Hamilton is Tops for Families
Hamilton has some really cool places to visit. As well, spending a weekend there is definitely affordable for a family of four looking for a quick get away. Check our mini-guide to the places we visited and recommend to families.
The Hamilton Children’s Museum is small but packs an entertaining punch for families on a budget. A family of four (two adults and two children) can get in for only $7. Combine that with free parking and the fact that this museum is located in scenic Gage Park, you can’t go wrong with an afternoon visit.
Inside you will find exhibits that are perfect for little minds and hands. The “Kitchen Works” exhibit is exactly that – a working kitchen where kids can get busy cooking make-believe meals and learning lessons on nutrition through stories and games.
“From the Ground Up” is another interactive exhibit where visitors can roll up their sleeves and get dirty, literally. There’s a sand pit with dinosaur bones that can be dug up and studied with all the scientific equipment in the lab. The working microscopes are a big hit, and with a variety of glass slides available to examine, you can be sure the kids will be spend a lot of time in this exhibit.
The Hamilton Children’s Museum is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 9:30 am-3:30 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 4 pm. For info: city.hamilton.on.ca and click on Hamilton Civic Museums.
Up, Up and Away
Want to get in the cockpit of a jet fighter or watch a World War II aircraft take flight? The place to go is Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum for that and much more.
This museum traces the history of Canada’s military warplanes from World War II to the present through interactive exhibits that bring to life the stories behind the aircraft. Preservation of the airplanes is one of the museum’s mandates and visitors can view some of the on-going restoration projects as they learn about the roles these aircraft played in keeping Canadians safe throughout the decades.
Are there video gamers in your family? Have them test their skills with the flight simulators that illustrate what real combat is all about. You can also jump in an Avro Canada CF 100, an interceptor fighter from the Cold War, and work the controls inside the cockpit just as a pilot would have years ago.
The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10.00 for adults and $6.00 for children six to 12. Kids under five are free and so is parking. For info: warplane.com
A World to Discovery
If you’re planning a visit to one of Canada’s national parks in the summer why not take a virtual tour before going? That’s possible at the Parks Canada Discovery Centre, located on Hamilton’s waterfront.
The museum offers three incredible galleries that take visitors through all of Canada’s national parks and national marine parks while teaching lessons in conservation and history.
In one of the galleries kids can take a walk on a boardwalk flanked with screens with panoramic views of Canada’s national parks. One touch and the scene will zoom in on a close up of a tidal pool, flower or wildlife. In another gallery visitors can have a look at the life forms living beneath the arctic ice or walk into a lighthouse where one’s navigational skills will be put to the test.
A popular place for kids and adults alike is the gallery designed like a Great Lakes ship. There’s lots of equipment to be tinkered with while learning about the role the Great Lakes play in our eco-system.
The Parks Canada Discovery Centre is open Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the spring. The centre will be open daily in April.
A family or group (up to seven people with a maximum of two adults) can get in for $19.60. Parking is free. For info: pc.gc.ca/canada/decouvertes-discovery
Getting there:
Hamilton is about 50 minutes west of Toronto by car. Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) toward Niagara and then take Highway 403 West toward Hamilton/Brantford. Hamilton is also easily accessible by train when using GO Transit. For more on Hamilton: tourismhamilton.com
Where to stay:
The newly-renovated Crown Plaza Hotel located in downtown Hamilton has nice amenities for families that include a pool and on-site restaurant. A standard room with two queen beds runs from $129 -$159 a night, depending on the weekend. For info: cphamilton.com
Where to eat:
The Lone Star Texas Grill in Ancaster, a ten-minute drive from downtown Hamilton is a fun place to eat with the family. The kids’ menu is great and the food choices are limitless for the adults. For info: lonestartexasgrill.com
Story: Anna Rodrigues
Images: Phil Raby
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