I think if there’s one thing we can take away from the pandemic, it’s that staying inside with no friends is not fun. Now that we’re actually able to leave our houses and do fun activities, we must take the opportunity to do so. University isn’t just about drinking and studying, it’s about doing fun activities with friends. I’m not talking about Dallas or Pub, I’m talking about some unique and hidden places in Waterloo that you and your university friends will have a great time at! So, with that being said, I hope this article will help you find new places to do fun things with your friends in Waterloo!
Board Game Cafe
While visiting family in Victoria, BC this summer, my cousin introduced me to what’s called a board game cafe. I had the time of my life and instantly looked up if there was any in Waterloo. Sure enough, we have two! The Crossroads board game cafe is located on 258 King Street North and is SO much fun. Essentially, it’s just a cafe where you can pick from tons of games that are stacked head to toe on the walls of the cafe. It’s $8 per person to come in and play as many games as you want for as long as you want. There are categories of different kinds of games and a number of players so it’s easy to pick what you’re looking for. From Cards Against Humanity to Catan to Codenames, they really do have it all. I went in the afternoon and ordered a hazelnut latte, and I think it’s safe to say it was the best latte I’ve ever had. They also have really delicious-looking food and alcoholic drinks. I 10/10 recommend checking it out with your friends. I can assure you you’ll have the best time full of competition, laughs and entertainment.
Princess Cinemas
The original Princess Cinemas is located on 6 Princess Street West and opened in 1985. It’s stayed the same since 1985 and offers a classic, old movie theatre atmosphere. It feels as though you’ve gone back in time. The Princess Twin Cinemas is located at 46 King Street North and also offers a cool atmosphere. Definitely, a fun, special spot to see a movie with your friends. Also, the popcorn is amazing, so I recommend grabbing some.
Bowling
Bowling is always a classic that I feel like we all forget about as we grow up. However, it truly is so much fun for university students, and lucky for us we have many to choose from in Kitchener-Waterloo. I went to Victoria Bowling Lanes on a Tuesday night with my friends and we had so much nostalgic fun. Not to mention, we paid for two rounds (approx. two hours), each got a slushie, had to pay for rental shoes and only paid $9 EACH!!! It blew my mind that we could still have that much fun for so cheap in 2021. I’ve heard Kingpin is also a really fun place to bowl in the area!
Pin-Up Arcade Bar
The Pin-Up Arcade Bar is a unique experience with its half-bar, half-arcade setup. It has games like skeeball, shuffleboard, Pac-man, vintage pinball machines and many more vintage and modern games to choose from. The drinks are fairly cheap as well, which is always nice. It offers a really cool environment and even has games like Jenga in a lounge area as well as a separate space for video games!
Grab a Bao
Next time you’re wandering around with your friends or wondering what food you should order, pop on over to Bao Sandwich Bar. This unique restaurant offers a fusion of Vietnamese and Taiwanese food. The bao sandwiches offer such a unique flavour and texture like no other, and they even have vegetarian options. Take a look at their menu on Instagram and I can assure you, your mouth will be watering. It’s tucked behind some apartments at the back of Laz, but with some exploring, you’ll be able to find it!
Waterloo Park/ Victoria Park
This one is a given and I’m sure most Waterloo residents know about it, but in case you don’t, these parks are definitely a place you should be going to! Waterloo Park is right off of Albert Street and is PACKED with university students. It always makes me happy to see so many young people doing so many different fun activities. There are always people playing spike ball, frisbee, cricket, baseball or having picnics. In the wintertime, they have Christmas lights set up so you can walk around the park with hot chocolate and get in the holiday spirit. Victoria Park is a bit further and located in Kitchener, but wow is it ever gorgeous. If you have the time, I’d highly recommend going for a walk around the park as it has such beautiful trees, water and bridges. In the winter, you can also go skating!
All in all, Waterloo has so many fun places to visit and things to do with your friends. I truly recommend trying out at least one of these places on my list. I had some really fun experiences with my friends, and I know you will too!