During the winter, Toronto Island Park is in the off-season. All park facilities are closed except for public washrooms. There are limited food options and heated shelter is unavailable.

Toronto Island Park is made up of several islands, including Ward’s Island, Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point.

Visit Ferries to Toronto Island Park for ferry schedules and fees.

Toronto Island’s off-season runs from late-October/early November until mid-April.

Here’s what you need to know about visiting Toronto Island Park during the off-season:

  1. All park facilities at Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point are closed except for the public washrooms:
    • near the Ward’s beach
    • in Centre Island
    • at Hanlan’s Point Ferry Dock
  2. There are limited food options. Water is available at the public washrooms.
  3. It’s definitely cooler on the Islands and there is no heated shelter. Dress appropriately. Gloves, a hat and multiple layers are recommended. There is limited shelter available during the winter.

Pedestrians can take the ferry from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to get to Toronto Island Park.

Vehicles

Only emergency and commercial service vehicles that are properly identified are issued a vehicle permit and allowed passage to the Toronto Islands.

Art and Heritage

Throughout the Island, there may be temporary public art installations. Visit the Public Art Map to find out if there is an ongoing art installation.

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse

At over 200 years old, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse is the oldest stone building in Toronto and Canada’s oldest standing lighthouse. It’s located on Gibraltar Point, just north of Gibraltar Point Beach.

Bird Watching

Parts of Toronto Island are Environmentally Significant Areas, and a variety of migrating birds can be spotted in the spring and fall. Key areas to visit for bird-watching including:

  • On Hanlan’s Point, near the large willows along the airport fence
  • Near Gibaltar Point, at the dunes and Trout Pond
  • At the Nature Reserve north of the water filtration plant
  • At Snug Harbour
  • At Snake Island
  • In the southeast part of Ward’s Island

Sand dunes and beaches run the length of the western shore of Toronto Island Park from Hanlan’s Point to Gibraltar Point, as well as Ward’s Island. They are an example of a freshwater coastal ecosystem that is uncommon along the Lake Ontario shoreline, and are home to several rare species that are adapted to this very dynamic and fragile environment.

Visit Biodiversity in the City for more information on the different species found in Toronto.

Boating

There are several lagoons between each of the islands where paddlers can access various points throughout the park. For City of Toronto paddle boat rentals, review the Attractions section of this page.

Toronto Island Park is home to:

  • Serviced public boat moorings (48-hour limit) on Hanlan’s Point and Centre Island
  • Privately owned Island Yacht Club on Mugg’s Island
  • Toronto Islands Marina on Centre Island
  • Privately owned Royal Canadian Yacht Club on Centre Island
  • Privately owned Queen City Yacht Club on Ward’s Island

Camping

Overnight camping is not allowed on Toronto Island Park.  Exceptions apply for non-profit groups when obtaining a one-time permit for Snake Island.

Fishing

Fishing is allowed on Toronto Island Park. When fishing, be sure to follow all Ontario fishing regulations and rules.

Sports Fields and Facilities

  • One baseball diamond is on Hanlan’s Point and one baseball diamond is on Ward’s Island
  • One disc golf course is located on Centre Island
  • One outdoor tennis court is located on Hanlan’s Point
  • Pickleball courts are located on Hanlan’s Point
  • One 18-hole disc golf course on both Ward’s and Centre Island with the first tee west of the Toronto Fire Hall

All facilities for each of the islands can be found on their individual pages:

Permit holders take precedence over general court use.

Swimming and Water Play

Beaches

Four of Toronto’s 11 beaches are on Toronto Island Park.

  • Centre Island Beach (Manitou Beach) is a 10-minute walk south from Centre Island Ferry Dock.
  • Gibraltar Point Beach is between Hanlan’s Point Beach and Centre Island Beach, about a 20-minute walk from Centre Island Ferry Dock.
  • Hanlan’s Point Beach is a 15-minute walk from Hanlan’s Point Ferry Dock. A portion of this beach is clothing-optional.
  • Ward’s Island Beach is a five-minute walk south from Ward’s Island Ferry Dock.

Beaches are supervised by a lifeguard and maintained in the summer. Swimming without a lifeguard is not recommended.

Splash Pads

Two splash pads are on Centre Island and operate in the summer months. One of the splash pads is located within Centreville Amusement Park and users don’t need to pay an entrance fee to Centreville or purchase tickets to use it.  The other splash pad is located near Saturn Playground and William Meany Maze.  Splash pads are unsupervised.

Gardens

William Meany Maze, located on Centre Island, is a hedge maze with 1,200 Black Cedars planted in a winding design. This recreates the original Toronto Island maze, a landmark built in 1967 to honour Canada’s centennial year.

Toronto Island Park is also home to Avenue of the Islands Gardens.

Franklin Children’s Garden

The garden is a hands-on learning environment that combines interactive features with recreational programming for children. Franklin’s Children’s Garden is inspired by Franklin the Turtle from the celebrated book series illustrated by Brenda Clark and published by Kids Can Press.

Trails

Toronto Island Park is connected by many multi-use trails, paths and bridges that are shared by pedestrians, cyclists, roller-skaters, and service and emergency vehicles.

  • Follow all posted signage and rules
  • Rent a bicycle from Toronto Island Bicycle Rentals (not City-own or operated)
  • Electric scooters, motorcycles or e-bikes over 40 kilograms are not allowed in the park

Boardwalk

The boardwalk offers a 1.5-kilometre walk with views of Lake Ontario, Tommy Thompson Park and Ward’s Island Beach. The main entry and exit points are located on the north side of Ward’s Island Beach and just east of Centre Island Beach with others along the way.

Centre Island Pier

Centre Island pier provides views of the islands, Tommy Thompson Park and Toronto’s city skyline. It’s located at Centre Island Beach.

Self Guided Tours

Take part in one of the self-guided tours that highlight unique landforms, gardens and trees and dynamic aquatic habitats that support more than 200 species of birds and animals living in the park.

Boat House

Type of Boat Maximum Boat Capacity Cost per hour*
Canoe Two adults or two adults with one child under the age of 12 $30.00
Solo Kayak One adult $19.00
Tandem Kayak Two adults $38.00

Valid ID must be presented for rentals. Paddles and lifejackets are included with rentals.

Reservations are made on-site for the next available boat starting at 11 a.m. We only accept Credit and Debit cards for payment (no cash).

*Tax included.

Boat House Hours

Closed for the season.

Centreville Amusement Park

Centreville offers over 30 rides and attractions. This amusement park is not operated by the City of Toronto.

Far Enough Farm

Centreville operates Far Enough Farm. Meet ponies, rabbits, sheep, chickens, and other barnyard creatures at this free hobby and petting farm.

Tram Tours

Type of Ticket Cost*
Adult $10.00
Senior $7.25
Student $7.25
Child (ages two to 12) $5.50
Child (ages two and under) Free

Only Credit and Debit cards are accepted for payment.

*Tax included

Tram Hours

Closed for the season.

Cafes and Restaurants

Visit CentreIsland.ca for a list of privately operated food facilities.

Picnics, Fire Pits and Social Gatherings

Picnic sites throughout the park are available for booking from May to September. Groups are allowed to permit one picnic site per event, per day. Leave the area cleaner than you found it. Dispose of your litter and recycling into the closet waste and blue bin.

For picnic sites that haven’t been booked, spaces are first-come, first-serve.

Fire Pits

There are five fire pits on the Toronto Islands that are available for booking.

  • Hanlan’s Point, located south of Billy Bishop Airport.
  • Olympic Island, located at picnic area 17, 21 and 22.
  • Centre Island, located west of William Meany Maze.

The following facilities are located on Toronto Island Park.