← TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon·Day trip

Hamilton: Harbour Trail and King William Street

A short GO Train ride to a harbour city with a flat waterfront trail, a Victorian castle and a compact restaurant street.

DurationDay trip
TransitGO Train Lakeshore West line, about 1 hour 15 minutes from Toronto Union Station
DepartsToronto Union Station

After the Toronto Waterfront Marathon: Hamilton

The Route: Toronto Union Station → Hamilton GO Centre → Bayfront Park → King William Street → Toronto Logistics: GO Train on the Lakeshore West line, with a short local bus or taxi from the station. The route is mostly flat. Marathon Month: October Duration: Day trip

Toronto Union ──(about 1 hr 15 min GO Train, Lakeshore West)──> Hamilton GO Centre ──(bus / taxi)──> Bayfront Park / King William St
       ▲                                                                                                     │
       └─────────────────────────────────(GO Train back)────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The marathon finishes on a Sunday, and Hamilton is the closest of the day trips on this list. The ride is a little over an hour on an express, and the destination is a working harbour city that few visitors to Toronto see.

October in Hamilton: The weather is cool and often damp. Autumn colour on the Niagara Escarpment, which rises behind the city, is usually fading by the second half of the month. There are no seasonal closures in the city itself, since it is a working city with attractions that run all year.

GO Transit runs direct Lakeshore West trains from Union Station to Hamilton GO Centre throughout the day. Some express trains take about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check the weekday schedule and the fare at gotransit.com.

The waterfront

Bayfront Park, on the western end of Hamilton Harbour, has a paved lakeside path that joins the Waterfront Trail. The ground is flat and the surface is smooth, and the park has benches along the shore. A loop of the park is short and comfortable for tired legs. A local bus or a short taxi ride connects it with the station.

Dundurn Castle is an 1830s mansion above the harbour's western edge. Opening days and hours change by season, so check the schedule before travelling. The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is a different trip: it lies south of the city near John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, roughly 20 minutes by car, and needs a taxi. Escarpment trails around the city involve climbs and steps, which are better left for another trip.

Eating

King William Street, close to the centre, is the main restaurant strip. HAMBRGR at 49 King William Street serves burgers, and The Mule at 41 King William Street is a few doors away. Collective Arts Brewery is a good stop for a recovery pint. Check opening times on the day, as some venues close on Mondays.

Trains return to Union Station throughout the afternoon and evening. Check the timetable for the last departure.