Ward's Island Beach — Attraction in Toronto

Smashing IT! 💃🍹🛝🌉🏝️💃

Historical and beautiful Ward's Island and Beach! It's an oasis of delectable wonders and captivating nature with breath taking views of the city skyline and just 15 minutes by ferry.

Ward's Island has so much to offer from trails, to walks, to bike rides, to amazing eats and a spectacular beach.

The lake is clear and cool so it makes it an ideal for the perfect dip on a hot summers day. The beach is never too crowded and there's plenty of seating to be found whether it's a park bench or an old large tree that has fallen that now serves as a sitting spot in the shade.

Now with the newly and anticipated opening of Island Restaurant after it had been gutted by fire a few years back, is welcoming all visitors with open arms. They have some great eats from light snacks, to dinner, great cocktails and beers and out of this world ice-cream!

Ward's Island, part of the Toronto Islands, has a history rooted in fishing and seasonal living, evolving from a peninsula to an island after a storm in 1858. The island is named after David Ward, who settled there with his family around 1830. Initially a summer resort, it later became a residential community, with homes initially constructed from tents and later evolving into cottages.

Here's a more detailed look at the island's history:

Early Inhabitants:

David Ward, a fisherman, settled on the eastern end of the former peninsula with his family in the early 1830s.

From Peninsula to Island:

A significant storm in 1858 separated the peninsula from the mainland, creating the Toronto Islands.

Summer Resort:

By the late 1800s, the islands became a popular summer destination, attracting many seasonal residents.

Tents and Cottages:

Early residents lived in tents, which eventually evolved into more permanent structures like cottages.

Residential Community:

Over time, Ward's Island transformed into a residential community, with residents living in homes on land leased from the city.

Connection to Algonquin Island:

A bridge connects Ward's Island to Algonquin Island, which also has a residential population.

Notable Families:

Besides the Wards, other families like the Durnans (related to the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse keeper) also had a presence on the islands.

Community Newspapers:

The Ward's Island community has had its own historical newspapers, such as the Ward's Island Weekly, which documented the island's life from...

Hidden Gem!

This was an absolute surprise for us. We had gone to the ward island to attend a paddleboard lession (Toronto Island SUP). Reached early, had 90min to kill and decided to check out the closest beach.

The beacb is small and can get crowded, but you can always find place to keep your stuff to head into the water. They have lifeguards that patrol the area in a canoe towards the deep end (where the boats are anchored). Decent water (for a city lake). You can also get any floatation devices and have a drink on the water. There are restrooms closeby to freshen up or change.

We didn't have to explore any of the trails, but noticed a lot of people on quadricycles (sometimes a nuisance, saw some close calls where they just missed a passing cyclist or rollerblader).

Overall Verdict: Decent beach to check out if you have a day to kill. Come early so that you can get...

I want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Need a little break a little Zen time. So I went off to center island and went to wards island this is Toronto's infamous nude beach. So you can let your imagination flow from there. It was definitely. Experience, but as you could see I want farther away from the people to go.View the sunset ..As you could see mission accomplithe complex I've. I was feeling selfish if I was to hold all these images to myself. So here I am Sharing This amazing 5 of peace. An...