Cambridge, North Dumfries and Wilmot Townships

The Cambridge arts scene reflects the creativity of its locals, which you can experience by visiting the Cambridge Centre for the Arts to view paintings, photography, fibre art, and more, all created by regional artists. Artists from the Cambridge area also sell their one-of-a-kind works (from jewellery to woodworking) at the centre’s shop. If you’re a bibliophile as well as an art enthusiast, drop by one of the two Cambridge Art Galleries located in public libraries: Preston and Queen’s Square.

For public art on-the-go, take the Cambridge Mural Walking Tour, one of a number of hyperlocal Waterloo Region tours provided by Stroll Walking Tours. The city is also home to a small but sweet Sculpture Garden, bringing art and nature together right in historic Galt. Galt is one of three former municipalities that merged to create Cambridge in 1973, blessing the city with three historic cores beloved by their residents. For even more public art, explore The Galtway, an historic alleyway that features murals and a rotating collection of works by local artists.

Along your way dip into one of Cambridge’s many cafés. Disko Coffee doubles as a niche-publications newsstand to provide brews and browsing; family-run Monigram Coffee Roasters is known for a passion for both coffee and community, while cute Grand Café has a primo location downtown by the water. Should you have a craving for crêpes, head to Café du Monde, a creperie inspired by the founders’ travels.

The rare Charitable Research Reserve is a community-based urban land trust, nature reserve and environmental institute that spans over nine hundred acres. Experience its natural beauty by walking some of the trails that wind through diverse flora and fauna as well as limestone cliffs and plains.

If your hike sparks an appetite and a craving for local fare, consider heading to Willibald Farm Distillery and Brewery, known for their own Willibald-brand drinks, or to Abe Erb in Ayr for for craft beer and creative pub fare. Your travels to either destination will give you a taste of beautiful North Dumfries countryside.

Historic Ayr is home to one of Ontario’s few remaining ice houses, as well as the Detweiler Meetinghouse – the only surviving stone meetinghouse built by Ontario Mennonites. You may also want to explore the Greenfield Heritage Conservation District, based around an historic 19th century mill, dam and workers’ “salt box” cottages.

The 500-seat Hamilton Family Theatre is a state-of the-art performing arts facility with world-class acoustics and a calendar chock full of popular Drayton Entertainment musicals, comedies and classic shows. There are also two community theatres in town: the Cambridge Community Players and, from November to March, Cookies and Kids Family Theatre. Pre-show dining possibilities include Choun Kitchen for pan-Asian inspired dishes and Latinoamerica Unida for Mexican cuisine. The Cambridge Mill specializes in farm-to-table dining in one of the city’s oldest surviving industrial buildings, restored inside and out using original stonework.

Once its own town, now a Cambridge neighbourhood, Hespeler Village is tucked into the Speed River, making it a charming place to stroll. (And shop. And dine.) The Hespeler Heritage Centre, located in the Old Hespeler Town Hall, offers a fascinating look at the area’s history, from its early Indigenous presence to its industrial boom. Exhibits explore the region’s pre-European past, highlighting the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who lived along the Speed River, as well as Hespeler’s later role in Canada’s textile industry—once home to Dominion Woollens & Worsteds, which supplied fabrics worn by soldiers in both World Wars.

A short drive north will take you from industrial roots to fluttering wings at the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. There you can view thousands of beautiful butterflies – not to mention assorted Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, Giant African Millipedes and Rose-Haired Tarantulas, among other fabulous insects. It’s cozy on a chilly day but also pleasant in summer, when you can take advantage of the outdoor gardens and walking paths. (Note: Timed tickets are required.)

In Cambridge there are no shortage of tasty stops, among them 13 Food & Beverage (comfort pub food), Grain of Salt (fine Indian cuisine) and The Mule (a gluten-free taco and tequila bar).

Take a driving tour to explore the little communities of Wilmot township. St. Agatha is home to the Shrine of the Sorrowful Mother, a chapel containing over 100 relics of Catholic saints and sacred places. Then head to New Hamburg, where you’ll find a striking waterwheel that pays tribute to the Nith River’s role in powering 19th-century industry. Originally built by the New Hamburg Board of Trade in 1990, the wooden waterwheel was replaced with a durable steel version in 2023. Plus, there’s Punkeydoodles Corners. (Admittedly just a crossroads, but still, the name!)

In Baden, west of Kitchener, sits impressive Castle Kilbride, the 1877 home of Canada’s “Flax Mill King,” James Livingston. Its Italianate style-exterior is striking, but the real draw is inside, where you can view trompe l’oeil wall and ceiling murals. Such expertly rendered examples of this illusionist painting technique, in a mid-Victorian era Canadian home, is one of the reasons Castle Kilbride is designated as a National Historic site.

Stretch your legs on the Nith River Promenade and Trail, a riverside path that was revitalized and reopened in 2024. It now offers an enjoyable walk, with views of the New Hamburg Reservoir Dam, the waterwheel and the Hartman Bridge. The Hartman is a particularly attractive example of one of the many Wilmot Township truss bridges, and a prominent landmark in the community.

Speaking of community, every May locals rally for the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale quilt auction, where traditional handmade quilts are auctioned to raise funds for the Mennonite Central Committee’s global humanitarian efforts. And speaking of New Hamburg history, you may want to visit Puddicombe House, an 1868 home replete with Italianate gables and porches, now a restaurant, B&B and spa.

For a small city, Cambridge has an abundance of breweries. Four Fathers Brewing Co. in Hespeler Village was started by four hockey dads who share a love of handcrafted beer and of the importance of sharing, contributing to local initiatives. Sparrow Brewing & Roasting is both a microbrewery and coffee roastery, while Farm League Brewing and Wave Maker Craft Brewery & Taproom are known for both their beer and their fun, innovative events. You can also taste many local brews at the aptly named Beertown Public House.

An evening in Cambridge isn’t complete without a visit to The Gaslight District, a public square flanked by century-old limestone foundry buildings, now a year-round community and entertainment hub. The sense of old-meets-new is particularly vivid on evenings when lights are projected onto the Old Post Office’s façade. It’s simply stunning. The Old Post Office itself is a multiple award-winning, all-digital public library with studios, a children’s discovery centre and excellent views of the Grand River.