Toronto's best sunrise spot — Woodbine Beach faces east over Lake Ontario and catches the full spectacle of the sun rising over the water. In the right conditions, the lake turns amber and gold and the downtown skyline glows in the distance. Arrive before 6am.
Neighbourhood: The Beaches · Address: 1675 Lake Shore Blvd E, Toronto, ON · Hours: Mon–Sun 24 hours · Price Range: Free · Editorial status: Not yet verified
Watch the sun rise directly over Lake Ontario, painting the sky and water in brilliant colours, with the CN Tower silhouette in the distant haze. It's a rare chance to see Toronto look positively cinematic and completely serene.
Unlike many city photo spots, Woodbine Beach faces true east with a panoramic lake horizon—no condo towers to block the view. It's also one of the city's only big, sandy beaches within easy TTC reach, so photographers can set up tripods on real sand, not concrete. When the weather’s right, you might even spot early-morning paddleboarders crossing the golden water.
Underpass Park is one of those Toronto places that makes you stop and think, okay, this city really did something smart here. It sits beneath the heavy concrete tangle of the Eastern Avenue, Richmond, and Adelaide ramps in the West Don Lands, and instead of leaving all that space dark and dead, the city turned it into a public park that actually gets used. A lot. You’ve got these huge columns holding up three levels of roadway overhead, and between them are basketball courts, a skate area, open play space, ping-pong tables, and seating tucked into the shadows. The whole thing feels raw, urban, and surprisingly welcoming at the same time. What hits you first are the murals. They aren’t background decoration you barely notice on your way through. They dominate the space in the best way, stretching across the concrete with enough color and scale to make the underpass feel intentional rather than leftover. If you like photo walls, this is one of the better spots in the city because the art has real presence, and the concrete, steel, and filtered light give everything a slightly cinematic look in the afternoon. It’s also just fun to hang around in. On one side, you’ll usually find kids climbing and running around while parents camp out nearby. A few steps away, there are pickup basketball games, and the sound of the ball bouncing off the court echoes under the bridge in a way that somehow suits the place. The skate park is what pulls a lot of people in, especially on weekends. If you go then, expect to see skaters who are seriously good, not just beginners rolling around. Even if you don’t skate, it’s worth standing there for a while and watching. People land big tricks, wipe out, get back up, and the whole area has that low-key spectator energy where nobody’s trying too hard, but everyone’s paying attention. The fire pits are a nice surprise too, especially in cooler weather. They make the park feel less like a pass-through and more like somewhere people actually choose to stay. That’s kind of the magic of it. Despite being under a highway, it doesn’t feel grim. It feels inventive. The noise from traffic is always there, but after a few minutes it fades into the background, and what you notice instead is how many different kinds of people use the space. I’d go in the afternoon if you want the park at its best. The light coming in from the sides works well for photos, and there’s usually enough activity to make the place feel alive without it being overwhelming. It’s open 24 hours, but late at night it can feel more stark than inviting, so unless you specifically want that mood, daytime is better. It’s free, easy to pair with a walk through Corktown Common or the Canary District, and definitely worth returning to. Every visit, you notice some new detail in the artwork or catch someone doing something impressive on wheels.
WTF Toronto creates guides using independent editorial research, official sources, local knowledge and firsthand experience where available. Commercial relationships are disclosed where applicable.