I Love Toronto
“Please follow Ontario’s Covid-19 restrictions when you are out exploring the city. A little insight tips go exploring with the family on rainy and cloudy days.” Kari updated May.2020.
Despite Toronto being the 5th largest city in North America, it has plenty of wonderful family friendly outdoor areas to explore and many hidden gems. They are there for you to discover; you might even find your own special gem in the city. Touring the city via bike is even more special and many of the destinations we suggest are great places to bike to.
We love swimming in the city.
Here are our favorite places in the city to explore in the summer as a family
Toronto’s beaches: Despite what many Torontonians might tell you, it is safe to swim in Lake Ontario. You are not going to lose an arm (-:
9 Toronto Beaches have the international blue flag approval. In the summer time, the city of Toronto tests the water every day. This internationally recognized program awards blue flags to communities committed to maintaining high standards of water quality.
Check out the beaches here
Our favorite beaches in Toronto are: Wards Island (part of Toronto Island) and Cherry Beach. Our favorite hangout is by the beach, “The Beach” in Toronto.
Toronto has many outdoor pools and the best part is they are free. Check them out here.
Paddleboarding & Kayaks
If you are lucky and own a watercraft you have many options to enjoy the water in Toronto. In the summer you are able to rent paddleboards, kayaks or canoes in varies places around the city. Some rental companies you have to call and book equipment in advance.
At The Beach by the Tennis courts you can rent paddleboards and kayaks without any advance bookings. Please check current Covid-19 updates.
Places to explore the water in Toronto
Woodbine Beach
Cherry Beach
Toronto Islands
Humber River
Sunnyside Beach
Beaches/Ashbridges Bay
Scarbough Bluffs
Rouge River
We love to explore the city by bike and by foot
Biking Trails in Toronto
Leslie Spit and Cherry Beach: Leslie Spit and Cherry Beach: Explore wilderness in the heart of the city. Both are great for bird watching, biking and hiking. We also enjoy the biking to Cherry Beach, so we can combine it with a dip in the lake. Check out the website.
Bike the Don Valley: Don Valley is an urban jungle in the middle of the city and connects the city East to West and North and South. Our favorite bike trip is to the Brickworks, we have biked there many times as a family from the Beach following two different routes. You can go via the Lakeshore to Don Valley and then turn on Pottery lane to the Brickworks. The other route was through the gorgeous O’Connor ravine connecting to Don Valley and Pottery road.Check out Brickworks for more info.Our other favorite places to bike to are the Toronto Botanical Garden, Science Centre, Edward Gardens, and the Aga Khan Museum.
Taylor Creek Park:
An oasis in Toronto, it feels like you are far away from the city. Perfect for little legs new to biking, and they also have two fun bridges that kids will love to bike over.
Martin Goodman Trail:
Bike from the Beach to Humber River if you wish. No hills and you can explore beaches, skate parks, playgrounds, and urban attractions on the way. Many families enjoy exploring the beaches area by bike. Our go to urban bike ride is to downtown to the Harbourfront from the Beach.
The Beltline Trail:
We have biked parts of this trail from Mount Pleasant Cemetery to Dufferin Bridge. This part of the trail is easily accessible by public transport via Davisville subway. The bike path is secluded from traffic but at times you have to cross over the streets.
Cedarville Park: This park is located between Eglinton West and Saint Clear West and it’s easy accessible by transit. Great park for hiking and to explore nature with the kids Read more here
Toronto Island :
Is not just Centreville; you can rent a bike, canoe, visit a park or swim here. Our favorite destination in the islands is Ward Island. The beach there is small and not crowded, we love having dinner at the Rectory Restaurant. This is where the residents live.
Ashbridges’s Bay Biking path is close to the lake and you can do it as a round trip. If you look, perhaps you will find a secret beach here.
Bike the waterfront trail from Rouge Hill to Ajax.20 Km
For a few years now we have explored the waterfront trail by bike and Go train, this is a great way to do it so you don’t have to go back the same way you come from. The Rouge Hill Go station is right by the bike part follow the path West. Bike trough 2 Ice Cream Shops, 2 playgrounds, countless bridges and scenic views over Lake Ontario.
For more information check out the waterfont trail
Bike the waterfront trail from Whitby Go station and bike to Ajax Go station
Bike trough wetlands,chipmunks,mansions,two cool playgrounds,and beaches. Start by Whitby Go station and follow the waterfront trail West.
For more information check out the Waterfront trail
Hike
Hike the Toronto ravine system:
I have been fortunate to visit and hike many places around the world. However, I have never experienced something as unique as the ravine system in Toronto. It is like having an urban forest in the city. Our favorite ravines are in the midtown area; the contrast with the city life and the wilderness in the ravine is just amazing. Try to hike to the Brickworks via the ravine from the Davisville subway station. You can walk through the Mount Pleasant Cemetery and then hit Moore Ravine.Check out our city’s ravines by Toronto Fun Places
Scarborough Bluffs You can explore Scarborough Bluffs from the bottom or the top. A fun urban hike to see the Bluffs from the top, start by Roseatta Gardens and walk to the Scarborough Bluffs Park. This walk will take you through residential areas and parks.
Thomas H Thomson Nature Trail (Sunnybrook Park )
Distance 4,7 km. Access the trail by Edward Gardens Follow the paves pathway and it to Wilkett Park. A great short hike with some climbing involved.
Family Nature play areas
Please check Covid-19 updates for their update
An oasis in the city is Brickworks, with hands on activities for kids and adults. There is a pond and lots of green lands to explore. I encourage you to try walking, biking or take public transportation here.
High Park: A wonderful area to go for hiking trips, a zoo and playgrounds.
Riverdale Farm: A green park in the middle of the city with a pond and a petting zoo. Little kids will love to be here.
Allen’s Garden Conservatory: Great for rainy day. A nursery in the heart of the city,
Kew Garden’s: Park with gardens, bike path, picnic tables and some great climbing trees. Little kids will love the Kew Garden playground.
The Guild Inns Garden
A secret garden with sculptures and a great view of the lake . The Guild is a historic hotel open for public events and the garden is also open to the public.
Rouge Park is not as accessible by public transit or by bike, but it is definitely worth a visit to experience some nature in the city. However this Summer & Fall Park bus is offering a free shuttle bus from Toronto. Check out Park bus for schedule: https://www.parkbus.ca/rouge You can camp, hike, canoe, swim, fish, pick shells or catch crayfish here. Check out the park site for more info
We love to play at the playgrounds in the summer:
Explore Toronto’s playgrounds this summer. Toronto has many great parks for kids and a lot of them have water parks or a wading pools for cooling off.
Corktown Commons
This is accessible by bike via Don Valley. A fun playground with a splash pad and a wonderful wetland pond to explore.
What is your favorite playground or park in Toronto? Our choice is Dufferin Grove Park; it is a wonderful park that really shows what a community can do when they work together to make it happen. We love the adventure playground and the awesome sand pit. But most of all, we love that you can have a bon-fire and the sense of community. Make sure you try to come for dinner on Fridays. Check out Dufferin Grove Park for website details.
Not happening in 2020 because of Covid-19. Festivals :Don’t forget to explore one of Toronto’s many festivals with your kiddos. Check your local community paper or The Little Paper.
When we visit one of my husband’s coworkers in the West end, we always go to High Park. There is a castle park there that our children love to climb and explore.
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