There’s a rumour going around that Hamilton is to Toronto, what Brooklyn is to New York City. Some credit Toronto’s sky-high real estate prices with driving artists, musicians and chefs out of the city to set up shop in Hamilton. Others say the city of steel has always been cool, and is just finally getting the credit it deserves.

Why don’t you be the judge? Just like Manhattanites can hop on public transit to get to Brooklyn, GO Transit makes it easy for Toronto residents to get to Hamilton to explore the much buzzed about scene for themselves. .

Wondering what sights should be on your must-see list once you get here? Well, that depends on your interests.

Art lovers should plan a stop at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. It’s Canada’s third-largest public art gallery and is home to over 9,500 works of art. Just down the street you’ll find the Art Gallery of Hamilton Design Annex. Time your visit with one of the hands-on classes offered here, shop for unique art pieces in the Art+Design store, and take in one of the gallery’s experimental exhibitions. A great way for out-of-towners to tour through some of the city’s independent art spaces, including galleries, shops and studios, is to attend the monthly James Street North Art Crawl. It’s held on the second Friday night of every month.

Foodies will want to make some time to explore the Hamilton Farmer’s Market. It’s been providing the city with fresh food since 1837 and is a great starting point for getting a taste for the city’s signature flavours. If you’d prefer a guided tour for your taste buds, consider tagging along on Hamilton Food Tour’s James Street North Food Tour. The 3.5-hour walking tour is offered every third Saturday of the month and is a fun way to get to know the city’s restaurant scene. Hamilton’s independent restaurant scene is cooking, so the only problem you’ll have finding a great restaurant is narrowing down your options. The restaurant round-ups you’ll find from Tourism Hamilton, Elle Canada and Huffington Post will help you choose.

Music lovers need to schedule their visit so they can take in some of the city’s amazing live local music scene. Popular music venues include This Ain’t Hollywood and The Casbah. If you’re only visiting during the day, get your music fix flipping through vinyl at the very cool Dr. Disc.

Just like Brooklyn, Hamilton is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, so leave some time to do some exploring. Locke Street South is one of the city’s hottest commercial districts with great fashion and gift stores. Ottawa Street is known as the city’s design district, with great fabric shops and sources for scoring unique vintage finds.

Don’t keep your Hamilton discoveries to yourself. Share photos of your favourite finds on social media by tagging them with #HamiltonHaltonBrant.

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Experiences & Tours View All >>

Now thru December 31

McMaster University Campus Architecture Tour

McMaster Museum of Art

McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L6

Requires an off-site internet connection

Now thru December 31

Trail Mix

Tourism Brantford

Hardy Road, Brantford, ON, Canada

Now thru December 31

Self Guided Public Art Tour

Downtown Hamilton BIA

20 Hughson Street South, Hamilton, ON, L8N 2A1

Free of charge

Now thru December 31

Shawn & Ed Brewing Co. Brewery Tour

Shawn & Ed Brewing Co.

65 Hatt Street, Dundas, ON, L9H 0C1

20 minutes, $15.93 per person

Now thru December 31

Tour Days

Art Gallery of Hamilton

123 King Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8P 4S8

Now thru December 31

Scavenger Hunts

Art Gallery of Hamilton

123 King Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8P 4S8

Email: education@artgalleryofhamilton.com

Now thru December 31

Coffee & Colours Adult Classes

Williams Mill Creative Arts Studios

515 Main Street, Glen Williams, ON, L7G 3S9

Reservation is required for Coffee & Colours. Email paulinegladstone@icloud.com to book and confirm a date...

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 October 31

Puddicombe Estate Winery Tour: Culinary Whistle Stop

Puddicombe Estate Farms & Winery

1468 HWY 8, Winona, ON, L8E 5K9

MINIMUM 25 GUESTS. Price: $35.95. Duration: 2.5 hour. ONLY AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS

July 17 - 21

Junior Potters Guild (Teens): July 17 – July 21

Art Gallery of Burlington

1333 Lakeshore Road , Burlington, ON, L7S 1A9

AGE:Teen, START/END: July 17 to July 21TIME: 9 AM to 4 PM, MEMBER COST: $275.00,...

July 24 - 28

Junior Potters Guild (Teens): July 24 – July 28

Art Gallery of Burlington

1333 Lakeshore Road , Burlington, ON, L7S 1A9

AGE: Teen, START/END: July 24 to July 28, TIME: 9 AM to 4 PM, MEMBER...

Now thru December 31

Tall Post Craft Cidery Tours & Tastings

Tall Post Craft Cider Company

1170 Hendershot Rd, Hannon, ON L0R 1P0, Canada

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