Dundurn Castle — Local services in Hamilton

I absolutely love Dundurn Castle :) I've had two tours now and thoroughly enjoyed each one. I recommend arriving at least 15 minutes early to give yourself some time to peruse the gift shop; there's lots of great local items that are fun to check out. The staff is fantastically helpful and the tour guides are kind, patient, and very knowledgeable. You can tell how much they enjoy their job!

I highly recommend going at Christmas time when the house is all decorated inside and you get to hear about the holiday traditions of the family. It's like a different tour, so even if you've been before, you should go again in December. Though I haven't done this one yet myself, there are also special Christmas evening tours on certain dates in November and December that include some traditional dishes in the kitchen. I definitely want to check those out one year! And in the summer, there is outdoor Shakespeare performed on the grounds behind the house during the month of August.

Don't miss this historic site if you're travelling through Hamilton or a local looking for...

This is a great opportunity to learn of the history of Victorian-era Canadian (and pre-Canadian) European settlers, including the specific family history of Sir Allan MacNab. The one-hour guided tour of the building gives insight and information about MacNab, his family, and well-treated servant employees. Be sure to ask questions because your guide probably knows more than what they've scripted... Note for mobility; there are numerous flights of somewhat uneven stairs to navigate throughout the two-century-old residence (as expected) so watch your children carefully. Once the tour is completed - definitely take a tour of the entire estate, gardens, and vistas. Admission includes a pass to the Hamilton Military Museum for another good hour of exploration through 1812 history. Great for the whole family; very young children may not understand the historical significance but if they enjoy exploring houses, this might also capture their interest. Pre-purchase of tickets online is highly recommended as the tour groups are...

I visited this castle and toured it on March 9th, 2024. There is a lot of history behind this castle and it was nice to get a private tour. The tour guide went over the history of the rooms, how the rich lived on the upper floors in much luxury for the time, having their own rooms when they got sick, having even their own shoe shiner and so on, and how the lower floors were where the servants worked, cooking the food and doing the laundry. During the tour, we were given a free pastry that was absolutely delicious. Even the oven is still its original state. The lights in the castle were originally gas powered, but all but one today are electricity powered. One of the most surprising relevations for me was that in the days people lived in the castle, beer was widely drunk and was considered healthy, even for kids, as the water supply was contaminated. A lot of history here and truly a place to visit. You also get a ticket for free admission to the nearby war museum with...