St. Jacob’s Village

Is on my top 10 list of favorite small towns in Ontario. It’s a small Mennonite village located on the outskirts of Waterloo. It really is a tribute to the small, local businesses who make this community so vibrant and welcoming!

Start off your morning at the market.

If you’re going to St. Jacob’s on a Thursday or Saturday, everyone knows that the farmer’s market is "THE" place to be.

St. Jacobs Farmers' Market

@hollymarietravels

Market days are on THURS and SAT 📅 THE BEST VENDORS: Peddlar’s Village Building: 🥧 A Portuguesa Bakery - the best Portuguese custard tarts I’ve ever had. 🌮 La Abuela - delicious Mexican street food, try the empanadas. Main Building: 🍎 The Fritter Co - best Apple fritters in town! Go early, there’s a massive line that goes out the door. 🥤 Kathy’s Kombucha - you can go for a tasting and buy by the bottle. The mango is my favorite. Tip - eat outside on the picnic tables. The wall art gives you a nice view while you’re seated.

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Health Valley Trail

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My favorite trail for a sunny day walk along the river. One section of the trail goes from the Farmer’s Market to downtown (4 km). Or, you can drive there and park beside the trail. You’ll notice there are some benches and interesting sights to see! ✨Tip - bring your food from the market and go on a picnic. You can sit on a bench or set your own blanket on a grassy area.

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Take a stroll in the downtown village.

Only a 5 minute drive from the Farmer’s Market is the downtown core. Most of the excitement happens on King Street. It’s where you’ll find the majority of shops & restaurants.

Where to find parking:

Free Parking Lot

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FREE PARKING 🚗 Conveniently located on a quiet street off the main strip. It’s a short walk to everything in town, plus it’s right beside the Health Valley Trail.

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If you’re looking for a culinary experience, visit one of these shops ⬇️

Taste the 4th Sense

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Hidden gem! Truly an experience. These ladies will show you that hot sauce can go in anything. You will find 100+ hot sauces, in-house infused oils and vinegars. They will even let you stay for a tasting at the “bar” - you can try anything on the shelf!

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The Tasting House

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Great for some tastings of various local products. The owner is a very interesting fellow to chat with! 🍹 Try the Moondance (homemade moonshine) and ask the owner about his family recipe! ❄️The Gluhwein (mulled wine) is homemade and a specialty here in the winter

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Block Three Brewing Company

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Fantastic local brews 🍺 Order a tasting flight so you can try them all. They have a nice patio in the summer. Indoors is also quite nice - there’s a big table you can sit down with friends and play some board games. They also have a bottle shop to take home your favorites ❤️ Dogs are welcome 🐶 (you’ll always see a furry friend here).

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If you’re hungry, grab a bite at a local hot spot ⬇️

Those Pizza Guys

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Locals love this pizza joint! They do some really delicious wood oven pizza 🍕 ➡️ They also sell Block 3 craft beer if you want to try it without going into the brewery.

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If you’re feeling artsy, follow the colourful artwork ⬇️

You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find a few colourful art murals during your stroll. There’s a few locations on the side of buildings.

My favorite is this one, the “St. Jacob’s mural” on the 📍Xclusive Elements building (across from the silos).

Xclusive Elements

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A clothing boutique with an eye-capturing St. Jacob’s art mural on the side of the building.

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For a place a bit less visited, go to Elmira ⬇️

The small town of Elmira (famous for its maple syrup festival) is only 7 minutes North of St. Jacob’s. A few hidden gems here!

Rural Roots Brewing Company

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A new brewery that opened in 2019 🍺 They do flight samples, which I highly recommend. It’s not as well known as “Block 3” in St. Jacob’s, but it’s quickly making a reputation for having a fantastic beer selection. The food is pretty good too! ❤️ My favorite is the honey lager (made with REAL local honey).

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Winding Road Maple Products

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A sugar shack with all of the maple products you could ever dream of. Come visit their shop! You’ll love their maple syrup, candies, and especially the butter (the BEST ever) ❤️

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Woolwich Dam and Reservoir

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A nature preserve with some lovely walking trails 🍃 The Lion’s Trail is flat/easy to hike, suitable for families. It goes around the reservoir and it is actually pretty scenic.

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What else is nearby? ⬇️

The famous covered “kissing bridge” in West Montrose is a short drive from St. Jacob’s (12 min) and Elmira (8 min). There isn’t much else to do around here, but it’s a cool photo op!

West Montrose Covered Bridge (Kissing Bridge)

@hollymarietravels

✨FUN FACTS: 1) It’s the oldest covered bridge in Ontario 2) The movie IT was filmed here 3) It’s called the “kissing bridge” because of its covering, which creates a sense of intimacy.

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Looking for something a bit more personalized?

Then my custom planning services might be for you ⬇️

Holly Marie Baughman

HMB Travel Design - Trip Planning Services

Hi there! Welcome to my trip planning services + pricing guide. Things to know: 📍Bookings are not included in this service. 📍List/guides/itineraries are carefully curated to include some local businesses and lesser known places that tourists don't usually know about. 📍Recommendations from local experts and my own personal travels are included wherever possible.

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