With more than 28 million visitors who visit Toronto every year, there is no shortage of options to check out.
All along the shoreline of Lake Ontario, there are a variety of parks and attractions worth seeing.
Toronto Island Park, located south of the city’s downtown core between Lake Ontario and Toronto Harbour, is made up of several smaller islands and green spaces, including Centre Island, Ward’s Island and Hanlan’s Point.
A highlight of Centre Island is Centreville Amusement Park, which is a family-friendly destination with various rides. The Centre Island Pier offers scenic views of Lake Ontario.
Hanlan’s Point Park is on the west end of Toronto Island Park. It has long been an important gathering space for Toronto’s queer community.
Ward’s Island is on the eastern edge of Toronto Island Park and is home to hundreds of residents who live in cottages.
The City of Toronto operates three ferry routes to different points of Toronto Island Park from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the southern end of Bay Street: Centre Island (seasonal), Hanlan’s Point (seasonal) and Ward’s Island (year-round). As of May 2026, adult tickets cost $9.57 and can be purchased online. Click here for schedules.
Toronto Harbour Tours, Pirate Taxi, Tiki Taxi, Toronto Harbour Water Taxi, and Tdot Water Taxi all offer water taxi services from the mainland.
All along Queens Quay and the Harbourfront, there are many parks and restaurants worth exploring. Click here for a directory of businesses.
The Toronto Music Garden is a popular respite from busy city life, as is HTO Park and HTO Beach.
If you’re looking to get out on the water, the Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre has rentals available for use.
Located on Guildwood Parkway in Scarborough and overlooking Lake Ontario, Guild Park and Gardens incorporates the Guild Inn built in 1914. The property is now used as an event space, but the City of Toronto owns the surrounding parkland. There are many sculptures on the grounds. The Clark Centre for the Arts, home to specialized art studios and gallery spaces, is on the property and is also open to the public. The grounds are also accessible by TTC buses and the property isn’t far from the Guildwood GO Transit station.
The Scarborough Bluffs is a 15-kilometre geological escarpment that runs along the shoreline of Lake Ontario in the east end of Toronto. The tall, flat, sharp formations have been formed over thousands of years.
Woodbine Beach Park is a popular destination for swimming and picnics in the summer that extends along Lake Ontario for three kilometres. The Donald D. Summerville Outdoor Olympic Pool is also located steps away from the beach. The Beach Business Improvement Area along Queen Street East and Kew Gardens nearby are spots worth visiting too.
Tommy Thompson Park, which is also known as the Leslie Street Spit, is a green space that extends five kilometres into Lake Ontario. It is a prominent habitat for birds and wildlife.
What was once predominantly an industrial area, the Port Lands is undergoing a massive redevelopment. With the extension of the Don River, it created a new island called Ookwemin Minising. Biidaasige Park is a featured new park with ziplines and other family-friendly features.
Located beside Rebel nightclub and Cabana Poolbar, Jennifer Kateryna Koval’s’kyj Park offers a great view of the Toronto skyline.
At the south end, Cherry Beach offers a spot to go swimming in the warmer months.
Exhibition Place, located just north of Lake Ontario and Lake Shore Boulevard West, is home to BMO Field (where the Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts play) as well as convention and conference facilities (the Enercare Centre, the Better Living Centre, and the Automotive Building).
As Ontario Place undergoes a massive redevelopment, visitors can enjoy Trillium Park and the William G. Davis Trail.
During the summer, Sunnyside Beach is a popular spot for many to try to cool off. Sunnyside Park also has Gus Ryder Pool. The area is accessible by Lake Shore Boulevard West as well as the Martin Goodman Trail.
The Humber River hugs the Etobicoke border and offers a trail to experience various natural habitats. In the late summer and early fall, it becomes a popular spot for watching migrating salmon.
Humber Bay Park West and Humber Bay Park East offer a natural escape for the growing Humber Bay Shores condo community with its newer restaurants and cafes. Humber Bay Park West juts out into Lake Ontario and it offers a stunning view of the Toronto skyline.
Colonel Samuel Smith Park, located beside Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore campus, is a popular spot for birdwatching and wildlife. During the winter, an outdoor skating trail is installed.
Located at the southwest corner of Toronto near the Long Branch GO Transit station, Marie Curtis Park offers two beaches to help beat the heat in warmer weather.