Best Places to Hike /...
Trails
The best, the worst, and what time of day and season to go visit.
Trails
Photo Credit @lianhao_qu
Here are over 12 things to do along the way from Union Station to
Etienne Brulé Park.
Apart from seeing some of the most popular tourist attractions Toronto
has to offer (i.e. visiting the
CN Tower, Roger's centre, and maybe taking a Ferry to the
Toronto Island
), there are many less mentioned yet still notable cultural and sport
activities available to enjoy:
The Harbourfront Centre has some great workshops for children and adults alike. I've heard great reviews from parents about their camps for children and we've had some of the metal/jewellery, glass, ceramics, and textiles workshops on our radar for some time now.
Photo Credit @BetterThenBlog
A little more west and you can enjoy the Toronto Music Garden with free live shows during the summer months
Right behind the Toronto Music Garden is the Toronto Island Airport otherwise known as Billy Bishop. Enjoy watching take offs and landings while planning your next adventure — where to next?
West of the airport, you'll find the National Yacht Club with picturesque views. At certain angles you could get a picture that looks like you're in Europe.
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Follow the shoreline (left of the hike / bike lane) and you'll find Ontario Place which will soon be replaced by a spa. We enjoy the beach there. There are also nice fire-pits that can be rented for all of your grilling or heat needs.
Further west you'll find the Argonaut Rowing Club. We enjoy watching the teams practice up and down the shoreline during the summers. It might be something worthwhile trying one day.
Photo Credit: Ma Ben
Tennis courts can be found a little more west which are followed by a calisthenics gym. There's nothing like enjoying physical movement activities outdoors.
Photo Credit: Marian Brandt
After a small hill and before the outdoor pool, there's a butterfly garden along the shoreline. It's nice to see monarch butterflies visiting the flowers at the Butterfly Habitat next to the Sunnyside Beach.
The Sunnyside Pavilion and Beach Cafe are up next. Similar to an Italian villa, the pavilion hosts music parties and has a cafe with patio towards the beach. Volleyball nets and games are held there, with enough space for all to enjoy suntanning or spending time with friends and family. We enjoy playing frescobol. Similar to beach tennis, frescobol uses wooden paddles and a rubber ball.
Photo Credit @brandonwongwong
From the pavilion you can cross Lakeshore Blvd north and enjoy all of High Park's offerings.
In our article on High Park we talk about all of our favourite things to do in High Park.
If you continue west along the hike / bike path, there's another calisthenics gym. A little further west, and you'll find the Humber Bay Arch Bridge where you can take pictures.
For more great places to take Instagram worthy pictures in Toronto, Access our The Most Instgrammable Toronto Street Art Bike Tour
Past the bridge, there are plenty of beach community spots to enjoy from. One of our happy places is the Humber Bay Park West next to the Humber Bay Sailing Centre — another activity that may be worth experiencing.
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Continue on west along the waterfront to Mimico Waterfront Park. This is where you'll find clear waters so blue you'll think you're in the mediterranean ocean.
The water quality does depend on traffic and weather conditions, though.
For example, if there was a storm the night before or if there was a lot of boat traffic, the water won' be as clear.
Photo Credit @betterthenblog
Facing east on the way back to Union Station, you can go around the roundabout right before the Humber Bay Arch Bridge and continue hiking / riding north all the way up to Etienne Brulé Park. Once at the park, you'll see the Old Mill Hotel with traditional northern French architecture, also shared by the Etobicoke area houses. Activities such as the Pine Project outdoor learning for children, as well as watching the salmon run in the fall are some of our top picks. Salmon make over a meter jump against the current to lay their eggs — totally inspiring! When we saw them this fall, we were rooting for them and took a picture. We couldn't believe the salmon looked so fake in the pictures available out there, but they in fact do look like a mechanical toy fish for cats. This is a must see performance for your cat, if you have one. If your cat is busy and doesn't like to hike / bike, you can always get them a mechanical fish as a souvenir to play with at home.
Photo Credit @hanmerzh
Finally, there's plenty of space along the shoreline between all of these stops with park benches, Muskoka chairs, and some cafes. We recommend packing snacks, lunch, or even a picnic. The map below is for reference only. North of the Humber Bay Arch Bridge is isolated and we recommend hiking / riding in small groups. Some areas are not fully connected by the hike / bike trail. We suggest using a navigation tool (GPS or phone) and attaching it to your bike in an accessible manner. Use your best judgement as Toronto is under constant construction - areas can be partially or fully blocked.
What are your thoughts about the above? Let us know on TikTok or Instagram.
Related Articles:
- Downtown to Woodbine Trail
- Don Valley Bike / Hike Trail
- Best Toronto Sunset Locations
Note: the map is for reference only. Toronto is always under construction and things change. It's also a good idea to travel is small groups for safety reasons.
Photo Credit: Better Then Blog
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