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City in Ontario, Canada
Photo: Nhl4hamilton at English Wikipedia (Original text: Rick Cordeiro), Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
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Founded in 1914, AGH is Ontario's third largest public art gallery, and boasts one of the country's finest collections. Its emphasis is on 19th-century European, Historical Canadian, and Contemporary Canadian art. The AGH revamped gallery, designed by Hamilton-born and raised architect Bruce Kuwabara, opened in 2005 and includes a 2,500 ft glass pavilion and Sculpture Atrium.
At the site of the Battle of Stoney Creek (June 5–6, 1813) is a rural Upper Canada home dating from around 1796 and featuring staff in period costume, demonstrating the lifestyle of day. Every June a military re-enactment of the War of 1812/Battle of Stoney Creek is held.
Has interactive programs, displays, a library, archives and is home to the Grey Cup. Enter through Gate 3 in the middle of the west stands off of Melrose Ave.
A living museum featuring the aircraft used by Canadians or Canada's military from the beginning of World War II to the present. Home of one of the world's two remaining flying Lancaster bombers. Those who dare can experience an open cockpit ride in a bi-plane through the Legends Flight program.
Local history of the community of Dundas.
One of Hamilton's most-recognized landmarks, Dundurn Castle is a National Historic site, illustrating the life and times of Sir Allan Napier MacNab (1798–1862). More of a stately home than a "castle", the still-impressive structure was completed in 1835. Features year-round programming, tours, restaurant and an on-site military museum. The museum is only partially wheelchair accessible. Call for more details.
Local history of the community of Ancaster.
Hands-on exhibits for children.
Military exhibits located in a former gate house built in the 1830s.
A fine example of 19th-century public works architecture, and the only surviving facility of its time in North America, this National Historic Site houses the two 14 m (45-foot) high, 63.5-tonne (70-ton) steam engines which pumped the first clean water to the city over 140 years ago. Features various exhibits and events, including daily engine demonstrations.
At Pier 9, visit the HMCS Haida, the "Fightingest Ship in the Royal Canada Navy" - a World War II destroyer that is maintained faithfully and can be explored in its entirety, either by a self-guided tour or simply by wandering around.
Houses a nationally significant collection of more than 6,000 works of art, featuring a permanent collection and contemporary exhibitions, lectures and events.
Surrounded by 131 ha (324 acres) of unspoiled woods and meadows, this living history museum spans various time periods in more than 35 historic buildings, plus a steam locomotive. Much of the TV series Anne of Green Gables was filmed here.
Guided tours of a Victorian home
Preserving, honouring, and promoting the culture and history of all working people. Their mandate points in the social justice direction, the union direction and the community activism path.
Gage Park
This 14000 sqft greenhouse features tropical plants, waterfalls and ponds. The greenhouse stands in Gage Park which also has a band stand and a rose garden.
Ferguson Station Park
This former Grand Trunk Railway station sits in a small park with some simulated railway tracks to provide atmosphere. The park is in an area with older downtown buildings.
At the very end of Lake Ontario, Princess Point is one of the most beautiful sections of Hamilton. Bike or rollerblade along excellently maintained paths encircling the lake, or relax at the adjacent park. Harbour cruises are also available.
Hamilton is, as of summer 2020, in the midst of a major waterfront reclamation project, and has already restored the beautiful Pier 4 Park at the bottom of Bay St. This continues to the west with a waterfront trail to Princess Point, and to the east with a beautiful marina, waterfront cafe, boat and trolley tours, and a lovely playground.
Park built on a peninsula jutting into the harbour with a grass amphitheater and picnic facilities.
Beach, playground, boardwalk.
There are many beautiful views of the city to be found from the escarpment. Especially when looking west, it is difficult to see streets or the roofs of houses under the thick canopy of trees (although it is easier to see these in winter). If you are driving around Hamilton, Mountain Brow Boulevard is a good place to stop for a look down. The Bruce Trail offers many excellent views, such as that at Dundas Peak, and continues along the escarpment toward Grimsby or Burlington for a longer hike.
The combination of many creeks and the Niagara Escarpment makes Hamilton, now sometimes referred to as "The City of Waterfalls", an excellent place for seeing waterfalls. Over 100 waterfalls and cascades are known (several were found in 2008 and there's likely some that haven't been discovered yet). The one drawback of Hamilton's waterfalls is that half of them do dry up in dry seasons. The good news is that most are on or near the Bruce Trail as it winds through the Niagara Escarpment (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve) in Hamilton. Some of the more popular ones are:
A scenic 19-m cascade waterfall, blasting for 12 months a year. It took over thousands of years of freezing, melting, growth, decay and tidal changes to create the Niagara Escarpment region. Named after the former village of Mount Albion in which it resides.
A relatively small but picturesque waterfall in Borer's Falls Conservation Area. The escarpment in this area is quite scenic as well.
One of the taller waterfalls in the area. It's in Devil's Punch Bowl Conservation Area.
Felker's Falls Conservation Area
22 m terraced waterfall.
The tallest waterfall in the city, at 41 metres only slightly shorter than Niagara Falls (although the volume of water going over Tew's Falls is much smaller and shrinks to a trickle in the summer; spring is a better viewing time).
Tiffany Falls is a 21-m ribbon waterfall. It is just off the former Highway 2.
Among the most beautiful waterfall in Hamilton, at 30 m wide it is the widest in the city. The surrounding area in Spencer Gorge/Webster's Falls Conservation Area is a popular picnic spot in the summer. The staircase down to the base of the falls is treacherous but the view from down there is beautiful. While you are there, check out the cobblestone arch bridge near the falls. You can walk to Tew's Fall.
Like many cities, Hamilton is home to many traditional neighbourhoods, including Locke South, Concession St., James St. South, James S. North, International Village BIA, and Ottawa Street. James North has an exploding arts scene, with several galleries opened in the past few years.
The Westdale is a non-profit movie theatre built in 1935 and reopened in 2019 after an expensive restoration largely financed by donations. Its main attraction (other than the movies) is its beautifully restored Art Deco interior.
Usually puts on many good plays and musicals. Starring local talent, it generally offers quality entertainment at an affordable price. The surrounding area provides several dining opportunities.
Copps Coliseum
Held annually each June in Hamilton. Started in 1992, to celebrate the 125th birthday of Canada, the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth presented The Greater Hamilton Tattoo.
It offers an intimate experience of various historic landmarks around the city normally off limits to visitors and tourists: various place of worship, estates, museums, wineries and government buildings. A division of Doors Open Ontario, it is an annual opportunity to discover the City, the Province of Ontario, and Canadian Heritage.
The Castus Festival is an annual street festival in the community of Dundas. It was inspired by a cactus greenhouse business founded in Dundas by a Dutch immigrant that closed in 2009.
Despite its commonly-held industrial image, Hamilton has some 1,077 hectares (2,662 acres) of parkland, 549 ha (1,356 acres) of natural areas and 137 km (85 miles) of trails. The Bruce Trail runs right through the city. Bayfront, Pier 4 Park, and the Waterfront Trail offer panoramic views of the Hamilton Harbour and northwest shoreline.
Offers lakefront camping, a waterpark with wave pool and tube rides, and Adventure Village with go-karts, batting cages, mini golf, etc.
Centred on the beautiful Christie Reservoir, this conservation area features a 360-m long beach and a chlorinated swimming area separate from the reservoir. Also contains several ponds stocked with fish and large natural areas accessible by hiking trails.
This trail traverses the site of Crooks Hollow, once the largest industrial community in Upper Canada but now a ghost town. Many of the buildings are now just grassy fields, but the Darnley Grist Mill is a spectacular ruin. A few buildings, now private residences, also still stand. Connects with the Optimist Park walking trail, which winds along the picturesque Spencer Creek and passes near Greensville Falls as well as more ruins, ending near the Spencer Gorge/Webster's Falls Conservation Area.
Explores the dark alleys and haunted buildings where voices of the past are said to still linger to this day. Haunted Walks of Downtown Hamilton, the Historic Customs House, the Hermitage Ruins in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area (Ancaster), as well as a historical tour of Hamilton's Dark Past, are done regularly throughout the year.
Small basic eatery. Amazing chicken shawarmas, inexpensive, and fast/friendly service.
Small basic Italian eatery. Large portions, inexpensive, and fast/friendly service. Nearly everyone goes home with another meal's worth in a doggybag.
Since 1975. A nice little hole-in-the-wall breakfast diner where you can watch the friendly chefs prepare your meal. Will set you back the change in your pocket - most meals are around five bucks. Not particularly healthy, but few good breakfasts are.
Traditional Jewish deli. Hamilton's only kosher restaurant. Closed during Passover.
Dundas. Authentic Thai cuisine in the beautiful downtown valley of Dundas.
Offers what many consider the best fish and chips in town and, like its sister restaurant (a 1950s diner on Van Wagners Beach), offers a scenic location to munch them. Hutch's is a famous local institution which once could vie for having the best hamburgers in Canada. Urban renewal has forced Hutch's beach strip location into a boring government building. Cruise nights often held here in the summer. On the beach trail, so you can walk off your Sportsmanburger.
In the Landmark Place building (tallest building in the city, hard to miss). Tea Hut is a Taiwanese restaurant known for its bubble tea. A popular hangout for the local Chinese community, and has very friendly staff and owners who will welcome you. Excellent food at affordable prices, and a huge selection of bubble tea. Enjoy a game of XiangQi (Chinese chess) or Jenga, or relax on your laptop with their free wi-fi.
Downtown. Italian. First restaurant to serve pizza in Hamilton. Gangster movies filmed here. Real gangsters ate here too. Like the mafia in Hamilton, this restaurant is now somewhat faded. Try the pizza bianco.
Downtown. German. The Black Forest is another Hamilton institution. Full of cuckoo clocks, this restaurant.and its army of servers in Bavarian costume move the crowds through with Germanic precision. Eat there and you'll find out why Hamiltonians keep coming back.
A stellar Thai restaurant.
A large variety of imported foods and European baked goods.
In the same complex as Slainte. Possibly the best Japanese food in Hamilton, and the only Japanese restaurant that isn't a sushi bar.
Stoney Creek. Casual fine dining is unique in any of the six historic dining venues offered at this historic site.
Raw and vegan cuisine. Meals and snacks.
100% vegan burgers, poutine, salad, and desserts. Part of a chain with outlets elsewhere in the GTA and in Winnipeg.
Vegan café. Offers vegan calzones, baked goods, and shakes, in addition to coffee and tea.
With its historic stone buildings, natural panoramas and waterfall, this is a picturesque spot for Sunday brunch and what it bills as "contemporary Canadian Cuisine". Family run.
Upscale Italian dining. Professional and detail oriented staff. Downtown, close to Hunter St. GO Station.
Features fine dining in a 1920s-era mansion located stunningly on the shores of Lake Ontario. Expensive.
Upscale Italian dining. Professional and detail oriented staff. Authentic delicious Italian food.
Local edition of an Ontario chain of massive buffets with a huge variety of Chinese cuisine. Nice decor and courteous staff. Dinner buffet runs about $25 per person, making it a bit above mid-range (but just barely). Reservations not required, but advised for larger parties.
Family-owned & -operated. Fabulous steak, seafood and wild game. Amazing wines.
Sushi restaurant.
A "bar" in the classic sense, Hess is a couple blocks of pubs and eateries. Highlights include the Gown and Gavel, Che Burrito Bar, Sizzle/Koi, and The Lazy Flamingo. Located roughly between King and Main Street, on Hess Street. Typically pub-type bars and night clubs, but it runs the gamut. Hess Village is where the patio action is in Hamilton on warm summer nights. Dance clubs have opened in neighbourhood, adding to the entertainment mix. This is the summer place to be in Hamilton. One of the best bar and nightclubs in Hess Village with the best music fantastic accommodations is Sizzle's Ultra Lounge.
This is the best place in Hamilton to get a tasty pint. With over 20 taps dedicated to microbreweries, they're sure to have something you like. This bar does not sell popular, mass-produced beers like Molson, Labatt, or Sleeman. This was original location of the Winking Judge, which later moved to Hess Village.
Dating from 1823, the former "Union Hotel" has survived various incarnations and even a 1878 fire in its stables. During the War of 1812, it was purportedly the site of the Bloody Assize, and the spot where four traitors were condemned to hang outside Dundurn Castle. It's rumoured to be haunted, and not just by the Ancaster set. Has a good selection of draft beers and single malt scotches, typical pub grub, and nightly entertainment of the karaoke/trivia/open mic sort. Atmosphere is as you'd expect: exposed stone walls, beams, dark, cluttered and windowless, but it has a cobbled courtyard the claustrophobic may enjoy in the summer.
Serving locals since 1841, this "food and beverage warehouse" has 12 beers on draft, including its own Brewhouse Red and Lager. Specializes in Cajun fare. Unique decor includes plank flooring, galvanized steel, 6-seater booths, garage doors opening to a patio and a concrete bar top. Live bands, poker tournament and other shenanigans make this a popular spot for all ages. Attracts a younger crowd, particularly Mac students. This is the oldest tavern in Ontario.
This is McMaster University's graduate student-run pub. It is an excellent place to meet local students and to enjoy microbrewed beers. They also have an excellent selection of pub food at reasonable prices. In the spring and summer their huge outdoor patio is very popular for students and faculty at lunch and the end of the day.
Pub, also serving pub food - salads, sandwiches, chicken wings, hamburgers, fish and chips and the like.
Best mid-sized live music venue in the city. A large selection of craft beers are available in both rooms. Friendly atmosphere everynight.
Affordable rates ideal for overnight stays. This is the closest hotel to Hamilton Airport and right on the direct route into the city core. Also provides easy access to nearby Caledonia and the Region of Haldimand Norfolk.
Affordable rooms without much in the way of luxury. Good for overnight stays. Rates from $72 per night.
Hostel accommodation with two four-bed dormitories, and three rooms. They have free Wi-Fi, kitchen for guest use, shared bathrooms and free lockers.
Free Wi-Fi and parking. Restaurant and fitness facilities. Rooms have TV, fridge, microwave and private bathrooms, some rooms have balconies.
Rooms from $100 per night. Good central location allowing easy access to most of Hamilton's attractions.
129 suites including kitchen facilities and spacious room. Fairly new, and the facility is clean and friendly.
138 "mid-range"-equipped rooms. Restaurant, fitness centre, indoor pool, two meeting rooms.
Rooms with mid-range amenities. Free parking.
Rooms with mid-range amenities. The hotel also has a restaurant, cocktail bar and a gym.
214 guestrooms including 9 luxury suites and of convention space, 2 magnificent ballrooms, 370-seat theatre.
A relatively fancy hotel with nice rooms and great service. No free parking.
136 rooms. Free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a restaurant, a fitness centre and a swimming pool.
Big rooms, generally with space for 4-6 guests, fully equipped kitchens and otherwise are something between hotel rooms and apartments. Rates include breakfast. Free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a fitness centre and a pool.
A "luxury boutique hotel" in a historical building with the rooms looking a bit more expensive than at average hotels. Breakfast included in the rates.
Luxurious bed and breakfast with five rooms, a bit outside Hamilton.
The city's main urban destination for restaurants, cafes, and of course, shops.
A redeveloped sector in the city's core, James Street North is widely-praised for its flourishing art galleries, various restaurants and cafes. The street hosts an Art Crawl on the second Friday of every month.
Just west of downtown, Locke Street is home to a large number of antique shops. Prices tend to be lower than in Toronto.
Home to innumerable fabric, home decor and furnishings stores. The street had fallen on hard times earlier in the decade, but is undergoing a resurgence and has become one of the city's most popular destinations for antiques, fabric and home furnishings.
On Hamilton Mountain, at the west-most section of the city, Old Ancaster has several specialty boutiques and historical monuments.
As west as Ancaster, but down the mountain, Dundas is a small heritage town with a European feel that offers most of the good shopping opportunities in Hamilton such a Picone Fine Food, a 100-year-old grocery store that sells fresh produce and high-end food items. Dundas has a great drive-in park that is popular amongst locals for summer picnics. Dundas is home to numerous festivals throughout the year.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was an African-American neighbourhood. Many slaves escaping the U.S. via the Underground Railway settled in this urban neighbourhood at the edge of the escarpment. It boasts the best views of the lower city and features many parks, some with fantastic vistas overlooking the downtown and heavy industrial areas. The neighbourhood offers many shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities. The housing is an eclectic mix of million-dollar estates and 1920s cottages. Stairs to the lower city are available on Mountain Avenue, traversing the 91-m (300-foot) escarpment. Many buses travel along Concession, making it one of the most public transit accessible areas of the city. Once considered run-down, it may be one of the most underrated areas of the city. A 1920s movie house has been renovated and is showing first-run and art films.
Adjacent McMaster University keeps this neighbourhood healthy, with its many boutiques, groceries, eateries, pubs and bakeries and even a movie cinema specializing in foreign and art films. Westdale Village is accessible by bus and is walking distance to McMaster University and Hospital. It was Hamilton's first master-planned community in the 1920s.
Upper James is a lengthy street that was at one time known locally as "Oilcan Alley" due to a prevalence of autobody shops and car dealerships. Most of the major dealerships in Hamilton are still located on Upper James around the Ryckmans Corners area between Stone Church and 20 Road. A huge number of stores and family restaurants exist to service the needs of most shoppers, including a Walmart Supercentre at Fennell Avenue. Beware of traffic during rush-hour periods.
Over 200 shops and services. Easily on-par with most major malls in larger Canadian cities. It's the most popular hang-out spot on the mountain for younger and older people alike, partly due to the total absence of a night life outside of downtown.
Founded in 1837, it has since moved indoors. It features the usual mix of local farm produce and ethnic specialties. It is older than the city and is one of the best farmers markets in Ontario.
By train
Intercity train service in Hamilton is provided by:
By bus
By car
Main thoroughfares into Hamilton include the Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 403, and Highway 6. Hamilton is roughly 1 hour from Toronto and from Niagara Falls.
By boat
When approaching Hamilton Harbour from the east- Lake Ontario- remember that the lift bridge opens every half hour on the hour.
Hitchhiking
It is illegal for a pedestrian to enter any 400 series highway or the QEW. It is also very unsafe due to the high velocity and dense volume of traffic.
By bus
A fare is valid for two hours of travel on HSR buses including transfers to/from Burlington Transit.
By taxi
By ride hailing
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Hamilton · International · YHM
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