Burlington Group Tours

Group Touring in Burlington, Ontario
Events and Festivals
Here are some of the
experiences Burlington
has to offer - fit two
into your day and
collect your incentive!
Eat, Sleep and be Merry
Accommodations and Restaurants
January
Burlington has many group-friendly hotels just minutes from the
highways, a perfect place to lay over when travelling between
Toronto and Niagara Falls. Offering ample free bus parking and
complimentary rooms for every 20 booked including driver. Many
have in-house restaurants, numerous amenities and free breakfasts.
Winter Exhibit - Royal Botanical Gardens
May
Lilac and Tulip Celebration - Royal Botanical Gardens
June
Sound of Music Festival - Spencer Smith Park
Iris and Peony Celebration - Royal Botanical Gardens
Fine Art and Craft Festival & Kaleidoscope of the Arts Burlington Art Centre
July
• Best Western Plus Inn & Suites
• Comfort Inn
• Hilton Garden Inn
• Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and Conference Centre
• Homewood Suites
• Waterfront Hotel Downtown Burlington
Hotels are close to a variety of group-friendly restaurants
including the popular Mother Tuckers, Mandarin, Swiss Chalet
and waterfront establishments like the Beaver and Bulldog and,
Waterstreet Cooker.
Rose Celebration - Royal Botanical Gardens
August
ZimSculpt Exhibit - Royal Botanical Gardens
September
Canada’s Largest Ribfest - Spencer Smith Park
British Car Day - Bronte Provincial Park
October
Fall into Nature - Conservation Halton
November
Holiday Traditions & Model Trains - Royal Botanical Gardens
Soup Bowl Event & Christmas Sale - Burlington Art Centre
December
Festival of Lights - Spencer Smith Park
Holiday Traditions & Model Trains - Royal Botanical Gardens
We are here to Help
Tourism Burlington Visitors Centre is open seven days a
week and located just minutes off the highway, one block
north of Lake Ontario. Park the bus outside our front
door and come in for some FREE freshly brewed coffee
and homemade treats. Call us in advance to help you
plan your itinerary or better yet come for a FAM tour to
see everything we have to offer. Welcome packages are
available along with DVD’s of the area, attraction brochures
and local maps.
Be sure to take advantage of our $10.00
per person offer for tours that includes a
minimum of 15 people and two experiences
in Burlington. Offer expires December
2013. It pay’s to stop in Burlington!
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2013
Tourism Burlington
414 Locust Street, Burlington ON L7S 1T7
E: groups@tourismburlington.com
P: 905.634.5594 1.877.499.9989 www.tourismburlington.com
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Nature Trails & BirdingLet
Your Spirits Soar
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• RBG’s Nature Interpretive Centre
• Birds of Prey Exhibit at the Raptor Centre at
Mountsberg Conservation Area
• Picnic or BBQ lunch at conservation area or
dine in at RBG
DISTANCE CHART
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––----
City
In Kilometres
In Miles
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Buffalo, NY Hamilton, ON Kitchener/Waterloo, ON London, ON Montreal, QC Niagara Falls, ON Ottawa, ON Toronto, ON Windsor, ON 125 20 110 145 587 95
444 48 328 78
13
69
91
367
59
279
30
204
Stop and Get to Know
Beautiful Burlington!
Discover why so many groups find coming
to Burlington a day well spent. Our
waterfront, bustling downtown, Niagara
Escarpment trails and world renowned
Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) are just a
few of reasons to stop half way between
Toronto and Niagara Falls.
It pays to stop in
Burlington!
Let Tourism Burlington
help plan and book your
itinerary. We’ll give you
$10.00 per person for tours that feature at
least two local experiences and a minimum
of 15 people.
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Escape to Paradise at
Royal Botanical Gardens
Nature trails, wetlands, meadows, woodlands,
the waterfront and escarpment lookouts are
perfect spots to view more than 150 native and
migratory bird species in Burlington. The trails
and sanctuaries of the Royal Botanical Garden
are designated an Important Bird Area (IBA)
and home to more than 50 at-risk species and
a stop-over for thousands of migratory birds.
The cliffs of the escarpment are a natural lure
for bald eagles, and a variety of hawks.
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Interactive workshops - World of Tea and
GEO-Quest both 90 minutes
• Interpretative tours - 2,700 acres of
stunning gardens and natural lands
• Interactive exhibits - Including ZimSculpt,
the award-winning Zimbabwean stone
sculpture exhibit (seasonal)
• Five display gardens - featuring 100,000
spring tulips, 250,000 iris blooms, 3,000
exotic rose bushes and the world’s largest
collection of lilacs
• Newly re-designed Laking Garden Fabulous herbaceous perennial collections
Visitors from around the world come to
Canada’s largest Botanical Canada for a few
hours, a day or several days. It’s the perfect
place to stretch your legs and appreciate
nature all year. Indoor and outdoor catering
options available, plus boxed take-out meals.
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Bring a friend for Retail
Therapy
& leisurely lunch
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• IKEA - Affordable home furnishings
• Burlington - Mountain Equipment Co-op
• Mapleview Centre - Burlington’s ultimate
destination for fashions
• Burlington Mall - Homesense, Winners and
seasonal Farmers’ Market
• Lee Valley - High quality gardening and
woodworking tools
• Boutique and gallery shopping in downtown
Burlington
• Lunch - at many restaurants downtown, on
the Waterfront and close to attractions.
Burlington is home to many unique
retail outlets not available in most other
communities, so shopping becomes a fresh
adventure. Burlington Mall and Mapleview
Centre both offer incentives for group tours.
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Where There’s Always Something Special to Experience
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Paletta Mansion
Fall into Nature Conservation
Halton
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Explore the “Jewel in the
Crown”
Paletta Mansion
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Self-guided or interpreter-led tours
• Birds of Prey demonstrations
• Chairlift rides to the top of the coloursaturated Niagara Escarpment
• Music and first Nations Dancers
Rolling hills, scenic country roads and the vivid
hues of a Canadian autumn create the perfect
setting for a beautiful day at one or more of
Conservation Halton’s natural areas. Along the
way, visit local artisans, pick-up freshly harvested
produce from farms or enjoy the many rural
activities in our picturesque surroundings.
Mrs B’s Gifthouse
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Chocolate, Chocolate,
Everywhere!
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Walkers Chocolate Factory Tour - Exquisite,
award winning handcrafted chocolates
created to mouth-melting perfection
• Mrs. B’s Gifthouse - Watch the baker create
award-winning, all natural biscotti baked
one unique and delicious batch at a time
• Wine/coffee & Chocolate Pairings Learn how to pair locally made Belgian
chocolates with Ontario wines or
international coffees
We love our chocolate in Burlington, so much
so we have a self-guided Chocolate Trail with
more than a dozen participating merchants. A
chocolate treat awaits every visitor.
Where There’s Always Something Special to Experience
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Joseph Brant Museum
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Points in Time - Heritage
Tours
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Ireland House at Oakridge Farm
• Joseph Brant Museum
• Halton Region Museum
Burlington’s Heritage museums celebrate the
moments and people whose contributions
enrich our community. History comes alive
at Ireland House at Oakridge Farm, restored
to reflect four generations of farm life on the
four-acre homestead. Programming features
interpretive hands-on activities and special
seasonal events. The Joseph Brant Museum,
built to commemorate the homestead of
the colourful native Captain Joseph Brant
“Thayendanegea”, now houses more than
10,000 artifacts.
The museum also includes the Eileen
Collard collection of historic costume and
textiles and ongoing travelling exhibits.
Heritage, Environmental and Educational
programs are available at Halton Region
Museum in our beautiful Kelso Conservation
Area. Six historic buildings showcase 35,000
artifacts reflecting four generations of family
farm life in the 1800’s.
•Guided tour to learn the history of the
beautifully 20th century heritage mansion
and its unique gatehouse, children’s
dollhouse and stables
• 14 acres of formal gardens, waterfront
parkland with walking trails
• Enjoy catered lunch/dinner with breathtaking views of Lake Ontario
Paletta Mansion and its fabulous grounds have
become a favourite for all occasions, especially
when it is decorated for the festive season.
Take a tour or come for lunch and experience
the grandeur of another time. Fully accessible
and on-site parking makes it easy for everyone.
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‘Inspiring Imagination
and
Enriching Lives’
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Guided tours of Canada’s largest collection
of Canadian contemporary ceramics
• Working guilds offer introductory sessions
in weaving, photography, pottery, fibre arts,
woodcarving and fine arts
• Wonderful shopping at Art Etc. Gallery
• Rotating exhibitions, open studios, lectures
and workshops
• Soupbowl lunch - select a handcrafted bowl,
enjoy your soup in it, and take it home!
Nickel Brook Brewer
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From Beer to Nuts
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Nickle Brook Microbrewery - Diverse beers
and root beer soda
• Walkers Chocolate Candy Factory Outlet
tour and tasting
• Outlet stops - Picard Peanuts, Voortman’s
Cookies
Pick-up some snacks for the bus or to take
home some of Burlington’s favourite snacks and
beverages.
Crossroads Centre
Crawford Lake
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Natural & Cultural
History Come Alive at
Crawford
Lake
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Guided tour of the 15th century Iroquoian
Village with long-house
• Visitors Centre and Gathering Place
• Archeological Sites
• Stroll the elevated boardwalk around the
rare meromitic lake, site of documented
pre-European settlement
A favourite for student tours, Crawford Lake
offers visitors a unique combination of natural
and cultural heritage experiences.
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Lights, Camera, Action!
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Crossroads Centre
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Remembering
Burlington’s Role in the
War
of 1812
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At the Joseph Brant Museum you’ll learn the
important role of Mohawk Chief John Brant
or Ahyouwaighs, son of the legendary Joseph
Brant, distinguished himself in the War of
1812 and successfully encouraged other
Six Nations peoples to side with the British
against the invading Americans. At the Joseph
Brant Museum you’ll learn the important role
Burlington and its local peoples played in the
Anglo-American War and why Burlington’s
waterfront location held special significance.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
• Guided tour of one of Canada’s largest
broadcast studios, green rooms and
wall of fame
• Enjoy homemade snacks and meals at the
Towne Square Café
• View a live broadcast
• Stroll the walk of Faith featuring many
famous guests
Crossroads is Canada’s leader in providing faith
and values media content for people of all ages
and 100 Huntley Street is the longest running
daily Christian television program in Canada.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre
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Experiences that Inspire
Burlington Performing
Arts
Centre
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The new Burlington Performing Arts Centre, is
the latest addition in Burlington’s downtown
featuring matinee and evening performances.
Bus drop-off and pick-up available on site.
Burlington Commemorates
Bicentennial War of 1812-14
www.tourismburlington.com
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