Cities have been given some harsh names like a concrete jungle, big smoke, and asphalt oasis. But many of the cities I know and love are home to sprawling green spaces too. I’ve always been drawn to parks and gardens in Toronto. Every time I visit I explore a new one. But with 1500 parks in Toronto where do you start? Well, you can start right here! I’ve compiled over 20 of the best Toronto gardens and parks that should be on your list of places to explore!
+20 Toronto Gardens and Parks
Ontario is full of incredible parks, astounding natural wonders, epic hiking trails, and some beautiful garden. But what of that can you find in the big city of Toronto? You may be surprised. Toronto is full of parks, gardens, walking trails, and even the first urban national park in Canada, Rouge National Urban Park. So, if you’re looking for some green in your city life then check out these amazing Toronto gardens and parks.
Top Gardens in Toronto
Allan Gardens Conservatory
My favourite garden in Toronto is Allan Gardens. It’s one of the city’s oldest parks. Located in the Jarvis and Gerrard area of downtown, Allan Gardens is home to a playground, dog park, and a conservatory. It’s the perfect place to find a little green in the urban jungle.
The Allan Gardens Conservatory is over 100 years old and is home to six greenhouses, a cool temperate house, palm house, arid house, and three tropical ones. A wander through the conservatory will make you feel like you’re in a wonderful fairy tale with all the vivid coloured flowers, lush greenery, koi fish, turtles, and more. And it’s definitely one of the best photography spots in Toronto.
Even in the thick of winter or if you want to escape the
rain you can still get your green dose of nature in the Allan Gardens
Conservatory. And the best part is – it’s free! Every season there’s always new
displays and events going on.
Location: 19 Horticultural Ave
Edwards Gardens
Another of Toronto’s gardens is Edwards Gardens. Located
across from Toronto Botanical Garden, Edwards Gardens is a perfect tranquil
oasis in the city. This once sprawling estate is now public gardens that is a
fabulous place to visit in Toronto. Located along Wilket Creek, a tributary of
the Don River, you’ll find everything from forested trails, a waterfall, an
array of beautiful plants like rhododendrons and roses.
A visit to Edwards Gardens is great at any time of year. In the spring you’ll find everything from tulips to cherry blossom trees. Toronto in the fall is always a good idea and you’ll love wandering the pathways of Edwards Gardens with all of the trees putting on a dazzling display of autumn colours. And if you’re looking for tours in Toronto Edward Gardens has a free garden tour weekdays throughout the summer.
Location: 755 Lawrence Ave East
Toronto Botanical Gardens
One of the finest gardens in Toronto and located in the north end of the city is the Toronto Botanical Gardens. Covering nearly four acres, the Toronto Botanical Gardens, or TBG, is full of award-winning themed gardens with over 4500 plants, representing over 2600 species. The Gardens also has a shop, seasonal café, an Environmentally-friendly building with a green roof, and the largest private horticultural library in Canada.
Admission to the Toronto Botanical Gardens is free but there is paid parking. Parking is only $2.50 per hour and if you are a member parking is free. There are also classes for both adults and children, nature day camps, free guided tours, and so much more. So if you’re looking for nature escape near downtown Toronto the Botanical Gardens are a perfect getaway.
Location: 777 Lawrence Avenue East
Guild Park & Gardens
If you’re looking for another garden oasis outside Toronto’s downtown core head to Guild Park & Gardens. Located along the shores of Lake Ontario, within the Scarborough Bluffs chain of parks, is a stunning expanse of green space. Guild Park & Gardens stretches across 80 acres and is a fantastical blend of history and nature.
Within the park are winding trails, including a lakefront one, beautiful gardens, and a scattering of ruins. The ruins are remnants of some of Toronto’s historic buildings as well as others from around Ontario. But each piece is expertly placed amongst the blooming trees, flower patches, and towering trees. This Instagram-worthy Toronto park is like an outdoor art and nature museum full of enchantment. So, be sure to put Guild Park & Gardens on your list of places to go in Toronto.
Location: 201 Guildwood Parkway
Toronto Music Garden
In the heart of downtown Toronto, along the shores of Lake Ontario is one of the most unique gardens in Toronto. The Toronto Music Garden is full of whimsy. The garden’s design was inspired by YoYo Ma, the famous cellist. The garden and its six sections symbolize Bach’s Suite No. 1 in G Major. But even if you have no musical education you’ll still love a stroll through the lovely green space.
The Toronto Music Garden is home to winding pathways, summer
music concerts, wildflower meadows, and a curvaceous Art-Deco wrought iron
Music Pavilion. You can even enjoy guided or self-guided tours through the
garden to help you learn more about the garden, its design, history, and see
the symbolism in each aspect.
Location: 479 Queens Quay West
Cloud Gardens
Close to one of my favourite cafes in Toronto, behind the flurry of activity on Yonge Street, you’ll find a drab building. Within it hides an enchanted greenhouse with lush tropical plants and even a five-story waterfall. It may be small but it’s a lovely little pop of greenery in Toronto. And just outside you’ll find the only park in Toronto’s Financial District.
The Cloud Gardens is literally one of Toronto’s hidden gems. Hidden behind the maddening Yonge Street in an unassuming building is a wonderful greenhouse. Outside lies the only park in the Financial District, and while it’s small the best part lies inside. Inside the conservatory you’ll be surrounded by lush tropical plants. And there’s even a five-story waterfall – which only runs in the summer.
Location: 14 Temperance St.
Top Parks in Toronto
Queen’s Park
One of Toronto’s iconic parks is Queen’s Park, also known as
the people’s park. This oval park is located in the heart of downtown and
covers nearly 50 acres. Named after Queen Victoria, Queen’s Parks was
established in 1860 and is one of Canada’s oldest urban parks. And standing
centre stage is the grand and imposing Ontario Legislative Building that was
built in 1892. The northern portion of the park is in the design of a
traditional British garden and has paths emanating from the centre where a
statue of King Edward VII stands.
Queen’s Park is always a hub of activity, whether its Canada Day celebrations, protests, or those looking for a respite from the blazing summer sun. In the spring you’ll find cherry blossoms in the southern portions of the park, close to the Legislative Building, and in the summer you’ll find shade in the large trees of the northern section of the park. A number of monuments and statues can be found throughout the park, some of which include Queen Victoria, Sir John A. Macdonald, and William Lyon Mackenzie.
Location: 110 Wellesley St W
High Park
One of Toronto’s best parks is High Park. Covering 400 acres, High Park is like the central park of Toronto, running from just north of Lake Ontario up to Bloor Street. It is home to walking trails, greenhouses, gardens, a small zoo, café, and even sporting facilities. High Park is the perfect green getaway right in the city, where you can enjoy a picnic or take in the birdlife found around Grenadier Pond. It’s not just your traditional city park, High Park still has a large portion that is in its natural state, with ravines, small ponds, wildlife, and rare oak savannah habitat that’s one of only a few found in Ontario.
High Park is perfect at any time of year. But one of the most popular times to visit High Park is in the spring, from late April to mid-May, as it’s one of the best places to find cherry blossom trees in Toronto. But even in the autumn, the park is a great place to take in the fall foliage. No matter when you visit High Park you’ll definitely leave feeling you’ve gotten your dose of vitamin N.
Location: 1873 Bloor Street West
Trinity Bellwoods Park
A popular hangout in Toronto, especially on warm summer weekends, is Trinity Bellwoods Park. Located along the popular Queen Street West, it’s here you’ll find the grand gated entrance to Trinity Bellwoods Park. The gates are all that remain of the old Trinity College that once was here. The park is set on 38 acres and is home to an off-leash dog park, tennis courts, and a farmers market in the summer. And Trinity Bellwoods is also home to its own stretch of cherry blossom trees.
Trinity Bellwoods Park also offers one of the best views in Toronto! Walking along the pathway lined with cherry blossom trees it leads to an awesome view. The viewpoint leads directly to the CN Tower.
Location: 790 Queen St. West
St. James Park
Another little jewel of a park in Toronto is St. James Park. This hidden gem is sandwiched between towering buildings and the St. James Church you’ll find this lovely little sanctuary of green. Part of the park is set like an English garden park with a series of formal gardens, crisscrossing pathways, a gazebo, and a charming fountain. It’s the perfect place to escape in the summer on one of the benches under the large mature trees.
Location: 120 King St. East
Tommy Thompson Park
How about a park built from rubble? That’s exactly what Tommy Thompson Park is. The Leslie Street Spit, as it was then, was originally built as a breakwater from millions of cubic metres of concrete and fill in the 1950s. But after it was no longer needed it was realized that it had become an unintentional wilderness, and so was given to the Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority in the 1970s.
Now, this five kilometre peninsula jutting out into Lake Ontario covers over 250 hectares and is home to ten kilometres of paved trails. Tommy Thompson Park is a birding paradise found right here in the city. With over 300 species of bird recorded here, it’s been designated an Important Bird Area and an Environmentally Significant Area. So, whether you’re looking for a park with tranquil biking trails or somewhere to go birding in Toronto then head to Tommy Thompson Park.
Please note that there are no pets, which includes dogs,
permitting in the park. And there is a free parking lot at the park entrance.
Location: 1 Leslie St.
Grange Park
Another great park in downtown Toronto is Grange Park.
Located just to the south of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Grange Park is a small
green space but a lovely spot to catch a dose of the outdoors in the city. The
area was originally part of the Boulton family Estate, built in 1817, of which
The Grange is all that remains. Along with a children’s play area and off-leash
dog area, the park is full of gems to discover. Among the over 150 trees in
Grange Park you’ll also find a large art piece, Two Forms, created by Henry
Moore, and fourteen paving stones that are inscribed with quotes. So, don’t
forget to watch where you step!
Location: Beverley St. & McCaul St.
Scarborough Bluffs Park
One of Toronto’s best parks for views is Scarborough Bluffs Park. A 15 kilometre stretch of epic cliffs, rising up 90 metres, the Scarborough Bluffs offers stunning views over Lake Ontario as well as its fragile white sandy escarpment. There are a series of parks and gardens that make up the Scarborough Bluffs, some notable ones include; Cathedral Bluffs Park, Rosetta McClain Gardens, and Sylvan Park. Another, Bluffer’s Park, is the only one that has a beach and access to the lake, as well as sweeping views of the bluffs themselves from ground level.
While there are trails through the parks, some of which
going pretty close to the edge, it’s important to note that this escarpment is
fragile. With rain, soil erosion, and other factors the bluffs are changing.
So, be careful along trail sections that near the bluff’s edge.
Rouge National Urban Park
If you’re looking for an incredible expanse of park space that has just as much cultural significance that it does environmental then head to Rouge National Urban Park. Spanning nearly 80 square kilometres, Rouge National Urban Park is fifty times larger than Toronto’s High Park and twenty-two times bigger than New York’s Central Park. That’s pretty impressive for Canada’s first urban national park.
The park is rich in biodiversity, with over 200 bird species, mammals, reptiles, and a wealth of plant species, it’s also home to 27 at-risk or endangered species. This makes it a great place to go bird watching and for children to learn about nature and animals close to home. Along with Toronto’s only campground, a beach along the shores of Lake Ontario, it’s also home to the area’s largest marsh that’s home to one of the best Ontario boardwalk trails.
There is a ton of things to do in Rouge National Urban Park, everything from canoeing to cycling. It’s also home to over a dozen hiking trails that will take you through its various landscapes, from rivers to bluffs and forests to meadows. The park also runs guided tours where you can learn not just about the park’s natural significance but also its cultural one, as the park is home to some of the oldest known Indigenous sites in Canada, dating back over 10,000 years.
Don Valley Brickworks Park
Another great place to enjoy the outdoors in Toronto is Don Valley Brickworks Park, which can be found alongside Evergreen Brickworks. Set on the grounds of the old Brickworks factory is a now sprawling green space in Toronto that’s home to winding trails, hilltop epic views of the city’s skyline, floating boardwalks, and a few resident hawks, turtles, as well as other wildlife.
Located in the Lower Don River Valley, this is the perfect oasis for a dose of green in Toronto. Covering 40 acres, the Don Valley Brickworks Park is one of the best parks in Toronto. Its trails are also connected to other trail systems in Toronto, like the Belt Line and Lower Don trails. You’ll find an array of environments in the park, from scrubland to marshes. And with that a host of different wildlife, from a variety of birds to a number of different reptiles and amphibians.
More Toronto Green Spaces to Visit
There are so many parks and gardens in Toronto. While I’ve only brushed on a few of the top parks and gardens above here is a list of other places in Toronto to enjoy nature. There’s everything from the Toronto Islands to the adorable Berczy Park with its dog fountain. And don’t forget the incredible ravine trails and parks in Toronto, like Blythwood Ravine Park. Check out a few more green spaces in Toronto!
Kew Gardens
Named after London’s Kew Gardens, Toronto’s Kew Gardens is much different. Located in the Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, the park is 6.5 hectares and runs from Lake Ontario up to Queen Street. The park is home to a few historic buildings, tennis courts, trails, and in the winter there’s even a skating rink.
HTO Park
Considered Toronto’s urban beach, HTO Park is located just west of Harbourfront Centre. The name, HTO is a play on words, combining both water, H20, and the city’s often used abbreviation, TO. HTO Park is definitely one of the city’s most quirky parks. Here, you’ll find a sandy beach, fun yellow umbrellas, as well as grassy areas.
Canoe Landing Park
Another urban park in Toronto is Canoe Landing Park. Covering over 3 hectares, the park is located between Fort York Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway. But the park is noted as one of Toronto’s most Instagrammable locations thanks to its quirky artwork like oversized fishing bobbers, a massive canoe with views, and a bunch more fun pieces.
Coronation Park
Celebrating the coronation of King George VI, Coronation Park is another beautiful park along Lake Ontario. Here you’ll find a stunning Royal Oak, war memorials, and signage telling the story of the park, the memorials, and more. There’s also an off-leash dog area, a few softball diamonds, and it’s located along the Martin Goodman Trail – a 56 kilometre trail along Toronto’s waterfront.
Toronto Inukshuk Park
Just next door is Inukshuk Park, another of Toronto’s parks along the lakeshore. Here you’ll find a massive Inuit stone structure called an Inukshuk. They’re found throughout the arctic and serve to orient and act as guides for travellers. But this piece, created by Kellypalik Qimirpik a world-renowned artist, is one of North America’s largest. Weighing around 50 tonnes, standing 30 feet high, and stretching 15 feet in length, it is a must-see.
Lower Don Parklands
The Lower Don Parklands is a Toronto gem of green space! This massive swatch of green space runs along the Don River and connects many other Toronto trails and green spaces, like Don Valley Brickworks Park. The area is home to a ton of trails through varying landscapes, a honey kiln from 1800, and in numerous spots offers epic views of Toronto. This is also where you’ll find Crothers Woods, known for picturesque winding trails and popular for mountain biking. It’s also home to a wide array of wildlife and you can even catch the salmon run in the fall. Be sure to check out the map before you go.
More Parks in Toronto to check out: Philosopher’s Walk, Toronto Islands, Berczy Park, Harbour Square Park, Budapest Park, Roundhouse Park, Riverdale Park, Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Humber Bay Park Trillium Park.
Do you have a favourite park or garden in Toronto?
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