Burlington (Ontario)

Burlington is a city of 190,000 people (2021) in Ontario, Canada which lies across Burlington Bay from Hamilton. It's on the north shore of Lake Ontario, a 45-minute drive from Toronto and Niagara.

The city's waterfront features dining, water play, skating and model boating. Downtown, next to the lake, are many homes owned by middle to upper-class families, and many expensive homes of millionaires living in Burlington. Enjoy unique shopping, exquisite dining, the world-renowned Royal Botanical Gardens, museums, art galleries, golf courses, scenic hiking and biking trails and lively festivals such as Sound of Music and Canada's Largest Ribfest.

History
Before pioneer settlement in the 19th century, the area was covered by the primeval forest that stretched between the provincial capital of (York now Toronto) and the town of Hamilton, and was home to various First Nations peoples. In 1792, John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, named the western end of Lake Ontario "Burlington Bay" after the town of Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. By the time land beside the bay was deeded to Captain Joseph Brant at the turn of the 19th century, the name "Burlington" was already in common use. With the completion of the local survey after the War of 1812, the land was opened for settlement. Early farmers prospered in the Burlington area because of the fertile soil and moderate temperatures. Produce from the farms was shipped out via the bustling docks of the lakeside villages of Port Nelson and Wellington Square, and to Brown's Wharf in the nearby village of Port Flamborough (which was to become Aldershot). Lumber taken from the surrounding forests also competed for space on the busy docks. However, in the latter half of the 19th century, increased wheat production from Western Canada convinced local farmers to switch to fruit and vegetable production.

In 1874, Wellington Square and Port Nelson were incorporated into the Village of Burlington. However, the arrival of large steamships on the Great Lakes made the small docks of the local ports obsolete, and the increased use of railway to ship goods marked the end of the commercial wharves.

As more settlers arrived and cleared the land, cash crops replaced subsistence farming. Gradually, mixed farming and market gardens became the dominant form of agriculture, and in the early 20th century the area was declared the Garden of Canada. The first peaches grown in Canada were cultivated in the Grindstone Creek watershed in the city's south-west part. Today over forty percent of the Grindstone Creek watershed is still devoted to farms, orchards and nurseries.

Following the Second World War, cheap electricity from nearby Niagara Falls and better transportation access due to the new (1939) Queen Elizabeth Way encouraged light industry and families to move to Burlington. The population skyrocketed as new homes were built.

Climate
The climate is moderated by its proximity to Lake Ontario. Monthly mean temperatures range from 22.3 °C (72.1 °F) in July to −4.2 °C (24.4 °F) in January. The average annual precipitation is 878 millimetres (34.6 in) of rain and 109 centimetres (43 in) of snow.

Although it shares the temperate climate found in Southern Ontario, its proximity to Lake Ontario moderates winter temperatures and it also benefits from a sheltering effect of the Niagara Escarpment, allowing the most northerly tracts of Carolinian forest to thrive on the Escarpment that runs through western sections of city.

Visitor Information

 * Tourism Burlington
 * Destination Ontario: Burlington
 * City of Burlington

By plane

 * The Hamilton International Airport is the local airport which is just 30 minutes from Burlington. it is serviced by WestJet.
 * Mississauga's Toronto Pearson International Airport is located a short driving distance from Burlington, around 45 or more minutes.
 * Niagara Falls International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport are each located about an hour's drive away, across the international border in, respectively, Niagara Falls and Cheektowaga (a Buffalo suburb). If you're coming from the U.S., flying into one of these airports usually presents considerable savings over arriving in Toronto (or even Hamilton).

By car

 * Burlington is easily accessible by highways 403, 407, and QEW.

By train

 * Amtrak operates the Maple Leaf train service daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops between Toronto and New York City include in Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls (Ontario), Niagara Falls (New York), Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.  Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage.  Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States.
 * Operates the following route to Burlington, stopping at Aldershot GO Station:
 * Between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Operates multiple times daily.
 * Between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Operates multiple times daily.

Burlington has three railway stations:

By public transportation
Burlington Transit bus routes 1/1X run from Burlington GO Station stopping at the Royal Botanical Gardens and continuing onto downtown Hamilton (King and James streets). Route 1X also makes a stop at Aldershot GO Station; however, route 1X has no evening, weekend or holiday service. Bus routes 3 and 5 run from Burlington GO Station to Downtown Burlington.

If transferring from GO Transit (GO) to Burlington Transit (BT) to complete a trip, you BT fare will be free. For Presto and credit/debit card holders, just tap your card on both transit systems to get the free BT fare. With Presto or credit/debit cards the free fare is also available to transfer from BT to GO, with the BT fare being refunded to your card at the end of the trip. If transferring from GO to BT without a Presto card, the fare is free if you show your GO ticket to the BT bus driver.

A fare allows for 2 hours of travel on Burlington Transit including changing BT buses, or transferring to connecting Oakville Transit and/or Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) buses in Hamilton at certain stops. If paying by cash, ask for a "transfer" to use as a receipt. For Presto and credit/debit card users, transfer info is automatically stored on your card when you tap on. BT accepts HSR paper transfers only at the following stops:
 * King & James streets, Hamilton (BT Stop #679)
 * King & Bay streets, Hamilton (BT Stop #827)
 * Aldershot GO Station, Burlington
 * Downtown BT Terminal, 430 John St, Burlington
 * Plains Rd at Royal Botanical Garden, Burlington (BT Stop #698)

By car
The best way to get around Burlington is by car. Arterial roads are spaced about 2 km (1.25 miles) apart, and generally run on a 45 degree angle to the compass points. Main roads running northeast to southwest are (from southernmost to northernmost) Lakeshore Road (former Highway 2), New Street, Plains Road/Fairview Street, the Queen Elizabeth Way/Highway 403 (a controlled-access highway), Upper Middle Road, and Dundas Street (former Highway 5). Main roads running northwest to southeast are (from easternmost to westernmost) Burloak Drive, Appleby Line, Walkers Line, Guelph Line, Brant Street, King Road, and Waterdown Road.

By bike or on foot
Burlington is a pedestrian- and cycling-friendly city, although, as the city is somewhat sprawling, walking or cycling is sometimes impractical. There are several long-distance walking and cycling trails in Burlington, including the Waterfront Trail, a 23-km-long paved trail that offers beautiful views of Burlington's waterfront. In Burlington, you may ride your bicycle on sidewalks, except in the downtown core.

Parks
There are 115 parks and 325 ha of parkland within the city. A complete list of parks can be found here

Waterdown
Adminstratively part of Hamilton, but closer to Burlington.





Do
A great time to visit Burlington is in the summer, when numerous free festivals are held.

Events

 * During December, you can walk through an extensive Christmas lights display downtown at Spencer Smith Park. Showing the Eiffel Tower and various large displays of lights, this is the time when you can enjoy the beauty of Christmas.
 * On July 1, you can celebrate Canada Day in Spencer Smith Park and gather with dozens of others to wave the Canadian flag with pride and music.

Eat
There are many great dining establishments in Burlington. The restaurants below are just a few of over 200 establishments.

Go next

 * Guelph — north of Burlington, in Southwestern Ontario, known for its university, limestone architecture, and a walkable downtown with small shops, restaurants and lively bars.
 * Hamilton — south of Burlington, and historically a heavy manufacturing centre, Hamilton's skyline viewed from Burlington looks like a collection of smokestacks and highway bridges. At the west end of the bay, Hamilton's downtown and surrounding neighbourhoods are home to a growing art, music, and food scene. On the edge of downtown, the Niagara Escarpment provides a variety of parks, hiking trails, and waterfalls.
 * Niagara Peninsula — to the east of Hamilton, between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Some of Ontario's best farmland is found here, and the unique climate make the peninsula one of Canada's wine regions. The Welland Canal in Thorold is an impressive engineering feat that tells part of the story of great lakes shipping. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a well-preserved colonial-style town with many connections to the War of 1812. Of course, Niagara Falls at the end of the peninsula, is the Canadian side of the famous waterfall. The city hosts visitors and honeymooners seeking a glimpse of the gorge, but also offers dining, sights, events and entertainment around the clock, all year long.