The largest park in the city at nearly 400 acres, High Park’s oaks, cherry and birch trees produce beautiful colours in October. Walking or cycling along trails you’ll encounter playgrounds, sports fields, green houses, a dog park and a gorgeous waterfront. Grab coffee or a bite to eat from Palmer Coffee, La Diperie or Hannah’s Cafe and Bakery on Bloor Street West, and head down to Hillside Gardens to enjoy the view of Grenadier Pond.

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2. Quarry Garden

Located in the Evergreen Brickworks, this garden has a lookout that includes views of reflective pools and the city skyline. In close proximity are the Evergreen Garden Market and Picnic Café, as well as walkways, trails and the historic brick factory. A mesh of warm hues and environmentally-conscious landscaping, this viewpoint is amazing for photography, picnics or a crisp Autumn stroll.

Rouge National Urban Park

3. Rouge Park

Meadows, forests and wetlands in red, orange, yellow and green await you in this national urban park area. Guided walks, canoeing, kayaking and cycling are great ways to immerse yourself in nature just outside of Vaughn. Various historic buildings (cottages, a schoolhouse) and an old logging trail are also curious sights for exploration and wonder.

4. Etienne Brule Park

The Humber River and its shores make up this historically significant park. “Within this park you will find interpretive signage with information about the history of the area and its traditional uses. You will also find a ball diamond, a great hiking trail and lovely spots for a small picnic along the way” (City of Toronto). People say that in the Fall, freshwater salmon swimming upstream add to the vigour of warm-coloured foliage.

5. McMicheal Canadian Art Collection

One hundred acres of forested land surround this public gallery of Canadian art. Visit the museum’s permanent collection to glimpse works by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and Indigenous contemporary artists. Alternatively, walk the grounds and trails while listening to an audio tour with information on physical landmarks and the history of Canadian art. Sculptures and historic sites are given a new life breath by the Humber River Valley wilderness with the turning of the seasons.

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1. Do the Grouse Grind for time

Whether you’ve scaled Grouse Mountain before or it’s your first time you are allowed to be competitive– as long as it’s with yourself! This trail through the trees with 800 meters of elevation takes the average person between 1.5 and 2.5 hours to complete. If you’re more experienced and don’t have to stop as often, you’ll be able to do it faster. Pro hockey players race up the mountain all the time; Connor Bedard finished it in a mere 37 minutes! However, the record for time has not been broken since cyclist Sebastian Salas completed it in 23 minutes and 48 seconds in 2010. Either time yourself on your phone as you go up, or tap an official time card at checkpoint poles at the bottom and the top of the Grind.

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2. Progress through volleyball tiers on public beaches

You may have noticed that many of the city’s public beaches have wood beams for volleyball nets. You’ve probably even seen people playing or setting up. Parks Vancouver’s website confirms that nets and lines are not provided, but that anyone is welcome to play on any beach. Looking at Reddit threads or talking to players on the beach, you’ll find out there’s an unofficial understanding that the best players practice at Kits Beach. If you’re just a beginner and want to drop in, consider asking to join people at Spanish Banks or Jericho Beach. In order to work your way up to the skill level needed for Kits beach, you’ll probably want to join a league such as Volleyball BC or Urban Rec. Or you could exercise your free will and see if the elite players on Kits Beach need a line ref/ substitute. 

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3. Complete the Vancouver triathlon

With 3 different event distances and the option to complete the race as a relay team instead, the triathlon can be as moderate or grueling as you make it. The Standard Distance (actually the longest) is a 1,500 meter swim in English Bay, followed by a 37.8 kilometer bike along Park Drive and a 10 kilometer run with views of Second Beach. The scenic Stanley Park course makes this race unlike many other triathlons around the world. Just finishing will give you a great sense of accomplishment and connect you to other athletes in the city. Race day is in the late Summer/early Fall; register here!

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Morning 🌳

Arrive in Woodbine Park at your leisure. If 12:30 PM ends up being the morning, so be it; there’s really no rush to get started for most of these activities. Let the day warm up as you picnic, walk along the park trails and Boardwalk, watch beach volleyball or play disc golf. Make your way down to Woodbine Beach West Dock for amazing views of the skyline and the yachts on the lake.

Toronto Beach Kayak

Afternoon 🚣

Stroll across the sand until you reach Toronto Beach Kayak. This boat rental is open from 9AM to 30 minutes before sunset, and you can either reserve kayaks ahead online or just drop in if you have a small group. Take a look at their chart for paddling times to specific destinations (broken down by ability level) before setting sail across that blue water. Of course, if you’re not confident kayaking or it’s not in your budget, Woodbine Beach is also very swimmable. From July to September the water temperature is often around 20 C– and the shore is gentle, without many rocks. Take some time to recharge by lounging in the sunshine on the beach or back in the shade of the park, before you get hungry for dinner.

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Evening 🥙

Go on a walk up the road away from the beach until you reach Queen St E. Here you’ll find a wide range of entertainment, shopping, and dining options, with most of the restaurants located between Woodbine Ave and Wineva Ave. From Greek, to Thai, Indian, Japanese, Italian, poké, burger joints, and pubs, you’ll almost certainly find something that appeals. 

HISTORY

Night 🎸

After dinner and maybe a couple of drinks, head West back towards Woodbine Park on Queen St. to find two great entertainment options to round out the day. HISTORY is a live music venue hosting all kinds of shows each week. Stop by the box office to see what’s on and buy tickets at the door. Alternatively, Cineplex Cinemas is right next door, with six screens and late-night showtimes. Enjoy the cooling dark theatre and walk out into the night with that peculiar, thrilling feeling of renewal after a great film.

The post A Perfect Day at Woodbine Park and Beach appeared first on Northly.

Parks and Preserves

• The Hilliardton Marsh Research and Education Centre: This wetland habitat (located about 6 hours north of Toronto) is home to ducks, songbirds, hummingbirds, owls and more. Spring and Fall are the best times to experience migrating flocks, and also the seasons for public events such as Garden Party and Owl Banding at the Centre.
• Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park: This glacial landscape, dotted with lakes, offers many different recreational activities like hiking, kayaking and fishing. Ivanhoe is located 8 hours north and west of Toronto, and offers camping. The most unique animals in the park are “white-coloured” or “spirit” moose, whose ghostly shade comes from a unique recessive gene.
• Chapleau Crown Game Preserve: Bears, beavers, foxes, waterfowl, timberwolf, lynx, and bald eagles all reside here. The Missinaibi River offers gorgeous views, and you can paddle down it in canoes. It takes between 8 and 9 hours to reach the Preserve from Toronto.

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Rescue Habitats and Education Centres

• Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat: This rehabilitation centre for wild polar bears operates on 24 acres of sub-arctic and boreal forest. Located 8 hours north of Toronto, getting to the habitat can be a bit of a trek. Luckily, there is the option to camp on the grounds for one or two nights. Guided tours and special viewing experiences can be reserved ahead, allowing you to make the most of your trip if you’re there to witness the majestic bears.
• Wolf Centre at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve: The privately-owned forest includes a massive facility for the conservation of Ontario wolves. Primarily an education centre, the wolves (including a pair of Alphas and their relatives) are viewable from an observatory. The forest also offers outdoor activities, a treetop walk and bookable wood cabins for overnight stays. It is located just 3 hours north and east of Toronto!
• Mountsberg Raptor Centre: An educational facility located within the Mountsberg Conservation Area, programming and events are held for guests to experience Ontario birds-of-prey (owls, hawks, eagles, and falcons) from up close. The “Raptor Encounter” is a unique opportunity to hold a raptor on-glove yourself, as well as participate in their feeding and enrichment. Mountsberg Raptor Centre is located just west of Mississauga.

Viewpoints

Viewpoints

• The Deer Yard: About 4 hours north of Toronto is an area of wetlands where tens of thousands of whitetail deer congregate in a herd. The 3.6 km of trails are maintained by volunteers for visitation between May and October.
• Point Pelee National Park: Mid-September and the rest of the Fall is the time of year when flocks of migrating Monarch Butterflies make their way through Ontario on their way south for the winter. Just 3.5 hours south of Toronto you can see these bright and beautiful insects (as well as migrating birds) at the southernmost point of mainland Canada.

The post Unique Weekend Trips for Viewing Ontario Wildlife appeared first on Northly.

1. Allan Gardens Conservatory 🌺

This indoor botanical garden has free admission and is open Monday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. It features five distinct greenhouses: arid, tropical, palm, orchid and bromeliad, and temperate. Here you’ll walk through lush vegetation and flowers from different geographical regions. The Temperate House even has seasonal flower shows and a koi pond.

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2. Bata Shoe Museum 👡

Free for all on Sundays (open 12-5 PM) the Bata Shoe museum is a walk through the history of footwear. Their full collection of shoes and related artifacts includes 15,000 items– from cowboy boots to chopines– with some pieces approaching 4,500 years old! The museum also occasionally holds dance classes and talks for inexpensive or pay-what-you-can prices. The Bata Shoe Museum is free for Indigenous people every day.

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3. Royal Ontario Museum 🌍

The ROM features all kinds of historical, art and science exhibitions, as well as galleries dedicated to different parts of the globe. Every third Tuesday of the month they offer free admission, but you still have to book tickets online ahead of time. Two weeks before the free night, the tickets will become available on their website. Simply click on the third Tuesday of their monthly ticket calendar, and check the box for “3rd Tuesday Nights Free” to secure your spot.

Toronto Music Garden

4. The Music Garden 🎶

The Toronto Music Garden is a harbourfront scenic series of connected gardens inspired by Bach’s First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. In the summer, the gardens transform into stages for performances, from live music to storytelling with celebrated Canadian and international artists. These events take place on Thursdays and Sundays from late June until the end of August. Learn more about the seasonal shows here.

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5. Maple Leafs Baseball Games ⚾

Come and watch Toronto’s IBL baseball team for free at Dominico Field in Christie Pitts Park. Bring a picnic and blanket, as you’ll be seated on the side of a grassy hill to view the game. To maximize the fun, come dressed up for one of their special events, such as Boots’n’Bats or Beach Day. Take a look at the team’s schedule to plan your visit!

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