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Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Photo: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The Harbourfront neighbourhood in Toronto encompasses the area from the lakeshore corridor railway line in the north down to Lake Ontario in the south and from Exhibition Place in the west to Parliament Street in the east. Nearly the entire neighbourhood is built on land reclaimed from Lake Ontario in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Biidaasige Park (pronounced "bee-daw-si-geh") is at the mouth of the Don River with walkways and wetlands along the river banks. There are 4 launch sites in the park for paddle boats such as kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards. Motorized craft are prohibited in the waterways of the park. Near Commissioners Street, there are 5 very elaborate children's playgrounds, one with animal sculptures, another simulating the Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon and two others having giant animal statues that children may climb.
Sherbourne Common is a modern park with a 240-m-long water channel, three nine-metre-tall art sculptures, and 182 planted trees. Underground, there is a water filtration plant.
Sugar Beach has a sandy beach with ornamental lighting, umbrellas, Muskoka chairs, a rocky amphitheatre, and pedestrian areas paved with granite setts arranged in a stylized maple leaf motif. The beach, on a former industrial dock, has sunbathing but no swimming facilities. Across from Sugar Beach, you might see a large ship unloading sugar at the sugar plant.
This small museum is in the enormous Redpath Sugar Refinery and details the production of sugar.
Pier 27 is a condominium development on a former industrial wharf. It contains glass-faced buildings with an unusual design: There are four 10-storey towers, and on top of them sit 3-storey buildings like large box-like bridges at different angles overlapping and connecting pairs of 10-storey buildings. Between the two main buildings there are a series of metal sculptures mostly resembling giant blooming flowers. At the rear of the buildings is a peaceful wharf promenade with benches where you can watch ferries depart to the Toronto Island.
This is the southern end of Yonge Street where there is decorative bronze plaque set in the sidewalk to promote the urban myth that Yonge Street is the longest street in the world. Until 1999, the Guinness Book of World Records supported this myth because it incorrectly assumed that provincial Highway 11, 1896 km long, and Yonge Street, 88 km long, were one and the same. Yonge Street is only a relatively small portion of Highway 11. There is also a Yonge Street map at Yonge and Dundas Streets again to promote this urban myth.
This small park has a large heart-shaped pond with a tiny island. A pedestrian path circles the pond. There are tables and chairs near the park's south-east corner. (Note: The nearby tables on the patio for Impact Kitchen are not part of the park.)
A Banksy graffiti mural, depicting a policeman and dog, is on concrete slabs placed in a glass case. The slabs were carefully salvaged from a demolished building. Banksy created the piece during a 2010 visit, and the work is the only survivor from that visit.
Exhibitions rotate, consult the website to see what's on display.
Harbourfront Centre is the arts and entertainment hub of the district. In the summer there is a full schedule of events and performances for the whole family.
Art gallery and workshops. On the east side of the building, there is a raised aisle where visitors can look into artist workshops. Sometimes, the art gallery is empty when there is a change in exhibits.
This footbridge was a 1974 gift from the mayor of Amsterdam to commemorate a pairing of the Dutch city with Toronto. It offers selfie views of the CN Tower on one side and of the harbour on the other.
This public park by the water's edge contains a sandy area with beach umbrellas and lounge chairs. It is used for relaxing, sunbathing but not for swimming. On the west side of the park, one may see two fire fighting boats beside a fire hall. On the east side of the fire hall, there is a memorial to firefighters who died on duty. The name HTO is a play on H2O and "TO" which is a nickname for Toronto. There is also a HTO West Park, without a sandy area, just across the inlet from the fire hall.
The memorial commemorates Chinese workers who died in the 19th century doing railway construction. It consists of a full scale mockup of a small wooden railway trestle under construction with two statues of construction workers.
An urban wildlife sanctuary and wetland restoration site.
Designed by cellist Yo Yo Ma and landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy, the Toronto Music Garden is an interpretation of Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. Wheelchair accessible.
Ireland Park contains a memorial about the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century. This memorial, depicting life-size statues of hunger victims, is similar in style and identical in purpose to a memorial on the Liffey River in Dublin.
This quaint lighthouse was built in 1861, decommissioned in 1911, and moved to its current site in 1929.
Fort York is a historic site of 19th century military fortifications and barracks. The fort was built by the British Army and Canadian militia troops in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, to defend the settlement and the new capital of the Upper Canada region from the threat of a military attack, principally from the newly independent United States. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923.
The park has natural-looking landscape with native tree and shrub species, trails, rolling landforms, rock outcrops, pebble beach and a great view of the CN Tower and downtown skyline.
In addition to the exposition buildings, there are a few other sites of interest at Exhibition Place, Toronto's fair grounds. Except during the CNE, admission is free. See also Exhibition Place events.
The Princes' Gates is a large ceremonial Beaux-Arts monument marking the eastern entrance to Exhibition Place. The gates are named for Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), and his brother, Prince George (later the Duke of Kent), who visited in 1927. The monument is a 300-foot-long, 18-column structure with a 41-foot-high central arch, topped by the Goddess of Winged Victory statue. There are nine pillars to either side of the main arch, representing the nine Canadian provinces in existence at the time of construction. Flanking the central arch are various figures representing progress, industry, agriculture, arts, and science.
Home of the Major League Soccer team Toronto FC since it began play in 2007, with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League joining them in 2016. The capacity is 30,000, normally restricted to 25,000 for Argos games, but can be expanded with temporary seating. With Canada confirmed to be cohosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the US and Mexico, it is likely the stadium will be expanded to 40,000 in time for that event.
CNE Coliseum
A historic venue that was built as a livestock arena, its interior was extensively renovated near the start of the 2000s to serve as a hockey arena. As of 2025, it hosts the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women's Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies, the top minor-league team of the Maple Leafs. In 2026, it will become the primary home of the Toronto Tempo, Canada's first WNBA team.
Located in a rose garden, this monument depicts a winged angel holding aloft a crown of olive branches and standing upon a globe held aloft by female sphinxes. The Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (better known as the Shriners) presented the monument to the people of Canada on June 12, 1930 as a symbol of peace and friendship between the United States and Canada. The winged angel faces the Niagara River, which forms part of the Canada-United States border.
A large obelisk marks the site of the French-built Fort Rouillé erected in 1750 and 1751. The governor of New France ordered its construction to establish a French presence in the area, and to intercept the trade of Indians traveling towards an English fur-trading post in present-day Oswego. It was a small palisaded fort with a bastion at each of its four corners, and contained five main buildings: a corps de garde, storeroom, barracks, blacksmithy, and a building for the officers. The French garrison destroyed the fort in 1759, while retreating from invading English forces. The outline of the original fort has been marked out in concrete around the obelisk.
This one-room cabin sits next to the Fort Rouillé Monument and behind the CNE Bandshell. It is the oldest building in Toronto. It was built by the Queen's York Rangers in 1794 on behalf of John Scadding, who served as clerk to John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada. The original cabin was moved from its original site on the Don River and to its present site just prior to the opening of the Toronto Industrial Exhibition (later the CNE) in 1879.
Boat tours of the harbour.
Harbour tours. There is a by the wharf.
Kajama
Cruises on a tall sailing vessal. The is located where the ship Kajama moors.
formerly Fleck Dance Theatre
Features modern dance and theatre performances.
Canoe & Kayak Rental Service
Bicycle and inline skate rental. Located right on the Martin Goodman Trail.
A public space located under the Gardiner Expressway. In summer, it hosts art shows and musical performances. In summer, the space transforms into an outdoor (but covered) skating trail. Skate rentals are available.
The following are the major events at Exhibition Place. See also Exhibition Place for points of sightseeing interest.
The Ex, CNE
The Ex is an annual fair offering an amusement park (The Midway), a casino, live entertainment, an international market, agricultural exhibits including livestock and a variety of other exhibits. It is Canada's largest fair and the fifth largest in North America, with an average annual attendance of 1.3 million.
IndyCars race through the streets at Exhibition Place for a thrilling annual weekend event at Exhibition Place the third weekend in July.
The first Major League Soccer team in Canada (since joined by teams in Vancouver and Montreal), TFC plays at BMO Field, which was built specifically for the team but later expanded to allow it to host the Argonauts (below). TFC has become one of the league's powerhouses, notably becoming the first Canadian team to claim the MLS Cup (league championship) in 2017.
Toronto's entry in the Canadian Football League, the team has existed since 1873—making it the oldest existing professional sports team in North America still using its original name. The Argos have won the CFL's championship, the Grey Cup, a record 18 times, including in 2022. The team joined Toronto FC at BMO Field in 2016.
Ontario Place is a former theme park built on artificial islands that still hosts summer concerts at 2 outdoor venues:
To temporarily close for renovations from 2027 to early 2029.
Live Nation operates the venue and its website list concerts from across Canada.
Terminal Warehouse
This shopping, restaurant and condo development is in a beautiful art deco warehouse. Since the closure of most shops by December 2015, Queen's Quay Terminal has changed from being a shopping centre to being an eatery centre with the opening of new or renovated eating establishments.
Supermarket inside Queen's Quay Terminal shopping centre, with entrance off Queen's Quay. There is a salad bar and other prepared food which can be consumed at tables within the mall or on an outdoor patio overlooking a wharf, or to make a picnic to eat in one of the small parks on the waterfront.
Cantonese cuisine including dim sum. More expensive than in Chinatown but the quality is generally better and you get a second-floor view of the harbour.
Pub and restaurant with indoor seating plus a seasonal patio overlooking the harbour.
Chicken-oriented menu; table service with seasonal patio seating overlooking the harbour, plus a food truck for take-out. The restaurant design has a surreal characteristic. If you approach the restaurant from within the mall, you will see the food truck parked next to the restaurant wall. If you look into the side window of the food truck, you will notice that the kitchen within is larger than the truck interior.
Pasta and pies (but not sweet pies); table service with seasonal patio seating overlooking the harbour; take-out gelato counter on the mall side of the establishment.
A pastry shop with a small seating area offering a line of fried dough pastries, hand stretched to resemble a beaver’s tail.
Specialty: BBQ chicken with Chalet sauce.
This large supermarket is about a 700 m walk east from the streetcar. Inside there is a Starbucks, a salad bar and a deli counter near a staircase leading to the upper level eating area. There is parking garage attached to the supermarket and 2-hr free parking for customers. However, the Loblaws at Bathurst Street appears to be more attractive for in-store eating.
This large supermarket has deli counters with ready-to-eat food and a comfortable in-store seating area. The store is within a renovated, former grocery warehouse of which the attractive old exterior building walls have been preserved.
While you are enjoying the dinner, knights will perform hand-to-hand combat, ride on horseback, and joust with each other to win the lady's heart.
14,000-sq-ft lakeside brewery & restaurant serving craft beer with local foods. Patio.
Seasonal patio bar with a view of the harbour.
Indoor pool, gym and spa facilities, on-site restaurants.
249 Queen's Quay West (at Harbourfront Centre). Outdoor pool, fitness centre, business centre, complimentary in-room wireless Internet. Restaurant and bar on-site.
Some products are made by artists working within Harbourfront Centre's Craft & Design Studio.
On weekends in the summer, the outdoor International Marketplace at Harbourfront Centre hosts a range of arts and crafts vendors.
Independent book store specializing in marine books and charts.
By bus
While Queens Quay West (west of Yonge Street) is well served by streetcar, only bus routes serve Queens Quay East.
By subway and train
The nearest subway station is Union Station on Line .
By car
The Gardiner expressway runs the length of the harbourfront one block north of Queen's Quay and there are exits at Spadina, York, Bay, and Jarvis.
By plane
By water shuttle
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