Tommy Thompson Park Birding

Neighbourhood: Port Lands · Address: Leslie Street Spit, Toronto, ON · Hours: Sat–Sun & holidays 9am–6pm · Price Range: Free · Editorial status: Not yet verified

Why Visit

It's the only spot in Toronto where you can watch thousands of wild cormorants nesting amid city skyline views, alongside rare warblers and unexpected wildlife. The landscape—overgrown, weirdly peaceful, and mildly post-apocalyptic—feels nothing like the rest of the city.

What Makes It Unique

Unlike High Park or the Toronto Islands, Tommy Thompson Park actually feels wild, with minimal paved trails and almost no services. The peninsula’s isolation means you can get close to massive flocks of gulls, herons, and sometimes even red foxes. Access is restricted to weekends and holidays, so it never gets too busy.

Montgomery’s Inn is one of those places that makes Etobicoke feel older, quieter, and a little more layered than people expect. Right on Dundas, surrounded by modern traffic and everyday city life, you suddenly step into a c.1830 Regency inn and tavern that still feels grounded in its original purpose. It’s one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind in Ontario, but it doesn’t come off as stiff or overly polished. It feels lived in, in the best way. If you like architecture, you’ll notice the symmetry and proportions right away, along with the calm elegance that Regency buildings do so well. But what makes this place memorable isn’t just the exterior. It’s the way the museum is run as a working historic space, with costumed interpreters who actually show you what life here would’ve looked like when travellers and locals stopped in along the old Dundas Highway. You’re not just reading plaques and peering into rooms. Depending on the day, you might see cooking demonstrations, hear about tavern life, or catch the kitchen hearth going with a real fire that changes the whole mood of the house. The smell of wood smoke alone can pull you out of present-day Toronto for a minute. The kitchen is usually the part people remember most. When there’s a fire lit and someone’s explaining how meals were prepared, the inn stops feeling like a museum in the formal sense and starts feeling like a place with routines, work, and conversation. It’s especially good for families because there’s enough going on to hold a kid’s attention, but it’s not loud or overstimulating. Everything moves at a gentler pace. If you’ve got someone with you who normally zones out in historic sites, this is one of the few that might win them over. I’d go on a weekend if you can, since the guided tours really add context and the staff are usually great at making the details feel human rather than academic. Sunday is particularly nice if afternoon tea is being served. Having tea in a 200-year-old Regency inn is such a specifically Etobicoke pleasure: modest, a bit old-school, and surprisingly charming. It doesn’t feel theatrical. It just feels right for the building. It’s also a good pick if you need a quieter outing. You can spend an hour here without rushing, then wander the grounds a bit and reset before heading back into the city. The price is easy, which helps, and the scale is manageable. This isn’t an all-day museum marathon; it’s more like a thoughtful pause in your weekend. A practical note: it’s closed Monday and Tuesday, and the hours are 11 to 5 Wednesday through Sunday. If you’re driving, it’s straightforward. If you’re on transit, it’s still very doable, especially if you’re already in the west end. I’d pair it with a relaxed lunch nearby and keep the day uncluttered. Montgomery’s Inn works best when you let it be exactly what it is: a calm, transportive slice of old Toronto that hasn’t been turned into a spectacle.