7 Best Sights in Toronto, Ontario

One of North America's loveliest parks, High Park is especially worth visiting in summer—when special events include professionally staged Shakespeare productions—and in spring when thousands of visitors flock to see the cherry blossoms flower on High Park's sakura trees. Popular fishing spot Grenadier Pond is named after the British soldiers who crashed through the soft ice while rushing to defend the town against invading American forces in 1813. The High Park Zoo, open daily from dawn to dusk, is more modest than the Toronto Zoo but a lot closer to downtown and free. Kids love walking among the deer, Barbary sheep, emus, yaks, llamas, peacocks, and bison.

The park was once privately owned by John George Howard, Toronto's first city architect. Colborne Lodge, his country home built in 1837 on a hill overlooking Lake Ontario, contains its original fireplace, bake oven, and kitchen, as well as many of Howard's drawings and paintings. Other highlights of the 399-acre park are a large swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness trails, and hillside gardens with roses and sculpted hedges. There's limited parking along Bloor Street north of the park, and along the side streets on the eastern side.

Stretching over 9 miles along Toronto's eastern waterfront, the majestic Scarborough Bluffs tower more than 300 feet above the cool, clean waters of Lake Ontario. Visit any time of year for a nature walk; in summer, sandy beaches are a great way to beat the heat. You can access the bluffs from 11 city parks, including Bluffer's Park and Beach, which features one of the finest stretches of sand in the city, and Guild Park and Gardens, which boasts sweeping views of the lake and tranquil gardens dotted with grand architectural relics and sculptures from demolished 19th- and early-20th-century buildings. While a car is the easiest way to visit, most Scarborough Bluffs parks are accessible by TTC bus or GO Transit train. The area can get very busy on summer weekends, so arrive early to secure a parking spot. 

This pocket-size park is pleasant enough during the day, but at night it comes alive with strings of rainbow-color lights that symbolize the LGBTQIA+ community. There's a mural of gay history on an adjacent building, and tucked away in one corner is the Toronto AIDS Memorial.

This small but charming public space features a striking two-tiered cast-iron fountain surrounded by 27 whimsical dog sculptures—and one cat—making it a popular spot for a quick break or an Instagram-worthy photo. Designed by the acclaimed firm Claude Cormier + Associés, the fountain is ringed by statues gazing up at a golden bone perched at the top. With plenty of seating and green space, Berczy Park offers a relaxing oasis in the heart of the city where people and their dogs gather year-round. In the colder months, the fountain shuts off, but the park still draws visitors to see the dog statues decked out for the holiday season. 

This park comprises a peninsula that juts 5 km (3 miles) into Lake Ontario. Created from rubble from construction sites around the city and sand dredged for a new port, the peninsula has become one of the best areas in the city for bird-watching, photography, cycling (a Bike Share Toronto stand is located at the mouth of the trail), walking, and jogging. At least 334 bird species have been sighted at the park, and the peninsula is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of double-crested cormorants in North America. At the end of the spit of land, you'll find a red-and-white lighthouse, in addition to amazing views of downtown and an awesome sense of isolation in nature. Bird-watching is best from May to mid-October. To get here, head east along Queen Street to Leslie Street, then south to the lake. Dogs and private vehicles are not permitted.

Bellwoods is the top destination for west-enders to kick back on a sunny day. The tree-lined park runs between Dundas West and Queen West, which makes for a scenic stroll if you're heading between neighborhoods. It's a great spot for picnicking and people-watching---or dog-watching, if you take a bench next to the dog bowl. It's especially attractive in mid-May, when the cherry trees bloom pink, or when the leaves turn in the fall.

Yorkville is also home to a unique park on Cumberland Street, right outside Bay subway station, designed as a series of gardens along old property lines and reflecting both the history of the Village of Yorkville and the diversity of the Canadian landscape. The result of an international design competition, the park lines the street with a soothing waterfall fixture, tree-lined enclaves, and a big rock sculpture that children love to climb on. It's rare to find that kind of open public space in a retail area in the city that doesn't require you to buy something, though the ample outdoor seating often looks like a shared open-air café for nearby shops like Starbucks, Nutbar, and vegan lunch spot Kupfert & Kim.