on my way to st lawrence market, i decided to make a little detour to sugar beach, and honestly, it…read morefelt like stepping into a quieter little corner of toronto. sugar beach was beautiful and incredibly relaxing. the coarse, gritty sand stretched along part of the water, with lake ontario opening up in front of me. there was something wonderfully inviting and peaceful about standing there with a warm summer breeze rolling in, the water shimmering in the distance and the city somehow feeling a little farther away. this whimsical little urban beach opened in 2010 as part of toronto's waterfront revitalization, transforming what had once been a surface parking lot in a former industrial area into a public space right on the lake. it sits beside the redpath sugar factory, which is where the "sugar" in sugar beach comes from. the beach may look inviting, but there's one small catch: you can't actually swim here. still, it's a lovely place to slow down, settle into a muskoka chair, relax and take in the scenery. the weeping willows swayed softly in the breeze, their branches moving almost like they were keeping time with the water. birds were everywhere, and not just one or two familiar faces. all kinds were wandering along the shoreline and flying overhead, while out on the lake, boats of all shapes and sizes drifted by, adding little moving pieces to the scene. and then there were those tall pink structures hovering over white muskoka chairs, like oversized umbrellas. there was something wonderfully toronto about sitting beside lake ontario while boats moved across the horizon and the city quietly carried on behind me. and with a name like sugar beach, i have to admit, i was kinda hoping for something a little sweeter. perhaps a street lined with bakeries, mochi donuts, gelato shops and enough desserts to put me into a full blown sugar high. sadly, no dessert district materialized. business opportunity? perhaps. still, sugar beach doesn't really need much else. it's clean, peaceful, scenic and a lovely little escape from the bustle of downtown. sometimes the best detours are the ones that give you nowhere particular to be for a few minutes.

So the walk up to the beach was amazing - the lined up trees and the sunset were absolutely…read morebeautiful. But the actual sugar beach was a little bit of a let down since it's just a little area with sand and some umbrellas like a fake beach. I don't really know what I was expecting but it was kind of comedic when we got to it at the end of the walkway.

Love taking a stroll through the trail along waters edge. There are so many things to discover…read morealong the way. The views are spectacular of the city line. There is street parking as well as Green P. Usually on a nice day, the area is very busy so parking is hard to find. A handful of restaurants, food trucks one cafe, Tim Hortons closely around. There are a few benches but mostly people will sit on the rocks or ground.

one of the better parks in Toronto and I dare anyone to tell me a better view of the skyline…read more(Toronto islands doesn't count). a really good section of lake Ontario that is separate from the east and the west park at the foot of some condos. home to the famous driftwood Toronto sign (rest in peace) and the tanning man driftwood piece (rest in peace) this small park is really quiet from a noise standpoint and from a traffic standpoint. a really good place to capture sunrise's in the Toronto, bonus dramatic points if you can get some clouds or scattered clouds around the area. also a great place to do yoga or some meditation. parking is available on the streets and in the pay parking lot. transit options are the 501 queen bus/streetcar and the 66B bus.

One of the best beaches in the city, It's huge, it's clean,…read morethere are alot of things you can do You can always find parking space, There are some food options on premises, Always nicely patrolled and security/police are everywhere It's the Beach to go to!

Not bad for Toronto beach. Water is a bit dirty sometimes, cold, also crap ton of rocks that will…read moremake you say ouch as you are going into the water. A lot of people comes here, usually a huge crowd. A fight usually breaks out. Anyways, it's a lot of fun if you go bunch of people. Best Toronto has to offer

great point to start with the islands, however this "leg" of the island is only serviced by the…read moreferry during the summer months. the beaches are very much hit or miss, some of the more quiet beaches have alot of debris, as they are not maintained. as well as the main gas/eletrical lines is floating in one section of the beach on this side. the nude beach is a cool option, if you're into that. fall is a really good time to see this section of the island, but you have to walk from wards ferry drop off, and its a bit of a walk, and then you have to walk back. bring a camera, and comfy shoes

This used to be a nice clothing optional beach but like everything else they do foreigners have…read moreruined it. They come in droves to the beach fully clothed (long pants in 80 degree weather) and just gawk at the nudists. Totally disgusting but not surprising behavior.

If you want to venture to the Toronto islands but want a less busy less little kid experience than…read morecentre island offers, try wards island! Ferry ride was lovely and when we got here, tried the restaurant and coffee shop. Outdoor seating in the shade was a hit! Got to beach a little bit afterward and the water was so relaxing.

All city go-ers love travelling via ferry or water taxi across the city to the Island for a breath…read moreof fresh air. Ward's is great for kids and group gatherings as it's basically a huge open playground: plenty of park space, playgrounds,beach, coffee shops, restaurants, cafes. If you want to rent bikes you'll have to go to the main part of the island, Centre Island, but it is easy to get across the whole island once you do. Ward's for me is much more enjoyable as it's less crowded and still has all the amenities.

Nice waterfront area to walk through. Be ware it can be quite a bit of walking if you're on foot…read more Some nice shady spots to sit and rest/picnic.

HTO Park is the usual route I take while I'm jogging in the Summer…read more In addition to being a lakeside park, the park has immaculate views of the Billy Bishop Airport. If anyone is in the area, they should visit the park near sunset time as the view is to die for! The sky turns red and you get the perfect view of the sun going down.

I grew up in the Beaches. I already have an issue with the name of this listing well before I begin…read moremy review. The Beaches is what I'll always call my old neighbourhood. I grew up here until I graduated from high school and moved to Markham for my first stint of two. I have always known the Beaches to have more than one beach. This listing narrows it down to the area between Silver Birch and Lee Avenues. In this span, there are two beaches: Kew and Balmy. You still see these references scattered around the area. I went to Kew Beach Junior Public School. I walked past Balmy Beach Community School that was close to my high school. Balmy Beach Canoe Club has been there for at least a century. The name change to the Beach is still controversial. Sure, hyphenate Kew and Balmy, and you get a single beach. Um, no. For those who decided to focus on this ridiculous nonsense, how about focusing on something far more meaningful in the Beaches, like trying to solve the high volume of car accidents at Woodbine and Queen? How about dealing with the empty stores, including Ends, that used to be Tony's Variety, which still stands vacant after nearly two decades? I'm done letting off some steam. Now, back to business. I grew up a five-minute walk from the boardwalk and Lake Ontario. I grew up playing with the sand with my littlenpail and shovel set. I have walked countless times along the boardwalk. I did so to see the Victoria Day fireworks from the foot of Leuty Avenue (best view). I still remember walking with my friends as teenagers one summer and annoying people by blasting Bob Marley's "Get Up Stand Up" from my dinky Radio Shack pocket radio. I was recently back in my old neighbourhood. I took a chance to see if I could find a parking spot at around 4 pm on a warm Saturday. I ended up parking on Silver Birch Avenue. It's east of where I lived, but I wanted a change of pace. IYou can get away with street parking during the day. It does get busy, though. At night, you do need a parking permit to avoid a fine. I grew up seeing my dad renew and stick a new parking permit on his windshield. I also was forced to parallel-park the family car, which has served me well as an adult. Coming down to admire the sand, water, and boardwalk feels like home. There was a bench with a dedication plaque that I sat on, taking in the sun and breeze. I was sucking back a shake, and watching people cycle, walk, and jog along the path parallel to the boardwalk. Over the years, the boardwalk has gone through some restorative improvements. The wooden boards are in much better shape with no sign of rotting or feeling like you're about to fall through the cracks. Yay! It's a well-established neighbourhood. You get to enjoy the tall trees that have been there for decades and admiring how beautiful the surroundings are. It does look nicer these days. There are more receptacles for garbage and recycling. The Leuty Lifesaving Station, affectionately known as the Leuty, still endures. The water fountains have been upgraded. It's a cheerful, inviting place to hang out. It was nice soaking up everything while I was there. I managed to see an ice cream truck. The cheesy music signalling its arrival still reminds me of growing up here and wanting a treat. Some things never change. I should visit more often. I am glad that I did a couple of Saturdays ago. (179)

I loved this beach! Sand was nice and soft too!…read more I can't believe I haven't discovered this beach before, but I will definitely visit again!

Great place for a picnic. Relatively less explode and so not that busy. We went on a Monday of a…read morelong weekend and there were very few people on the beach. There aren't any equipment or any apparatus on the beach itself, so you can just lay the carpet And relax. There are kayak rentals at some distance. There are public restrooms just as you enter the beach from the parking. The parking is free and there are decent number of spots, so there are a good chance that you will find one. Definitely recommend.

Located downtown, this mid sized beach is a great place to drop by if you're in need for some sand…read moreand water. It does get quite busy on the weekends so go early to snag both a parking spot and a spot on the beach. If you can, transit may be a better option. Enjoy the sand and water!

Beautiful islands, easily reachable by ferry from downtown Toronto…read more I love coming here by the earliest ferry when the weather is nice, and leaving before the crowds hit around 10-11am. Early morning, it's quiet and peaceful and all the birds are out singing. The beaches are also empty at that time, giving you plenty of breathing room to just sit and admire the beautiful waves and water. You could dip your toes too, but Lake Ontario is not that warm, heh. The sand dunes have eroded in recent months due to high water levels, but conservation efforts are taking place. And I know cormorants get a lot of hate, but they are magnificent birds. Watching them fish, and take off from the water is quite a sight. Please don't let this gem be ruined by the province's plan for a bigger airport. Protect our nature, appreciate it while we can, and leave it for future generations...

A must visit during the summer. Ferry is affordable. Amazing view. Plenty of activities. Beach is…read moreamazing. Something for everyone. I strongly recommend renting one of those Quad bikes.