Toronto's best photography and Instagram spots for visitors — skyline views, cherry blossoms, murals, hidden viewpoints, and the most photogenic locations in the city. Your complete visual guide.
The best skyline shots come from the Toronto Islands (ferry required — extraordinary unobstructed lake views), the Polson Pier area, the Humber Bay Arch Bridge, and Cherry Beach. Polson Pier and the south end of Bathurst Quay offer close-up views with the CN Tower prominent. For elevated views, the CN Tower observation deck itself offers the city from above.
Toronto faces east over Lake Ontario, making waterfront spots ideal for sunrise. Cherry Beach, the end of Cherry Street at Lake Shore, the Tommy Thompson Park spit, and the eastern Toronto Island beaches all face east and offer unobstructed lake horizon sunrises. The CN Tower silhouette against an orange sky from Cherry Beach is exceptional.
Graffiti Alley (officially Rush Lane) runs behind Queen Street West between Spadina Avenue and Portland Street. It's about 400 metres of continuously changing murals and street art. Enter from Spadina just south of Queen, or from Portland. Best light for photography is morning (east-facing).
Cherry blossoms peak in High Park from approximately late April to early May — the exact timing varies year to year by up to two weeks depending on the spring temperatures. High Park's Instagram will post daily updates during the season. The best photography is at sunrise on a calm morning before the crowds arrive.
Yes — personal photography is permitted throughout Casa Loma, including in the gardens, towers, and most interior rooms. The rooftop garden and south tower views are popular photography spots. Commercial/professional photography requires a permit and additional fee.
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