For us, a visit to Hamilton is like coming residence. Dave’s dad was born and raised in Hamilton, and he spent a lot of his childhood visiting household in town. We’ve seen “The Hammer” remodel from the commercial “Steeltown” we knew as youngsters into the thriving, inventive metropolis it’s right this moment.
Now, with buddies residing in the realm, we go to typically and are all the time discovering one thing new. Hamilton has blossomed into one among Ontario’s finest locations, with a vibrant arts scene and an unbelievable pure playground of trails and waterfalls proper at its doorstep. With extra folks shifting to the realm and others trying to escape town of Toronto, now we have narrowed down the highest issues to do whereas in Hamilton, Ontario.
This information is a mixture of the basic spots we’ve liked for years and the brand new vitality that makes Hamilton so thrilling. We’re sharing our favorite issues to do to show you how to plan an journey in this surprisingly numerous metropolis.
Top 5 Hamilton Attractions at a Glance
Historic Sites & Museums
Hamilton has a wealthy industrial and army historical past. These nationwide historic websites and museums supply an interesting look into town’s previous and its function in shaping Canada.
1. Dundurn Castle
A tour of this grand 1830s villa is likely one of the high sights in Hamilton. As the previous residence of Sir Allan Napier MacNab, Premier of the United Canadas, this National Historic Site has been fantastically restored. Costumed interpreters information you thru the house, illustrating what life was like in the Nineteenth century.
Note on 2025 Pricing: Please confirm present ticket costs on the official Hamilton Civic Museums web site. Adult admission is usually round $16 CAD and youngsters are $10 CAD.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Your admission contains the Hamilton Military Museum, which can be on the property. Give your self additional time to stroll the gorgeous grounds and the kitchen backyard, that are free to entry and supply beautiful views of the bay.
Tickets value $16 for adults and $10 for youngsters, with kids underneath 5 allowed in without spending a dime.
2. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
ocated beside the Hamilton International Airport, this museum is a must-visit for aviation and historical past buffs. It includes a assortment of over 40 Canadian army plane flown since World War II. The spotlight is the Avro Lancaster, one among solely two airworthy Lancaster bombers left in the world.
Admission to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is round $18 per grownup, with kids underneath 5 in a position to go to without spending a dime. Flight simulation experiences can be found at an additional value. Check out the web site for extra particulars.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Even for those who don’t guide a flight simulation, test their schedule on-line. Seeing the Lancaster or different classic planes take off for a flight is an unforgettable expertise.
3. HMCS Haida National Historic Site
Known as “Canada’s most fightingest ship,” the HMCS Haida is a floating museum on the Hamilton waterfront. As the world’s solely surviving Tribal-class destroyer, this nationwide historic website presents an opportunity to discover the decks and picture life as a crew member of the Royal Canadian Navy throughout its service in WWII, the Korean War, and the Cold War.
Note on 2025 Pricing: Admission is simply $4.50 CAD per grownup, with these underneath 17 years of age getting into free.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Wear good footwear with a stable grip. You’ll be climbing steep, slender ladders between the decks, which is all a part of the genuine and immersive expertise.
4. Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology
Housed in the restored 1859 waterworks constructing, this nationwide historic website is devoted to the historical past of steam energy in Canada. It includes a assortment of huge, working steam engines, pumps, and different equipment that after provided water to town.
2025 Pricing: Admission is required. Please test the Hamilton Civic Museums web site for present 2025 pricing (usually round $10 CAD for adults).
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Try to go to throughout a dwell steam demonstration to see the spectacular 70-ton steam engines in motion. It’s an unbelievable show of Nineteenth-century engineering energy.
5. Battle of Stoney Creek
This National Historic Site preserves the situation of the pivotal 1813 Battle of Stoney Creek. The grounds embrace the Battlefield House Museum (the unique Gage Homestead, constructed round 1796) and the spectacular Battlefield Monument, which stands excessive on a hill overlooking the park.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Be certain to climb to the highest of the 100-foot Battlefield Monument. It presents a unbelievable view and helps you perceive the strategic significance of the situation in the course of the War of 1812.
6. The Erland Lee Museum
This Nineteenth-century farmhouse in Stoney Creek holds big historic significance because the birthplace of the Women’s Institutes, a company that unfold from right here to over 70 nations. The museum has reveals devoted to the historical past of the group and its function in ladies’s historical past.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: This is a must-visit for anybody in Canadian historical past, significantly ladies’s historical past. The story of the Women’s Institute is an interesting piece of Canadian heritage that began proper right here in this home.
Outdoor Adventures & Waterfalls
Hamilton’s distinctive location on the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, offers it a surprising pure playground. Here’s the place to get exterior and discover the paths, gorges, and waterfalls that make “The Hammer” an out of doors vacation spot.
7. Chase Waterfalls (Webster’s, Albion, Tews)
Hamilton is named the “Waterfall Capital of the World,” with over 100 waterfalls situated inside the metropolis limits. Chasing waterfalls is likely one of the high issues to do right here. Two of essentially the most unbelievable cascades are Webster’s Falls, a basic plunge-style waterfall, and Albion Falls, a large cascade that tumbles over cabinets of rock. Tews Falls is definitely the tallest in Hamilton, standing at 41 metres, only a few metres shorter than Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls.
Important 2025 Note: Access guidelines, viewing platforms, and reservation methods for Hamilton’s waterfalls can change regularly. Always test the official Hamilton Conservation Authority web site earlier than your go to for essentially the most up-to-date data on parking, charges, and path entry.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: While Webster’s and Albion are well-known, don’t miss a few of the smaller falls. Tiffany Falls is a phenomenal, delicate waterfall that’s only a quick stroll from the street, making it an amazing and simply accessible cease.
8. Spencer Gorge Conservation Area
This is the star attraction for nature lovers in Hamilton. The conservation space is residence to two of town’s most well-known waterfalls, Tews Falls and Webster’s Falls (although they typically require separate reservations). The major draw for us, nevertheless, is the hike to Dundas Peak, which showcases the beautiful fantastic thing about the Dundas Valley.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: The hike to the Dundas Peak viewpoint is a must-do, particularly in the autumn. The view overlooking the Dundas Valley is likely one of the finest in all of Southern Ontario. Go on a weekday to keep away from the largest crowds, as this spot is extraordinarily well-liked.
9. Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG)
Of all of the sights in Hamilton, a go to to Canada’s largest Botanical Garden is a should. A delegated National Historic Site, the RBG is Canada’s largest botanical backyard, spanning over 2,400 acres. Nestled into the slopes of the Niagara Escarpment, it options 5 distinct backyard areas, together with the gorgeous Hendrie Park and the restored David Braley Rock Garden. It additionally boasts the world’s largest lilac assortment and over 77 km of nature trails.
Pricing: General admission tickets for entrance to the Royal Botanical Gardens value $19.50 for adults, with kids underneath 4 admitted without spending a dime. There are youth, senior, and household tickets obtainable at a reduced value.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: The RBG is very large, so don’t strive to see all of it in in the future. If you solely have time for one part, we suggest Hendrie Park. It has essentially the most numerous assortment of themed gardens and is a superb introduction to what the RBG has to supply.
10. Go for a Hike on the Bruce Trail & More
The Dundas Valley Conservation Area is an enormous forested space with over 40 km of trails. It’s an out of doors lover’s dream and accommodates a number of main path networks:
The Bruce Trail: Canada’s longest and oldest footpath stretches from Niagara to Tobermory and passes proper via the guts of the Dundas Valley.
The Main Loop Trail: Starting from the Dundas Valley Trail Centre, this straightforward 3.4 km loop is a superb introduction to the realm, passing by ruins and an outdated orchard.
The Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail: This is a wonderful, flat path for climbing and biking alongside an outdated railway line.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: For an amazing style of the realm, begin on the Dundas Valley Trail Centre. You can do the simple Main Loop Trail, hop on a piece of the well-known Bruce Trail, and see the duplicate practice station all from one handy start line.
Hamilton’s Waterfront & Parks
Once an industrial harbour, Hamilton’s waterfront has been fully reworked into a phenomenal house for recreation, connecting a number of parks and trails. It’s now a preferred out of doors gathering place for households and buddies.
11. Explore Bayfront Park
This giant park covers 16 hectares alongside Hamilton Harbour and is full of leisure actions. It options an intensive path system for strolling and biking, a ship launch for paddling, and a big, well-liked playground for households with younger kids. Throughout the 12 months, Bayfront Park hosts a wide range of occasions, together with live shows and group festivals.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Bayfront Park is the right spot for a household picnic. There’s tons of inexperienced house to run round, an amazing playground for the children, and you’ll watch the boats in the harbour.
12. Stroll the Waterfront Trail
The 12 km Waterfront Trail connects Pier 4 Park and Bayfront Park and is ideal for a day stroll, run, or bike journey. Along the way in which, you possibly can seize an ice cream cone at Scoops, hire bikes, or watch folks fishing from the pier. The Harbour West Trolley additionally winds alongside the path, providing a narrated tour of the realm’s historical past.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: We love renting bikes and biking a portion of this path. It’s flat, paved, and presents nice views of the harbour. A cease for an ice cream cone at Scoops is a compulsory a part of the expertise!
13. Take a Harbour Cruise
For a distinct perspective, take a 50-minute narrated tour of the harbour with the Hamilton Waterfront Trust. The captain shares fascinating particulars concerning the historical past of the realm, from its industrial previous to its current revitalization. Longer dinner cruises are additionally obtainable on the Harbour Queen.
Note for 2025: Be certain to test the cruise operator’s web site for the present schedule and availability.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: The sightseeing cruise is one of the simplest ways to perceive the dimensions of the harbour and its industrial heritage. The captain’s narration is surprisingly fascinating and provides you a complete new perspective on “Steeltown.”
14. Relax in Gage Park
This big metropolis park in East Hamilton is a vacation spot in itself. Its major options are the gorgeous themed gardens and the spectacular Tropical Greenhouse. The park additionally accommodates the Hamilton Children’s Museum, strolling trails, sports activities fields, and a wading pool. In the winter, it transforms with a free public skating rink and winter lights festivals.
Note for 2025: Please confirm the standing of the Hamilton Children’s Museum, because it has undergone current renovations.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: The Tropical Greenhouse is the star attraction right here, particularly on a chilly winter day. Stepping inside from the snow right into a lush, heat greenhouse appears like a mini-vacation to the tropics.
15. Grab Fish and Chips at Hutch’s
You can’t discuss concerning the Hamilton waterfront with out mentioning Hutch’s. This basic, old-school eatery has been serving up fish and chips, ice cream, and burgers proper on the seashore for many years. It’s a real native establishment. I used to come right here on a regular basis once I was a child. WE lived simply down the street in Burlington, and my Dad would take us there for a deal with on Sundays.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Be ready for a lineup on a sunny summer season day—it’s all the time definitely worth the wait. The fish and chips are a basic, however don’t overlook to seize a milkshake. It’s an ideal style of nostalgia.
Culture, Sports & Entertainment
Beyond the paths and museums, Hamilton has a vibrant cultural scene, from skilled sports activities to dwell theatre.
16. Art Gallery of Hamilton
Founded in 1914, the Art Gallery of Hamilton is the oldest and largest artwork museum in Southern Ontario. Its everlasting assortment is acknowledged as one of many best in Canada, that includes a mixture of historic and up to date Canadian artwork, together with works by the Group of Seven, Emily Carr, and Tom Thomson.
Note on 2025 Pricing: This gallery typically has a nuanced pricing mannequin (e.g., free for one stage, paid for particular exhibitions). Please confirm the present admission construction on their official web site.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: The everlasting assortment of Canadian artwork is excellent. Give your self a minimum of a few hours. The free entry to the second stage makes it an amazing, budget-friendly cultural cease on any go to
17. Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Located at Tim Hortons Field, residence of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame celebrates the historical past and heroes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Through interactive shows and artifacts, it presents a deep dive into all elements of Canadian soccer.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Even for those who’re not an enormous CFL fan, it’s value a glance for those who’re already at Tim Hortons Field for a recreation. It presents an amazing look into a singular and necessary piece of Canadian sports activities tradition, and it’s free to enter.
18. Catch a Hamilton Tiger-Cats Game
Hamilton is commonly known as the “birthplace of Canadian football,” and town’s ardour for the sport is infectious. To see it firsthand, seize tickets to see the Hamilton Tiger-Cats play at Tim Hortons Field. The CFL season usually runs from June to November.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: The environment at a Ticats recreation is electrical. Hamilton followers are famously passionate. For a real native expertise, seize some black and gold gear and be a part of the “Oskee Wee Wee” chants.
19. Hess Village
When the solar goes down, Hess Village is the guts of Hamilton’s nightlife. This cobblestone, pedestrian-only space is lined with historic buildings that home a dense focus of eating places, bars, and patios with dwell music. It’s a full of life spot, particularly on a heat summer season night.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Hess Village is nice for a patio drink, however for those who’re in search of a quieter dinner, discover the eating places on close by King William Street, which has turn into town’s unofficial “Restaurant Row.”
20. Theatre Aquarius
For an evening of dwell theatre, Theatre Aquarius is town’s premier skilled theatre firm. Located downtown in the Dofasco Centre for the Arts, it levels high-quality productions, from basic performs to up to date musicals.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: We’ve seen a couple of reveals right here, and the standard of the productions is all the time spectacular. It’s a good way to expertise top-level Canadian theatre with out the Toronto costs.
Food & Drink
Hamilton’s meals scene has exploded in current years, however some classics by no means exit of favor.
21. Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Established in 1837, the Hamilton Farmers’ Market is a year-round market and one of many oldest landmarks in town. With greater than fifty distributors, yow will discover every part from contemporary native produce and meats to artisan cheeses and handmade items. It’s situated proper downtown beside the central library.
Dave & Deb’s Tip: Don’t simply browse—plan to have lunch right here. There are some unbelievable meals stalls inside providing every part from tacos and falafel to contemporary pasta. It’s a good way to pattern the native meals scene all in one place.
FAQ: Visiting Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is legendary for its industrial heritage (it’s known as “Steeltown” for a motive), its unbelievable variety of waterfalls (over 100), and a quickly rising arts and meals scene.
Absolutely. It’s a simple drive from Toronto, and it presents a totally completely different vibe. It’s particularly value it for out of doors lovers who need to discover the waterfalls and climbing trails of the Niagara Escarpment.
While the downtown is walkable, a automobile is one of the simplest ways to get round, particularly for reaching the assorted conservation areas, waterfalls, and sights which are unfold out throughout town.
So, Where Will You Go First?
Hamilton has efficiently reinvented itself from a gritty industrial metropolis right into a vibrant vacation spot with a stunning quantity of pure magnificence. From its historic castles and museums to the a whole bunch of waterfalls ready to be explored, “The Hammer” presents an ideal mix of city vitality and out of doors journey. We hope this information has helped you uncover all of the wonderful issues to do in Hamilton.