other information to provide a “virtual visit” to the Museum.

Governor’s House & Gaol

77 Queen Street North (at Weber)
Kitchener, ON
(no phone number?)
Built in 1852 by the Waterloo County Council to serve as Court House and Jail. The Gaol contained 14 single cells and six double cells. Completely redeveloped in recent years, it’s now home to two Provincial Offences Act Courtrooms. The adjacent 1878 Governor’s House has also been restored to its former splendour and is a popular tourist destination. The Governor’s House is an excellent example of a high-Victorian brick house in the Italian villa style, and reflected the Governor’s respected position in the County Town of Berlin. Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 – 4:30

Grand River, The

Grand River Conservation Authority
400 Clyde Road, PO Box 729
Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6
519-621-2761 1-866-900-4722 Fax: 519-621-4844

In February 1994, the Grand River was designated as a Canadian Heritage River. The Grand River Valley is now regarded as a prized and priceless asset, world renowned for its natural beauty. Known as “the place” to fish in southern Ontario, an ever growing number of visitors enjoy camping, hiking, and cycling along the extensive network of trails and in local conservation areas and parks along the watershed. Also a growing number of painters and photographers are being drawn here to enjoy and capture the beauty of the river valley. GRVA hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding holidays

Joseph Schneider Haus and Gallery

466 Queen Street South
Kitchener, ON N2G 1W7
519-742-7752 Fax: 519-742-0089

A national historic site, the Joseph Schneider Haus Museum and Gallery is a, 1816 homestead (and Kitchener’s oldest dwelling ) restored to serve as a dynamic community museum in downtown Kitchener. The heart of the complex is the fine Georgian frame farmhouse, built by one of the area’s first pioneers, Joseph Schneider, a Pennsylvania-German Mennonite. Opened as a living history museum in 1981. The Joseph Schneider Haus Museum is open Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm; Summer hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Other times by appointment. Museum closed annually from Christmas to mid-February, with offices and galleries only open Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. Admission $.

Kitchener Market

300 King Street East, Kitchener
Phone: 519-741-2287

A 130-year tradition of being the area’s premium source of fresh produce, with Saturday farmers market from 7 am to 2 pm, year-round. Upstairs, the Market Shops, offer fresh, culturally diverse cuisine — everything from a superb selection of freshly-ground gourmet coffees to true Caribbean, Mexican, Croation, Indian and Italian fare. Open Tuesday thru Friday 8 am – 4 pm & Saturday 7 am – 2 pm. There’s also a Wednesday Indoor Mini-Market, open each Wednesday (Victoria Day to Thanksgiving) from 8am to 2pm

Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery (“K-W Art Gallery “)

101 Queen Street North
Kitchener, ON N2H 6P7
Tel: 519.579.5860 Fax: 519.578.0740

Description Sightseeing flights: Local, Toronto, Niagara Falls. Introductory flights, aircraft rentals and charter. Professional and recreational flight training.

Orchard Home Farm

235 Howell Rd.
St. George ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1111 1-888-274-2563 Fax 519-448-4993

Pick apples right from the trees, from late August to early November. Open 9:00 am. to 7:00 pm, 7 days a week (no pets, for health and safety reasons)

University of Waterloo, The

200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1
519-888-4567

University of Waterloo is home to the Earth Sciences Museum, the Peter Russell Rock Garden, the Optometry Museum of Visual Science, the Elliott Avedon Museum and Archive of Games and the Brubacher House Museum.

Victoria Park

Courtland Avenue between Victoria Street S and Queen Street S
Designed and laid out in the Romantic landscape style of the late 18th century, the 59 acre park features broad lawns, rose gardens , belts of shade trees, scenic vistas of the lake, fountains, and a bandshell in a naturalistic setting. Great for a walk and a peaceful afternoon. There’s also a playground, rest rooms, a soccer/football field, 2 horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, meeting rooms, and a fully licensed banquet hall with stages. The restored clock tower (at the park’s Gaukel Street entrance) held a bell bought in 1876 which rang from the old firehall and later the City Hall.

Walter Bean Grand River Trail

Grand River Conservation Authority
400 Clyde Road, P.O. Box 729
Cambridge, ON, N1R 5W6
519-621-2761 fax 519-621-4844

The Walter Bean Grand River Trail is a trail network with access points along the Grand River, ultimately connecting Woolwich, Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge. The trail includes a broad range of environments, from river shorelines, river flats, wooded slopes, open slopes, and spectacular lookouts. The trail runs along the west bank from City of Waterloo boundary (County Squire Rd) through Kiwanis Park continuing south to King Street East , where it crosses to the east bank, and south to the Pioneer Tower, and eventually connect south into Cambridge and to the Transportation-Canada Trail system.

Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway

10 Father David Bauer Drive,
PO Box 40103,
Waterloo, ON N2J 4V1
519-885-2297

This streamliner diesel-powered tourist train that rolls through the heart of Mennonite farm country between Waterloo and St. Jacobs. The railway has 2 former Canadian National/VIA FP9A diesel locomotives, # 6508 and # 6520 (built in 1954 and 1957) and passenger cars are 1954 CN/VIA coaches.
Take a 90 minute round-trip adventure, and stop to explore the village of St. Jacobs and the St. Jacobs Farmers Market.
Runs May to October, with trains leaving Waterloo at 10 am, Noon, 2 pm; departs St. Jacobs at 11 am, 1 pm and 3:00pm. Ticket Office Mon to Fri 9 am – 5 pm; Sat 9 am – 4 pm; Sun noon – 4 pm.

Wings of Paradise Butterfly Conservatory

2500 Kossuth Rd.
Cambridge ON N3H 4R7
519-653-1234 Fax 519-650-2582
Http://www.wingsofparadise.com
Description Stroll among hundreds of free-flying butterflies in a tropical garden. Discover a honeybee observation hive, an incredible insect collection. The Paradise Cafe is open *daily from 10:00am – 3:00pm (Monday-Wednesday from October 16 – March 1) and a Gift Store which sell butterfly and bug collectables.

Woodside National Historic Site

528 Wellington Street North
Kitchener, ON
519-571-5686

The boyhood home of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister, has been restored to the Victorian style of the 1890s. The importance of this residence is best reflected in King’s own words: “They years that left the most abiding of all impressions and most in the way of family associations were those lived at Woodside.” The home was built in 1853 and was rented to many tenants over the years, including the King family. It was bought in 1940 to save it from demolition, and restored to the time of the King family residency.

Yee Haw Adventure Farm

1 mile from African Lion Safari, R.R. #1
On Morrison Rd, Concession 8) between Highway 8 and Highway 6, south of the 401.
Cambridge ON N1R 5S2
519-624-0085 Fax: 519-621-8770

A family farm since 1830, on the edge of the Beverly Swamp, and converted to family adventure farm in 2002, where you can pick your own pumpkins, pig races, haunted hay rides, boo barn, petting corral, straw castles, Halloween corn maze.

Cambridge Attractions

African Lion Safari & Game Farm Ltd.

1386 Cooper Rd., RR #1
Cambridge ON N1R 5S2
519-623-2620 1-800-461-9453 Fax 519-623-9542

Since 1969, visitors can drive-through this wildlife park with 1,000 birds and animals roaming in large Game Reserves. The Safari has been successfuly breeding 30 endangered species and 20 threatened species. .Enjoy animal shows, nature tours, Elephant Swim and Misumu Bay Wet Play. Admission.

Bell Homestead National Historic Site
94 Tutela Heights Road
Brantford ON
519-756-6220 Fax 519-759-5975

Explore the 1870’s home where Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Afterwards visit Canada’s first telephone business office.

Cambridge Fire Museum and Education Centre

56 Dickson Street, the Old Galt Fire Hall.
Cambridge, ONJ
519-621-.6001
Preserves history with itscollection of artifacts related to the Fire Services. Provides heritage and safety programs with a focus on Fire Prevention and interpretation of the history of Cambridge and Regional Fire Departments and the Fire Service in general, for citizens and tourists. Open Wednesday(s) and Saturday(s) from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. June, July and August. Special tours can be pre-arranged.

Westfield Heritage Village

Regional Rd. #552
Rockton ON
519-621-8851 1-800-883-0104 Fax 519-621-6897

Any Sunday, step back into the 18th and 19th century. Westfield’s 33 historical buildings and vast conservation area bring Canada’s heritage to life! Special events year round.

Guelph

Aberfoyle Junction Model Railway

128 Brock Road
Aberfoyle ON N1H 6H9
519-836-2720

Tastings and tours are available seasonally at this vineyard, which is Wellington County’s only estate winery.

Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, The

6981 Puslinch Conc. #4, RR#6
Guelph ON N1H 6J3
519-836-1697

This farm is dedicated to providing a safe home for abandoned, neglected and abused donkeys, mules and hinnies. Open early May to Thanksgiving weekend, Wednesdays and Sundays, 9 am -4 pm

Guelph Civic Museum

6 Dublin St South
Guelph ON N1H 4L5
519- 836-1221

Making its home in an 1850 three-story Guelph limestone building, the Guelph Civic Museum features exhibitions and public programs which explore the many individuals, cultures and events that contributed to the historic development of the City of Guelph. Open 1 – 5 pm Sun to Fri from Sept to May. Admission is $3 adults; $2 seniors & students; $6 family. Closed on holidays.

Hammond Museum of Radio

595 Southgate Road
Guelph ON N1G 3W6
519-822-2441 Extn: 590

This unique museum is dedicated to showcasing all things radio-related and is home to hundreds of receivers and transmitters, all manufactured in Canada. The founder, Fred Hammond, began collecting radio artifacts as early as 1928 and each of these historic pieces is contained within the museum.

Macdonald Stewart Art Centre

358 Gordon Street
Guelph Ontario N1G 1Y1
519-837-0010

This public art gallery house 15 exhibitions of contemporary and historical art. The University of Guelph Art Collection, containing over 3,000 pieces focusing on three Centuries of Canadian and international art works, is permanently displayed at the centre. A number of exhibits are temporarily on display here.

McCrae House National Historic Site

108 Water Street
Guelph Ontario N1H 4L5
519-836-1482

This museum was named after the McCrae family, who were active in the social, political, military and cultural activities since the mid 19th Century. The house was originally constructed in 1858 and underwent renovations some 10 years later. The house is now used as a museum to honour the McCrae’s and depict life in the late 1870s. Exhibitions interpret the life of John McCrae, world famous doctor, soldier and author of In Flanders Fields.

Town Lattice Covered Bridge

York Road at Wyndham or Gordon Streets
Guelph ON
519-837-5618
One of only two covered bridges in Ontario, this bridge was constructed in 1992 by a group of visiting timberframers. The bridge was modelled after an original design from the 1800s.

Wellington County Museum & Archives

0536 County Road 18 RR#1
Fergus, ON N1M 2W3
519-846-0916 Extn: 221

This museum, located just outside Guelph, is a designated national historic site. Twelve exhibits throughout the museum showcase the life and times of Wellington’s residents, both past and present. The collection of decorative arts and textiles is of particular interest. Historians can browse the extensive archives, which contain a number of rare historical records.

Other Nearby

Castle Kilbride National Historic Site

60 Snyder’s Rd. W.
Baden ON N3A 1A1
519-634-8444 1-800-469-5576 Fax 519-634-5035

The 1877 home of James Livingston, Canada’s “Flax Mill King”. The restored Italianate design home boasts nationally recognized Trompe l’oeil (“fools the eye”) wall and ceiling murals throughout, and was designated a national historic site in 1993.