The Details

“The Beaches,” a relaxed neighbourhood with a small-town feel, is a top summer destination for families and tourists. Tree-lined streets make their way down to a charming boardwalk and the sandy beaches of Lake Ontario, providing a nice change of pace from that of the busy city. Queen Street East buzzes with independent clothing stores, intimate bistros and bars, homey bakeries, and ice cream parlours. Kew Gardens is the top spot for skating and tennis, and it’s home to the annual Beaches International Jazz Festival. 

Architecture / Homes

The Beaches’ many lovely homes were built in the 1920s and ’30s, but they have since been modernized to meet contemporary tastes and needs. It also has the largest variety of architectural styles of any neighbourhood in Toronto.

Amenities

Queen Street is the most commercial of The Beach shopping districts. Many of these stores and restaurants have a beach motif that caters to the tourist trade. The shops on Kingston Road also have a beach flavour, however they attract a more local clientele than the stores on Queen Street.

The Beaches’ most famous landmark is The Boardwalk. The Boardwalk is skirted by the Martin Goodman Trail which spans the city’s waterfront from The Beach to the Humber River. Ashbridge’s Bay Park is a good spot for family picnics and windsurfing. Its also a popular spot for beach volleyball. Glen Stewart Park off Queen Street has a picturesque ravine and nature trail. Donald Summerville Pool at the foot of Woodbine Avenue, overlooks the lake and includes an Olympic size pool, a diving pool and a children’s pool. Kew Gardens has one of Toronto’s most active tennis programs with 10 flood lit courts. This park also has a baseball diamond, an artificial ice rink, a children’s playground, a wading pool and a concert bandstand. The Beach Branch of the Toronto Public Library is right next to Kew Gardens, off Queen Street.

Getting Around

Streetcars heading to and from downtown run east to west along Queen Street East, Kingston Road and Gerrard Street East. Several bus lines run north to south to Woodbine, Main and Coxwell Subway Stations.