Pack your overnight bag for Burlington
Add a new spa, nature trails and delightful afternoon tea to your weekend plans
Consider Burlington a place of in-betweens. It’s set amid two major geographical features: The serene vistas of Lake Ontario and the dramatic, rugged Niagara Escarpment. With a population of just 183,000, it’s neither a tiny town nor big city, but offers the charms of both.
About a one-hour drive from Toronto, Burlington is close and small enough for day tripping, but also a perfect spot to overnight and linger, especially with the convenient arrival of the Pearle, a new lakeside boutique hotel and spa in the city’s downtown. Here are a few spots to explore when you’re around town.
For a sweet sleep
The Pearle Hotel & Spa (3 Elizabeth St., Burlington)
Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection (Ontario’s first such hotel), the 151-room Pearle is serene lake-house luxury. Expect minimalist furnishings, sandwashed floors and waterfront suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can wake up to soothing waves. At Isabelle, the flagship restaurant, culinary director Ben Heaton (formerly of Patria, Mira and Byblos in Toronto) serves a fusion of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and California flavours, like strozzapreti cacio e pepe and Ora King salmon. Don’t miss the Pearle Spa, where you can choose from 13 facials, including standout oxygen treatments.
For a nature haven
Royal Botanical Gardens (680 Plains Rd. W., Burlington)
A National Historic Site of Canada since 1994, the RBG is home to more than 900 hectares of nature sanctuaries and 121 hectares of meticulously groomed gardens, with 2,400-plus plant varieties. Oh, and did we mention the more than 27 kilometres of nature trails? It’s an all-season destination, and from Nov. 24 to Jan. 9, you can book tickets for the “Winter Wonders” evening display of lights and a festive musical soundtrack in the largest garden, Hendrie Park.
For a classic-cool restaurant SB Prime (390 Brant St., Burlington)
If you love an old-fashioned steak house in a super-chill, loungey setting, this local haunt is your spot. Open evenings Monday through Saturday, the focus is on classic cuts (T-bone, rib-eye, filet mignon), and comfort-food sides like herb and garlic mash, and cauliflower bacon mac and cheese. There’s also a dedicated burger menu, with everything from a Philly cheeseburger to a lobstertopped surf and turf creation. Gin cocktails are a signature; the bar is stocked with more than 180 varieties of the spirit.
For local art
The Art Gallery of Burlington (1333 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington)
This waterfront centre houses the world’s largest collection of contemporary Canadian ceramic art (some 4,000 pieces), ranging from tableware to sculptural works. The exhibits
are ever-changing, but a current must-see is “Eccentric Coincidence” (on until July 2022), an expansive mixed-media mural installation by Toronto’s Z’otz* Collective, themed around memory and Mesoamerican mythology.
For afternoon treats
Tea at the White House (35 Main St. N., Unit 1, Waterdown)
A 15-minute drive from downtown Burlington, in the charming village of Waterdown, you’ll find this elegant, sunlit tea room, offering all the spoils of a proper English afternoon tea. Select from 200-plus loose-leaf teas to pair with your choice of traditional treats: finger sandwiches, sweet scones with house-made jam and English cream, or other in-house baked treats. Or make time for the White House Tea service to enjoy it all.