Hamilton

Hamilton climbs from a working harbour on Lake Ontario up the Niagara Escarpment, known locally as the Mountain, a setting that gives the city more than a hundred waterfalls within its boundaries and some of the best hiking of any major Ontario city.

Downtown's James Street North has turned a once industrial stretch into an arts district, anchored by the monthly Art Crawl, galleries and the GO station, with McMaster University a short drive west. Westdale, built up around the university in the 1920s, keeps a walkable, character home feel near Cootes Paradise and the Bruce Trail.

Dundas, a heritage valley town amalgamated into Hamilton, and Ancaster, a former town on the escarpment known for larger lots and top rated schools, both sit on the west side, while Stoney Creek anchors the east end along the lake with its own beach and marina history. Waterdown, at the city's northern edge near Burlington, has grown quickly around its own small downtown and escarpment views.

GO Transit trains and buses connect Hamilton directly to Toronto, and the escarpment's Bruce Trail runs the length of the city, putting waterfalls and lookouts within reach of almost every neighbourhood. With a revitalized downtown and prices that still undercut the rest of the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton continues to draw buyers priced out of Toronto and Mississauga.