Search for Toronto Islands on any travel list and you will usually see the same three suggestions: take the ferry, rent a bike, and visit Centreville. It is solid advice, but it only covers the basics.
What often goes unmentioned is that the Toronto Islands are actually a chain of fifteen islands spanning more than 800 acres. It offers far more than a single stop. Most visitors step off at Centre Island and never venture further, missing out on an entire afternoon of hidden paths, quieter beaches, and unexpected discoveries.
Ward’s Island
The better move is to head east. The three-kilometre boardwalk linking Centre Island to Ward’s Island is one of the most enjoyable walks in the city, and it is where the experience begins to shift.
Ward’s Island is home to a small, close-knit community of around 650 year-round residents, living among cottages, gardens, and winding paths. There are no cars, making it the largest car-free community in North America.
Step into this pocket of the islands, and it no longer feels like a typical Toronto park but more like a quiet lakeside town that just happens to sit minutes from downtown.
On Ward’s Island, The Riviera Ward’s Island is the best place to eat on the islands: a semi-hidden garden restaurant with a tight menu of salads, pizza, and burgers that consistently overdelivers.
The Ward’s Island ferry dock also offers one of the best skyline views in the city. That iconic photo of Toronto reflected in Lake Ontario that fills your feed every summer shows a scene taken right here. Since far fewer visitors make it this far east, the ferry line back to the mainland is noticeably shorter than the one at Centre Island.
Heading West
Heading west instead, Gibraltar Point Beach stretches between Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point. It offers one of the quietest patches of sand on the islands. Often Blue Flag certified and almost always far less crowded than the main beach. It feels like a rare pocket of calm just minutes from the city.
Just behind it stands the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, built in 1808 and the oldest surviving lighthouse in Ontario. It also carries one of the islands’ most enduring mysteries. The lighthouse keeper disappeared in 1815 and was never found, and the investigation was never fully resolved. The plaque outside tells you what is known. What remains unknown is far more compelling.
Further west, Hanlan’s Point Beach is clothing-optional. It is one of only two beaches of its kind in Canada. Take the Hanlan’s Point ferry if you are heading there directly. For everyone else, the standard itinerary is simple. You arrive at Centre Island, walk east to Ward’s Island, and catch the ferry home from there. The whole thing takes a full afternoon, and it costs almost nothing.
The Need to Know Details
How To Get there
Toronto Island Ferry departs from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at 9 Queens Quay West. Three routes run to Centre Island, Ward’s Island, and Hanlan’s Point, respectively. The round-trip ferry fare is approximately $9 for adults and $4.50 for children. Ferries run year-round with expanded summer schedules. Please check toronto.ca for the current timetables before you go.
Best Time To Visit
Late May through September gives you the full experience. All beaches are open, Centreville Amusement Park is running, the Riviera and other food spots are fully operational, and there’s warm enough water to swim. September is the best-kept secret of the season: warm water, smaller crowds, and the light in the evening are extraordinary. Arrive on a weekday if possible and go early; the Centre Island ferry queue on summer weekends can be long.
What To Do There
- Walk the boardwalk from Centre Island to Ward’s Island. Budget an hour and do not rush it.
- Eat at the Riviera on Ward’s Island. Garden seating, excellent food, genuinely hidden.
- Swim at Gibraltar Point Beach for the quieter alternative to Centre Island Beach.
- See the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse. Built 1808. The murder is optional reading.
- Rent a bike or use the Bike Share stations at the ferry docks. Four stations across the islands.
- Take the Hanlan’s Point ferry if Centreville and the amusement park are the goal for families.
- Catch the skyline from the Ward’s Island dock at golden hour. Bring a camera.
