High Park has a nice leash free area for dogs to run around. It's pretty crowded, especially on summer weekends. There is free parking, which is a bonus, but there never seems to be enough of them. Quite a relaxing place to hang out, can be quite romantical. Lots of walking area and paths. You can go see a play in the summer if that's your thing, or skate in the winter. Right by the shops on Bloor West, there's a lot of little cute shops in the area, worth to check out. Go down to the water, a short walk away and watch people play volleyball on the beach. There's quite a few things to do in the area, so slot a day or two to check it all out. read more

High Park - Parks Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A great place to go for a stroll especially with the craze that was here with regards to the cherry blossoms. We did come a bit late into the blossom season as we were in the tail end of the season and hence, only saw 20-30% of the blooms left, but it was still a nice experience and a great walk. A lot of people were still in the mindset of photo taking and we indulged as well as this park is probably one of the nicest parks that I have personally seen within the Toronto Area. We came during a weekday, as well as during normal work hours, therefore, the crowd was kept to a minimum and the weather was great all around. We walked around an hour and a bit and there were still places that we probably missed. Therefore, it is not a bad place to spend a couple of hours enjoying the sights as well as making a tour around the place to enjoy the nature and the ambiance that it provides. Definitely will make our way back again to enjoy the full bloom of the cherry blossoms when it comes to Toronto next year! read more

What is there to not like about this place? It's terrific. Obviously, bring your dog. read more

I can't believe I've never been here. Most people can't believe I'd never been! A huge park with so much to see. Well maintained, it's got great landscaping and lots of places to sit. There are paths all over, both for people with wheels and those without. It's close to the subway making it pretty easy to access. There's a zoo and a trolley that goes around the park. Parking is free! read more

The botany in this park is amazing, both natural and planted. The city of Toronto clearly puts a lot of effort into maintaining this beautiful park, plenty of trails and things to see! read more

5 stars purely for the Dog Park/Trails! Everything else is just a bonus...

In a face-off, she puts NYC's Central Park to shame. Equally beautiful in every season, High Park is made for Sundays. I will gladly drive through hours of traffic to get to the perfection that is High Park. It's that rare place that inspires both a childlike excitement as well as romance. Yesterday, playing frisbee on the green was the greatest thing ever. From the earthy smell of fresh-cut grass, the sounds of a soccer team nearby, young couples holding hands, families, and kids playing on the jungle gyms, it's a great example of why Toronto works as a city. Everyone just gets along when it's time to play.There are so many gorgeous nooks, endless trails, 2 lakes, hills, museums, and even cafes! There are both plentiful open areas as well as thick foliage, and of course manicured gardens, each with a spectacular view, to boot. Total endorphin rush! read more

As a photographer, it's my dream park. Its so big that I could shoot everyone I know in here and none of the photos would look the same. The best time to go? 8-9am you avoid all the runners who at this time are getting ready for work and moms and their young ones who are not even up yet. You get the park all to yourself. read more

High Park - Parks Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I loved my recent Sunday stroll through High Park. As a resident of Toronto/GTA I think it's a little odd that in my 29ish years, no one has thought to mention this place to me! The paths, the pond, the forest - all kind of dead and dirty from winter (which is why they have yet to receive a 5th star from me - but stay tuned for my Cherry Blossom update in a few weeks). Plenty of signage to help first timers like myself from getting too lost (when in doubt follow the crowds of people) and from what I see there are some great gardens throughout High Park just waiting to bloom! I wanted to jot "something" down on this place so I don't forget! But if you're going for Cherry Blossoms let me know as I definitely want to see this ASAP! Gotta love spring! :) read more

WHY HAVE I NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE?! I'm a born and bred Torontonian, but have somehow not ventured beyond wherever they do Shakespeare in the Park in this place. The Hubster and I came here with the dog we were watching for a nice run. First of all, the whole place is beautiful. Second of all, great variety of trails for running, including leash-free trails that are enclosed so if your dog high-tails it, you'll be able to corner him eventually. There are a ton of garbage and recycling bins everywhere, which was also very convenient and is probably why the park is so clean (see: dog sitting). It really is an oasis inside the city (well, beside the city) and I look forward to exploring it much more this summer. Though, we'll probably bike there. Parking a car is kind of a nightmare. read more

I find myself in beautiful High Park for one of two reasons: to bring my dogs to run or to use as a photo-shoot location for engaged couples. As it can be expected it is crowded on nice days. Everyone else seems to have covered the picturesque areas so I'll just write about the dog stuff. The off-leash dog park is just past the Grenadier cafe, where there is a brief two-way traffic zone. You can park along the right, and release the hounds as soon as you pass through the gate. After they get the sniff out of their system we take to the wooded trails which according to Kafrey and Six, all seem to lead down to the creek and the paved road (Spring road I think). The off-leash areas are clearly marked and you will encounter signs telling you if you are entering or leaving an off-leash area. Inevitably, there is the odd dog-less person who wandered along, didn't see the sign and is confused at to why he is getting his crotch sniffed by a pack of dogs. The dog-park part has a nice sandy surface, plenty of picnic tables for humans and a water tap that the city turns on in May. There are a couple porta-potties if you take the trail towards the allotment gardens, and lots of waste-bins for the dog-bags. After a round in the trails and a romp with new friends your dogs will actually be asking you to go home. read more

Beautiful place to take a nice troll, especially during the time of spring in the end of march and early April to view the cherry blossoms bloom read more

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I'm embarrassed to say that I had never embraced beautiful High Park until this past July. It just seemed so big, daunting and a little too far west for my tastes. Well shame on me, because the travel is worth it for this world-class patch of grass, fun and tomfoolery. If you don't know this beast it's easy to get lost. Dog paths, paddle boats, zoos and giant uninterrupted green spaces. Perfect for drinking old grape juice with friends, but make sure one of you knows the park... otherwise it will take you years (and tears) to find each other. No amount of Google map pin drops or texted tree photos will help you. read more

Once again we are faced with a challenge of reviewing something on Yelp that's other than a service establishment. Once again I will attempt to write a valuable review for you, the random reader, who for some reason is interested in reading other yelpers' thoughts on a park. Let me attempt this from a user's functional perspective. For runners, joggers and lazy runners, ahem, 'power walkers', the High Park has a network of several off-road trails that crisscross through the woods and connect to various asphalted roads in the park. I really like running in this park - there's a lake, sufficient number of hills, patches of thick forest and urban trails - in short the kind of entertainment and variety that long distance runners are constantly looking for. For cyclists, again, the park has a number of options from paved roads to mountain biking hills. For families, picnickers, pet owners, the amount of open space is plenty although it can get quite busy on a sunny summer holiday. Truly, yours to discover. The park comes with its share of urban ugliness - large parking lots, unnecessarily wide paved streets, junk food restaurant, etc. There's an amphitheatre that runs 'Shakespeare in the Park' during summer months and performances are packed. In summary, although nowhere as great or varied as NYC's Central Park, our little High Park has tons to offer for entertainment, relaxation and a break from the usual urban chaos. Enjoy your visit! read more

So much to do for a peaceful and enjoyable day! Picnic, zoo, restaurant, cherry blossom in the spring, colbourne lodge etc.

High Park holds many memories for me, especially childhood ones because I use to run races here all the time. If you're doing the Spring Run Off 8 km, be prepared to sweat. It's a good race. You will need a very, very long bath afterwards! VIBE High Park is huge and has lots of hills. This is not a place to be wearing your Manolo Blahniks. Spring Road is the killer road. At the Spring Run off, this straight up hill is the last kilometer. You will need all of those people cheering you on to get you up that hill. Or play Elastic Band's "Running Up that HIll" on your ipod. THE GOODS A zoo, awesome trails, cherry blossoms in the spring, fall foilage in the fall, a nice little duck pond and a cute coffee shop nearby, this is the park with the goods. Oh and how could I forget about Grenadier Pond? It's a lovely walk. There's tons of tennis courts and I think a swimming pool too. OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK No need to get "high" off this park. It's all natural! read more

Beautiful park in the city. Lots of trails, gardens, scenic areas, play in the park in summer, play areas for kids, tennis courts, outdoor swimming, and of course, the zoo!! read more

- makes you feel like you've left the city - perfect for a picnic, sports, enjoying the sun - there is no reason why you wouldn't love high park - also, it's got a strip in the southwest end where cherry blossom trees are just gorgeous for about a week in the may time frame (this year was about a month early). - come here during this time to see it snow pink. and a crapload of japanese folks. read more

THERE ARE LLAMAS IN THE PARK. Three of the stars are just for them. The rest of the stars are for the cherry blossoms (such a great site for a picnic!), the Japanese garden (you can have a picnic here too!), the Shakespeare productions (picnic!), the lake (picnic!), and the running trails (don't eat and run, gross). read more

Spring hot spot if you want to see Sakura pink or white The park is large and you can drive inside the park actually read more

High Park - Parks Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

*4.5 stars* Finally made my way to High Park this past week and loved it. I didn't have a plan of which trail/path so my friend and I just roamed around. It's a lot larger & has a more variety than I expected (was just expecting paths & grass). There are paved and non-paved paths through forested areas, by the lake, manicured gardens, a small zoo (with peacocks, bison, yaks, emus) etc. Loved it and had a great time. It may be best to come without an exact path you want to take since the one map we came across didn't even have a "you are here" marker. read more

I love this park for exercise and just relaxing in general. I always thought of Toronto as the "city" with lack of green space, but High Park defies all odds as it has plenty of that and very large. They have some great areas to walk around, can see the cherry blossoms (as many have mentioned) and a little zoo as well. While there's plenty of people, I still find it serene enough to relax and read a book or do some self reflection. Overall, I think it's a great park, but the only reason it loses a star is because I tend to get lost a lot. :-( read more

High Park is fantastic because there is just so much to do! There is a Zoo, a splash pad, backwoods trail hiking, tennis, dog park, biking trails, and Colbourne Lodge historic house and gardens, to name a few. I've even seen people fishing here (*not sure if this is legal*). You feel as though you are a million miles away from downtown Toronto, which is just soooo necessary sometimes. Its a wonderful part of living in TO! read more

Beautiful park right in the middle of Toronto a sort of central park for this city. The park is usually quite full of people and majority of paths are paved. There is a free mini zoo of sorts as well with a rudimentary yet entertaining stable of animals such as lamas, foxes, rabbits and the like. Although it's heavily urbanized and frequented by many locals it's still a delightful green area to walk through on your way down to the shore. read more

Nice big park .. was a bit afraid to wander for fear of getting lost and I mean, it could well happen but honestly if you keep your wits about you, it's not bad at all! Was hard to walk certain areas as the trails were so slushy from the snow and was just too muddy.. will be great in the summer I'm sure! Didn't see many off leash signs, even though it said you can take the dogs off the leash in designated areas only. Plenty of room though and nice and specious, zoo is pretty cool too and is free to walk up through, runs up either side of road up to main road to go on further around the park or onto the main road to lakeshore! Fries truck and cotton candy stands there also if feeling peckish! read more

We round the corner and find ourselves in the heart of Japan. For a few days in the spring, the cherry blossoms bloom and the crowds flock to high park to take in the canopy of 2000 trees and their beautiful white flowers. A DJ plays ambient music. People tripping out on acid dance. Dogs try have sex with each other. All is well in the universe. One of the city's secret treats. But it only lasts for a few short days.... The rest of the year overwhelming freeway noise, sketchbag homeless people and the pond's mysterious quicksand make sure that we don't forget that there's an awful lot of "urban" in this urban park read more

SO WORTH THE DRIVE! I spent 5 hours here! We had a picnic and walk around the park! It is so big you can't do it all in one day! I took my Maltese to the off leash dog park and OMG it's huge !! There is a water station with bowls for the dogs to drink from or shower! So many big playful dogs running around! I will be going back to check out the zoo! read more

Went here on the weekend with friends, two kids and a dog. We all had a blast. The cherry blossoms were blooming and the weather was perfect for a day out. It was crowded, but it didn't bother us at all. We packed a picnic and a blanket and were in our own little space. The park is so big that you can just find any spot, sit down and proclaim it your own. The playground is an amazing area with a castle as the focus point. This area was nuts as there were kids running around every which way so you do need to keep your eye out on your little one. A very thoughtful detail was that there is a fenced off section just for toddlers. The zoo is also such a nice feature. The kids enjoyed seeing all the animals. It was also nice that I could bring my dog to all the areas of the park (leashed of course.) We didn't have enough time on this visit, but I would love to bring her to the off-leash park the next time we come. Tips: 1) If you can't find a spot in the parking lot, try parking on the side streets outside. 2) Make sure you have tissues to bring to the washroom. 3) Go early to avoid massive line ups to pretty much everything. We were there from 2-6 and there were line ups for the washrooms, ice cream truck, hot dog stand etc... 4) Bring your own food and a blanket so you have something to eat and a place to relax! read more

Possibly my favourite place in this vast city of ours! First of all, the best place to picnic. So much green, so many great spots! High Park is HUGE, and there's tons of waterfront picnic space as well as wooded or fielded areas. Second of all, the best place to see outdoor theatre. CanStage's The Dream in High Park is the granddaddy of outdoor Shakespeare in Toronto. Open from about Canada Day to about Labour Day each summer, the show is pay-what-you-can (though they "suggest" a specific donation) and happens each night (except Mondays) at 8 p.m. This year (2009), they are featuring The Tempest. Third of all, this is Malik's favourite dog park! The main off-leash area is actually right beside the Dream site. There are always lots of dogs, and you get to know the other dog owners and dogs very quickly. It's a great community to be part of. It's easy to get to, whether you're driving or TTCing it. There is a "High Park" station on the Bloor line, and there are two entrances for motorists (one off of Parkside Drive, one off of Bloor Street). It's a great place to be active too - walking/jogging/hiking/rollerblading/cycling trails, tennis courts, outdoor pool, etc. Also: watch out - the speed limit is 20km/h and I have been caught speeding there before. (My, my, my, 11km over the speed limit...) Still, be careful! It's for a good reason - there are tons of kids and dogs here all the time, and all the cyclists and joggers are not the best at making sure to wear reflective gear. read more

When I lived in Toronto, High Park was always a destination to come with the kids. Sports, picnics, hiking/trail walking, cherry blossoms, the zoo, monuments, the train, geocaching, the children's playground, Colborne Lodge, the cafe, and Shakespeare. So many things to do in such a large urban park. The only difficulty is finding parking...so don't come in mid afternoon on a weekend. I love this place. read more

The park trail is good (I guess from late spring to mid fall) and if you will completely walk it through (from north to south or vice versa) well ofcourse without a doubt it's tiring but it well be a good way to unwind your thoughts. Along the park trail you can also do fishing or just lay around reading your favorite book or listening to the wildlife tune. Well Its also family friendly place. A good place to held a barbecue with and play around the park. Their is also a summer camp held here for kids. Certainly this park is one of the great parks around Toronto. read more

High Park is a fantastic park in the middle of Toronto. I've been here a couple of times so far, mostly for a walk and some geocaching, and I've really enjoyed my time. It has plenty of amenities, from baseball fields to hiking trails, and a snack bar. There's a shuttle that goes around the park if needed, although both times I've been there it hasn't yet been running. I really enjoyed the contrasts between the wilder areas and the more civilized ones. This park is pretty gigantic, so there are many reasons to make return visits. read more

I love High Park. It should have the best dog park in the city , unfortunately many of the dog owners destroy the fence. This is a real problem for dog training and for coyotes. People also let their dogs go into the dog on leash areas without a leash. Again this is a big problem. The city has set up a great set of pads for the dogs to enjoy and off-leash run. My dog loves this. Unfortunately we have to deal with many of the dog owners who have no respect for the boundaries. This results in many headaches. read more

High Park - Winter sunrise in High Park. - Parks Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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My first visit here and it sure as hell will not be my last. This place was incredible. I went on a Sunday around 1:30pm but planned to get there earlier because I was afraid of parking issues. As expected on a sunny Sunday, this place was packed. However, I got there and went to park and I maybe waited 3 minutes and found a parking spot. It was beautiful and I can't wait until it gets much nicer out. My girlfriend and I are trying to get fit so we wanted a place to run and this looks like a great place. The zoo was nice too. I guess they may be closing soon? Donate and help save the zoo here! read more

I went over to High Park this past week to have breakfast, and then spent some time wandering around the park itself, always an enjoyable time. I have reviewed separately the restaurant under the Grenadier Café page (4-stars because of the nostalgic atmosphere), and the small zoo under the High Park Zoo page (3-stars as I was not impressed previously, although it has recently been looking better). This park is excellent!! Being so large, it probably has everything you would want within about a 20min walk. There are a variety of sports fields at the north end, at least 3 playgrounds in different parts of the park, and many picnic areas spread throughout. There is an ice skating rink in the winter, and outdoor swimming in the summer. There is also a large off-leash area for dogs in the center of the park. At the south end of the park is Colborne Lodge museum, the 19th-century home of architect John Howard who donated his land to build High Park. I believe it caters to a lot of school trips, but is also open to the public most afternoons. And there is a 'trackless train' that tours the park on a limited schedule. Sadly, I have never managed to be there when it is operating, so still at least one new thing for me to experience. Most of the west-side of the park is Grenadier Pond, very large for a pond. It features a lot of different plants and wildlife, with numerous information signs along the shore, and allows fishing at the lower end. There are also a few other smaller ponds on the east side. Except for the sports and garden areas of the park, much of it consists of large sections of forests, great for just quietly walking along the various trails. A few sections are cordoned off for protection or regrowth projects. Much of the garden space is south of the restaurant going down the hillside, and culminates in a huge maple leaf design. The park also features a lot of Japanese cherry trees that bloom in white during the spring. Altogether a very strong recommendation based on my many enjoyable visits. Whether I want a quiet exploration walk or to get some exercise or to get together with a group of people, the park suits me well. read more

Excellent park!! The Castle playground is a MUST if you have kids. The zoo is a short walk from there and you can pick up some cool treats from the ice cream truck on your way. Cherry Blossom festival is a always beautiful and many other areas to explore. read more

Pros: - Variety of areas (lawns, picnic areas, trails, water features, playgrounds etc) - Great for families, couples, groups, solo wanderers of all kinds. - Despite some busier areas, there are parts of the park where you can go and really get a nice little nature break from downtown, and immerse yourself in it in ways you can't really in other parks or on the Islands. - Not event-heavy, but there are some cool things that happen here throughout the year - Photogenic! - Lots of strange little nooks to find stuff like carved tree trunks and old tombs (this is sort of why I don't mind getting lost there on occasion). Cons: - Wayfinding is sub-par. Yes there are maps here and there, but not nearly enough, and signage throughout the park is poor at best. It's a big park, and it's easy to lose your way. - Rubbish selection of refreshments/eateries. I know you don't want to have building/stand overkill, but what is on offer there is horrid. - The 'zoo' is a sad sight. - There could be a couple more washrooms about the place. Overall, it's a lovely and pretty dense green space worth it to visit semi-regularly even if you don't live in the area, considering it's so easy to get to by streetcar and subway (the mid-to-upper areas, anyhow). If I can get there at least once a season, i'll be happy! read more

In terms of a park this place is probably as good as it gets. There's an outdoor pool, acres of grass, picnic tables, shady trees, beautiful trees and plants, a few hot dog vendors here and there, ice cream trucks, a restaurant, and a zoo! This place get super busy during cherry blossom season and summer! Lots of people bike, jog and just relax here. Give this place a go (coming from someone who hates the great outdoors) read more

Hard to find stuff and very very busy but otherwise this place is MASSIVE. You could spend all day here and still not be able to explore everything. Although we are not supporters of wild animals in captivity, we popped by the "zoo" since it was free. Baby girl went bonkers over the huge yak! The animals appear well enough especially compared to some of the horrible places I have seen growing up! We didn't really know what we were doing so ended up driving through the entire park twice. We saw a playground and pool but could not see where the splash pad/wading pool was. I don't know if there are maps of this place but they are necessary!! read more

Pretty good. Last time I went the pool was out of service because of a break in. Hopefully it's back operating now. It's good to keep in mind that the zoo interactive petting/feeding time is 11-3pm on weekends. read more