Toronto Islands: Car-Free Beaches and City Skyline Views

The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in Lake Ontario just 10 minutes by ferry from downtown Toronto, forming a car-free oasis of beaches, parks, gardens, and lagoons that provides the city's residents with their most accessible escape from the urban core. The islands' approximately 800 acres of parkland include the main beach on Ward's Island, the amusement park at Centreville on Centre Island, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse (the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Great Lakes, built in 1808), and an extraordinary collection of small cottage communities whose residents have maintained a particular island lifestyle on the edge of Canada's largest city for generations.

The ferry crossing from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the base of Bay Street takes between 10 and 13 minutes depending on the destination island, and the approach through the harbour reveals Toronto's skyline from the water in a way that is impossible from the city itself — the CN Tower and the downtown towers reflected in the lake, the city appearing as a dramatic wall of glass and steel rising behind the green islands. The view from the island's northern shore back toward the mainland is the finest perspective on the Toronto skyline available, particularly at sunset when the towers glow above the lake. The islands are accessible year-round though ferry frequency reduces significantly in winter.

The beaches on the islands' southern Lake Ontario shore provide some of the cleanest and most accessible swimming in the city on hot summer days, though water quality testing is advisable before swimming as the beaches occasionally close after heavy rainfall. The naturist beach at Hanlan's Point on the western island is one of the few designated clothing-optional beaches in Canada and attracts a sizeable community of regulars throughout the summer. Bicycle rental at the main island dock provides the most efficient way to explore the islands' full extent, with the flat paths connecting all the main island destinations in a circuit that takes about 90 minutes at a comfortable pace. The islands' vegetarian restaurant, the Olympic Island Restaurant, and several snack bars provide sustenance throughout the visiting season.