Family Road Trips

Late spring and early summer weather is great driving weather. The temperature is often ideal for exploring new places and visiting old favourites.
Heffner’s is located in Kitchener — a fantastic area of Southwestern Ontario. Within a two hour drive you can visit a great number of quaint towns, bustling cities, beautiful rural landscapes, and stunning waterfronts.
Here are a few of our, and our customers’, favourite spots to visit for a day trip.
St. Jacobs
The lovely community of St. Jacobs is located just north of Waterloo in Woolwich Township. It’s a popular destination due to the area’s Mennonite heritage and its quaint boutique retail shops.
St. Jacobs features lovely historic buildings where visitors can watch artisans make pottery, quilts, clothes, jewellery, glass vases, woven wall hangings, and more.
Visitors can enjoy a relaxing walk along the two-kilometre millrace banking the Conestogo River, visit the Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society’s Restoration Shop, and take a short drive over to the renowned St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market — a bustling place on a Saturday.
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a lovely town located just a 1.5 hour drive from our region. The site of the old Neutral Indian village of Onghiara, it was settled at the close of the American Revolution by Loyalists coming to Upper Canada, only to be burnt down by the Americans during the war of 1812.
Today, Niagara-on-the-Lake offers many attractions and historic sites including: Fort George and the Historical Society Museum, the Shaw Festival with its three theatres, the marina and waterfront, the quaint downtown heritage/business district for shopping, golf courses, gorgeous parks, beautiful farmland, agricultural markets, and over 100 wineries.
Visitors can also enjoy walking tours of the old town, and enjoy delicious meals on the town’s many restaurant patios.
Elora
Known for its limestone cliffs and location along the Elora Gorge, the village of Elora is filled with history and beauty. The downtown is filled with historic stone buildings and old-world charm, galleries, artist studios, and boutiques. Elora is scenic place to stroll, shop, and dine.
Nature lovers can explore the gorge and the river bank trails. Culture lovers can enjoy visual arts, crafts, up-scale boutiques, and live music at the local pubs. With delicious places to eat, a downtown sculpture garden, and the longest running repertory movie theatre in the country, Elora will charm every visitor.
Beaches
There is no shortage of sand and water within our driving area.  Grand Bend, Wasaga Beach, Long Point, Turkey Point, Port Dover, Port Elgin, Southampton, and Sauble Beach all offer their own unique attractions depending on which way you want to go.
KW Area
There’s lots to enjoy right here in our backyard! The Kitchener/Waterloo Region offers many interesting sights and fun attractions.
Museums, historic sights, and Natural Areas are great for the whole family and the KW area is filled with them.
–TheMuseum, located in downtown Kitchener, is a family-friendly museum. Filled with engaging, hands-on, exhibits, it’s a great destination for young minds.
–Woodside National Historic Site, the boyhood home of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s 10th and longest-serving Prime Minister, has been restored to its former glory and is filled with heirlooms and period reproductions.
–The Joseph Schneider Haus, Kitchener’s oldest dwelling, is now a museum with costumed staff, live demonstrations, and hands-on activities.
–The McDougall Cottage, a beautiful historic home, showcases a stunning collection of hand-painted friezes and trompe l’oeil ceilings.
–The Waterloo Region Museum is the largest community museum in Ontario. The museum features an ever-changing selection of exhibits, and is home to the Doon Heritage Village where visitors can explore what life was like in Waterloo Region in 1914.
–Huron Natural Area is Kitchener’s ‘largest and most valuable natural space’ filled with forests, streams, trails and meadows.  And, if at the end of the day that doesn’t tucker the family out, there’s always the children’s natural playscape for lots more enjoyment.
Whatever your plans, there’s lots to enjoy within two hours of KW.
Stop into Heffner Toyota before you get on the road — we’ll make sure your vehicle is tuned up and ready to go — and then take a drive and enjoy a day trip with your family and friends.