Things to do in Hamilton

10 activities, venues and outings in Hamilton, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Canadian International Military Tattoo
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.
Do
Christie Lake Conservation Area
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.
sunrise–sunset$5/person, additional $5 if bringing a vehicle
Do
Confederation Park
Offers lakefront camping, a waterpark with wave pool and tube rides, and Adventure Village with go-karts, batting cages, mini golf, etc.
Do
Crooks Hollow Historical Trail
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.
Do
The Westdale Theatre
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.
Do
Theatre Aquarius
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.
Do Not mapped
Doors Open Hamilton
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.
usually held on the first weekend in May
Do Not mapped
Dundas Cactus Festival
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.
Third weekend in August
Do Not mapped
Haunted Hamilton Ghost Walks
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.
Do Not mapped
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.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Hamilton (CC BY-SA 4.0).