When you travel to Kitchener, Ontario, you’ll soon realize that you’re stepping into an area in southwestern Ontario that is close to the Pennsylvania German country. The Mennonite’s lifestyle of simplicity is only a short drive north, in Elmira.

The area’s strong German heritage is obvious. But Kitchener, and its twin sister city just to its north, Waterloo, are vigorous cities, filled with industry and a youthful entrepreneurial spirit.

You’ll want to plan to spend enough time in Kitchener to visit a historical site or two, to enjoy the parks and trails and to shop the Farmer’s Market. The activities and the atmosphere of Kitchener-Waterloo are delightful to tourists and locals. A charming and community oriented place, Kitchener offers guests picturesque landscapes and a refreshing, more relaxed, change of pace.

Look in early history books, and you’ll see no mention of the city of Kitchener; that’s because it was formerly called the city of Berlin from 1854 – 1916. Covering an area of 136.86 square kilometers, Kitchener has a population of 209,000.

Whereas the metropolitan area, which includes the two neighboring cities of Waterloo and Cambridge, has 490,000 people, making it the tenth largest CMA in Canada and now the fourth largest CMA in Ontario by population.

Kitchener and Waterloo are often referred to jointly as "the twin cities" or "K-W" (Kitchener-Waterloo), although they have separate municipal governments.

Kitchener celebrated its 150th birthday in 2004. Its age is a benefit to tourists like you, who will enjoy the many historical attractions in the area. Doon Heritage Crossroads is an early 20th century village that takes you back in time. The Woodside National Historic Site is interesting too.

Kitchener it is situated approximately 100 kilometers west of Toronto, or an hour and half drive. The twin cities are only a 3-4 hour drive from the automotive centers of Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. Surrounding the cities is a great deal of thriving farmland and many smaller towns and villages.

Embedded in the twin cities' fabric is the Old Order Mennonite group, a community of residents who do not believe in most modern technology. In fact, in seeing a horse and buggy rig in the midst of a whir of traffic is not uncommon!

The Mennonites form a distinctive part of the local agricultural business. Their unique cultural and religious style adds greatly to the character and charm of the area. Horses and buggies are frequently seen in and out of town.

Farmers markets featuring baked goods, freshly grown produce, and handmade rugs and quilts reflect a time in history where all goods were homemade. In addition, the strong German background of the community is reflected in the excitement of the world famous Oktoberfest celebration.

The people of Kitchener love to spend nice days outdoors; you’ll see that when you’re here. Residents love the great outdoors, whatever the time of year. In summer, you'll see people:

Summer

• Cycling
• Boating
• Hiking

Winter

• Skating
• Skiing
• Snowboarding

And the seasons of spring and fall allow outdoor enthusiasts to take in whatever activities the days’ weather allows.

Probably Kitchener's most famous outdoor park is Victoria Park, in the heart of downtown Kitchener. No doubt it’s the largest. In addition to daily recreation pursuits happening in the park, numerous events and festivities are held here throughout the year.
Kitchener has an extensive trail system.

The trails, which are run by the city, are hundreds of kilometers in length, and are well maintained and safe. Due to Kitchener's close proximity to the Grand River, several community trails and paths border the river's shores. The convenient access to the Grand River has drawn nature-seeking tourists to the city.

Like any twin sister, Waterloo takes pride in the accomplishments of Kitchener. While there are many similarities, there are distinct differences. Whereas Waterloo has benefited from the presence of two universities, many insurance companies and a number of high tech companies, Kitchener has grown as more of a more blue-collar town.

A major auto-parts manufacturing plant continues to employ over 1500 workers. The Huron Business Park is also the site of a number of industries, from seat manufacturers to furniture components. Major economic activities include meat-packing, brewing and distilling, tanning, furniture making, and the manufacture of textiles, shoes, rubber products, and appliances.

The closely-knit cultural unit of Kitchener-Waterloo supports a symphony orchestra, philharmonic choir, little theatre, and art society.

During the past few years, Kitchener has built a new city hall, and a new farmer's market opened in 2004. Other revitalization projects include an assortment of lofts, utilizing old factories. Kitchener is hoping to increase demand for office space by building office towers and inviting companies from around the golden triangle to move in.