Dundurn Castle
Dundurn Castle
4.5
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
About
Experience a guided tour of this 40-room Italianate-style villa built in the 1830's on Burlington Heights; the former site of a fortified military encampment established by the British in 1813.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingFull view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
574 within 5 kms
Attractions
134 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Alexander N1 contributionAmazing Christmas Tour !I have honestly never had as good of a tour as the Christmas at Dunduran with Alex. He was phenomenal, great pace, amazing knowledge of the times as well as a real knack for the small details often missed during these tours. The residence is in amazing shape and has a real energy to it. Would highly recomend a visit. Thank you for a great experience.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 December 2023
- Demos JHamilton, Canada60 contributionsA great place to visit with out-of-town familyWe've lived in Hamilton since 2007, and while our kids have been to Dundurn Castle on school field trips, we never visited until this past December. My siblings and their families were in town over the holidays, and we chose this over the Royal Botanical Gardens for a visit. We were pleasantly surprised by how great the experience was. Our tour guide was dressed in period clothing, and was engaging and knowledgeable. I would suggest visiting on a misty, overcast day - somehow, it added to the charm, and made it feel as though we'd stepped back in time.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 31 March 2024
- Sharon95GCPSaint Charles, Missouri350 contributionsBelieve it or not--how could they do that?Get there early. Last tour at 3 finishes as the extras close for the day at 4. Very interesting, loved the floating staircase and all the history of the times. The bathtubs were a hoot and you get a sample from the kitchen! Even my 19 & 21 year old sons enjoyed it.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 June 2024
- maryhearPowell, Tennessee84 contributionsWorth a visitNot a castle as such, but a large home built in Hamilton, Ontario. The guides were dressed in period dress, which was a nice touch. The tour included the main rooms for visitors on the main level; bedrooms and sitting rooms for the family on the upper level; and kitchen, pantry, storage rooms, and laundry in the basement level. Lots of stairs, but the house was touted as having several conveniences that were very modern for the time period it was built, one of which was flushing toilets. There were other attractions on the grounds, including a military museum, but we did not have time to view it on this trip.Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 9 August 2024
- Alicia MMonticello, Minnesota125 contributionsHuge houseWhile not technically a castle this is an absolutely huge house. It isn’t as opulent as you might think on the inside but that is because the family ended up not being as wealthy as they hoped they would be. The guide was informative and clearly knowledgeable about the site. The gift shop is very nice and the staff was kind. Parking is free and is just above the house grounds.Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 21 August 2024
- Domenic RGuelph, Canada50 contributionsGreat fun for a day!This was truly a fun day and close to home. Our guide Cameron was fantastic. He played the role of a footsman so very well and we felt pulled back in time. No questions were too hard. So interesting to see how life was back in the 1800s up close. The grounds are beautiful and we were fortunate to see 2 wedding parties take photos.Visited August 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 30 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
711 reviews
Excellent
436
Very good
211
Average
50
Poor
8
Terrible
6
maxandmalsmom
hamilton ON23 contributions
May 2022
A friend and I went today for a tour for our birhdays... it was a wonderful experience! Our tour guide had lots of information to share about the history of the building and the MacNab family. The castle itself is well maintained and given its' age it is in really good shape. The little shortbread square at the end of the tour was a nice touch and it was nice to see that they were concerned with allergies and dietary restrictions. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn a little more about our city and our history.
Written 18 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your response and your recommendation! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit here and happy belated birthdays!
Written 5 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
raybyerley
Mandeville, LA4,473 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
We were driving to Toronto from Niagara Falls and needed an interesting activity to break up the drive. My wife found this and we got on a tour with Thiona, who did a great job guiding us and passing on historical info.
I attached various pictures of entry signs, front of the Chateau, and several rooms inside.
We also went through the military museum inna separate building on the property that was self guided and interesting too.
I attached various pictures of entry signs, front of the Chateau, and several rooms inside.
We also went through the military museum inna separate building on the property that was self guided and interesting too.
Written 19 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the time you spent here.
Written 8 November 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Domenic R
Guelph, Canada50 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
This was truly a fun day and close to home. Our guide Cameron was fantastic. He played the role of a footsman so very well and we felt pulled back in time. No questions were too hard. So interesting to see how life was back in the 1800s up close. The grounds are beautiful and we were fortunate to see 2 wedding parties take photos.
Written 30 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
du h
Gatineau, Canada141 contributions
Sept 2021
Spectacular! Our guide was very knowledgeable and took the time to answer all our numerous questions. Rich houses are always interesting but this property shows the servants quarter's and this is fascinating!
Understanding the roles of all staff and how they went about to do their job, seeing the kitchen, the ice vault, the scullery, the laundry, etc. Makes us appreciate today’s comfort!
Understanding the roles of all staff and how they went about to do their job, seeing the kitchen, the ice vault, the scullery, the laundry, etc. Makes us appreciate today’s comfort!
Written 23 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your response! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit with us. We love that we can share the basement of the house with our visitors so that they may see how both sides lived. We are also very grateful that we have modern comforts to help us do chores that the servants needed more time and energy to complete!
Written 30 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Demos J
Hamilton, Canada60 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
We've lived in Hamilton since 2007, and while our kids have been to Dundurn Castle on school field trips, we never visited until this past December.
My siblings and their families were in town over the holidays, and we chose this over the Royal Botanical Gardens for a visit.
We were pleasantly surprised by how great the experience was. Our tour guide was dressed in period clothing, and was engaging and knowledgeable.
I would suggest visiting on a misty, overcast day - somehow, it added to the charm, and made it feel as though we'd stepped back in time.
My siblings and their families were in town over the holidays, and we chose this over the Royal Botanical Gardens for a visit.
We were pleasantly surprised by how great the experience was. Our tour guide was dressed in period clothing, and was engaging and knowledgeable.
I would suggest visiting on a misty, overcast day - somehow, it added to the charm, and made it feel as though we'd stepped back in time.
Written 31 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alexander N
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Couples
I have honestly never had as good of a tour as the Christmas at Dunduran with Alex. He was phenomenal, great pace, amazing knowledge of the times as well as a real knack for the small details often missed during these tours. The residence is in amazing shape and has a real energy to it. Would highly recomend a visit. Thank you for a great experience.
Written 5 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alicia M
Monticello, MN125 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
While not technically a castle this is an absolutely huge house. It isn’t as opulent as you might think on the inside but that is because the family ended up not being as wealthy as they hoped they would be. The guide was informative and clearly knowledgeable about the site. The gift shop is very nice and the staff was kind. Parking is free and is just above the house grounds.
Written 21 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JTL
Aldershot, UK7 contributions
Mar 2020
Whilst staying in Hamilton for 2 weeks I wanted to visit some local historic sites and Dundurn proved to be fantastic. Filled with amazing colonial history and the staff were brilliant. There is also a small military museum adjacent to the museum which houses interesting displays on local battles and buildings.
Written 15 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your review of Dundurn Castle! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your time here while you were visiting Hamilton.
Written 17 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Matt T
Houston, TX12 contributions
Dec 2022
We visited during the Victorian Christmas display and found it worth a trip. Our guide was very knowledgeable, giving us insight into the history of the castle and answering all questions. I didn't know much about the castle when I booked, but with a 2-day stay in Hamilton this was well worth the time. Recommended!
Written 2 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your response. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit with us, and learned something too.
Written 15 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
AngelaMB12
Hanover, PA335 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
This whole experience was great - from the friendly sales person in the gift shop where you buy tour tickets, to our tour guide, beautiful house and property, and plenty of parking in the free parking lot. Take time to explore the garden, grounds and the view of Lake Ontario. Pack a picnic as there is an adjacent park to eat.
Written 25 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your response. We are so happy to hear that you had such a lovely time visiting the museum!
Written 23 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There is a large paved parking lot.
Written 9 November 2023
Catherine Schnurr
Hamilton, Canada
Yes, you can, so long as your group is less than 20 people.
Written 19 August 2022
Hello.
We are interested in the death and mourning traditions tour at Dundurn Castle in February, but would like to know what's included in the $40 fee.
Would you be able to provide more information as we cannot find any on the Haunted Hamilton website. We'd be very disappointed to miss this unique event.
Thank you!
Written 15 December 2019
Catherine Schnurr
Hamilton, Canada
Sorry for the delay in responding to your question.
Our Death and Dying tour discusses mourning rituals and beliefs in the Victorian time period. There will be some information that relates directly to the family members that lived at Dundurn and some information that is more general to the time period. Please let me know if you still have questions. Tickets do need to be purchased through the Haunted Hamilton website. Thank you.
Written 2 January 2020
Catherine Schnurr
Hamilton, Canada
Thank you for your inquiry. In order to see Dundurn Castle it is by guided tour only. There are only a few days a year where we allow visitors into the museum without a tour guide. These days are our Christmas open house, which falls on the last Sunday of November, and during Doors Open Hamilton, which falls on the first weekend in May. On these occasions admission is free.
Written 22 October 2019
Hi
I saw on the website that they are open Sunday's from noon to 4pm. Do you have to make a reservation to be part of a tour?
What does it cost?
Thanks so much
Christine
Written 16 September 2019
Catherine Schnurr
Hamilton, Canada
You do not need to make a reservation. Our tours start at the gift shop every 20-30 minutes depending on the time of year. There are days where we get busy and our tours do sell out so if you want to guarantee a certain tour time you can purchase tickets online through our website ahead of time. The price of an adult ticket is $12.00
Written 17 September 2019
Can we take photos on the outside without a photography permit if it’s just 2 people for personal hobby?
Written 22 May 2019
Catherine Schnurr
Hamilton, Canada
Hello! Thank you for you inquiry. You can take personal pictures outside on our grounds without needing a permit if you have less than 10 people on site with you. It's only when you have 10 people or more that you require a permit.
Written 24 May 2019
How much is the admission and is it a good place to go? Are they open on Monday? I have heard yes, and no, so i am confused. Thanks in advance!
Written 17 April 2019
Catherine Schnurr
Hamilton, Canada
Admission is as follows:
Adult: $12.00
Senior/Student (13-17): $10.00
Child (6-12): $6.50
Children 5 and under are free.
Family (2 adults and any number of dependent children 6-17): $32.00.
Passes to the Hamilton Military Museum are included in the above prices.
We are closed Mondays. The only exceptions are Family Day and the Monday during March Break.
Written 17 April 2019
Can you just go there and pay or do you have to call or pay online and make an appointment there before you go. I wanted to know if I could just go there and I can do the payment or do I have to set it up first.
Written 29 July 2018
FrancaHicks
Hamilton, Canada
You do not have to pre purchase your tickets. Just visit during the open hours which is Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm to 4pm and the gift shop clerk will place you on the first available guided tour.
Written 31 July 2018
Is the kitchen garden still being worked the second week of August? We would be visiting at that time and since the garden is mentioned as being worth the trip, I wondered. How large is the garden also?
Written 10 July 2018
FrancaHicks
Hamilton, Canada
Hello,
The 2 acres Kitchen Garden is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm to 4pm until the end of September.
The only day it is closed is Mondays.
The site offers free garden tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 1230pm and 2pm starting from the gift shop.
Written 17 July 2018
Showing results 1-10 of 20
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing