Beaches in Toronto include long city shorelines, the Scarborough Bluffs and beaches reached by ferry on the Toronto Islands. Choose a location for its setting and access, then check swimming conditions and seasonal services before setting out.
- Supervised beaches: Toronto has 10, including Woodbine, Bluffer’s Park, Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point.
- Woodbine: an eastern waterfront beach with mesh mats reaching the water’s edge.
- Bluffer’s Park: a beach below the Scarborough Bluffs, with parking and seasonal transit options.
- Toronto Islands: Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point are among the ferry destinations from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.
Which Toronto beach suits your plans?
Choose Woodbine for an eastern waterfront visit, Bluffer’s Park for the Scarborough Bluffs setting, or an island beach for a ferry trip across the harbour.
Toronto has 10 supervised swimming beaches: Bluffer’s Park, Centre Island, Cherry/Clarke, Gibraltar Point, Hanlan’s Point, Kew-Balmy, Marie Curtis Park East, Sunnyside, Ward’s Island and Woodbine.
The supervised locations give you several distinct shorelines to choose from, but the practical details differ: Bluffer’s Park has a specific road and bus approach, while the island beaches require ferry travel. From Edward Hotel North York, the hotel in North York is a base for reaching these different shorelines.
If you’re comparing beaches near Toronto for a city day out, keep swimming conditions in the decision too. Lifeguard supervision and beach maintenance generally run from June to September. Swimming is recommended only when lifeguards are on duty and inside the swim area marked by red-over-yellow flags.
For a broader day from North York, the one-day Toronto route from North York combines a shoreline visit with city stops.
Woodbine Beach and the eastern waterfront
Woodbine Beach is a supervised swimming beach on Toronto’s eastern waterfront, with mesh mats that extend to the water’s edge.
The expanded mesh plastic mats are near the southeast side of the Donald D. Summerville Pool and south of the bike path. That detail can help you identify an accessible route to the water’s edge when planning a visit.
Woodbine is one of the City’s 10 supervised beaches. The City says dogs are not allowed on supervised swimming beaches, so leave pets out of your beach plans.
Bluffer’s Park Beach and the Scarborough Bluffs
Bluffer’s Park Beach pairs a supervised swimming beach with the Scarborough Bluffs rising above the waterfront.
The City lists parking at Bluffer’s Park Beach, but the lots fill quickly on weekends. When they are full, visitors must walk into the park along Brimley Road from Barkclene Hills Road.
There are two TTC options described for reaching Bluffer’s Park Beach. The seasonal 201 Bluffer’s Park bus runs southbound from Kennedy Station to Scarborough Bluffs Beach Loop at Bluffers Park Road from early May to early October.
The 12 Kingston Rd bus goes to Kingston Road at Brimley Road, followed by a walk south on Brimley Road South. Check the TTC’s current route information before you travel.
Hanlan’s Point and Centre Island beaches
Hanlan’s Point and Centre Island are supervised beaches on Toronto Island, reached by ferry from the mainland.
Toronto Island ferries run year-round from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. From mid-April to mid-October, the City operates routes to Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point and Ward’s Island. The terminal is at 9 Queens Quay West, at the Queens Quay West and Bay Street intersection, about 100 metres south of the intersection behind the Westin Harbour Castle.
Hanlan’s Point Beach is clothing-optional. If you want to visit more than one island area, the City estimates the walk between the Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point ferry docks at 3.9 km and 50 minutes.
Ferries welcome bicycles, strollers and wagons. Electric scooters, e-bikes over 40 kilograms, open alcohol and dangerous goods, including weapons, firearms and ammunition, are not permitted. Only emergency and commercial service vehicles are allowed on Toronto Island; public vehicles are not.
The City describes ferry travel as busiest on weekends and holidays, typically 10 a.m.–3 p.m. toward the islands and 5–9 p.m. from the islands. Waits during those periods may exceed 30–60 minutes, so allow for possible queues when planning your trip.
Water quality, seasonal services and access
Check current swimming conditions before entering the water, because Toronto’s beach flags and water-quality results can change.
The City monitors beach water quality daily, weather permitting, from June through September. Toronto Public Health assesses conditions using water sampling and analysis, and its SwimSafe program provides water-quality results for supervised public beaches.
The City’s flag system uses green for safe swimming conditions, yellow for caution and red for dangerous conditions. No flag means lifeguards are not on duty, and swimming is not recommended.
For island trips, ferry tickets cover travel to any island dock and the return trip from any island dock to Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. In-person tickets must be used on the day of purchase; online tickets can be used until December 31 of the purchase year. Ferry times can change because of weather or mechanical issues.
For current beach conditions, ferry details and route information, check the official site before you go. Consult the City of Toronto for beach and ferry information, Toronto Public Health for SwimSafe results, and the TTC for transit routes.
For other city connections from a North York base, this guide to getting around Toronto from North York covers the broader transport picture.
FAQs
How many supervised beaches are there in Toronto?
Toronto has 10 supervised swimming beaches, including Woodbine, Bluffer’s Park, Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point.
When are Toronto’s beaches supervised?
Lifeguard supervision and beach maintenance generally run from June to September. Swimming is recommended only when lifeguards are on duty and within the marked swim area.
Can you take a car onto Toronto Island?
No. Only emergency and commercial service vehicles are allowed on Toronto Island; public vehicles are not.
How can you plan a wider Toronto day from North York?
The guide to getting around Toronto covers transport options for other stops.