Beaches Near Toronto

Bluffer's Park is one of nine parks along the Scarborough Bluffs, the scenic escarpment near Toronto, Canada. It is the only one with a beach. The park was established to make access to the base of the bluffs easier to the public, and it can be accessed from Brimley Road. The park has a wonderful sandy beach considered the most beautiful beach in Toronto. The park is snuggled at the foot of the white, towering Bluffs at the east end of Toronto and is one of those rare man-made parks that feel wild, like it has been part of the Scarborough Bluffs forever. The park has picnic areas, several lookouts, a boat launch, a visitors’ dockage, and a network of trails. The fine sand on the beach extends into the water, making it pleasant to wade in.

1 Brimley Road S, Toronto, ON M1M 1T9

Located in the middle of the three main Toronto Islands, Centre island is located between Hanlan's Point on the west and Ward's Island on the east. The Centre Island Beach is very popular in the summer as it is only 15 minutes away from downtown Toronto. It has excellent water quality and received the Blue Flag designation, an international indicator of a beach with good water quality and environmentally conscious management. The water quality is tested daily in the summer and the results are posted near the lifeguard stations. On a hot day, the clear blue water and beach make you feel like you are somewhere in the tropics, except that the sand is mixed with rocks and pebbles. The beach has lifeguards on duty in the summer, changing rooms, and lockers. No picnic tables, barbecues, or dogs are allowed.

9 Queens Quay West | Bay Street, Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2H3, Canada

Cherry Beach is a lakeside park located at the end of Cherry Street south of Unwin Avenue in Toronto on the city’s outer harbor east of the Eastern Gap. The park, which was originally called Clarke Beach Park, was connected until 1852 to Toronto Islands as part of the peninsula. It was also known as Fisherman's Island. Although it is located at the tip of Toronto's once heavily industrial Port Lands area, Cherry Beach has always been a popular gathering spot. There is no proper picnic area and no boardwalk, and a big part of the surrounding area is marshland or former factory grounds. After recent improvements, the park now has a paved entranceway, a washroom, and change rooms. Kite boarders can be often seen at the west side of the beach, and there is an off-leash dog area.

275 Unwin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N2, Canada

Cobourg Beach is a popular Toronto beach on Lake Ontario just west of Victoria Park, with water at the south and a boardwalk at the north. Almost 1,000 meters of white sandy waterfront hosts many events every year, including volleyball tournaments, a sandcastle competition, Canada Day, and many others. The beach has a mix of pebbles and sand along with an area of naturalized grass. There are lifeguards on duty in the summer, picnic tables, a canteen, washrooms, change rooms, two playgrounds, a fenced basketball court, a splash pad, and a foot bath area. The beach is groomed and cleaned daily. There is an ecology garden at the north side maintained by local residents.

138 Division St, Cobourg, ON K9A 3P3, Canada

Gibraltar Point Beach is Toronto's hidden gem snuggled between Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point. Facing out on Lake Ontario, this stretch of fine sand seems miles away from the city. The sandy beach is all that is left of the Gibraltar Beach Sand Dunes, which once lined the entire south shore of the island. The area is still classified as an Environmentally Significant Area as it provides home to some rare plant species. The beach can be accessed by taking the Centre Island Ferry. Once you arrive, follow signs to Centre Beach and head west. Smaller Hanlan's Point Ferry will also take you there, allowing you to avoid the throngs of tourists. On the way to the beach, stop by Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, which is said to be haunted. Gibraltar is a Blue Flag beach.

425 Lakeshore Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hanlan's Point Beach is a long public beach located on Hanlan's Point in the Toronto Islands on the shore of Lake Ontario. Hanlan's Point Beach is famous for being one of the two official nude beaches in Canada. It is also known as a beach for people looking for a fun, party beach atmosphere not far from downtown Toronto. The beach can be accessed by taking the ferry or a water taxi to Hanlan's Point drop off. From there you can walk or bike. The south end of the beach is clothing optional. The north side, towards the airport, is a regular beach where clothing is required. The beach is also known for great water quality, wonderful sunsets, spectacular views of the city, shallow water, and a nice snack bar near the beach. Hanlan’s beach dunes create a secluded atmosphere and keep the beach safe from erosion, which is the big problem in the area. Do your part and stay on the path and do not walk through the bushes.

Lakeshore Ave, Toronto, ON M5J 2W2, Canada

Kelso Conservation Area is a 3.97 square kilometer park located near Milton, Ontario. It is owned and operated by Conservation Halton. This park includes Lake Kelso, which was built by damming Sixteen Mile Creek for flood control. It has a lovely sandy beach great for swimming in the summer. The beach has lifeguards on duty during the season, a boardwalk, a food concession, and the Boat Rental shop where visitors can rent kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and paddle boats.

The park also has 20 campsites, picnic sites, and two camping/picnic sites. Glen Eden Ski & Snowboard Centre is also part of the park and in the winter offers equipment for downhill skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. The park also includes the Halton Region Museum and a network of hiking and mountain biking trails.

5234 Kelso Rd, Milton, ON L9E 0C6, Canada

Kew Balmy Beach is the thin, long stretch of sand mixed with rocks, boardwalk, and park that runs from Kew Gardens to Silver Birch Avenue in Toronto's east. For locals, it is known as "The Beach." For more than a century, the beach has been a place for fun and outdoor entertainment. The line between sand and water is always shifting as Lake Ontario's waves lick at the unprotected two-kilometer stretch of waterfront, taking sand away. Every 200 meters, man-made rock fingers stretch out into the lake to create embayments that stabilize the shoreline and preserve the beach. The restored Leuty Lifeguard station has saved over 6,000 lives since it was built in 1920. Dogs can run free on this beach and artists can come and build rock sculptures on the sand.

Boardwalk, Toronto, ON M4L 1B8, Canada

Marie Curtis Park is a public park in Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario. It is located at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek on Lake Ontario in the farthest southwest part of Toronto. This park was created in the late 1950s for flood control after Hurricane Hazel almost swept homes in the area into Lake Ontario. The park is full of wildlife and native plants. There is a kids’ playground, a public swimming beach, wading pool, picnic spots, a dog off-leash area, and a network of trails that are connected to the Waterfront Trail. This friendly neighborhood park is one of the very few beaches in North America named in honor of a female community leader, Mary Curtis, a Reeve of a small village of Longbranch.

2 Forty Second St, Etobicoke, ON M8W 3P2, Canada, Phone: 416-392-2489

Professor's Lake Recreation Centre is located on the southern side of the Professor’s Lake, a 65-acre artificial lake located in a former gravel pit in Brampton, Ontario. The park and the lake are popular destination for sailing, fishing, windsurfing, and canoeing. The charming 400-foot long sandy swimming beach has a waterslide as well as a boathouse, and at the far end of the beach are three volleyball courts. Visitors can rent paddleboats, kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards. There is a nice patio, change rooms, and a kids’ playground. A network of trails runs through the park.

1660 N Park Dr, Brampton, ON L6S 5S8, Canada, Phone: 905-791-7751