Gooderham (Flatiron) Building

Neighbourhood: Old Town · Address: 49 Wellington St E, Toronto, ON · Hours: Open 24 hours (exterior) · Price Range: Free · Editorial status: Not yet verified

Why Visit

The Flatiron Building’s red brick facade and quirky trompe-l’oeil mural make it a standout photo spot at the crossroads of old and new Toronto. Its sharp wedge shape and historic details pack plenty of visual punch for architecture fans and Instagram hunters alike.

What Makes It Unique

Unlike Toronto’s other historic buildings, the Flatiron sits at a dramatic street split and features a massive optical illusion mural that's genuinely fun to see up close. The scale is modest, but you won't find another building here with both this shape and a trick-of-the-eye back wall — plus, the backdrop of modern towers creates wild contrast shots.

If you want to completely scramble your idea of what Toronto looks like, go to Bluffer’s Park Beach & Marina. The first time you come down Brimley and the cliffs suddenly appear, it feels wrong in the best way — like you took a turn and somehow ended up on a Mediterranean coastline instead of in Scarborough. At the base of the Scarborough Bluffs, there’s this surreal mix of pale sand, bright turquoise water on a clear day, a full marina packed with boats, and these huge 90-metre white clay cliffs rising almost straight above everything. It doesn’t read as “city beach” at all. What I like about this place is that it feels dramatic without being pretentious. Families are hauling coolers and beach toys, people are swimming, photographers are doing engagement shoots, and then just around the corner you’ll see docks, sailboats, and even floating homes. It’s not polished in a resort way. It’s better than that. It feels like a real Toronto summer day, just with an unbelievably scenic backdrop. The beach itself is great for an easy swim when the water’s calm, and the marina area gives the whole park a different energy than most waterfront spots in the city. You can walk the paths, sit out on the rocks, or just claim a patch of sand and spend a few hours doing nothing. Kids usually love it because there’s space to run around and the scenery is exciting enough that even adults stop scrolling for a minute. For picnics, it’s one of the better options in the east end, especially if you go early and grab a quieter spot before the parking lots start filling up. If you’re into photography, this place is almost unfair. The cliffs change color depending on the light — bright chalky white in midday sun, warmer and softer later on — and the contrast between the water and the cliff face can look almost fake in photos. But the real bucket-list move is getting out on the water. Kayaking or paddle boarding along the base of the bluffs is one of the best things you can do in Toronto, full stop. From down there, the cliffs feel massive, and because the beach faces south, sunset from the water is unbelievable. Looking back toward the bluffs as the light drops is one of those views that actually lives up to the hype. A few honest tips: go on a weekday summer morning if you can. Weekends get busy fast, especially once the weather turns properly hot. Bring water, sunscreen, and whatever you need for the whole visit, because once you’re set up you probably won’t feel like trekking back and forth. The park is open 24 hours, but this is really a daytime place unless you’re going specifically for sunrise, sunset, or a quiet late-evening walk. And yes, it’s free, which still feels ridiculous considering how good it is. Most Torontonians still haven’t been, which is kind of amazing. But once you go, you’ll get why people keep coming back. It doesn’t feel like a backup beach. It feels like its own little world.