Waterloo is an upbeat university city known for its historic sandstone buildings, colonial heritage and one of North America's biggest Oktoberfest celebrations. You can visit a 19th-century farmhouse, Ontario's largest community museum and a traditional Mennonite village.
Things to do in Waterloo
The Waterloo Region Museum showcases the First Nation's culture, European settlement and the manufacturing boom. It's also home to the Doon Heritage Crossroads, a recreated pioneer village manned by costumed guides where the kids will enjoy petting the friendly farm animals.
Just six kilometres north of Waterloo is St Jacobs, a historic river village dotted with original stone buildings. Today they house art galleries, craft stores and cosy cafes. You can shop for local produce at the St Jacobs Farmers Market or step aboard a horse-drawn buggy.
Built for a wealthy Mennonite settler, the Joseph Schneider Haus was one of the first homes in Southeast Ontario. The national historic site and has been restored to its 19th-century grandeur so you can admire antiques in the parlour, peer into the washhouse and learn about day-to-day life in the 1800s.
Waterloo throws one of the biggest Oktoberfest parties on the planet, which sees over half a million beer lovers descend on the city for nine days of Bavarian-themed fun. If you're not in town for the celebrations, head to Concordia, a traditional German bar known for its top-notch schnitzel.
Getting around Waterloo
Downtown Waterloo is best explored on foot. Buses run throughout Waterloo, as well as the neighbouring cities of Kitchener and Cambridge. Waterloo International Airport is seven kilometres east of town.