In need of a little Downton Abbey pick me up?Planning a Great Canadian Day Trip to some of these close-to-home historic sites will make you feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of your favourite show.

Dundurn National Historic Site

This 40-room Italianate-style villa that was built in the 1830’s was home to Sir Allan Napier MacNab, railway magnate, lawyer and Premier of the United Canadas and his family. Downton fans will love exploring this Hamilton landmark and discovering the Canadian perspective of the family who lived above stairs and the servants who lived and worked below. The Monarchy obsessed will also be interested to learn the castle’s connection to British royalty: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall is the museum’s Patron and the great, great, great granddaughter of Sir Allan MacNab.

Costumed garden staff will share informative stories and historic gardening knowledge about the two hundred varieties of heirloom fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers grown in the garden for Dundurn’s kitchen. The tours are complimentary with admission.

If you were a fan of Downton’s Miss Patmore, Dundurn’s Historic Cooking Workshops will be right up your alley. Start off with a tour of the Kitchen Garden, where you’ll help the gardener select the ingredients for what’s being cooked that day. Then, you’ll take a seat in the outstanding historic kitchen below stairs and watch the cooks work their culinary magic on the cast iron range.

Myrtleville House Museum

If you were captivated by the stories of the hard-working farm hands, like Timothy Drewe, who helped Downton farm the land, you must pay a visit to Myrtleville House Museum in Brantford. Built in 1837 for Allen and Eliza Good, the house tells the story of four generations of the Good family and their remarkable influence on development, politics and agriculture in this part of Ontario. The magnificent wood frame farmstead is a focal point of the site, which also features period gardens, a workshop with a blacksmith forge and icehouse, a smoke house and a bake oven.

 

Whitehern Historic House & Garden National Historic Site

If you enjoyed Downton Abbey for its never-ending family drama, plan a trip to Whitehern Historic House & Garden. The McQuesten family was an enterprising Scottish-Irish clan that occupied this downtown Hamilton mansion from 1852-1968. With bankruptcy, legal battles between family members and struggles with mental illness and addiction, their story, which spans three generations, is filled with Downton-grade drama.

Erchless Estate, Oakville

For a chance at actually encountering some characters from days gone by, add Erchless Estate to your itinerary. Mysterious sightings of at least nine ghosts have been reported at the property, which was built in 1858 by Colonel William Chisholm, a merchant and ship builder and the founder of the Town of Oakville. Named after the Chisholm clan’s seat in Invernesshire, Scotland, six generations of the Chisholm family lived at Erchless Estate over a period of 130 years. Rumour has it that some of them have never left. Rebecca, who was the wife of William Chisholm, dropped dead at the Estate’s gate one day and there have been reported sightings from time to time at the gate and in the gardens ever since. Other reported spirit sightings include Christopher Columbus Lee, a former butler, and survivor of the Underground Railroad, who has been seen walking up the steps and throughout the property and Colonel Chisholm’s son, Robert, inside the adjacent Custom House.

Travel Deals View All >>

Experiences & Tours View All >>

Now thru March 24

Lets go Birding! (for Beginners)

Royal Botanical Gardens

680 Plains Road West, Burlington, ON, L7T 4H4

Date & Time: Jan 27th & Mar 24th, 9:00am to 12:00pm Fee: $20.00 (+$1 Service...

Now thru December 31

A Taste of Paris – Sip, Savour & Shopping

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This tour includes three tasting locations with timed stops to make your day...

Now thru January 1

Woodland Cultural Centre – Virtual Museum Tour

Woodland Cultural Centre

184 Mohawk Street, Brantford, ON, N3T 5V6

March 23 - 24

Visit with the Easter Bunny

Joseph Brant Museum

1240 North Shore Boulevard East, Burlington, ON, L7S 1C5

Date & Time: Mar 23rd & 24th, 10:00am to 4:00pm Event Price: $50.00 One digital...

Now thru December 31

Home of #99 Taste Adventure

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This tour is a five+ hour all-inclusive self-guided tour with all food, sips,...

Now thru April 6

Firepit Experience at Ridge Road Estate Winery

Ridge Road Estate Winery

1205 Ridge Road, Vinemount, ON, L8J 2X5

Dates: Jan 27th to Apr 6th Available at 12:30pm, 2:00pm and 3:30pm Experience Price: With...

Now thru December 31

Explore Paris Like A Local – A Sweet Escape

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This tour is a 4.5 hour all-inclusive self-guided tour with all food, sips,...

April 6

Lamplight: Maple Syrup After Dark

Terra Cotta Conservation Area

14452 Winston Churchill Boulevard, Halton Hills, ON, L0P 1N0

Date: Apr 6th Two Sessions: 7:30pm to 9:00pm 9:00pm to 10:30pm Event Price: $65.00 +...

May 18 - October 13

A Day of Play: Indigenous Traditional Games

Six Nations Tourism

2498 Chiefswood Road, Ohsweken, ON N0A 1M0

Season Dates: May 18th to Oct 13th Price: $70.00/person for a group of less than...

March 29

Spring Floral Centerpiece Workshop at Steel Wheel Brewery

Steel Wheel Brewery

105 Powerline Rd, Brantford, ON N3T 5L8

Date & Time: Mar 29th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm Workshop Cost: $75.00 + Tax Cost includes...

Now thru June 1

Tarik Kiswanson – Prelude

Oakville Galleries

Oakville Galleries at Gairloch Gardens, 1306 Lakeshore Road East Oakville, ON L6J 1L6

Dates & Times: Feb 3rd - Jun 1st, 10:00am to 5:00pm Admissions by Donation Closed...

Now thru December 31

Private Date Night Painting for 2

studio k2

The Cotton Factory, DyeWorks Building, 9 Landsdowne Avenue, Hamilton

Whenever Date Night is! Event Price: $165.00 + hst per couple.

Similar Stories View All >>

A Fresh Fall Family Adventure in Hamilton Halton Brant

Treat your fam to two days of non-stop fun!

Read More

Water, Land, Air: Find Unexpected New Ways For Your Family To Play This Summer

Family Fun 3 Ways

Read More

Sunday Funday: 4 Relaxing Ways to Wrap Up The Week

Bringing back the concept of simple Sunday fun.

Read More

Take It Inside

Escape inside for a change.

Read More

Sneaky Spring Savings

5 Ways to Do More & Spend Less On Family Fun This Weekend

Read More

Exploring the HMCS Haida

The Only-In-Ontario Summer Road Trip

Can’t-Miss Stops For Your Next Cruise

Read More

7 Sensational Stays

Stellar Vacation Rentals

Read More

Gather In The Great Outdoors

Find new ways to connect.

Read More

A Grand River Country Ramble

Autumn charm in Brant County

Read More

Pints & Plants: 6 Must-try Beer and Vegan Food Pairings

Fuel up with Hamilton Halton Brant’s favourite plant-based beer and food combos

Read More

Junior Foodies On Board

Get Travel OffersEvent Details and
Planning Ideas for Your Next Trip

Sign up to receive the latest Hamilton Halton Brant travel news delivered right to your inbox.