From my travels, when I think about Canada, Iâve always thought nature in the west and city in the east.
But after a little research and exploring in Toronto, I found that there are lots of places to get outdoors and enjoy nature less than 2 hours from the city!
Similar to New York Cityâs Central Park, High Park is an urban park to the west of the city just north of Lake Ontario. But at 399 acres, itâs MUCH larger than Central Park. High Park is very easy drive but I actually ended up running the five miles from downtown to get there.
The park has several hiking trails, waterfront areas, a zoo, childrenâs playgrounds, a couple restaurants and tons of beautiful gardens.
In all honesty, the High Park Zoo was a little sad. The 9 paddocks are very small but it is free and inside youâll find peacocks, reindeer, llamas and more.
Since I was training for a half marathon at the time, I spent my fall visit to High Park on foot exploring as much of the 399 acres as I could. I stopped into one of the restaurants for water but there were also vending machines.
Beautiful fall colors in October!
Although I wasnât there to see Vancouver Island during itâs summer prime, I could tell itâs an amazing place to spend a Saturday during the warmer months.
Toronto Island is a short ferry ride from downtown Toronto. Ferries leave from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal located west of the Westin Harbor hotel at 9 Queens Quay West. You can buy tickets online or at the terminal. An adult return ticket is $7.50.
Ferry times vary by season. In the summer, fall and spring, there are ferries to Wardâs Island, Centre Island and Hanlanâs Point but in the winter there are only ferries to Wardâs Island. You can check exact ferry times here.
On the island, you can rent bikes, check out the childrenâs playgrounds, Gibraltar Point Lighthouse and the beach. Thereâs also the Centreville Amusement Park with more than 30 rides. It is open from late April through late September.
The ferry ride alone is enjoyable as well as the parks around Toronto Island. But definitely check it out in the summer months. I know Iâll be heading back to scope out the beach!
 The view from the back of the ferry leaving Toronto
Walking along the boardwalk on Toronto Island
One of the streets on Toronto Island
Dundas Peak/Tewâs Falls
If you have a car in Toronto and are looking for more of a drive, check out Dundas Peak/Tewâs Falls. Itâs a little over an hour from downtown Toronto and in the fall months, I would have driven two hours for the view!
Dundas Peak is a hiking area in Hamilton, west of Toronto.
It costs $5 to park your car and they only take cash. You can park at Tewâs Falls or Webster Falls. There isnât much in the area but if you do forget cash, thereâs a tiny convenience store down the road with a rusty old ATM.
Because I didnât have cash or a debit card, I chose to park on a side street like the rest of the droves of cars. Bad mistake! When I came back about 45 minutes later, I had a $60 CAD parking ticket. The cops know about the massive amount of people coming to Dundas Peak (and lack of parking) so they are sitting there waiting for you. Whoops!
The view of the falls is an easy 5 minute walk from the Tewâs Falls parking lot.
From there, the walk to Dundas Peak is about 15 minutes through a winding, but very easy, wooded pathway. Itâs just a dirt path so I would recommend sneakers, boots or at least shoes you donât mind getting dirty.
Beautiful fall colors on the trail to Dundas Peak
Definitely check out Dundas Peak in the fall months. I mean look at those colors! You donât see colors like that in Manhattan!
Well, duh! Niagara Falls is about an hour and a half drive west of Toronto. Itâs an easy drive but there is also a train which takes about 3 hours. There are several bus options as well that depart from downtown Toronto.
There is a Canadian side of the falls as well as an American side. On the Canadian side, youâll find several bars, restaurants, hotels and casinos. Note that if you want to drive to the American side of the Falls, you will need your passport or enhanced driverâs license. But Iâve always gone to the Canadian side because to me there is more to do such as the casinos and nightlife.
For day time attractions, the Maid of the Mist tour that takes you to the base of the falls with a complimentary rain poncho is a must! Another option is the Cave of the Winds which takes you on an elevator 175 feet down into Niagara Gorge. There, with your complimentary poncho, you can walk up close to the falls and experience the power of the water.
As a native to Rochester, NY, I visited Niagara Falls several times growing up. Itâs a little less than 2 hours from Rochester and just 30 minutes from Buffalo, NY. I havenât been back since 2012 so enjoy this very old, Blackberry photo of me visiting the falls in the early spring 2012!
For more on Niagara Falls, click here.
Where are your favorite places to get outside and enjoy nature near Toronto?
I spent A LOT of time in Toronto in 2016. Here are some highlights. #travel #wanderlust From my travels, when I think about Canada, I've always thought nature in the west and city in the east.
