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TRAFFIC DISRUPTION MARCH 24: the Around the Bay Race route will result in closed lanes along Plains Road W. and York Boulevard. Expect traffic delays and plan accordingly. Details at bayrace.com

Directions & Parking

Getting to Royal Botanical Gardens

RBG consists of four formal gardens contained within 1,100 hectares of nature reserve:

Driving or taking transit between garden areas is recommended.

Parking

Parking is available at each Garden Area and major trailhead in the lots provided. Please note that driving or taking transit is recommended to travel between garden areas during your visit.

PLEASE NOTE: Parking fees and availability may vary during specific events and seasons. Check back before your visit, or see the details in the FAQ section of the event you’re attending.

Proceeds from the parking fees go directly toward the maintenance of these lots as well as stewardship of the natural areas.

Garden & Arboretum Parking

Before your visit, check the current hours of your destination.

Parking Lot Details Fees
RBG Centre No Charge
Rock Garden No Charge
CLOSED FOR THE SEASON

Laking Garden
(lower lot)

 

$3/hr to a maximum of $15

Arboretum
  • When staffed: $10/vehicle (weekends)
  • Outside these dates: $5/hour to a maximum of $15

Trail-Access Parking

Before your visit, check the current hours of your destination.

Parking Lot Details Fees
Arboretum
  • When staffed: $10/vehicle (weekends)
  • Outside these dates: $5/hour to a maximum of $15
Cherry Hill Gate
  • $3/hr to a maximum of $15
Princess Point
  • When Staffed: $10 flat rate
  • Outside these hours: $3/hour to a maximum of $15
Westdale $3/hr to a maximum of $15
Rock Chapel $3/hr to a maximum of $15

Electric Vehicle ChargingElectric vehicle charging

Electric vehicle charging stations are available at RBG Centre and Rock Garden.

Stop in and tour our beautiful gardens while you wait for your vehicle to charge! RBG members and visitors (with proof of admission) can charge their electric vehicles for FREE. Please plug in your vehicle and check in at the kiosk desk in RBG Centre / the Rock Garden Visitor Centre.

Charging is only available during RBG business hours.

Parking Pass Included with an RBG Membership

A 12-month parking pass is issued with the purchase of an RBG Membership. Members still required to pre-reserve parking at the Arboretum during bloom season.

Please place parking pass on the dashboard of your vehicle for the duration of your visit. Neglecting to do so may result in a parking ticket.

Directions to RBG Centre

The following directions indicate how to get to RBG Centre / Hendrie Park. The remaining 3 garden areas are at the addresses above, a short drive from RBG Centre.

Find Directions

Directions by Car

From Toronto and East

Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 403 West (Hamilton). Exit at Waterdown Road. Travel 800 metres south along Waterdown Road to Plains Road West. Turn right onto Plains Road West and travel 2km. Turn left into the RBG Centre parking lot.

From Kitchener-Waterloo and West including Detroit (U.S.A.)

Highway 401 East to Highway 6 South. Follow Highway 6 South for about 25 km. Exit onto York Road, make a left and then a right on the new Plains Road and drive south crossing over the 403. Turn left at the lights to continue on Plains Road West for about 1 km, passing the glass building. Turn right into the RBG parking lot.

From the Niagara Region and Buffalo (U.S.A.)

Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 403 West (Hamilton). Exit at Waterdown Road. Travel 800 metres south along Waterdown Road to Plains Road West. Turn right onto Plains Road West and travel 2km. Turn left into the RBG parking lot.

Directions by Bus

Burlington Transit Plains 1 buses stop directly in front of RBG Centre / Hendrie Park (note that the Plains 101 Express no longer makes stops along Plains Road).

Burlington Transit and HSR buses connect seamlessly via free transfer in downtown Hamilton, and all local buses are equipped with bike racks. Please note that public transit does not stop in front of Rock Garden, the Arboretum or Laking Garden at this time.

Find your route with Google Maps

For current bus schedules, please follow the links below:

Burlington Transit
Hamilton Transit

Relevant bus stops:

Directions by GO Transit

Plan with Triplinx
GO Train

Take the Lakeshore West Train Line. Exit at the Burlington Train Station and take Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton to RBG Centre.

GO Train with a Bicycle

Take the Lakeshore West Train Line. Exit at the Aldershot station, a 4 km bicycle ride to RBG Centre (directions).

GO Bus

Depending on the starting location, multiple GO bus routes are available, with transfers to Burlington Transit at the Burlington Train station (Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton), or various transfer points in Hamilton. Please see the GO Transit trip planner for assistance.

Please Note

There are are no buses that run from Aldershot GO to RBG at this time. It is possible to walk or bike 1.2 km from the Aldershot station to Plains Road to catch the Burlington Transit Route 1 bus from there. Please see the Burlington Transit Trip Planner for details. Travelers arriving at Aldershot GO may also consider taking a cab or ride share to the Gardens (4 km distance).

Directions by Train

RBG Centre is located ~9 km from the Burlington Train Station, accessible by GO Transit and VIA Rail. The Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton bus is available to transport you from the Burlington station to RBG Centre.

Please note, there are no buses that run from Aldershot GO to RBG at this time. It is possible to walk or bike 1.2 km from the Aldershot station to Plains Road to catch the Route 1 bus from there. Please see the Burlington Transit Trip Planner for details. Travelers arriving at Aldershot GO may also consider biking, taking a cab or ride share to the Gardens (4 km distance).

Directions by Bicycle

Be as green as our gardens and ride your bicycle to RBG! Whether coming from Hamilton, Burlington or beyond there are a variety of routes available to get here. Once you arrive you’ll find that several of RBG’s garden areas are within a short distance of each other. Extend your trip and ride your bike between some of the garden areas on backroads and bicycle lanes.

Secure bike locking stations are available at each garden area and major trail head (see parking lot list above) so you can leave your bike behind and enjoy a walk in nature.

Find your bike route to RBG

Biking and Go Transit

Coming from further? Consider bringing your bike on the GO Train and cycling 4km from the Aldershot station.

Hamilton Bike Share circular blue logoHamilton Bike Share

Princess Point (south shore of Cootes Paradise) is a Hamilton Bike Share hub! Hamilton Bike Share allows visitors to rent a bicycle to travel to or from Princess Point (travel within a designated area only).

Hamilton Bike Share has launched a service area extension pilot to the Rock Garden! Bike share users can now ride to the Rock Garden and lock there with zero locking fees.

Please Note

Riding and bicycle is not permitted in garden areas or on RBG’s trails. On our trails, bikes pose a direct threat to plants and ground-dwelling wild life, causes erosion, root death and tree dieback. This permanently alters nature’s balance by changing microclimates and paving the way for invasive species.

Additional Resources

RBG Gardens & Trails

View the map

Royal Botanical Gardens is Canada’s largest, with over 2,400 acres of gardens and nature sanctuary that spans Hamilton and Burlington Ontario. Use the button below for an overview of RBG’s properties.

Our park map is a high-resolution image (about 6MB). To save bandwidth, we will only load the map when you request it.