A PAINTED CITY

Hamilton has rightfully been called a city of murals, and you’ll see the vibrant public art form everywhere, including James Street North, Burlington, and Mary streets, and features a significant amount of eye-catching work by sought-after Haudenosaunee artist, Kyle Joedicke. Cyclists may choose to explore the one-hundred-plus murals on two wheels, thanks to the Hamilton Bike Share’s “Everyone Rides” initiative Mural Map. And July’s Concrete Canvas Art Festival gives one and all a chance to watch mural artists in the act of creation. Next on your plate could be some excellent dining, since Hamilton’s growing reputation as a creative culinary hotspot makes for many possibilities. To name a few: Mexican cuisine at The Mule, Italian at Born and Raised (home to Top Chef Canada finalist Vittorio Colacitti), pub food at Odds Bar (founded by two members of the band Arkells) and vegan cuisine at Democracy*.

FROM PUNK TO JAZZ TO CLASSICAL

Seems like every few years there’s another article about Hamilton’s music scene blowing up. Not a surprise, given the city is the birthplace of bands like Arkells, Whitehorse and Monster Truck, and home to Daniel Lanois’ world-renowned Grant Avenue Studio. There’s even a TV show (“This Is The Thing”), based on fictional Hamilton musicians — showcasing actual Hamilton musicians and comedians. In September, James Street’s Art Crawl turns into Supercrawl, celebrating music alongside art. Plus, the ongoing scene runs the gamut from punk to jazz to classical. FirstOntario Concert Hall is home to the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra as well as presenting a range of concerts by touring artists. Mills Hardware is a cool live music space with a long history: acts like Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, The Ink Spots, The Tragically Hip and The Ramones have all played at the venue. Today, the programming crisscrosses music genres along with theatre, comedy and more. As for the thriving local scene, check out the beloved Casbah Lounge.

THE VALLEY TOWN

Stop in lovely little Dundas on your way back downtown. The “Valley Town,” as Dundas is known, is a true sweet spot: its historic 19th-century centre is dotted with boutiques and cafés and surrounded by green space. (Not to mention it has the distinction of hosting the annual Cactus Festival, which has led some to call Dundas the “cactus capital of the universe.”) Dundas also has a thriving visual arts scene, with the Dundas Valley School of Art, Millworks Creative’s community of artists, and a bustling annual studio tour each fall. Permanent galleries include The Carnegie Gallery, with exhibitions by contemporary Canadian artists (and arts and crafts by locals on offer), plus Danuta Niton — Art of Design Studio, and Lorraine Roy Art Textiles.

COOL, GRITTY…AND CHARMING

From cotton mill to creative hub, welcome to The Cotton Factory. Back in 1900, Hamilton was on the verge of an economic boom that made its steel famous, but textiles played their part too, notably the Imperial Cotton Company’s canvas manufacturing. Today, the charming old building has been repurposed as a centre for artists of all kinds (furniture designers, photographers, musicians, filmmakers etc.) to create and collaborate. Art experiences, markets and open studio days are regular features, with some studios selling the work of local makers. Located in a cool, gritty, and evolving part of Hamilton you’ll also find interesting spots to dine not far away. For instance, Motel Restaurant’s hipster brunches, Mosaic (“a chill bar with a warm vibe”), the Galley Pump’s hometown comfort food, and O Leão Cafe & Restaurant’s Portuguese cuisine.

STAGE AND SCREEN

Theatre Aquarius is known for producing high-quality work and for its interest in bringing new plays to the stage. In other words, the name Theatre Aquarius is synonymous with accessible, challenging, and entertaining live theatre. But it also serves as a vibrant part of Hamilton’s arts community through theatre arts education for young people of diverse backgrounds, and with Indigenous, newcomers, and LGBTQ+ outreach programs. Note too that Hamilton offers a theatre experience of the filmic kind at the Playhouse Cinema, where you can enjoy all manner of movies in a restored and beautiful theatre dating back 105 years.

A FEAST FOR ALL SENSES IN KENSINGTON MARKET

Kensington Market is more than just a market, it’s a neighbourhood! A short walk north of Graffiti Alley, the market is on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, and the Huron-Wendat. You may notice this history reflected in Queen Street’s other name, Ogimaa Mikana. It’s part of the The Ogimaa Mikana Project, aimed at restoring Anishinaabemowin place names to Toronto’s streets and byways.

The area first became a market in the early 1900s when Jewish immigrants moved into the area. That wave of migration also gave rise to the nearby fashion district, marked by artist Stephen Cruise’s giant thimble, “Uniform Measure/Stack,” at Spadina and Richmond.

Today the market is a rich tapestry of many cultures, a walkable, open-air marketplace filled with delectable produce; vintage clothing stores, and eclectic restaurants. One popular spot for live music is the restaurant/bar fittingly called Supermarket.

If you’re hankering for some of the best Chinese food anywhere, stroll a few minutes east to North America’s largest Chinatown. It’s a parade of fresh fruit, veggies and herbs, and its restaurants feature everything from delectable dim sum to delicious dumplings. (Mother’s Dumpling’s is one perennially popular spot.)

Of course, you could make a whole day of it in the Kensington-Chinatown area, for art as well as edibles. The Art Gallery of Ontario on Dundas Street is minutes away, and home to the famed Henry Moore Sculpture Centre. (To literally get into Moore’s work visit nearby Grange Park, and slide onto his famous “Large Two Forms” sculpture.) StrollTo’s guide to the neighbourhood will provide yet more reasons to linger longer.

TAKE PHILOSOPHER’S WALK TO THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM

Take one of the city’s loveliest pathways — Philosopher’s Walk — which brings you through the University of Toronto, following the now-underground Taddle Creek. At Bloor Street round the corner east to the Royal Ontario Museum. The ROM is rightfully one of the most visited museums in Canada, with extensive galleries of art, world culture, and natural history. Delve into the Daphne Cockwell Gallery, a permanent exhibition dedicated to First Peoples art and culture. The exhibition contains more than one thousand works, from beautiful birchbark canoes to Lakota Sioux chief Sitting Bull’s war bonnet.

Bloor Street itself is home to Mink Mile, so named for an abundance of upscale shops. But the area is also a treasure trove of museums, art exhibitions and cultural centres, all within an easily walkable one mile (or via a quick subway hop). No wonder it’s been dubbed the Bloor Street Culture Corridor.

GET YOUR MUSIC FIX AT ICONIC KOERNER AND MASSEY HALLS

Two of the city’s finest concert halls are close to the ROM: the stunning Koerner (a three-minute walk), and legendary Massey (a twenty-minute subway ride). Koerner opened in 2009 to rave reviews for its acoustics and beauty. It showcases classical, jazz, pop and world music concerts of the highest order. The recently renovated Massey Hall dates back to 1894, and it’s seen an incredible list of artists perform centre stage, from Maria Callas to Bob Dylan to Glenn Gould to Bob Marley.

MEDITATE AT THE MUSIC GARDEN

The beguiling Toronto Music Garden makes for a tranquil, lakeside start to your day. The musical work that inspired it, Bach’s First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, is reflected in the actual garden, with each movement corresponding to a different section.

From garden calm to city hustle and bustle — and colour, thanks to the Toronto Colour Walk, created by Toronto West BIA. Downtown buildings may trend grey, but splashes of artist-created colour bring the city to life. This self-guided walking tour takes you by a range of sculptures and murals, including two works by Douglas Coupland (yes, Generation X author Douglas Coupland): the playful “Bobber Plaza” and “Superior,” inspired by Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris’ painting “North Shore, Lake Superior, 1926.”

HISTORY AND HIPNESS, FROM THE DISTILLERY TO LESLIEVILLE

Stop 2: Head east to hip Leslieville, maybe with a stop en route at the Distillery District. There you can stroll the pedestrian-only enclave of restaurants, boutiques and galleries, all in striking former Victorian industrial buildings. On to Leslieville, so named after pioneering gardener George Leslie, whose 19th century nurseries spanned 150 acres. Artefacts from fields around Jones and Queen streets suggest that long before flowers and fruits Indigenous peoples camped in or near what’s now Leslie Grove Park. Today the area has a village feel, casual and fun, with plenty of options for foodies. Note: Take the streetcar from The Distillery to Leslieville to trundle over the Queen Street Bridge beneath by Eldon Garnet’s elegant art installation, “Time and a Clock.”

WALK THE DON RAVINE FOR URBAN FOREST AND SCULPTURAL SURPRISES

Toronto is a city of ravines, a network of urban forest perfect for biking, walking and occasional glimpses of wild critters. Access the Lower Don Trail (a 4.7 kilometre walk along the Don River) at the Queen Street Bridge and head north. You’ll pass beneath the arched magnificence of the Prince Edward Viaduct (better known as the Bloor Viaduct, made famous by Michael Ondaatje’s In The Skin of a Lion). Next you’ll encounter “Monsters for Beauty, Permanence, and Individuality,” reconstructed copies of gargoyles from historic Toronto buildings. These striking sculptures were created by Omaskêko Cree artist Duane Linklater as part of the Don River Valley Park Art Program. Once you’re all walked out head up to The Danforth and Greektown for mouth-watering Greek specialties.

TIME FOR SOME MUSIC…OR DANCE…OR THEATRE

Built as a movie theatre in 1919, the character-filled Danforth Music Hall hosts both local and international musicians. Home to smallish shows (capacity is roughly 1,400) it has a neighbourhood feel, bordered by leafy Riverdale. Or, if the play’s the thing, take a short streetcar ride south to Crow’s Theatre. Crow’s opened in 2017 in a sleek new complex complete with lobby bar. Since then, it’s quickly became a preeminent cultural destination with a penchant for inventive, fiercely contemporary (and frequently Canadian) work.

DAY 1 – 12:00 PM: A HISTORICAL STREET WITH SNACK AND EATS

Nineteenth-century history lives here at the crossroads of French Catholics and the Church of England. There’s St. John’s United (1840s with renovated gothic revival form), l’Eglise Sacré-Coeur (1885), and St. George’s Anglican Church (originally a wooden structure in 1833 before the sturdier stone structure replaced it in 1851).

If you’re hungry, you can do a coffee and snack crawl along your way to check out the best patios along the historic street. But save room because your next stop is perfect for a picnic.

DAY 1 – 1:00 PM: ENJOY THE FRESH AIR IN DOMINION GARDENS PARK.

There’s a splash pad and a playground, but the Old Seed House Garden is the park’s main attraction. Entrepreneur William Bradley founded the garden in 1928, and within a decade, business was booming, with seeds sown from British Columbia to Newfoundland. Today, the area remains a tribute to its place in local history. The gazebo at the heart of the garden is a popular place to rest, with twin flowerbeds of tulips, daffodils, lilacs and forsythias surrounding the structure.

DAY 1 – 2:30 PM: CUTTING ACROSS TOWN, YOU’LL COME ACROSS THIS PLEASANT VICTORIAN-ERA FARMHOUSE.

Though its surrounding farmland was established in 1829, it wasn’t until the 1850’s that Elijah Devereaux, a member of the local militia, constructed the house. Unfortunately, the building eventually fell into disrepair, but in 2007, locals fundraised to restore it to its former charm.

DAY 1 – 3:30 PM: IF YOU’RE KEEN TO CARRY ON, THE SILVER CREEK CONSERVATION AREA PRESENTS A WORTHY CHALLENGE.

There are high ridges, open plains, marshy lowlands, and several rivers. You may notice turkey vultures flying overhead and trout swimming through the waters. On your journey, you may come across a lonely cabin on what used to be the Fallbrook Farm. The existing cabin was built in 2001, replacing the early-to-mid 1800s original.

If all of this trekking has tired you out, rest up at one of the many local bed & breakfasts before tomorrow’s tour through Glen Williams.

If all of this trekking has tired you out, rest up at one of the many local bed & breakfasts before tomorrow’s tour through Glen Williams.

The History of the hamlet known as Glen Williams is intertwined with that of Georgetown.

In 1825, United Empire loyalist Benajah Williams arrived in the area which would become Halton Hills. Benajah was the brother-in-law of George Kennedy, and like his relation, he was industrious and established several mills.

Glen Williams, small as it was, had to be self-sufficient in many respects. If the villagers needed something, they had to make it themselves, so it was with Glen Williams Park. As with its other civic spaces, the locals recognized the need for a gathering place and they cleared the land to create the park in 1964. Now, it’s a favourite of residents in which to enjoy the fresh air and catch the occasional softball game.

DAY 2 – UP FOR A BIT OF A HIKE?

Glen Williams Park gives visitors easy access to the Credit Valley Footpath via the Ainley Trail access point. After a detour through the meadows in the Glen community, explore the area around the Credit River, which is teeming with vegetation and wildlife.

The Wendat and Mississaugas were the first people to explore the area’s ridges, plains, and rivers, using the Credit River to facilitate trade and transportation. When European settlers arrived, they tapped the river’s current to power mills for several industrial purposes. On your hike, you may spot the ruins of the Barber Mill, which was built in 1854 and was shuttered a century later.

For Ontario Culture Days 2019, the First Steps along the Path’ Celebration took place here. The program received a Spotlight Recognition Award for showcasing a unique set of activities capturing the themes of well-being, local heritage, and Indigenous history. Programming highlights included an Indigenous Water Ceremony, interactive arts activities, themed trail walks and tasting traditional Indigenous cuisine.

DAY 2 – THE WILLIAMS MILL CREATIVE CENTRE BEGAN AS A SAWMILL, BUILT BY BENAJAH WILLIAMS IN 1825.

The structure was rebuilt in 1852 and then repurposed several times⎯⎯it became a hosiery factory, an electrical facility, and a fruit processing factory. Now, it’s a hub for artists.

The Mill is a collection of artist studios that are open to the public. The artists run regular classes on life drawing, sculpture, music and more. Be sure to check out Glen Williams Glass to watch glass artists at work, and look out for community events and celebrations held at the space.

If you’re hungry, grab some lunch at the Copper Kettle, which is a short walk away. You’ll also find options for sushi, pasta, burgers and pancakes in the area.

DAY 2 – THE FINAL LEG OF YOUR JOURNEY STARTS AT GLEN WILLIAMS TOWN HALL.

The final leg of your journey starts at Glen Williams Town Hall. In 1871, local leaders established the gathering to meet the varied needs of this small, tight-knit community. The newly minted building was often rented out for church services, concerts, and the occasional theatre production. Lucy Maude Montgomery, of Anne of Green Gables fame, lived nearby in Norval and staged a few shows here in her day.

Walking from the town hall, explore the area’s heritage homes which date back to the mid-19th century. Explore the Charles Williams House, William-Holt House, the Williams Edge Tool Factory, and the Forester House. They aren’t palatial abodes or massive factories, but these buildings were the beating heart of Glen Williams at the time.

And with that, you’ve completed your bite-sized excursion in Glen Williams. You can explore the other towns and hamlets in the hills or sit on the benches by St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church and watch the Credit River flow.