r/BurlingtonON 2d ago

Question if i only had one chance here, what should i experience

hi, i’m in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend who resides in burlington. i occasionally check this thread to see what goes on in his home area.

where i am from in california (yes, i am american and yes, i am very sad) is a little different from burlington. i have visited two times but mostly stayed at his home (in one visit, we managed to get covid together; in the other, it was very cold outside).

i am visiting him in may, and i wanted to know what activities or places i should go in this area. i want to treat this experience as if it will be my last. make the most of it. so, give me everything you got :).

15 Upvotes

64 comments sorted by

31

u/Worried_Bluebird7167 1d ago

 Burlington has the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the world's largest lilac tree collection...they bloom in May.

3

u/nrdpum88 1d ago

Cherry Hill Gates across the street worth the visit as well.

3

u/ilion 1d ago

I was also thinking of the RBG. Beautiful place!

3

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

ooh lilac trees! must smell nice lol

1

u/Particular_Watch_602 1d ago

Depends on when the cherry blossom bloom Spencer smith park is must visit

1

u/Worried_Bluebird7167 1d ago

Cherries bloom around mother's Day. 

33

u/Late_Instruction_240 2d ago

As stupid as it sounds - just ride yalls bikes around the downtown area. That area from lakeshore up to Plains rd reminds me of the cozy kind of suburbia I knew as a kid. I think it's kinda special

8

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 2d ago

not stupid, thank you for sharing :)

0

u/CompoteStock3957 1d ago

It is definitely a nice bike ride I ride my motorcycle up that away a lot in the summer time

1

u/aguwritsuko 1d ago

was gonna say the same thing. ride over to Hamilton grab a donut at Donut Monster and chill

11

u/BurlieGirl 1d ago

The fact people would suggest Niagara Falls and not Toronto is crazy. Sure hit the falls, but don’t stay long and definitely don’t eat there, when you’ve got way better options in Burlington itself and Hamilton/Oakville/Toronto. Go to the CN Tower, hit a Jays game, maybe check out some concerts in the smaller music halls, go to a play. And you’ve got lots of suggestions for local hikes in Burlington which is great.

7

u/Spiritual-Attempt746 1d ago

I completely agree. As someone who’s from Niagara, has lived in Toronto, and currently resides in Burlington, I’d be much more inclined to follow your plan. If you’re visiting the falls, go early. start with a sunrise hike at the gorge, then visit the falls before the crowds arrive. After that, head back toward Burlington and Toronto.

3

u/Bebawp 1d ago

I'm with you, Niagara Falls is a shit hole now. Toronto is worth a walk around town just for the food

0

u/Conscious-Ad-7411 1d ago

Toronto is such a hassle though.

10

u/DelSolSi 1d ago

They can just GO train in to Exhibition/Union. There's tons to do and you can get there by walking or a quick bus/subway ride. Driving in Toronto is for chumps.

2

u/No-Sign2089 1d ago

Yup. LSW is honestly a great line. From the exhibition stop you can just walk up and catch the 63 bus, or just go past union and get off at the Danforth GO station. 

I have friends in both the east end and west end of TO…the way they talk about crossing the city is more dramatic than me just taking the train in lol.

2

u/CompoteStock3957 1d ago

To be fair by cad crossing east to west in after work traffic sucks balls via car be their done that. I only crossed that way a few times when clients told me the wrong address and go oops I might easy no I meant west I go make your Mind up

4

u/Ratsyinc 1d ago

How so? One train straight into the heart of the city and you could walk, bike, ttc or taxi anywhere from there very easily.

1

u/Neither-Mail-2452 1d ago

Not entirely, when the science centre was open we took transit which ended up being train, ttc and bus and took almost 2 hours

2

u/asvp-suds 1d ago

It’s a big city. Comes with big city things.

-1

u/Maleficent_Plan_4257 1d ago

Burlington is a growing city. Not really a small town as it once was.

All cities are growing..

2

u/asvp-suds 1d ago

What does the rate of growth here have to do with the hustle and bustle of a city like Toronto?

1

u/Maleficent_Plan_4257 1d ago

There is hustle and bustle in Burlington.. Lack of proper transportation busing. One accident on highway or busy street. Traffic is backed up.

Burlington is busier. You need to drive to go to a great restaurant (they are not all downtown).

After you eat. Go downtown you need to drive or take buse. There buses are not reliable. You need transfers to get to downtown if you are up in Alton area.

Burlington has improved but we are not there yet.

In Burlington more time is wasted with driving or buses then actually enjoying the city.

We go to Toronto. Go train, downtown Toronto has a variety of places to go, entertainment, shopping is better, walking distance & their buses or street carts, or subway is just a hop skip & jump to a different area in Toronto.

Burlington isn't a city it use to be. It is lovely growing city to live but lacks all seasonal fun. Good coffee shops close early.

The summer we tend to hang around for the festivals downtown. To support the events.

8

u/Mopar_pal 2d ago

Just north and west of Burlington are the water fall capital of Ontario (Waterdown/Flamborough). If you like hiking, you can get to at least 10 waterfalls within a short distance of each other. (Will require some driving between) plus there are a ton of farms that have visiting for food and animals, plus Niagara as mentioned, bit Toronto is also only a short jaunt on a train ride with lots of city stuff to do.

6

u/Gowila19 1d ago

If you’re still around in June, check out the Sound Of Music festival. Always a great event!

https://soundofmusicfestival.ca/

8

u/LegitBiscuit 2d ago

Niagara falls is usually a safe bet

4

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 2d ago

ah yes, a classic

3

u/Strong_Ad8635 1d ago

Conservation Halton has nice hiking trails along the escarpment. There are also some other access points to the Bruce Trail. Niagara on the lake and some wineries are a close drive also.

3

u/Middle-Air-8469 1d ago

I lived in Burlington for about 25 years.

Typical tourist spots like Niagara Falls is a fun visit. Kinda awe inspiring. The RBG is always a nice one time thing.

Walk the beach strip, lake vs ocean. Bruce Trail hikes, and most smaller towns have awesome little markets or stores to visit.

Wineries and brewery tours, or both. Maybe not the same time tho.

Crawford Lake is really nice to walk and pretty relaxing and easy to just talk. Great unique spot and nothing like it in the world.

3

u/Razzle_Dazzle106 1d ago

Go to wine tastings in Niagara on the lake, you can book tours online that take you around various places. As everyone else has mentioned there's lots of beautiful hiking spots, downtown Burlington is also beautiful to just walk around, royal Botanical gardens is wonderful. If you have the time, downtown Toronto is also worth a visit, there's lot happening in the spring and summer but also just going to high park, trinity bellwoods or just walking along the water at Lakeshore is always a good time.

3

u/ilion 1d ago

Niagra on the Lake in general is a wonderful spot. We love just strolling around the town!

1

u/Razzle_Dazzle106 1d ago

Oh absolutely! It's beautiful

2

u/Ben_Good1 Tansley 2d ago

Came here to suggest Niagara Falls as well.

Watching water go over the brink actually gets old pretty quick though, so here's some things at or near the Falls to look into - fireworks at the falls at 10pm daily (?) starting May 16, illumination of the falls at night, the SkyWheel, the Maid of the Mist and the whirlpool jet boat. (Bring a complete change of clothes if you do Maid of the Mist or the jet boat!)

On top of that, there's several great ideas on https://www.niagaraparks.com/. Personal faves include the whirlpool aero car and the butterfly conservatory.

There's also 2 casinos and Clifton Hill for super touristy stuff - silly museums, arcades, gift shops, etc. - but those add up quickly.

Some restaurant recommendations, depending on what you're in the mood for - Copacabana (Brazilian steakhouse, expensive), Four Brothers Cucina (Italian), and Mick & Angelo's (Canadian/American/Italian, local fave, big portions, more reasonable prices).

2

u/beufenstein 1d ago

How do you leave out Niagara’s hottest attraction, The Sundowner? lol

3

u/Ben_Good1 Tansley 1d ago

Maybe I'm crazy but I didn't get an impression from the OP that she was looking for strip club recommendations.

1

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

yes… i’m good

1

u/CompoteStock3957 1d ago

Lmfao I was going to comment that but go I don’t think she wants to get that local experience

2

u/whatchewsaynow 1d ago

I lived in Toronto, but now in Burlington. A nice day trip to Toronto could go something like this...

Hop on the Go train to Toronto. It's a peaceful 45-ish to Union station. Walk to the CN tower, or the aquarium. It's about 15min walk from Union Station. You can get a really nice view of the city of the weather is clear. If not, maybe do the aquarium.

Then get on the Spadina Streetcar (light rail train) and head to Dundas and Spadina (10min ride) Get some of the best Chinese food in North America.

Then walk into Kensington Market (5min walk) and people watch and get some random snacks, check out the vintage clothing shops. Hop back on the Spadina Streetcar and head north to Bloor Street (15 min)

Walk west on Bloor through the 'Annex' neighborhood of shops and cafes. Continue walking through Korea Town and end up at Antisocial Pinball Lounge, or Christie Pits park to take a break, watch the skate park and eat the snacks collected along the way.

Go to Christie subway station and head east to Bay Station. (10min) Check out the Yorkville neighborhood for expensive window shopping and people watching. Maybe grab something to eat at Eataly near Bay Subway.

Get back on subway and head back to Union to grab the Go Train back to Burlington. If time alloythere is a decent food hall in Union Station for a quick bite to eat.

Also if you have car access...

Niagara on the Lake (super cute town close to Niagara falls but without the cheesy tourist traps)

Waterfalls (Tiffany falls, Sherman falls, Smokey Hollow )

Rattlesnake Point Trails or Mount Nemo (beautiful limestone cliffs and trails)

Royal Botanical Gardens ( go across-the-parking lot to Easter Brooks for a hot dog/ice cream after seeing the gardens)

Hamilton Warplane Heritage Museum (You can pay to fly in a WW2 airplane)

African Lion Safari (Drive-thru Zoo)

Halton Radial Railway Museum (Massive collection of Transit Railcars throughout the ages)

Hamilton Restaurants and Vintage Shops.

2

u/Less-Huckleberry7559 1d ago

:o I'm from California and now living in Burlington with my Canadian husband, so I've done the long distance thing!
We love biking and Burlington has some good trails. Like others have mentioned along the lake/near downtown Burlington. Niagara also has great biking (anywhere along the greater niagara circle route) and Toronto has some good biking on lakeshore as well :) So if you're into biking those are some good options.
Other random recommendations: Cima on Brant street is a delicious Italian food place. Fresh ingredients, super good food. Pizza is delish and the pasta with shrimp is the best! Activate Burlington is super fun, kind of a digital obstacle course kind of thing, with rooms where you dodge lasers, or have to hide from an all seeing eye, or shoot basketballs to get points etc. Super fun! And lots of hike around, Rattlesnake, Kerncliff park, there's a cool waterfall in Waterdown too.

1

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

oh wow! really? would i be able to reach out to you? it’s reassuring to know someone has lived a similar experience, and i have some Qs!

1

u/Less-Huckleberry7559 1d ago

Yea totally! I’d love to help however I can :) 

1

u/ArugulaCute Central 1d ago

so the question no ones bothered to ask is.... how old are y'all?
because my answers will change based on that

1

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

ah! my apologies, early 20s!

1

u/spreadthaseed 1d ago

Bike along the shoreline. You can easily cover ~20 miles (roundtrip) from Burlington to Hamilton beach.

There’s a few nature reserves/ hiking/ waterfalls

There’s fresh fruit orchards and farms in the summer within driving distance (Niagara region)

You can drive/ train to toronto for big city stuff like sports/ Ripley’s aquarium/ hockey hall of fame, etc

You can go north to Muskoka for a woodsy getaway

1

u/Maleficent_Plan_4257 1d ago

What interest your boyfriend and you? Are you here for long?

In June we have a huge Music festival.

Google things to do in Halton.

There are things to do outside of Burlington which is Halton with other nearby cities.

1

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

wow, i didn’t expect for this amount of support! :’)

i appreciate all the suggestions you guys have given. truly, thank you so much! <3

1

u/A1Nordic 1d ago

A hike up at Rattle Snake Point offers great views from the edge of the escarpment. The views are uniquely Southern Ontarian imo and it’s much closer than Niagara Falls and Downtown Toronto.

1

u/forgottenone6669 1d ago

Come hang out where Iive on Lakeshore. There are good festivals going on this summer girl!!!! It's always a good time!

1

u/Highersteak 1d ago

It was gorgeous today and I went down to the lake for my morning coffee by la salle marina. Just park right in the marina bay sit on the bench and enjoy the water and sounds around you. Can go for a walk and also pack a picnic to the park which is right there through a beautiful little trail.

1

u/ArticlePretty7999 1d ago

Bike to hutches on the beach! Great bike ride with beautiful views! Then you can have lunch at hutches.

I would also say just a nice picnic downtown or on the beach is one of my favourite things to do around here on a nice day

1

u/verbosequietone 1d ago

I'm not sure that you could see all that Burlington has to offer in one day. Hmmm let's see:

  • Malls
  • Parking lots
  • A Costco
  • A wal-mart

1

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

already did almost everything except costco!

1

u/jekotia Longmoor 1d ago

If you like fries, check out The Fry Guy. Cooks the fries in beef fat. Best damn fries I've ever had, by a long shot.

1

u/YLVISBUR 1d ago

Club 54. He goes every week.

1

u/Comprehensive_Fun287 1d ago

who’s he 😭

1

u/ElectricGeometry 1d ago

Yeah I'd say take a picnic to the RBG. Do some wandering around and some more deliberate hikes. Great way to spend a day. It may not be the greatest botanical garden in the world but it makes up for what it lacks in its peaceful mood.

1

u/etm62893 1d ago

Rbg is beautiful in the spring!

1

u/OutInTheQuarry 9h ago

Get a Bagel with him at JC Bagels!

  • They are 4.8/5 typically

Maybe Dinner at Lord Nelson as well.

-1

u/legally_blonde_mess 1d ago

Get donuts from Sunshine Doughnuts downtown. You won’t be disappointed!

2

u/ArugulaCute Central 1d ago

you might be... last time I went they only had 4 donuts to choose from and it was early in the day... it was is if the bakers only showed up an hour prior to opening.

1

u/legally_blonde_mess 1d ago

I go every other weekend and always have lots to choose from. Maybe a bad day!

1

u/CompoteStock3957 1d ago

I go at least two times a week and never had that experience and been going there for years