The town was once the fiefdom of the Dukes of Hamilton and the family constructed many landmarks in the town. Hamilton Mausoleum lies on the grounds of the now-demolished Hamilton Palace and is the resting place of the Hamilton family. The mausoleum is renowned for having the longest-lasting echo of any building in the world.
Low Parks Museum is the oldest surviving building in Hamilton and is now a five-star visitor attraction detailing the history of South Lanarkshire. Two miles from the town centre lies Chatelherault Country Park, home to the ruins of Cadzow Castle.
Another notable building is the Hamilton Old Parish Church, which is the only church to have been designed by noted Scottish architect William Adam. David Livingstone lived in Hamilton for eleven years and his former home bears a commemorative plaque.
Strathclyde Country Park lies between Hamilton and nearby Motherwell. The park includes the remains of a Roman fort and bath house, and is home to M&Ds, one of Scotland's theme parks. The triathlon event of the 2014 Commonwealth Games was hosted in Strathclyde Park. Hamilton Park Racecourse is one of the country’s premier horse-racing venues, while Hamilton Palace Sports Ground has football and tennis facilities.
The town boasts three shopping centres as well as a large variety of independent shops and a wide range of eateries. The town has three railways stations whose destinations include Motherwell, Glasgow and Lanark. Hamilton bus station has services to the surrounding area as well as further away destinations including Edinburgh and some parts of England. The town also has a variety of cycling paths.