Toronto Islands Loop

From Oshawa, we take the GO train to Toronto's Union Station. On weekends, a day ticket costs CAD 10; parking at GO stations is free. https://www.gotransit.com/en From Union Station, we walk to Harbour Square Park on Lake Ontario. This is where the ferry terminal for Toronto Island Park is located. We take the boat to Hanlan's Point, next to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which is located entirely on the island. From the ferry, we walk along Blockhouse Bay, where yachts are anchored, and have lunch at the Mermaid Cafe. We reach the beach on Lake Ontario via Beach Road. The sun is shining, making it pleasant, but the view over the water is limited. We now understand why; The wildfires in the province of Monitoba have significantly worsened air quality in the Greater Toronto Area 😷 We stroll along Gibraltar Point Beach on the south shore, where there are a few beachgoers. It's not until Centre Island Beach that the numerous weekend visitors appear. There are food stalls and restrooms for beachgoers. We linger at the Centre Island Pier and later follow the bustling Lakeshore Avenue east. The long wooden boardwalk to Ward's Island Park in the north is pedestrian-only. We take a detour to Snake Island, walk through the natural landscape, and admire the Toronto skyline once again. Back at the boardwalk, we discover The Riviera – Ward's Island Kitchen, a garden restaurant, and stop for coffee and a snack – highly recommended. On the way to the ferry, we hurry through the neighborhood on Ward's Island, with its lovely little houses nestled in the greenery. Back in Toronto we do some shopping and have dinner with a friend at Harbour Square.