Burlington is at the southwestern end of Lake Ontario, just to the north-east of Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula, roughly in the geographic centre of the urban corridor known as the Golden Horseshoe. Burlington has a land area of 187 squared kilometers. The main urban area is south of the Parkway Belt and Hwy. 407. The land north of this, and north Aldershot is used primarily for agriculture, rural residential and conservation purposes. The Niagara Escarpment, Lake Ontario and the sloping plain between the escarpment and the lake make up the land area of Burlington. The city of Burlington is no longer a port; sailing vessels in the area are used for recreational purposes and moor at a 215 slip marina in LaSalle Park.
In the City of Burlington on the shore of Lake Ontario, Spencer Smith Park features an expansive shoreline walking path. The park was renovated in 2006, with the addition of an observatory, water jet play area and restaurant. The Art Gallery of Burlington is adjacent to Spencer Smith Park, and contains diverse permanent and changing exhibits. The Gallery houses a prominent collection of Canadian ceramics. The Gallery’s exhibition spaces, which feature new exhibitions every eight to ten weeks, are fully accessible and are free to visitors. Burlington is home to the Royal Botanical Gardens, which has the world’s largest lilac collection. Ontario’s botanical garden and National Historic Site of Canada features over 11 km2 (2,700 acres) of gardens and nature sanctuaries, including four outdoor display gardens, the Mediterranean Garden under glass, three on-site restaurants, the Gardens’ Gift Shop, and festivals.
