Exploring Toronto’s Beaches: 11 Stunning Locations

Toronto is a very popular tourist destination for tourists coming to Canada. Be it the museums, art galleries, markets, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, or the natural surroundings, including trails, hikes, parks, and beaches.

Here we have highlighted some of the best beaches in Toronto where you would love to spend your day or evening with your near and dear ones. Toronto’s beaches are easily accessible, with lots of space and widespread patches of sand.

Top 11 Beaches in Toronto 

“Walking on the soft sand,

with each other’s hand in hand,

viewing the horizon passing through the sea,

and the roaring waves that make you glee.”

Isn’t this a dream for most of us to be in such a lovely spot, relaxing with our partner and enjoying some fancy moments!!!

If you are in Toronto, you must not miss these awesome Toronto beaches to make your trip more memorable. Here are the details of the best beaches in Toronto. Have a look:

1. Centre Island Beach

Central Island Beach is also known as “Manitou beach.” It is located by the pier on the eastern shores of Toronto Island, facing Lake Ontario.

Highlights

Centre Island beach is one of the best beaches that gets packed in summer. It is the busiest among all four beaches on Central Island. You only need a 15-minute ferry ride from downtown to reach the beach.

There is a rock wall that keeps the larger waves out, so the sea water here is quite calm and warm. It is an ideal spot for visitors to swim, sunbathe, relax, picnic, and enjoy its beautiful scenic beauty. Go swimming only if you are a good swimmer. Else it would help if you went only when there were lifeguards on their duty.

It is also the most family-friendly beach that features several nearby activities, like a kitschy amusement park, waterpark, and an outdoor maze. You will also spot a set of swings right on the sand where kids and adults enjoy swinging with a waterfront view.

This blue flag beach has extra changing rooms, lockers, and washrooms next to the pier. Several snacks and fast-food options are also available there. You can also have craft beer and BBQ from Toronto Island BBQ & Beer CO. and other refreshments from Beaver Tails. 

2. Cherry Beach

Cherry beach is a lakeside beach park. It is located at the foot of Cherry Street just south of Unwin Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Highlights

Cherry beach is a perfect spot for swimming as the water is warmer there due to the shallow water compared to other beaches. You must bring your water shoes as there are rocks all around.

You can have fun while paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing, or sitting and reflecting. This is also a perfect place for watching surfers and kiteboarders in action. You can also bring your dogs, and there is a special dog park where your dog can also enjoy it.

The beach has lots of attractions for visitors. You would love the music festival that occurs every weekend in summer. Several dance parties are also held there with lots of music. Thus, it is also known as Toronto’s Dance Beach.

The cherry beach provides a huge, fenced space, perfect for long walks. If you are willing to spend some calm moments, quiet time, and escape from city life, this could be the perfect option.

3. Woodbine Beach

Woodbine beach is located along Lake Shore Boulevard at the foot of Woodbine Avenue, just nearby Ashbridge’s Bay.

Highlights

Woodbine beach is the largest beach among the four “The Beaches” beaches in Toronto. Not only this, you will spot an outdoor pool facilitated with showers, changing rooms, and a water bottle filling station. There is a playground, a long boardwalk, and several volleyball nets for the visitors to enjoy.

This human-made attraction attracts tourists and locals who love to spend hours people-watching or making sandcastles in its widespread rocky sand under the sun.

This is also a Blue Flag that meets all water quality and safety requirements. The beach gets packed mostly in summer, and the parking lots also get filled on special days like Victoria Day or Canada Day. You can safely enjoy a picnic with your family here.

4. Hanlan’s Point Beach

Hanlan’s Point Beach, is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario at Hanlan’s Point in Toronto.

Highlights

Board a ferry and reach the beach on the western shores of Toronto’s islands which is not so crowded. This wonderful beach provides several amenities, including firepits, a baseball diamond, and a lighthouse. Besides these, there are bathrooms, changing rooms, lockers, and bike rentals.

You will spot colourful chairs around the beach to sit, and people will have to enjoy swimming and sunbathing for long hours there. The beach’s backside is covered with beautiful sand dunes, trees, and greenery, making it the greenest area on the island. Also, it is the perfect spot to experience the sunset view.

The one-kilo-meter area of this beach has been officially recognized as being clothing-optional.

5. Kew Balmy Beach

Kew Balmy Beach is a beautiful beach situated in Toronto, ON M4L 1B8, Canada.

Highlights

It is a long beach with a boardwalk. The sand is not so smooth as it contains small pebbles. The area around the shores and water is a little rocky.

Once on the beach, you would get overwhelmed by the mesmerizing views of the lake, sky, and water.

Located within walking distance from Woodbine beach, this beach is less crowded and perfect for swimming. Though it is not so popular, you can visit this beach and enjoy a peaceful and relaxing time there.

It would help if you visited the Kew gardens, which are close to this beach. The park hosts a bowling club, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, an old bandstand, and a drinking fountain.

There is a shop at a short distance named the Beaches N Cream that offers delicious hotdogs and ice creams.

6. Sunnyside Beach

Sunnyside Beach is situated at the west end of Toronto.

Highlights

This beach is undoubtedly the perfect spot for tourists to enjoy sunbathing, going on a walk, playing games like volleyball, jogging, cycling, reading, relaxing, and much more. You can hire a kayak also if you are interested in kayaking. It is not a perfect place for swimming.

The Sunnyside Park along the beach is great fun to visit. Equipped with benches and tables, the beach and the park invite you to spend your vacations more chillingly and pleasantly.

This beach is also not so overcrowded; you can easily relax for a long time on the beach or click some amazing photographs.

7. Sugar Beach

One of the most popular beaches is Sugar beach, located across the Redpath Sugary Refinery in East Toronto.

Highlights

Catch the beautiful vibes of Sugar beach while spending a sunny day there. The beach gives you several options to have a memorable trip. It has three distinct features – the urban beach, a plaza space, and a tree-lined promenade.

You will find several beautiful pink and peach-coloured umbrellas and many white wooden chairs all over the beach where you can sit and relax.

This small and wonderful beach often gets packed in the summer months. It also gets busier on festive days or holidays. You can enjoy vast-spread sandy shores or the splash pad nearby, but this beach is not worth swimming on due to no access to water. You would love to play in the sand or watch the boats on the lake.

Sugar beach provides enough space for public events and awesome scenic views.

8. Ward’s Island Beach

Ward’s Island Beach is another popular beach in Toronto, Canada, just a 15-minute distance from Downtown Toronto.

Highlights

Ward’s Island Beach is the best option if you want to escape the busy city life and crowd. Being quiet, calm, and small, this beach gives you all enjoyment and pleasure.

Plenty of chairs are available on the shore for you to sit and relax. It gets a little busier during summertime.

One of the best things about the beach is that it is very close to some of the best patios, where you can eat and drink several delicious items. You can also opt for a family-run cafe which is just across the way from the beach.

It is a blue flag beach and perfect for swimming. Lifeguards are available in their duty spots. Enjoy the green and blue water there with your family and kids. The beach also provides other amenities, including swings, picnic areas, a water park, amusement rides, washrooms, bike rentals, and much more.

Undoubtedly, Ward’s Island Beach is one of the best beaches, with a curvy shoreline.

9. Gibraltar Point Beach

Gibraltar Point Beach is situated between Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point in Toronto.

Highlights

The remains of Gibraltar beach dunes have now turned into the beautiful sandy shores of Gibraltar Point Beach. If you want to enjoy nature and experience its serenity, you must visit this beach at least once in your life. The beautiful blue water and the perfect scenic surroundings make it an amazing tourist destination.

The beach is easily accessible by ferry to Central Island as it is hardly a one-minute walking distance from Central Island beach. Several walking trails connect to the different areas of the Toronto islands.

The sand is so soft that you would love to lie on it for hours. You can stop here for birdwatching. You will also spot many shady trees and fauna along the beach. Spot several stunning views of Lake Ontario and nearby areas.

10. Marie Curtis Park Beach

Marie Curtis Park Beach is situated on the east bank of Etobicoke Creek in Toronto.

Highlights

It is a beautiful beach with lots of greenery and lovely where you would love to soak up under the sun. It is not a much longer stretch of sand, but visitors love it for its calm and peaceful atmosphere.

It is a family-friendly beach with a kids’ playground, picnic spots, and beautiful walking trails. People visiting here enjoy hiking, swimming, fishing, and boating.

This beach is less crowded and gives you enough space to relax in its peaceful surroundings. There is a small area from where you can buy some refreshments, or you can carry your lunch and snacks.

11. Rouge Beach

Rouge Beach is situated at the meeting point of Rouge River and Lake Ontario in Scarborough.

Highlights

The beach offers several activities like swimming, hiking, sunbathing, walking along trails, kayaking, and canoeing. You will find wetlands, marshes, trails, amazing wildlife, and a pedestrian bridge in one destination. 

This is a small and beautiful beach with a lesser crowd. You will spot several wild birds and aquatic species in the beach area, like fish, swans, and wild herons. The beach is also one of the best fishing spots in Toronto, but you need a license to fish there.

Enjoy your visit to this beach cum natural park on a warm day, and make your trip to Toronto more exciting.

Key Takeaways

Above we elaborated on the top beaches in Toronto that you must visit. Experience the natural vibes, scenic beauty, beautiful sunsets, sandy shores, and several waterfront activities on these beaches. You must not skip these Toronto beaches if you plan to visit Toronto. They are ready to welcome you, and it’s your turn to explore them.

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FAQs

Does Toronto have nice beaches?

Ans. Yes. Toronto has some of the best beaches in Ontario. The beaches are easily accessible and are a perfect destination for a day out with your friends and family. 

Name some cleanest beaches in Toronto.

Ans. Some of the cleanest beaches in Toronto are:

• Bluffer’s Park Beach.
• Centre Island Beach.
• Cherry Beach.
• Gibraltar Point Beach.

Are Toronto beaches cold?

Ans. Yes, Toronto beaches are very cold. At times, it is very uncomfortable to swim on these cold beaches.