Toronto islands

Visiting the islands is a classic summertime activity. I try to take a sunny day off work each year and spend it on the beach there. You can't drive on the islands, so it's very peaceful. There's a fairground, some nature, some history, and some nudity: something for everybody. There's basically no shops on the island, so bring a water bottle and a picnic. A bike will make the islands much more explorable.

A map of the island; north is at the bottom. View PDF.

Getting to the island

The city runs ferries from Jack Layton ferry terminal. It costs about $10 per adult; don't worry about keeping your ticket, as return trips are free. It's worth booking a ticket online, as there's always giant queues in the summer. I wouldn't even try visiting on the weekend unless you love crowds.

If you're visiting on foot, you want to get the ferry to centre island. Check the timetable; there are some weird gaps where there's no ferry for 40 minutes, and it's annoying if you just miss one. If you have a bike, don't worry about it: you probably want a Hanlan's Point or Ward's Island ferry anyway, as they're less crowded.

You'll probably return around sunset, which will give you better pictures, but don't forget to look behind you at the Toronto skyline as you travel over.

Arriving on foot at Centre Island

The Centre Island ferry terminal is close to the funfair. There's nothing too compelling here, but the petting zoo is free and worth a look. After that I would walk up through the gardens towards the pier. These are all the most popular parts of the island: anywhere you go from here will be quieter.

At the pier you can hire a bike (including tandems and 4-person pedal cars). If you don't hire a bike, I would choose one of two paths. Both will be quieter than Centre Island, but I wouldn't try to do both on foot as the island's quite big.

1. You can head east, towards Ward's Island. This is the more residential part of the island. There's a boardwalk along the south edge of the island, and the Rectory Cafe sells alcohol as well as soft drinks. You can sit on the beach at Ward's Island - it's not normally crowded - and get the ferry back from the Ward's Island terminal. If you hit the far east edge of the island there's a concrete breakwater you can walk along, though there's not much to see - you're looking at the port lands maybe 80 metres away.

2. You can head west, towards Hanlan's Point. This takes you past the lighthouse, as well as some ponds where you should see some birds. When I go to the beach I head to Gibraltar Point Beach (near the lighthouse, not marked on the map) as it tends to be quite quiet. There's also an arts centre, though I've never seen it open, and Hanlan's Point nude beach.

   I think the nude beach is skippable. It feels more like a party beach, and is quite exposed. Boats often moor up just offshore, apparently to gawk.

   The Hanlan's Point ferry terminal is often quite busy, as the beach is popular. But you should be fine to get the ferry back from here - it's about a 40 minute walk to the Centre Island terminal, so waiting for the next ferry is almost always your best choice.

Arriving by bike

The whole island is open to you if you arrive by bike. You can start at Hanlan's Point, then cycle up through the park to the lighthouse and the ponds. Stop for a bit, then continue on to the pier and head north to the petting zoo. Then head over to the Rectory Cafe for a drink, before getting the Ward's Island ferry back.

Gibraltar Point beach, in the south west of the island.

Heading north along the path to the Hanlan's Point ferry, with the CN Tower visible in the distance.