For travel within the Hamilton Area, McMaster students are able to ride the pubic transit (Hamilton Street Railway – HSR) for free with a valid student ID card (September-April). Click here for a map of Hamilton with bus routes. Use this tool to find a specific bus route and schedule.

Westdale Village:

Westdale is a walking community, with a central area of small, specialized shops and restaurants, cafes, British pubs and an Art Deco era movie theatre. Surrounding Westdale are trails and forests, parks, and a unique aviary of rare birds. Click here to find a listing of the shops available.

University Plaza:

Conveniently located a 5 minute bus ride from campus, University Plaza has everything you will need from a video store, yoga studio, dollar store, bowling alley, pharmacy, liquor and beer store, to supermarkets and restaurants.

Hess Village:

This popular entertainment district is home tomany bars and night clubs, and is conveniently located close to campus. Each bar in Hess offers a fun and unique experience. Check out this Guide to Hess for more information. Please note that some bars may have age restrictions and dress codes on different nights. You may be asked to present identification before entering night clubs and ordering alcohol. The drinking age in Ontario is 19.

Downtown Hamilton:

The downtown center of Hamilton is easily accessible. To get there, take the 1, 5A, 10 or 51 bus on Sterling Street.

Limeridge Mall & Jackson Square:

For those interested in shopping, there are 2 main malls frequented by McMaster Students. Jackson Square is situated in downtown Hamilton and has over 100 stores, including a movie theatre.

Limeridge Mall is the main shopping center in the Hamilton area. Located on Upper Wentworth, and approximately a 40 minute bus ride from campus, it has over 200 shops and services, and carries most of the North American brand name stores. Please visit here for more information and a store directory.