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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Now thru September 28

Wake Up the Wild

African Lion Safari

1386 Cooper Road, Hamilton, ON, N1R 5S2

Available on select dates from Jun to Sept, 2025. Tour subject to availability. Advanced reservations...

Now thru December 21

Team-Building Art Experiences

studio k2

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

Serving Southern Ontario and scheduled to suit your team requirements — in studio, on or...

Now thru December 31

Sightseeing Flights

Brantford Flight Centre

110 Aviation Ave. Brantford, ON N3T 5L7, Canada

Dates: All year round Prices: vary by flight length

July 19

Summer Paint & Sip

Ridge Road Estate Winery

1205 Ridge Road, Vinemount, ON, L8J 2X5

Date & Time: July 19, 2025 from 11:30am - 1:30pm Tickets: $95 (+tax) per person

Now thru December 14

Beeswax Candle Making

Backed By Bees

6214 Appleby Line, Burlington, Ontario L7M 0P7

Dates: Various dates each month Time: 1:00 to 3:00pm Cost: $64.99

Now thru July 20

Yoga and the Bees

Backed By Bees

6214 Appleby Line, Burlington, Ontario L7M 0P7

Dates: June 22nd, July 20th from 11:00am - 12:00pm

Now thru September 13

The Bee Encounter Experience

Backed By Bees

6214 Appleby Line, Burlington, Ontario L7M 0P7

Dates: Various Dates from Jun 21st to Sept 13th Times: 10:00am, 11:30am or 1:00pm Price:...

August 21

RBG After Dark: Hot Summer Sizzle

Royal Botanical Gardens

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

Date & Time: August 21, 2025 from 6:30pm - 10:30pm Tickets: $25 (+hst) per person...

Now thru December 31

Introductory Flight Lesson

Brantford Flight Centre

110 Aviation Ave. Brantford, ON N3T 5L7, Canada

Dates: All year round Cost: $152.55 including HST

Now thru December 31

Hamilton Civic Museums Virtual Tours

28 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8R 1A1

Now thru December 31

Music Bingo at Flux

Flux Brewing Company

185 Oakland Rd, Scotland, ON N0E 1R0

Date & Time: January 15th and every 2nd Wednesday of the week, 6:00pm to 8:00pm...

Now thru December 7

Oakville Museum Guided Tour

Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate

8 Navy Street, Oakville, ON, L6J 2Y5

Tuesday to Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. General admission by donation (Suggested $7 per...

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