Making Music — Photo courtesy of RyanLet your worries slip away as you enter St. Jacob's Country. This quaint town, located just two hours away (a five minute drive from Waterloo) is the perfect spot for you to experience a different, more serene way of living. You see, when you enter St. Jacob's Country you are entering a town for a population of around 4,000 Old Order Mennonites who live off of the land, and of course are still traveling around in horse and carriage rides. This town may be deemed 'out of the ordinary' for some, but whenever I get a chance to hop on over to St. Jacob's I love how you become one with all things beautiful in life.
First things first, you're going to want to explore the village itself. Take a walk down the streets of St. Jacob's Country and fall in love with its simplistic nature. If you love all things rooted in history, art and culture venture off to the various exhibits and galleries the country has to offer. One of the most prominent galleries is The Neufeld Gallery, dedicated to the works of Woldemar Neufeld. The gallery opened its doors during a year of centenary celebrations of Neufeld's birth and showcases his paintings and block prints.
If you have a deep-rooted passion for Farmer's Market, well let me tell you, this is probably one of the very best Farmer's Markets I've been to in Ontario. The fruit, vegetables, vendors and food are in such abundance you'll want to come back every week to experience Canada's largest Farmer's Market. The quality you'll experience at any of the hundreds of vendors is certainly top-notch.
Intrigued by the history of the Mennonite people? Take a journey back in time at 'The Mennonite Story' exhibit. You'll experience a multi-media presentation, photo, and artifacts exhibits, and history, culture and religion displays. By the time you've finished at this exhibit you will fall in love with the simplistic nature of The Mennonite community.
Now after all of those history, art and culture lessons I'm sure you're getting a little bit hungry, especially after you've just walked through a plethora of food vendors at the farmer's market, hence why a late-lunch should be the next thing on your list. Enjoy a lovely lunch at Benjamin's Restaurant & Inn which features fresh, local ingredients and continually creates an innovative menu every season. This restaurant has certainly distinguished itself as one of the very best dining experiences in St. Jacob's.
Just as you're enjoying your last bites of the Raspberry Chocolate Tartufo at Benjamin's you're probably getting an itch to spend a little money. Venture off to The St. Jacob's Outlets where you'll find a plethora of brand name lines for ever so cheap. If you're one who lives and loves the outdoors, well St. Jacob's Country certainly could not be a better place for you. After all those history lessons and sweet shopping sessions lace up your runners and take to the trails. With four different trails you'll experience the majestic nature of the outdoor world.
Finally, your last stop should be to The St. Jacob's Country Playhouse Theatre. With various plays showcased throughout the year this certainly is a perfect way to end a perfectly artsy day. St. Jacob's Country certainly is the place where you'll take in the beauty of simplicity.
St. Jacobs — Photo courtesy of ActiveSteve