Toronto's hidden waterfront gem — Cherry Beach is tucked in the Port Lands with a long, usually quiet stretch of sand, dog-friendly access, and a community barbecue and fire pit area. The nearby Martin Goodman Trail connects it to the waterfront. Beloved by locals who don't want the crowds of the main beaches.
Neighbourhood: Port Lands / Eastern Waterfront · Address: Cherry Beach, 1 Cherry St, Toronto, ON · Hours: Always open
Why Visit
If you want actual peace and quiet without trekking outside Toronto, Cherry Beach is your best bet — wide open sand, space for dogs to run, and few crowds even during summer. It's a chill spot with more locals than influencers.
What Makes It Unique
Unlike Woodbine or Hanlan's, Cherry Beach rarely feels packed, even on weekends. Its off-leash area is massive and directly on the sand, which is rare for Toronto beaches. The vibe is laid-back and you’ll often see communal barbecues or fire pits at sunset — not much in the way of snack bars or commercial stuff.
Cherry Beach is the place I tell people about when they want water and sand without the whole Toronto summer circus. It’s out in the Port Lands, a little removed from the usual waterfront rhythm, and that distance is exactly why it works. You don’t come here for packed patios or people-watching on a boardwalk. You come because it feels like the city drops away for a while.
The beach itself is long and open, with plenty of room to spread out even on a decent-weather weekend, and on weekday mornings it can feel almost strangely calm for Toronto. The best version of Cherry Beach, honestly, is early. Go on a quiet Tuesday morning and you’ll see what locals love about it: a few regulars with coffee, someone swimming before work, dogs tearing into the water like they’ve been waiting all night for it, and the steady sound of Lake Ontario filling in the silence. Look out across the water and you’ll still catch the industrial edges of the Port Lands — cranes, shipping infrastructure, big open sky — which somehow makes it better, not worse. It doesn’t feel polished. It feels real.
If you’ve got a dog, this is one of the best beach outings in the city. There’s dog-friendly access, and people actually use it. You’ll see wet dogs sprinting up and down the shoreline, shaking lake water onto everyone nearby, and nobody seems particularly bothered. It’s that kind of place. Casual, local, unfussy. If you don’t have a dog, it’s still fun just watching the chaos.
The swimming is good too, especially if you go early before the wind picks up. Bring sandals because the sand and shoreline can be a bit rough in spots, and don’t expect a manicured resort beach setup. That’s not the appeal. There are washrooms nearby, but I’d still come prepared with water, sunscreen, and whatever you need for a few hours because this isn’t a beach where you rely on vendors every ten steps.
One of the nicest things here is the community barbecue and fire pit area. If you’re planning to use it, bring charcoal and don’t assume there’ll be supplies waiting around. On summer evenings, groups of friends show up with coolers, folding chairs, and way too much food, and it feels more like a neighbourhood hang than a destination beach. That’s part of why people come back.
It’s also easy to link into the Martin Goodman Trail, which runs nearby and makes Cherry Beach a great stop if you’re biking or walking the waterfront. You can head west afterward and keep going for ages. If you’re into photography, the light here is especially good in the morning and near sunset — soft lake light, dogs in motion, industrial silhouettes in the distance, and none of the visual clutter you get at busier beaches.
If you visit Toronto and want a quieter waterfront day, this is the one I’d suggest. Cherry Beach doesn’t try too hard, and that’s exactly why it’s so good.