McMaster Museum of Art, University Av at Sterling St (Lee building), 905-525-9140 ext.23081, . Tu,W,F 11AM-5PM, Th 11AM-7PM, Sa 12PM-5PM. Houses a nationally significant collection of more than 6,000 works of art, featuring a permanent collection and contemporary exhibitions, lectures and events.
Dundurn Castle, 610 York Blvd, 905-546-2872, . Canada Day to Labour Day: Daily: 10AM-4PM; Labour Day to Canada Day: Tu-Su: 12PM-4PM. 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.
Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, 900 Woodward Av at the QEW, 905-546-4797,. June 1 to Labour Day: Tu-Su 11AM-4PM; Labour Day to May 31: Tu-Su 12PM-4PM. 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.
Westfield Heritage Village, 1049 Kirkwall Rd, Rockton, 519-621-8851, . Surrounded by 131 ha (324 acres) of unspoiled woods and meadows, this living history museum spans various time periods in 35+ historic buildings, plus a steam locomotive. Much of the TV series Anne of Green Gables was filmed here.
Battlefield House Museum, 77 King St. W., Stoney Creek (just east of Centennial Parkway), . 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. �
The Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King Street West, 905-527-6610, . 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. In 2003, the AGH began a major renovation project, designed by Hamilton-born and raised architect Bruce Kuwabara. The revamped gallery opened in 2005 and includes a new 2,500-square-foot glass pavilion and Sculpture Atrium.
The Movie Palace, 526 Concession St., (905) 383-2641, Offers first run movies and revue programming in a restored 1920s theatre complete with a kitschy Imperial Rome motif and booths. This venue closed in February, 2011 though it has enjoyed revivals through the decades.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, 9280 Airport Road, Mt Hope, (905) 679-4183 (email: [email protected]), . 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 worlds two remaining flying Lancaster bombers. Those who dare can experience an open cockpit ride in a bi-plane through the Legends Flight program .
Canadian Football Hall of Fame, 58 Jackson St. West, 905-528-7566 . Tu-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM. Has interactive programs, displays, a library, archives and is home to the Grey Cup.
Parks Canada Discovery Centre, 57 Discovery Drive (at Pier 8), 905-526-0911, . Houses state-of-the-art interactive exhibits in three galleries, a lobby and a 65-seat theatre, allowing visitors a virtual glimpse of Canada's national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas. Adjacent is HMCS Haida, offering self-guided tours of Canada's "fightingest ship".
Princess Point. Situated 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.
Parks and trails - 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.
Waterfront - Hamilton is 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. At Pier 8, visit the HMCS Haida, a WWII destroyer that is maintained faithfully and can be explored in its entirety.
Waterfalls?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:
Albion Falls, Mountain Brow Blvd. A scenic 19 metre cascade waterfall. Located in King's Forest Park. �
Borer's Falls, Rock Chapel Rd., Dundas. A relatively small but picturesque waterfall. Located in Borer's Falls Conservation Area, the escarpment in this area is quite scenic as well. �
Devil's Punch Bowl, Ridge Rd., Stoney Creek. One of the taller waterfalls in the area. Located in Devil's Punch Bowl Conservation Area. �
Tew's Falls, Harvest Rd., Greensville. 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). Located in Spencer Gorge/Webster's Falls Conservation Area along with Webster's Falls. �
Tiffany Falls, Wilson St. E., Ancaster. Tiffany Falls is a 21 metre ribbon waterfall. The location is easy to reach, being located just off of the former Highway 2. �
Webster's Falls, Fallsview Rd., Greensville. Arguably the most beautiful waterfall in Hamilton, at 30 metres 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're there, check out the cobblestone arch bridge near the falls. �
The view from the escarpment?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's easier to see these in winter). The Bruce Trail offers many excellent views, such as that at Dundas Peak. If you're driving around Hamilton, Mountain Brow Blvd. is a good place to stop for a look down.
Downtown Neighbourhoods - 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.
Theatre Aquarius Usually puts on many good plays and musicals. Staring local talent it generally offers quality entertainment at an affordable price. The surrounding area provides several dining opportunities.
Doors Open Hamilton, usually held on the first weekend in May, 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.
Canadian International Military Tattoo (Copps Coliseum), 101 York Boulevard (http://www.canadianmilitarytattoo.ca/pages/maps.html), ☎ 905-546-3100 or 1-888-523-1753, . 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. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Hamilton (Ontario)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Hamilton (Ontario) - updated May 2024
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Hamilton (Ontario) Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
