Toronto Harbourfront
 

If I want to take a walk by the water in central Toronto, where is the best area to access the harbourfront? I've been looking at a map but it's not clear where the walkways are.

You can walk near the water centrally near Harbourfront http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/noflash/frontpage.php which is at the foot of York Street.

In the east, you can walk along the boardwalk - start around the foot of Woodbine Avenue, south of Queen East. TTC streetcar east along Queen (the 501) from Yonge Street. Get on in front of the Bay department store.

In the west, (streetcar, the 501 but going west) there's a boardwalk, too.

You can walk from Harbourfront to the west lakefront but it helps to know the city - you hit Ontario Place and then you get to the western boardwalk. You can do it going east, too, but it's more complicated if you don't know the city.

Hope this helps a bit.

There's a new fake beach (you can't go into the water and the beach umbrellas are more sculpure than practical)but there is sand, near the foot of Spadina Avenue.

Farther east, in the middle of Harbourfront, there's no sand butyou are right beside the water.

Depending on where you are starting from, you can walk from western downtown south on Spadian or south between the CN Tower and Rogers Centre, and get to the water.

Farther east, you can walk down York Street (University Avenue turns into York as it crosses Front Street) and this gets you to the main Harbourfront Queen's Quay Terminal Building, or, farther west, walk down Bay to beside the harbour Castle Hotel -- this gets you right to the ferry terminal to go to the Toronto Islands, where you can once more walk right by the water, this time on grass. Plus there are real beaches.

BAK

Many thanks, that's great info.

There is a lovely park just west of the Harbour Front area. Along Lakeshore Ave from Straugn to Parkside Dr. (about 10 minutes out by car.)
It is a long beautiful stretch with a boardwalk and you could walk for a long way with a nice view back over downtown.

I just posted this on another thread about Toronto, but it talks about both the boardwalk and Harbourfront so you may find it helpful. In my opinion walking on the boardwalk is a nicer way to enjoy the lake (especially in the morning) than walking around Harbourfront. If you do want to stick to Harbourfront there is a walkway that is accessible if you start at the Westin Hotel (on Queens Quay, pretty well at the foot of Yonge Street).

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The boardwalk you are referring to might be in the area of Toronto called 'The Beach' or sometimes called 'The Beaches'. It is a great area to visit in the summer and close to downtown. You can take the 501 Queen Street East streetcar from downtown and it will take you straight there, or a cab should cost no more than $15 from downtown. There are many shops and terrific restaurants on Queen Street East and the boardwalk is just south of Queen Street and follows the lake's shore for a couple of miles (The Beach area begins and runs east from Woodbine Avenue). If it's hot there will be lots of people swimming and playing in the sand, picnicking, playing volleyball etc. I recommend it. A fun, casual local staple is Lick's - which has great hamburgers and ice cream.

If you and your boys have ever been canoeing (and liked it) you can rent canoes at the Harbourfront (downtown) and canoe across the harbour to Toronto Island. It isn't at all strenuous and once there there are rivers/streams that run between the islands and you can pull up and have lunch on shore (either take a picnic or eat at one of the restaurants). You also get a fantastic view of Toronto from out on the water (whihc you would also see if you took the ferry over to the Island).