STROLL THROUGH CIVIC CENTRE PARK AND SWING BY KITCHENER-WATERLOO ART GALLERY.

Take a stroll through Civic Centre Park to discover a remarkable monument. The Kitchener Fallen Firefighters Memorial stands as a solemn tribute to firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. Civic Centre Park is a key hub of Kitchener, with easy access to the Kitchener Public Library, the aptly named Centre in the Square, and Waterloo’s Regional Headquarters.

Continuing through the park, you’ll arrive at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery. The space is home to
over 4,000 works in its permanent collection, including works by major Indigenous artists like Kent Monkman and Shelley Niro. If you’re travelling with someone with sensory needs, then make this an early stop; between 10 AM and 12 PM, the KWAG hosts “Sensory Friendly Saturdays”, where the galleries and public spaces have reduced light and volume levels.

STROLL THROUGH DOWNTOWN KITCHENER

Spend the remainder of your afternoon exploring downtown Kitchener, and check out the former industrial buildings that remain a fixture in the city. Highlights include the Kaufman Lofts, a footwear factory turned residential building, the Tannery Building that now houses several tech companies, and the Abe Erb Brewery. The local spot is an ode to Abraham Erb, one of the first Mennonite immigrants from Pennsylvania. To see where icons like Eleanor Roosevelt and Louis Armstrong stayed while in town, check out the Walper Hotel, a red brick beauty constructed in 1893.

But keep 3:30 open, as you don’t want to miss out on Stroll Walking Tour’s ‘Black Presence in Berlin’. This Black history walk strings you between the region’s first Black residents (1806) to modern era musicianship, like Louis Armstrong’s 1953 visit. Learn about the teachers, lawyers, domestic workers and politicians who worked in the neighbourhood, owned businesses, and celebrated Emancipation Day at the local hotel.

VISIT THEMUSEUM FOR A VERY DIFFERENT MUSEUM EXPERIENCE

You won’t always find famous works of art or paintings here. Instead, prepare to move your body and get creative. Permanent exhibitions include a virtual graffiti wall with a light-powered spray can, a stop motion animation studio, and a six-foot piano you can walk on. THEMUSEUM is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

After that, cut across town to Victoria Park, where you’ll find the Clocktower of the Old City Hall amid a garden and pond. It used to rest atop Kitchener City Hall, but that building was demolished decades ago. Fortunately, enough of the Clocktower survived, and with some much-needed restoration, it continues to keep time for Kitchener’s citizens.

THE IDEA EXCHANGE IS CAMBRIDGE’S PUBLIC LIBRARY, BUT IT’S NOT YOUR TYPICAL LIBRARY SYSTEM

You’ll find your first stop in Cambridge near the water. The Idea Exchange Old Post Office is housed in a former post office building from 1885. Designed by architecture firm RHDA, the new library, which opened in July 2018, features a 9,000 square foot transparent pavilion that wraps around the original building and looks over the Grand River. This digital hub has gaming areas, recording suites, and more.

Across the water is the Design at Riverside Gallery at the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture. The gallery hosts a variety of lectures, concerts, and film screenings.

Continuing along the Grand River, you’ll arrive at the Cambridge Sculpture Garden. The grounds are full of carefully manicured filled with several pieces of mind-bending sculpture. At night, the sculptures are illuminated, revealing details you might miss in broad daylight.

TAKE A RIDE TO THE LUXURIOUS SIDE

Langdon Hall was originally built as a summer home in 1898 by the great-grandson of the American real estate tycoon John Jacob Astor. Gardens surround the estate, all carefully arranged to reinforce the Victorian Era charm of its long-standing residence.

Nowadays, Langdon Hall caters to those searching for absolute luxury; there, you’ll find fine dining, high tea, and even a spa.

The Cruickston Park Estate, which has its own luxury home, lies a little further afield. The English mansion was refurbished after its purchase by Matthew Wilks in 1858, and was later expanded to the nearly 1000 acres it currently occupies. You might recognize this Tudor-style manor house from shows & movies like RED, Cold Creek Manor, and CBC’s Frankie Drake Mysteries.

The area also gives you easy access to the Walter Bean Grand River Trail, which closely follows the banks of its namesake waterway. Follow the trail to Devil’s Creek Falls, where you can catch a glimpse of a small but stunning waterfall.