Toronto Islands
A car-free archipelago created when a storm cut a peninsula loose in 1858, with the skyline across the water.
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The islands were a peninsula until a storm in 1858 breached the sandbar and cut them loose. They are car-free, with about six hundred residents in a community on Ward's and Algonquin islands who fought eviction for decades before securing long-term leases in 1993. Centreville is a small children's amusement park with a 1907 carousel. Hanlan's Point holds Canada's only legally recognised clothing-optional beach, in use since 1894. Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run at the Hanlan's Point stadium in 1914. The best view of the Toronto skyline is from the islands looking back.
What you actually see
- The skyline view - Toronto seen across the harbour from the island shore.
- The car-free community - about six hundred residents and no vehicles.
- Centreville - a children's park with a 1907 carousel.
- Hanlan's Point - Canada's only officially recognised clothing-optional beach.
When to go
May to September; ferries run year-round but winter service is reduced and most facilities close. Summer weekend ferry queues can run over an hour, so book online and go early.
Honest expectations
Summer ferry queues are the main frustration and can cost an hour or more each way. Flooding has closed parts of the islands in high-water years. Facilities are seasonal.
Nearby
The Distillery District lies onshore; downtown Toronto is across the harbour.
What to pack for Toronto Islands
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.