Welcome to Hamilton — A Guide for the OECTA Council of Presidents

A City Built by Workers

Where Canada's labour movement was born.

You are standing in the cradle of organized labour in Canada. Hamilton built the country's first local labour council in 1864 and launched the nine-hour-workday movement in 1872 — and over the century and a half since, this has been a city of steel strikes, labour mayors, and, for the teachers in the room, the long campaign that won educators a real seat at the table. Here is a little of that story.

1864

An 1859 panoramic lithograph of Hamilton, Canada West

Hamilton in 1859

The first labour council

Canada's first trades assembly

Hamilton organized before anyone else. In 1864 the Iron Molders' Union led the city's trade unions into the Hamilton Trades Assembly — the first local labour council in Canada, and the seedbed of everything that followed.

Learn more →

1872

Where it began

The Nine-Hour Movement

Hamilton workers met at the Shakespeare Hotel and founded the Nine-Hour League — Canada's first working-class organization for a shorter workday. On May 15, some 1,500 of them marched five miles past the city's factories, remembered ever since as the “Nine-Hour Pioneers.”

Learn more →

1906

An early Hamilton Street Railway streetcar

A city takes sides

The Street Railway Strike

When the streetcar company broke an arbitrated settlement, Hamilton's carmen struck — to overwhelming public support. The Riot Act was read downtown, and the workers won their union.

Learn more →

1909

Teachers · Hamilton

The Hamilton Normal School

Hamilton got its own teacher-training college. The Hamilton Normal School opened March 19, 1909 in the city's West End, preparing generations of elementary teachers for nearly half a century — until fire destroyed it on New Year's Eve, 1953. Among those it trained: a young Mary Flynn, who would go on to lead OECTA province-wide.

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1944

Two movements, one year

A labour mayor — and a teachers' union

Stonecutter Sam Lawrence took office as Hamilton's first labour mayor. And that February, English Catholic teachers founded OECTA — the association whose Council of Presidents you lead today. Hamilton was there from day one as charter district No. 7, and within a year the city's own Father Bernard Harrigan became OECTA's second provincial president.

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1946

A steelworker at a Stelco open-hearth furnace, Hamilton

81 days

The Stelco Strike

Steelworkers struck Stelco for 81 days; with Westinghouse and Firestone out too, some 13,000 Hamiltonians walked. Mayor Lawrence refused to send in police and marched with thousands to the gates — a milestone widely credited with helping win recognition for USW Local 1005 and the 40-hour week.

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1973

Queen's Park, Toronto

Teachers · Hamilton joins in

Teachers win the right to strike

On December 18, some 90,000 of Ontario's 105,000 teachers — OECTA among them — walked out, closing schools in Hamilton — where Wentworth teachers had already been working to rule — and across the province. Two years later, Bill 100 gave Ontario teachers full collective bargaining and the right to strike.

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1985

The Supreme Court of Canada

Teachers · Bill 30

Full funding for Catholic schools

After decades of campaigning, Ontario extended full public funding to Catholic high schools, phased in from the 1985–86 school year — a landmark win for OECTA. Hamilton was at its heart: for generations the diocese here had quietly funded and staffed Catholic high schools out of its own pocket, and Hamilton's Bishop Ryan helped lead OECTA's campaign for “completion.” The Supreme Court upheld the law in 1987.

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1989

Teachers · Hamilton · the pension rally

25,000 teachers fill Copps Coliseum

On April 1, 1989, more than 25,000 teachers — OECTA among them — packed Hamilton's Copps Coliseum during the governing Liberals' convention, demanding a real voice in their own pension fund. Provincial treasurer Robert Nixon came to hear them out. The fight helped win the landmark teacher–government partnership behind the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

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1995

The 1860 Custom House, home of the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre

The story gets a home

Workers Arts & Heritage Centre

Canada's labour-history museum opened in the 1860 Custom House at 51 Stuart Street — a building the 1872 Nine-Hour march passed on its way through the city. It's a 15-minute walk from your hotel.

Learn more →

1996

Hamilton City Hall

The Day of Action

Steeltown shuts down

On February 23–24, 1996, a one-day general strike shut Hamilton down — around 25,000 walked off the job on the Friday, and an estimated 100,000 marched on the Saturday: what OECTA's own history records as the largest demonstration in Canadian history to that point. A mass stand against the Harris government's cuts, it saw teachers march alongside every other union — OECTA had joined the Ontario Federation of Labour the year before.

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1997

The 1997 teachers' strike

Teachers · the largest walkout

The Bill 160 protest

For two weeks that autumn, about 126,000 Ontario teachers — public and Catholic together, OECTA included — walked out against Bill 160, closing nearly every school in the province. The rallies filled arenas from Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens to Hamilton's Copps Coliseum. It was called the largest teachers' walkout in North American history.

Learn more →

2020

Teachers · Hamilton walks

Catholic teachers on the line again

The fight continued into our own time. On February 4, 2020, Ontario's Catholic teachers held a province-wide one-day strike — all 35 Hamilton–Wentworth Catholic schools closed — as OECTA members stood up for class sizes and fair bargaining.

Learn more →

From the workers who built Canada's first labour council here in 1864, through the Nine-Hour Pioneers of 1872, to the teachers at Queen's Park in 1973 and 1997 — this city's story is your story. The rights you defend for your members were won by people who organized, and won.

Visit the Workers Arts & Heritage Centre →

Eat & Drink

Hamilton's food scene punches well above its weight. The closest tables are an easy stroll from the lobby; a five-minute drive opens up much more. Reservations are wise for dinner, especially on weekends and arena nights next door.

Start here — a Hamilton institution

Fisher's Pier 4 Pub Local Favourite

Pub · seafood · patio on the water

If you want one quintessentially Hamilton spot, make it Fisher's — an easygoing harbourside pub at Pier 4 with a big covered patio over the water and fish & chips the locals swear by (lightly battered haddock; the Fisherman's Platter if you're hungry). Unfussy, friendly, pure Steeltown, and roomy enough for a work group.

VEGGF

Where554 James St N · the waterfront · ~6-min drive

HoursMon–Sat · closed Sun

★ 4.5Reviews fisherspier.com

Steps from the hotel: King William Street

Can't decide? Just walk to King William Street — downtown's pedestrian restaurant row, a couple of blocks from the lobby. Along one short, lively stretch you'll find Parma and Berkeley North (below), plus The French bistro, tacos at The Mule, burgers at Hambrgr, the Plank restobar, and a dozen more from ramen to schnitzel — wander it and pick what looks good.

For a special dinner

The Standard

$$$

Contemporary Canadian · seasonal · cocktails

A handsome wine-bar-and-restaurant doing a celebrated seven-course chef's-table tasting — charcoal-grilled, in-house butchery — quite literally around the corner. Strong private-event spaces make it a fine choice for a group dinner before the meeting.

VEG

Where10 James St N · ~5-min walk

Reviews Reserve thestandardhamilton.com

Noir

$$$

Contemporary Canadian · small plates · lounge

A sleek, all-black kitchen and lounge for a refined sit-down dinner on Locke Street — try the tuna-tartare cannoli and a craft cocktail. Good for a hosted team meal (parties of eight or more add an automatic 20% gratuity).

Where137 Locke St S · ~5-min drive

Reviews Reserve noirhamilton.ca

Rapscallion & Co.

$$$

Canadian · nose-to-tail · wine bar

A long-loved, buzzy James North room with an ever-changing nose-to-tail blackboard menu and a serious wine list. Creative, beautifully plated, and built for sharing over a relaxed group dinner.

VEGVGN

Where178 James St N · ~8-min walk

Reviews Reserve rapandco.ca

Parma

$$$

Italian · pasta · fine dining

Polished, elegant downtown Italian on the pedestrian restaurant row — house-made ricotta gnocchi, short-rib risotto and seafood linguine, with attentive service. Business-casual and good for a professional dinner.

Where17 King William St · ~5-min walk

Reviews Reserve parmahospitality.com

Casual & shareable

Berkeley North

Small plates · West-Coast · seasonal

A stylish small-plates spot (a Michelin Bib Gourmand) doing West-Coast-inspired seasonal cooking — house-made gnocchi, teriyaki eggplant — meant to be shared. Reserve online for up to five; call for a bigger table.

VEGVGN

Where31 King William St · ~5-min walk

Reviews Reserve berkeleynorth.ca

Eem Khao

Thai-Chinese · shareable · family-style

A vibrant Bangkok-meets-Chinatown street-food room — sticky pork ribs and large-format meats served family-style. Loud, fun, and ideal for a work group that likes to share.

VGNVEG

Where301 James St N · ~14-min walk / ~4-min drive

HoursClosed Tue

★ 4.7Reviews Order eemkhao.com

Bardō

Wood-fired pizza · farm-to-table · Locke St

The anchor of the Locke Street strip: a warm farm-to-table pizzeria with a street patio and stone-baked pizzas (the honey-and-chili Bee Sting is the one). Generous shared plates — and the most dietary-friendly kitchen on this list.

VEGVGNGFDF

Where258 Locke St S · ~6-min drive

★ 4.6Reviews Reserve bardorestaurants.ca

The Squire

Gastropub · full bar · Locke St

An established Locke Street gastropub with elevated pub fare — steak frites, award-winning wings, British-style steak pies — and a full bar. Comfortable and easy for a group.

VEGGF

Where225 Locke St S · ~6-min drive

★ 4.6Reviews Reserve yeoldesquire.ca

Hutch's Harbour Front

Fish & chips · diner · since 1946

A Hamilton institution since 1946 — classic fish & chips, burgers and thick milkshakes from the cheery orange-and-white diner. This is the harbour-front Hutch's, right by Bayfront Park and an easy stroll north from downtown (not the Beach location out east).

Where325 Bay St N · ~6-min drive / ~18-min walk

Reviews

Grandad's Donuts

Doughnuts · coffee · James North

A beloved, no-nonsense Hamilton doughnut shop on James Street North — chocolate dip, walnut crunch, old-fashioned glazed and the cult “Ghost Buster” (an éclair-meets-Boston-cream). Often open around the clock.

Where574 James St N · ~5-min drive / ~25-min walk

Reviews grandads.ca

Tim Hortons A National Treasure

Heritage Canadian · est. Hamilton, 1964 · the source

No serious survey of Hamilton's gastronomy dares omit the city's most consequential contribution to the national palate. Founded on these very streets in 1964 and since canonised from coast to coast to coast, this temple of the everyday has refined the coffee service to a liturgy: the storied double-double — a flawless equilibrium of two creams and two sugars, decanted into its iconic rolled-rim vessel — drinks with remarkable length and a finish of pure nostalgia. Nor should the pâtisserie programme be overlooked: the Boston cream, a study in custard and restraint; the apple fritter, baroque yet honest; the Timbit, that sublime amuse-bouche, presented in flights of ten or twenty. The cellar is a chalkboard, the maître d’ wears a visor, and the chef’s table is the drive-thru. One does not so much dine here as belong.

WhereOn nearly every corner (as is right and proper) · Jackson Square is nearest

DressCome as you are — everyone does

★ ∞timhortons.ca

Breweries & the market

Collective Arts Brewing

Craft brewery · beer hall · beer garden

Hamilton's flagship craft brewery in a converted industrial space — a massive, art-covered beer hall plus an outdoor beer garden, with hot paninis and excellent non-alcoholic options. Roomy for big groups.

Where207 Burlington St E · ~9-min drive

HoursBeer hall closed Tue

★ 4.7Reviews Reserve collectiveartscreativity.com

Aquanova Brewing

Craft brewery · taproom · west end

A bright west-end taproom away from the crowds — small-batch house beers (Italian pilsner, blonde ale, session IPA), a garage-door patio, live-music nights, games and dog-friendly tables. A casual hang.

Where67 Frid St · ~7-min drive

★ 4.9Reviews

Hamilton Farmers' Market

Indoor market · food hall · bakeries

A historic year-round indoor market in the Jackson Square block — 50-plus vendors with produce, bakeries, meat pies and global prepared-food stalls under one roof. An easy, grab-and-mingle group lunch a short walk from the hotel.

VEGVGNGF

Where35 York Blvd · ~5-min walk

HoursWed–Fri 9–5 · Sat 8–5

★ 4.6Reviews hamiltonfarmersmarket.ca

Coffee & cafes

There's a Starbucks in the Sheraton lobby for early mornings, and independent cafes cluster along James Street North and Locke Street — easy to pair with a wander between sessions.

The Natural City

Hamilton calls itself the Waterfall Capital of the World — well over a hundred cascades tumble off the escarpment — and it's home to Canada's largest botanical garden. If you brought a car and have a free morning, this is where to spend it.

The waterfalls

Webster's Falls, a curtain waterfall in Spencer Gorge near Hamilton

Spencer Gorge — Tews, Webster's & Dundas Peak Showpiece

The headline act. Tews Falls plunges 41 m — only a few metres shy of Niagara — while Webster's is a classic curtain waterfall crossed by a restored cobblestone bridge. The Dundas Peak lookout takes in the whole valley.

Where590 Harvest Rd, Dundas · ~22-min drive

Visitconservationhamilton.ca

NotePaid parking — see below

Albion Falls

A wide, classically tiered cascade tumbling down the east Mountain, with viewing platforms right by the road — one of the city's most-photographed falls, and free.

WhereMountain Brow Blvd · East Mountain · ~18-min drive

CostFree · view from platforms

The Devil's Punchbowl

A slender 37-m ribbon falls dropping through a striped amphitheatre of rust-and-green layered rock, beside a giant cross and a sweeping lookout over the city. A free roadside stop in Stoney Creek.

WhereRidge Rd, Stoney Creek · ~20-min drive

CostFree · lookout + trail

Tiffany Falls

A graceful cascade slipping over mossy rock at the end of a short, shady trail in Ancaster — an easy, pretty walk-in just off the highway.

WhereWilson St E, Ancaster · ~17-min drive

CostFree · short trail

Sherman Falls

A lovely tiered curtain falls — locals call it Angel Falls — tucked in the green of the Dundas Valley, a short walk from the road. Please keep to the path; it borders private land.

WhereOld Dundas Rd, Ancaster · ~16-min drive

CostFree

Good news on the gorge waterfalls

As of 2026, the Hamilton Conservation Authority no longer requires reservations for Webster's Falls, Tews Falls and Dundas Peak — visits are first-come, first-served. There is still gated, paid parking (about $11 per vehicle) at the two lots, 590 Harvest Rd and 28 Fallsview Rd. Always confirm current details at conservationhamilton.ca. Enjoy the views from the platforms and stay behind the fencing.

And dozens more

Those are the headliners, but the escarpment hides scores of others — Borer's Falls above Dundas, Felker's Falls and its boardwalk on the east Mountain, Canterbury Falls in the Dundas Valley, Great Falls in Waterdown. For the full map, hours and parking see waterfalls.hamilton.ca, Tourism Hamilton's waterfall guide, or the full list.

Gardens, trails & the bay

Royal Botanical Gardens Iconic

Canada's largest botanical garden, across several sites — formal display gardens in full June bloom, lilacs and roses, and roughly 27 km of trails through the Cootes Paradise sanctuary. The Arboretum entrance is on the Hamilton side.

Where680 Plains Rd W, Burlington · ~13-min drive

Visitrbg.ca

HoursOpen daily · ticketed

The Hermitage ruins in the Dundas Valley

Dundas Valley Conservation Area

A glorious forested valley with 40+ km of trails, the storybook Hermitage ruins, and a trail centre built like an old rail station. Sherman and Canterbury falls hide just off the main loop.

Where650 Governors Rd, Dundas · ~20-min drive

Visitconservationhamilton.ca

Good forHiking · biking · shade

Bayfront Park & the Waterfront

Lakeside trails, long June sunsets and harbour views, connecting to the reborn Pier 8 waterfront with its patios and promenade. An easy evening walk after a day of meetings.

Where200 Harbour Front Dr · ~6-min drive

HoursOpen daily · free

Walk to the water. About a 25-minute stroll (≈2 km) north from the Sheraton down to Bayfront Park and the Pier 8 waterfront trail — grab a coffee at Williams or a pint on the patio at Fisher's when you arrive. Open walking directions →

Historic Hamilton

Beyond the labour story above, Hamilton wears its history openly — in grand villas and a Gilded-Age castle, a 19th-century steam waterworks, a War of 1812 battlefield, and the farmhouse where the Women's Institute was born. Most civic museums run Tuesday–Sunday and often close at 4 PM (closed Mondays); confirm before heading out.

The 1860 Custom House, home of the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre in Hamilton

Workers Arts & Heritage Centre Must-see

Canada's labour-history museum, in the beautifully restored 1860 Custom House — the building the 1872 Nine-Hour march passed on its way through the city. The one not to miss for this group.

Where51 Stuart St · ~15-min walk

Visitwahc-museum.ca

Dundurn Castle

A 40-room 1830s Italianate villa above the harbour, once home to Sir Allan MacNab. Costumed-interpreter tours bring the era to life, from the grand rooms to the working kitchen and garden.

Where610 York Blvd · ~5-min drive

Visithamilton.ca

HoursTue–Sun, often 12–4

Whitehern Historic House & Garden

A perfectly preserved family home and walled garden tucked behind City Hall — a quiet downtown oasis, with storytelling tours locals rave about. An easy walk from the hotel.

Where41 Jackson St W · ~6-min walk

Visithamilton.ca

HoursTue–Sun, often 12–4

Battlefield House, the 1796 homestead at the Battle of Stoney Creek site

Battlefield House & the Steam Museum

An 1796 homestead on the 1813 Battle of Stoney Creek site, crowned by a 100-ft monument; and a National Historic Site preserving Hamilton's 1859 waterworks with two colossal steam engines.

WhereStoney Creek / 900 Woodward Ave

Visithamilton.ca

HoursTue–Sun, often 12–4

More heritage to seek out

Griffin House, the 1827 board farmhouse of Enerals Griffin, a National Historic Site in the Dundas Valley, Ancaster

Griffin House National Historic Site

Closed for restoration through 2026. Worth noting for now — and if you're back in Hamilton, this one's worth the trip.

One of the most significant sites in the region's Black history: a modest 1827 board farmhouse bought in 1834 by Enerals Griffin, a Black immigrant from Virginia, and kept in his family for 154 years. A National Historic Site of Canada in the Dundas Valley, it speaks to early Black settlement in Upper Canada in the Underground‑Railroad era. A roughly $1M restoration (city, provincial and federal) is refreshing the house through 2026.

Where733 Mineral Springs Rd, Ancaster · Dundas Valley · ~20-min drive

Visithamilton.ca

The Scottish Rite, the turreted 1896 Tuckett mansion in downtown Hamilton

The Scottish Rite Walkable

Hamilton's Gilded-Age “castle” — an 1896 Romanesque mansion built for tobacco magnate (and mayor) George Tuckett, later joined to a grand Masonic cathedral. The turreted exterior is a short walk from the hotel; group interior tours can be pre-booked.

Where4 Queen St S · ~10-min walk

Visitscottishriteclub.ca

NoteExterior anytime · interior by tour

The Erland Lee Home, an 1890s Gothic farmhouse in Stoney Creek

Erland Lee Home National Historic Site

The farmhouse where, in 1897, the world's first Women's Institute constitution was written at the family dining table — the birthplace of a global women's-education movement. A restored home with gardens and escarpment views.

Where552 Ridge Rd, Stoney Creek · ~25-min drive

Visiterlandleemuseum.ca

HoursFri–Sat 1–4 (Apr–Nov) · or by appt

Auchmar Estate

The last surviving Victorian country estate on the Mountain — Isaac Buchanan's c.1854 Gothic Revival manor in walled, landscaped grounds. Stroll the grounds year-round; guided interior tours run from mid-summer.

Where88 Fennell Ave W · ~12-min drive

Visitfriendsofauchmar.ca

NoteGrounds open · interior tours from July

National Indigenous History Month

June is National Indigenous History Month, with National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. The land Hamilton sits on holds deep and living Indigenous history — and a short drive south, the Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations community in Canada, is home to some of the country's richest Haudenosaunee culture. A few welcoming ways to learn and to honour it.

Chiefswood National Historic Site E. Pauline Johnson

The riverside home where the celebrated Mohawk poet and performer E. Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake) was born in 1861. The graceful 1850s house is known for its two front doors — one facing the Grand River to welcome those arriving by canoe, one facing the road for visitors by carriage — built as a symbol of two cultures meeting as equals. Tours, grounds and the riverside Chiefswood Park.

Where1037 Hwy 54, Ohsweken · ~40-min drive

HoursTue–Sun 10–4 · May–Oct

Visitchiefswoodnhs.ca

Six Nations of the Grand River Living culture

The largest First Nations community in Canada, and a welcoming place to experience living Haudenosaunee culture. Six Nations Tourism runs a guided Grand River paddle that shares history out on the water; you can take in lacrosse — the Creator's Game, which began with these nations — or walk the Carolinian-forest Six Nations Trail.

WhereOhsweken, Six Nations · ~40-min drive

Plansixnationstourism.ca

Woodland Cultural Centre Art & culture

A Haudenosaunee-led centre of art, language and education since 1972, in nearby Brantford. Its museum and galleries hold tens of thousands of works, and its exhibitions, performances and language programs celebrate and carry forward the living culture of the Grand River nations.

Where184 Mohawk St, Brantford · ~40-min drive

Visitwoodlandculturalcentre.ca

Museums, Landmarks & Learning

For the educators in the room, a deep bench — one of the country's great public galleries directly across the street, a Lancaster bomber on a hangar floor, a WWII warship on the harbour, a soaring cathedral up the street, and the church at the heart of Hamilton's Underground Railroad story.

Art Gallery of Hamilton Across the Street

One of Canada's oldest and largest public galleries, with a strong historical and contemporary Canadian collection — a two-minute walk from the Sheraton. Thursday evenings run late.

Where123 King St W · ~2-min walk

Visitartgalleryofhamilton.com

HoursThu–Sun (Thu late) · check site

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

A working collection of WWII and Cold-War aircraft — including one of only two airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers in the world. Restoration happens right on the hangar floor.

Where9280 Airport Rd, Mount Hope · ~22-min drive

Visitwarplane.com

HoursWed–Sun, 9–5

McMaster University & Westdale

A leafy, walkable campus — a medicine and engineering powerhouse — bordered by charming Westdale Village and the restored 1930s Westdale Theatre. The McMaster Museum of Art sits on campus.

Where1280 Main St W · ~12-min drive

Visitmcmaster.ca

Good forA stroll · campus + village

Canadian Football Hall of Fame

Canada's football shrine, honouring the legends of the CFL. After decades in a downtown museum, it moved in 2018 to the club level of Tim Hortons Field, the Tiger-Cats' stadium. Heads up: it's no longer a daily walk-in museum — public access is now limited (largely Ticats game days), so check cfhof.ca for current hours before making the trip.

WhereTim Hortons Field, 64 Melrose Ave N · ~7-min drive

Visitcfhof.ca

NoteLimited hours — check ahead

HMCS Haida, a grey WWII destroyer moored at Pier 9 on the Hamilton waterfront

HMCS Haida National Historic Site

Canada's most decorated warship — the last Tribal-class destroyer left in the world, a veteran of the Second World War and Korea, now moored at Pier 9. Walk her decks, mess halls and gun turrets in about an hour; a Parks Canada National Historic Site.

WherePier 9 · 658 Catharine St N · ~7-min drive

Visitparks.canada.ca

HoursWed–Sun · 10–5 (May–Sept)

Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King

Hamilton's Roman Catholic cathedral — a soaring 1933 English Gothic basilica in pale limestone, with a fan-vaulted ceiling and dozens of Munich stained-glass windows. Free to step inside, a walk up King Street West. A fitting one for this group.

Where714 King St W · ~4-min drive / ~20-min walk

Visitctkbasilica.ca

HoursVisiting Tue–Thu 11–1 · or daily Mass

Stewart Memorial Church

Hamilton's oldest Black congregation, rooted in the Underground Railroad — its first pastor was Josiah Henson, the man behind Uncle Tom's Cabin, and its members have included Lincoln Alexander and Olympian Ray Lewis. The choir (pictured, 1950) still sings spirituals carried north to freedom.

Where114 John St N · ~10-min walk

Aboutthe church's story →

NoteActive church · interior by arrangement

Galleries & creative spaces

Hamilton Artists Inc.

One of Canada's longest-running artist-run centres (founded 1975), a free non-commercial gallery in the heart of the James North arts district — an easy look-in, especially on Art Crawl Friday.

Where155 James St N · ~7-min walk

Visittheinc.ca

HoursWed–Sat · free

Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts

A community arts school in a grand, restored 1890s landmark on James Street South, with a free public gallery and a busy calendar of music, dance and exhibitions.

Where126 James St S · ~9-min walk

Visithcarts.ca

Good forA free gallery look-in

The Cotton Factory

Hamilton's industrial-heritage-to-creative-economy story in one building: the 1900 Imperial Cotton mill, its dramatic brick halls now full of artist studios, galleries and event spaces.

Where270 Sherman Ave N · ~9-min drive

Visitcottonfactory.ca

HoursMon–Fri 9–5

More heritage — and a short drive out

Hamilton Cemetery

Ontario's oldest municipal cemetery (1847), across from Dundurn — a quietly beautiful place to walk, with free seasonal “Cemetery Chronicle” tours past the graves of the people who built the city. An easy pairing with Dundurn Castle.

Where777 York Blvd · ~7-min drive

Visithamilton.ca

NoteFree · tours seasonal

Dundas Museum & Archives

A free local-history museum telling the story of the “Valley Town” of Dundas, with restored period buildings on site — an easy add-on to a wander down Dundas's King Street.

Where139 Park St W, Dundas · ~15-min drive

Visitdundasmuseum.ca

HoursTue–Sun · closed Mon

Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum

Ancaster's local-history museum in a 1920s estate home, set in landscaped gardens with a heritage and sculpture park — a peaceful stop if you're out exploring the western communities.

Where64 Sulphur Springs Rd, Ancaster · ~17-min drive

Visithamilton.ca

HoursTue–Sun 12–4

Pride in Hamilton

Hamilton has a long, proud 2SLGBTQ+ history — in its bars and bookstores, its activists and artists, and a Pride that's been celebrated here since 1991. A few ways to connect with it while you're in town.

Points of Pride Heritage map

A community heritage project — with Hamilton Civic Museums — that maps 41 sites of the city's 2SLGBTQ+ history: the bars and bookstores, theatres and gathering places where 2SLGBTQ+ Hamilton was built, told through an interactive map and recorded oral histories. The richest way to see the city through this lens.

ExplorePoints of Pride map & archive

FormatSelf-guided · online

Pride Hamilton Since 1991

Hamilton has marked Pride since 1991. The 2026 festival — themed “We BELONG” — runs August 21–23 at Pier 4 Park on the waterfront, just after your visit; but June is Pride Month, and the community's mark is on the lower city year-round.

WhenAug 21–23, 2026 · Pier 4 Park

Visitpridehamilton.com

Gage Park

A grand Victorian park in the east end — a formal rose garden, a tropical greenhouse and a stately 1927 fountain — long at the heart of Hamilton Pride. A lovely walk in its own right if you're exploring beyond downtown.

Where1000 Main St E · ~12-min drive

Good forRose garden · greenhouse · fountain

2SLGBTQ+ Community Archives Downtown

At the Central Library, the city's 2SLGBTQ+ Community Archive preserves more than 50 years of Hamilton's LGBT2SQ+ history — built on the lifelong collection of community archivist Michael Johnstone. A quiet, remarkable resource for the history-minded; research visits are by appointment.

WhereCentral Library, 55 York Blvd · ~6-min walk

Visithpl.ca · by appointment

Steps from the hotel: rainbow crosswalks

As you walk the core, you'll cross Hamilton's rainbow crosswalks — at City Hall (Main St W & Summers Lane) and where King William Street (the restaurant row) meets Ferguson Avenue — painted in the Pride and Progress/Trans-flag colours.

Neighbourhoods & Things to Do

Today's Hamilton is really many communities in one. The 2001 amalgamation joined the old city with the historic towns of Dundas, Ancaster, Stoney Creek, Flamborough and Glanbrook — each with its own main street and character. Closer in, the lower city is a patchwork of walkable urban villages: Westdale by the university, Kirkendall around Locke Street, Corktown, Crown Point along Ottawa Street, and the North End down by the water. If you only have an hour between sessions, pick a street and wander.

A festival crowd on James Street North, Hamilton, watching a band perform at Supercrawl

James Street North Fri Jun 12

The city's creative spine — galleries, indie shops and cafés. Your Friday lands on the monthly Art Crawl (second Friday): from about 5 PM, James North between York and Murray closes to traffic and fills with art, music and food. A short walk from the hotel.

WhereSteps from the hotel · walkable

WhenFri Jun 12 · from ~5 PM

Locke Street South

A heritage strip of Victorian storefronts — boutiques, bakeries, antique shops and restaurants. The most pleasant browse-and-graze street in the city — easy to pair with dinner.

Where~7-min drive / 20-min walk

VibeShops · bakeries · dining

Hess Village & Gore Park

Hess is a cobblestone cluster of converted Victorian houses turned patios and pubs — the downtown evening gathering spot. Gore Park, a few blocks east, is the city's leafy central square with its historic fountain.

WhereDowntown · walkable

VibePatios · the Gore fountain

Theodore Too, the tugboat with a face, docked at Pier 8 on the Hamilton waterfront

The Waterfront & Pier 8

A working harbour reborn: a long waterfront trail, a pier-side promenade, a carousel and patios — and Theodore Too, the full-size smiling tugboat from the kids' show, when she's in port. A narrated Harbour-West trolley loops the waterfront past HMCS Haida. Grab a coffee or lunch at Williams Fresh Café on Pier 8; from the Sheraton it's about a 25-minute walk down to the water, or a five-minute drive.

WherePier 8 · ~8-min drive / ~25-min walk

Walk itSheraton ↔ waterfront route →

King Street West in downtown Dundas at golden hour, with the historic clock tower in the distance

Dundas — “the Valley Town”

The most storybook of Hamilton's communities: a historic main street (King Street West) of independent shops, cafés and pubs tucked beneath the escarpment, minutes from the Dundas Valley trails. Well worth the short drive.

WhereDowntown Dundas · ~12-min drive

VibeHeritage main street · shops · pubs

Ancaster

One of Upper Canada's oldest inland settlements (the 1790s), and it still feels like a village — a leafy, historic main street along Wilson Street of cafés, boutiques and old stone buildings, with the storied Ancaster Old Mill (a restaurant in a 1790s mill beside its own waterfall) just below. The gateway to Tiffany and Sherman falls and the Dundas Valley trails.

WhereWilson St, Ancaster · ~17-min drive

VibeHistoric village · shops · falls nearby

Stoney Creek

Hamilton's east end, where the city meets the escarpment. Its claims to fame run deep: the 1813 Battle of Stoney Creek (Battlefield House and its 100-ft monument), the dramatic Devil's Punchbowl falls and ridge-top views over the lake, and the Erland Lee Home where the Women's Institute was born — with an old-fashioned ice-cream stop or two along the way.

WhereStoney Creek · ~20-min drive

Vibe1812 history · falls · ridge views

The original Tim Hortons on Ottawa Street North

Ottawa Street & the first Tim Hortons

Hamilton's Textile District — blocks of fabric, antique and home shops — with a slice of Canadiana on the corner: the very first Tim Hortons opened here on May 17, 1964. Store No. 1 still pours coffee at 65 Ottawa St N.

WhereOttawa St N · ~11-min drive

Claim to fameThe original Tim Hortons (1964)

Golf

Hamilton sits in good golf country — the Niagara Escarpment and its wooded valleys shape genuinely scenic, very playable layouts, in the city and out toward Ancaster and the countryside. If a free morning opens up (or you're making a weekend of it), these are the public courses you can simply book a tee time at — starting with the two run by the City, minutes from the hotel.

Closest in — the City courses

A fairway at Chedoke Golf Club at golden hour, Hamilton

Chedoke Golf Club Two Courses

Public · two 18-hole courses · escarpment-edge

The City's flagship golf — two mature, tree-lined 18-hole courses set against the escarpment brow, barely a few minutes from the core. The longer Martin and the tighter, shorter Beddoe are both walkable and forgiving enough for a mixed-ability group. The closest real round to the hotel.

Where563 Aberdeen Ave · ~9-min drive

SeasonOpens ~mid-April · book ahead

Reviews Book tee time hamilton.ca/golf

King's Forest Golf Club

Public · 18 holes · Red Hill Valley

The City's other course threads the wooded Red Hill Valley at the foot of the escarpment — a handsome, well-regarded 18 with real elevation changes and creek crossings. A short drive east of downtown, and a prettier walk than its city setting suggests.

Where100 Greenhill Ave · ~15-min drive

SeasonOpens ~mid-April · book ahead

Reviews Book tee time hamilton.ca/golf

Worth the short drive

Knollwood Golf Club Two Courses

Public · two 18-hole courses · Ancaster

Ancaster's friendly public club has two full 18s — the established Old Course and the newer New Course — across rolling, mature parkland on the edge of town. Easy online booking and public green fees; a relaxed, well-kept choice a quick drive up the hill.

WhereAncaster (Book Rd W / Shaver Rd) · ~18-min drive

HoursDaily ~8–6 · book online

Reviews Book tee time knollwoodgolfclub.com

Oak Gables Golf Club

Public · Ancaster · Oak & Maple courses

A long-running, welcoming public course on Wilson Street West in Ancaster — gently rolling, approachable golf with a teaching academy attached. Daily-fee and open to all; an easy round or a place to warm up the swing.

Where1505 Wilson St W, Ancaster · ~18-min drive

BookOnline · or 905-648-4653

Reviews oakgables.com

Mystic Golf Club

Public · daily-fee · Ancaster

A big, modern daily-fee course in Ancaster — a wide-open, championship-length Tom Pearson layout (par 72, 7,365 yards from the tips) with room to swing. GolfNorth-run and fully public, with easy online booking.

Where1707 Jerseyville Rd W, Ancaster · ~19-min drive

Tee timesOnline · GolfNorth

Reviews golfnorth.ca/mystic

Flamborough Hills Golf Club

Public · 18 + a shorter nine · Copetown

A friendly, well-kept public club in the rolling countryside northwest of the city — a full 18 plus an executive nine, generous fairways and a warm welcome. Online tee-time booking, seven days a week; in peak season the first groups go off around 6:30 AM.

Wherenear Waterdown / Copetown · ~22-min drive

Tee timesOnline · 7 days a week

Reviews Book tee time flamboroughhills.com

Willow Valley Golf Course

Public · easygoing · Mount Hope

A relaxed, good-value public course in the countryside south of the city near the airport — well-kept greens and an unfussy, friendly vibe. An easy round if you just want to get out and play.

Where8475 English Church Rd, Mount Hope · ~22-min drive

BookOnline · or 905-679-2703

Reviews willowvalleygolf.com

Booking & public play

June is peak season — reserve ahead. The City's two courses (Chedoke and King's Forest) share one booking system: book online through the City of Hamilton or call 905-521-3970. Everything listed here is open to the public — no membership required.