The Complete Toronto Island Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Toronto Island is such a unique thing to do from the city that it’s a must do while visiting Toronto.

It’s actually made up of 15 small islands on the south shores of Toronto. You can easily visit the islands on a quick boat ride across Lake Ontario from the city.

My Toronto Island guide covers what to do and how to get to Toronto Island from Toronto (and as I said, it’s really easy!).

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Why The Toronto Islands Are Worth Visiting

There are three main areas a part of Toronto Island: Centre Island, Ward’s Island and Hanlan’s Point.

The islands offer a city escape with an unbeatable skyline view and relaxing beaches. Oh, and did I mention there’s also a hidden amusement park on Centre Island!? Needless to say, there’s more than enough to fill your day with here!

The Best Toronto Skyline View

But even if you ignore everything else, the Toronto islands are worth visiting for the Toronto skyline view alone.

You can even take the ferry to the Island, see the view, and then get right back on the next to Toronto.

Easy To Get To!

The Toronto Islands are also strangely easy to get to, considering they’re separated by a body of water.

Normally, when you think about visiting an island, it takes A LOT of planning: following a schedule, packing everything you need for an entire day…etc.

And this really isn’t the case for the Toronto Island. It was a no brainer to get to, and we didn’t plan anything in advance (I know, so unlike me!).

My only regret is not knowing about how easy it was to visit sooner. I’d love to go back to the islands every time I visit Toronto now as it’s become one of my favourite things to do in the city!

How To Get To Toronto Island

You have two options to get to any of the three of the Toronto Islands from Toronto: the water taxi or the ferry.

But first you’ll need find your way to the Toronto harbour front…

How Do You Get To The Toronto Harbour Front

Before deciding on which mode of water transportation is better for you, you have to get to the Toronto harbour front. You can drive, Uber, or take public transit…

The benefit of taking a taxi or Uber so you don’t have to stress about, or pay, for parking.

If you do drive to the Toronto harbour front, you can park in one of the paid lots along Queens Quay. We found an underground parking lot for the day near Aroma cafe (at the RBC parking garage).

And finally, you can take public transit. The closest subway stop is Union station and then it’s about a 7 minute walk to the harbour front. Or the streetcar 590 or 510 have a harbour front stop.

Taking The Toronto Island Ferry

The Toronto Island ferry is the cheaper option, and ultimately, the most popular.

There are three ferries that go to each of the main Toronto Islands (Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point, and Ward’s). All the ferries leaves from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

Each ferry has a different schedule and start / end time though. Each one will leave every thirty minutes or so. But it’s important to not mix up the Island and the ferry time.

The ferry is under $10/ adult, and always includes a return ticket.

It’s also the same ticket for each of the ferries. So you can ride the ferry to Centre Island on your way there, but take the ferry from Ward’s Island back.

Why You Might Not Want To Take The Toronto Island Ferry

Depending on when you visit, you could have a long wait time and an extremely crammed ferry ride. But there are ways around this, you just have to be a bit flexible…

Remember, the ferry is only one of two ways to reach the Toronto Islands.

So during peak season and times, it can be pretty packed. You might even have to wait for a second ferry if there are too many people on board.

And then once you’re on the ferry, you might be packed in like sardines, standing, without a Toronto skyline view at all, which might make it a very uncomfortable 15 minute ride.

Toronto Island Ferry Hack

If you’re able to, you should aim to get to the ferry terminal as early as possible to beat the crowds (the first ferry, to Ward’s Island, can leave as early as 6:00 A.M. in the summer).

But if you aren’t a morning person, don’t worry, all the three main areas are connected.

So at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, just choose the shortest ferry line, which is most often Ward’s Island.

Ward’s Island is the most residential of the three Islands, so because of that, the least touristy, and therefore has the shortest line. But once you’ve arrive, you can easily walk to Hanlan’s and Centre Island (and it’s not like Ward’s Island isn’t worth visiting either!).

To prove that it works, I visited mid-August at 10:30 A.M. (quite possible, the worst time, when EVEYRONE is going!), and made it on the first ferry out to Ward’s Island. I didn’t have to wait or stand, there was loads of space!

On the way back, try to leave during mid-day too, before everyone. I left around 2:00 P.M. from Centre Island and the ferry was EMPTY!

Taking The Water Taxi To Toronto Island

The water taxi is your second option for reaching the Toronto Islands. Like the ferry, the water taxi has some pros and cons as well.

The Toronto Harbour Water Taxi is a bit more expensive… about $12/ person per direction. So that will be about $24 / person for the round trip.

But depending on when you’re travelling to the Islands, it might be more worthwhile. The water taxis answer all the problem with the Toronto Island ferries…

For starters, they’re quite a bit smaller so they won’t over stuff them. So if you’re interested in the Toronto skyline view, this is the best way to get it without ever being sardined in.

P.S. If you are interested in the view of the Toronto skyline, you might want to book a combined tour with a harbour cruise as instead.

Toronto Island Guide: Which Island Should You Visit

As I mentioned, there are three main areas that make up the Toronto Islands: Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point, and Wards Island.

You never really have to decide in advance which one you want to visit because they’re all still connected.

If you end up on the wrong Island, you can always walk (or even rent bikes) to reach the other areas.

I’ll go over the differences between each areas so you can better decide which one is best for you!

Centre Island

Centre island is the most popular Toronto Island to visit.

If you’ve heard anything about the Toronto Islands, it’s probably Centre Island.

It has most of the touristy attractions (like the Toronto Island amusement park) making it perfect for families with young kids.

This is where you can also rent bikes, go to the beach, and rent any boats or kayaks.

All this also means that Centre Island is the busiest area on Toronto Island.

Ward’s Island

Wards Island is the largest Island and is mostly residential.

People actually live on this island full time, there’s actually a wait list to buy a home. But you have everything you need here: a community centre, baseball field, senior residences and even a school!

In fact, kids who live in the Toronto city centre can come to school on the Island.

This is also why the ferries to Ward’s Island have the longest working hours, and why it will also have the shortest line.

Just because it’s mostly residential, doesn’t mean you should come here.

You’ll want to visit Ward’s Island for an escape from tourists.

You can wander through the residential streets, admiring the architecture, and just taking it easy.

There’s a harbour, a cafe, and even a few beaches that are a lot less populated than the others closer to Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point.

Plus, you still get an exceptional Toronto skyline view (At Freda’s Garden & Beach)!

P.S. If you walk to Centre Island from here, I recommend walking along the boardwalk!

Hanlan’s Point

Hanlan’s Point is actually on Ward’s Island, but the opposite side of where the Ward Island ferry brings you.

This is actually the only area I haven’t visited, and there are a two reasons for this: first, my cousin who lives in Toronto had already been there.

And second, when I asked the information desk which Island to visit she said that Hanlan’s Point was mainly for the beaches… well for the nude beach anyway.

Yes, Hanlan’s Point beach has a clothing-optional area. So, needless to say, we did not visit Hanlan’s Point Island.

Hanlan’s Point is also where Billy Bishop airport is, so if you flew into Toronto, you might have already been to the Toronto Island without even realizing it!

If you decide to visit Hanlan’s point though, there’s of course still a Toronto skyline view and even lighthouse (Gibraltar Point Lighthouse).

Toronto Island Guide: How Long Do You Need?

You can spend as long or as little as you like on the Toronto Islands.

No seriously, if you’re strapped for time, you can literally hop on and off the ferry just to see the Toronto skyline view. It’s worth it for that alone!

But, if you have a bit more time, it’s worth spending the day exploring Toronto Island. Whether you just want to sunbathe on the beach, go for a long walk between islands …etc. there’s more than enough activities to spend the day.

Getting Around The Toronto Islands

Like I said, all three areas are connected BUT! you might have realized that you won’t have a car when you’re on Toronto Island. There also isn’t any public transit on the islands.

Fun fact: the Toronto Islands are the largest car-free community in North America!

So how do you get around the Toronto Islands?

You could honestly walk everywhere, it will just take a bit of time… From the Ward’s Island ferry dock to Hanlan’s ferry is just over an hour walk.

Centre Island is pretty much exactly in the middle, so from the Ward’s Island ferry dock it took about 30 minutes.

But because there aren’t any cars, it’s really an easy and beautiful walk. You’re on a walking path the entire time, and there are even a few points of interest along the way (like more Toronto skyline views!).

You could also rent bikes if you wanted to get around quicker and explore more of the island (they only have bike rentals on Centre Island, but you could also book this morning bike tour with Viator).

Technically, you could even rent a boat (like a kayak or canoe) and take the canals through to the different islands.

Related

Top 10 Things To Do In Toronto (That Aren’t The CN Tower)

Things To Do In Toronto Island

As you’ve probably realized, Toronto Island has no shortage of activities.

Each of the Islands has their own beach, of course, watch out for the clothing optional beach on Hanlan’s Point if you’re travelling with kids.

There’s also the Centreville Toronto Island Amusement Park. But you can also rent bikes, learn how to kayak or paddle board, play disc golf… just to name a few top activities!

Visit The Centreville Amusement Park

The Centreville Amusement Park is probably the most visited attraction on all the Islands.

The main attraction is the Centreville Dentzel antique carousel. It was built in 1907, making it over 110 years old!

The carousel is unique for having a wide variety of hand carved animals (52 to be exact!). But it also features some more ‘basic’ animals like pigs, cats, and ostriches that you wouldn’t normally see on a carousel.

But, Is The Centreville Amusement Park Worth It!?

If you’re travelling with kids, then I think they’ll love the Centreville Amusement Park. Most of the rides are geared towards younger children.

Think of your local travelling carnival (if you have one in your town), that’s what the Toronto Island Amusement Park is like. Smaller rides, a lot of spinning teacup types, simple roller coasters…etc.

Toronto Island Amusement Park Tips

There’s no entry to the Toronto Island Amusement Park, so anyone can walk in and see the attractions (and decide if any are worth it!).

Because entrance is free, you’ll need to buy tickets for the rides. Each ride will cost a different amount of tickets.

The perk is that rides end up without any lines but the line to actually buy tickets is insane.

So if you are interested in any rides, I would recommend either buying a day pass online or getting there early enough to buy tickets.

With a day pass, you can go on any ride you want, as many times as you want, for the entire day (they also sell family passes).

If you still want to buy individual tickets, calculate how many tickets you would need beforehand and get there early. That way, you don’t have to worry about buying more tickets later in the day.

Enjoy A Picnic Lunch With A Toronto Skyline View

There are restaurants on the Island, but none of them are really that good.

So one of the top things to do in Toronto Island is to pack a picnic lunch (don’t forget your picnic blanket, like this one on Amazon!), and enjoy lunch with a Toronto skyline view.

If you don’t have time to pack a lunch, I would recommend picking up some food in Toronto’s harbour front before (it’s less expensive, probably better quality, and convenient).

Aroma is a good option at the Toronto Harbour. Or if you’re lucky, Smorgasburg Toronto might be happening while you’re visiting. It’s a bunch of food trucks with delicious unique eats over eight weekends at the Toronto harbour.

You can also order for take out at one of the restaurants on the island. At least with a picnic blanket you can enjoy lunch anywhere, with the best Toronto skyline view. There’s so much green spaces on the islands that you have to take advantage!

Walk Or Bike Through The Islands

While you’re on Toronto Island, go for a stroll through the paths and boardwalk. Or as I said, the best way to see the island is to bike it.

You can bring your bike on the ferry if you have one, or you can rent bikes at Toronto Island Bicycle Rental. You can rent simple individual bikes, but they also have family bikes for rent (like tandem and quadricylces).

You could also book an organized tour that leaves from Toronto and brings you to the Toronto Islands on a bike tour. There’s a morning bike tour, and an evening bike tour with Viator.

Play Disc Golf

If disc golf is your sport, you’re in luck!

Ward’s Island has a disc golf course that you can play on! Just watch out there are your regular obstacles. and now the addition of water as well!

Water Activities On The Island

Don’t forget your bathing suits when visiting Toronto Island!

If you’re travelling with kids, Toronto Island has not only one but two splash pads (both on Centre Island).

If you’re a bit too old for splash pads, don’t worry there are some other water activities you can enjoy.

Like I said, you have your pick of beaches, but you can also rent kayaks, canoes, or SUP (stand up paddles boards).

I would recommend The Toronto Island SUP between Wards & Centre Island. They offer rentals, lessons, and group activities. Or if you’re interested in a guided tour, book a Kayak or SUP eco tour through Viator.

What You’ll Need For A Day At The Toronto Islands

Like I said, there are restaurants on the Island, but none that you absolutely have to eat at.

So as I’ve said, I recommend packing a picnic lunch and blanket so you can enjoy lunch with the Toronto skyline view wherever you are (shop a picnic blanket on Amazon, shop picnic lunch bags on Amazon)!

If you’re interested in any of the water activities, make sure to bring a bathing suit, a towel (I’d recommend this packable travel towel that dries quickly), and of course some flip flops.

The obvious things are of course sunscreen and water! You might also want to consider anything that you’ll need for any activities you want to do while you’re there. For example, if you’re planning on renting a bike, I always like to bring a simple bandana to put underneath the rented helmet.

And of course do not forget your camera! The pictures you’ll get from here are unbelievable. P.S. if you want the best family photo, read my tips to see how to take the best ones!

P.S. Need A Place To Stay In Toronto?

I typically stay with family when I visit Toronto but I have stayed downtown once at the Radisson Blu Downtown Toronto. Located on Toronto’s harbour front, it was a very convenient location (plus you can upgrade your room for a view!). The highlight though of the hotel is by far the outdoor rooftop pool with an outstanding view of the CN Tower. See rates & availability on Booking.com.

If you’re looking to stay in downtown Toronto, One King West Hotel might be the one for you! Located on King Street you’re a short walk to all the main attractions, there are several tram stops, and the subway is just over a 5 minute walk away. See rates & availability on Booking.com.

Staying in Toronto can be quite expensive, Home in Downtown is budget friendly option to visiting the city. Although it has shared bathrooms, you have a private kitchen to use. Plus this apartment style stay has glowing reviews! See rates & availability on Booking.com.

See more accommodation options in Toronto on Booking.com.

P.S. If you’re looking for a long term stay for your family in Toronto, Industrial Luxe on Plum Guide has a minimum 30 night stay. You’ll be living in luxury the whole time you’re here with family movie nights on the projector and bean bags! See rates & availability on Plum Guide.

Day Essentials For Visiting Toronto Island

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Last update on 2024-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API