The Date Almanac
A fall day around Waterloo
Pick-your-own pumpkins and a corn maze, Laurel Creek Conservation Area, and a local market
Start with pick-your-own pumpkins and a corn maze at Benjamin Tree Farm, then Laurel Creek Conservation Area a few minutes on, and finish at the Waterloo market. 4 stops, none more than 18 km apart, all around Waterloo.
- 1
Pick the patch · Waterloo
Benjamin Tree Farm
Over 60 acres of choose-and-cut Christmas trees in seven varieties, with bow saws and carts to borrow, a covered greenhouse of pre-cut trees, and a wreath and gift shop for those skipping the field.
- 2
Walk it off · Waterloo
Laurel Creek Conservation Area
A reservoir with a sandy swimming beach, about six kilometres of trails including a boardwalk through wetland good for herons, plus a launch for non-motorized boats and campsites by the water.
- 3
Shop and refuel · Waterloo
St. Jacobs Farmers' Market
Canada's largest year-round market: three buildings and an outdoor section packed with hundreds of vendors selling Mennonite-country produce, meats, cheeses, maple syrup and crafts, plus an antique mall next door.
- 4
A bit of history
Pioneer Memorial Tower
A 1926 fieldstone tower on the Grand River marking the Pennsylvania-German settlers who arrived around 1800, topped with a Swiss-style copper roof and a Conestoga-wagon weathervane, with a small pioneer cemetery on the grounds.
Before you go
- Confirm each stop’s hours before you leave. Seasons and weekends change what is open.
- Bring cash for the farm stands and the market.
- Wear shoes for a field and a short walk, and check the forecast.
A free day out from the Home Almanac. Every stop is a verified place; days change with the season, so print it the week you go. Data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, openstreetmap.org/copyright.