A beautiful escape to the Toronto Islands is a must for any fun-filled summer. But before you load up on the sunscreen and trek out, you’ll want to plan exactly how you’ll get there.
For an island day trip, here are the many ways you can get to and from the harbour.
Ferry
Get yourself down to the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and climb aboard the ferry to get across to the other side and the Toronto Island Park. Three ferry routes will shuttle you to Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point, or Ward’s Island from mid-April to mid-October. Trips are roughly 15 minutes each, and tickets are less than $10.
It’s always easier to buy your ferry ticket beforehand online, since online ticket holders can enter through a separate line during busy times, but you can also pay at the terminal gates once you arrive.
For planning purposes, keep in mind the ferry is the busiest on summer weekends and holidays, with 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. being the rush hour period. On the way back to the city, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., is when you’ll see crowds of people lining up to board. Centre Island has notoriously long wait times, which can easily climb an hour or more just to get back on the ferry.
Water taxi
If you want to skip those lines and crowds, water taxis are your best bet, but you will have to pay for it. Available to take you across the harbour during the spring, summer, and fall, there are many private water taxi companies at your disposal — Harbour Tours Toronto, Pirate Taxi, Tiki Taxi, Tdot Water Taxi, and the Toronto Harbour Water Taxi included.
A majority of the water taxis will pick you up either at HTO Park West or the Harbourfront Centre, and often have a set rate for trips, usually around $13 per trip. Be sure to double-check the operating hours, too, as some companies shut down for the day earlier than others.
Water taxis are often faster than the ferries and can be called ahead of time for a scheduled pickup. For boarding on the islands and getting back to the city, water taxis have their own separate line or dedicated space not too far from the ferry docks.
Paddling
For a more adventurous trip across the harbour, you can also paddle over by canoe, kayak, or other modes. According to the Toronto Island Paddling Map, there are a couple of popular routes to use, ranging from two-hour paddles.
Popular routes include launching from Cherry Beach to cross the Eastern Channel and on to Ward’s Island (and even to Centre Island Pier or Gibraltar Point) and from Trillium Park across the Western Channel to Hanlan’s Point. There are also numerous launch sites from boat rental shops set up along the waterfront, including the Harbourfront Canoe & Kayak Centre.
On the island
Once you’ve made it to the Toronto Island Park, meandering between the three areas is quite easy. Thanks to a network of pedestrian-friendly trails, you can get around easily. For walking times, it’ll take 35 minutes from Centre Island to Ward’s (2.9 km), 50 minutes (or 4 km) from Centre Island to Hanlan’s, and 70 minutes from Ward’s to Hanlan’s, around 5.5 km.
Bike rentals are available on the island (so you can skip lugging your bike on the ferry) through the Toronto Island Bicycle Rental, two and four-seat bikes included. New for 2025, Bike Share Toronto has officially extended its network to the islands with 200 bicycles available at either Ward’s Island Ferry Dock or Hanlan’s Ferry Dock. Unfortunately, electric scooters, motorcycles, or e-bikes weighing over 40 kilograms are not allowed in the park.
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