Bluffer's Park, Ward's Island, Fifty Point, Innisfil — the hidden beaches near Toronto that locals escape to when Woodbine is packed.
On a hot Saturday in July, Woodbine Beach has 30,000 people and the Islands ferry has a 2-hour wait. Toronto locals know to go elsewhere. These are the spots where you can actually find a patch of sand to yourself — some within city limits, others within a 90-minute drive.
At the base of the Scarborough Bluffs — 90 metres of white clay cliffs dropping to the lake. The beach is small and rocky rather than sandy, but the setting is dramatic in a way that Woodbine can't match. The marina at the base has a restaurant and boat rentals. The path down from the top of the bluffs is a 20-minute hike.
West of Parkdale along Lake Shore Boulevard West. Sunnyside gets fewer visitors than the east end beaches and has the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion — a 1922 heritage building with a massive outdoor pool open in summer for a small admission. The pool is an underrated Toronto experience.
Most visitors take the Centre Island ferry. Take the Ward's Island ferry instead. The walk through the residential area to the beach on the south side is 15 minutes, but the beach is quieter, the community is charming, and the Ward's Island Café is a genuinely good spot for a drink.
The Sandbanks shortcut Sandbanks Provincial Park on Lake Ontario's north shore (near Prince Edward County) is 2.5 hours from Toronto but worth the drive once per summer. Book a camping spot or arrive before 10am on weekends — daily capacity fills completely by mid-morning in July and August.
Day Trips → — More day trips and escapes from Toronto
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