We did a LOT on this trip. However my most memorable moment was an evening spent chilling at the…read moreBronte waterfront. We grabbed a nice dinner nearby and ice cream on the beach. We then sat on the comfy lounge chairs overlooking the water and just taking in the sights and sounds. Zen! Loved it.

My friend and I have been planning to meet up ever since this pandemic hit. We are also work…read morecolleagues. Although I like working from home (fewer distractions and avoidance of folks that I don't enjoy working with are my main pros), not chatting with her regularly is a routine that I deeply miss. We met up in Oakville. I live in Markham. She lives in Hamilton. I was okay meeting up with her in her new city, but she felt bad about my driving all the way over. I frankly don't mind a mini road trip. It's all relative to me. Anyway, we grabbed Thai food and got recommendations from a nice woman at Funky Thai to hit the waterfront. My friend and I did a search on our maps apps and we randomly chose to drive to Bronte Beach Park. I led the way over here. My friend feels at ease when I take the lead. Work norms never die. There are at least two lots for parking. I led her into a weird sort of parking tour as I was figuring things out. The first lot that we ultimately parked in was for public vehicles. The lot closer to the marina had a mix of trailers and a small section for public cars. I read the signs carefully. If you have a trailer, you need to get a parking ticket. Otherwise, parking is free for regular folks like us. After we parked further away from the marina, we grabbed our food, and took a nice walk down to the beach. It was a cloudy day. However, this beach is a gem and managed to brighten everything up under the cloud cover. To start, we liked that it was a real beach and not manmade like Sugar Beach. The sand was clean and it felt nice briefly seeping into our sandals. There was a family with inflatable Beach Body surfboards out on the water, came back, and deflated the surfboards several feet away from us. With the marina, there were many folks out on the water. I loved seeing lighthouses. Yes, plural! Everyone here was practising physical distancing that it eased our minds. We eventually found a picnic bench. It was different. One side had seats where we ultimately sat down for nearly two hours to chat and catch up. The other side allowed you to stand up and eat. It felt like our stand-sit desks at work, which was kind of fitting. We ate. We laughed, We people-watched. We enjoyed each other's company. It was a great afternoon in a pretty area. This beach is extremely clean. There were folks on hand to check that everything and everyone was okay. You could find a garbage bin often. There are washrooms in a large building. We enjoyed spending a bit of our Saturday here. I'd come back just to walk around and perhaps take a closer look at those lighthouses next time. (352)

High G Major Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…read more Hidden Message Girl named Kate and Mary Flute Humming Tuning Singing The Lyrics

The park is great for a walk, run, skating, biking or a picnic. They have great stuff to offer…read moreevery season: festivals during the summer and light festivals during the winter time. The park is well-maintained and you can easily follow physical distancing protocols. The playground and splash pad are conveniently located side by side and would be great for kids to spend time there and enjoy summer. There are many restaurants and cafes in the area; especially the waterfront restaurants are a great place to enjoy both your meal and Skyway Bridge and Lake Ontario view.

I love going for long drive and discovered this out of the world park when I was driving on…read moreLakeshore road in Oakville. This park is on the lake side and the views are so divine and breathtaking. Don't know how I missed this place before. It's so difficult to express in words how serene and beautiful this park is. Perfect place to go and relax and disconnect. You can even see Toronto Skyline from here. There is also a viewing deck, from where you can get a better overall view. This pictures don't do justice to this place. You have experience this place with your eyes. I found this park in fall and went there few times in last weeks of fall before snow. I just envy the people who live close to this place. There were few houses close by, that have balconies opening to lake view. Oh it must be so amazing to wake up everyday to this heavenly view!!

I haven't been here since 2019 but I was thinking about skipping rocks and remembered this place…read more This is my absolute favorite spot to skip rocks. I f***in love this park. Great for a stop after ice cream from Poop Cafe. Oakville is great.

Bronte Creek is one of the two provincial parks in the GTA. There is an entrance fee, so I would…read moresuggest getting the Ontario Parks pass from your local library to enter and to park for free. This is a nice park with lots of hiking trails and lush woods, offering plenty of shades on a sunny day. The only trail that allows you to go down to the creek is #6 Half Moon Valley Trail. I would also recommend #4 Lookout Ravine Trail which is almost completely covered by trees and would be beautiful in the fall. You shouldn't miss the famous White Oak Tree, likely germinated since 1685 and at least 300 years old, close to parking lot A. The Spruce Lane Farmhouse is another highlight near parking lot F, which is a Victorian-style house showing visitors what life was like back then. The antique furniture, well-decorated rooms, farm equipment, and friendly volunteers wearing Victorian costumes gave us an immersive experience at the farm. The only problem is that the amenities are a bit dated, especially with the signage. The park staffs should hand out free maps as you enter the park, and there should be more directions as to where you are. I often had to rely on Google to check location and the pre-downloaded map from their website. The swimming pool remains under renovation as of summer 2024, so the park is not yet at its full potential.

My first time visiting this provincial park. I was very fortunate to receive a free annual pass…read moreaccess so did not forego the admission cost which is about $12 to $21 per day. The trails are clean, managed and you can see the arborist do a good job maintaining the overall trail. It's a really nice scenic escape from city life; I can see ski and bike trails. There is even a mini farm. There are some really nice vantage points where you can see the water and treeline, so it might be nice to return in the fall. Definitely returning here :)

This is a lovely little park! We've gone here many times over the years, in many seasons. We even…read morehad a photo shoot here with our (then) 8 month old daughter. Pro tip: if you're planning to come here in the summer time, pack a picnic and bring bathing suits for the kids as there is a splash pad. Try to arrive early as parking is limited. There's also a small sandy beach area as well but I personally wouldn't recommend swimming in the water there (ikyk).

Jack Darling Memorial Park is such a beautiful place. We love going there for walks with our…read morefamily. It has such a nice and peaceful vibe. I enjoy sitting on the benches and taking in the beautiful views of Lake Ontario. The park offers various trails suitable for everyone. It's also great for walking dogs and letting kids play around. Parking spots are limited. If you go on weekends, you might have to wait a bit.

This was one of my favorite biking trails that I've encountered in my travels. It is long (over…read more450km/280 miles), and actually comprised of three interconnected sections, mostly along Lake Ontario: Etobicoke (west), Toronto (central) and Scarborough (east). I only had the pleasure to ride along the Toronto Portion. Within those 280 miles, you have 182 parks and natural areas including numerous beaches, 31 communities, and over 170 marinas and yacht clubs. Part of this trail also includes the Thousand Islands, providing access to the archipelago, and its beautiful scenery. The trail is one of the best ways to venture outside and see the Ontario coast line. But as of recently, it is now unlawful to do so via motorized bikes/scooters- so don't be afraid to get out an e(h)xercise.

Visited in late March when the lake was not frozen but it's cold. However the view , the trail…read more,it's just awesome. Though it's cold I enjoyed every bit of the walk. It gets windy so its good to carry a coat in early Spring. The CN tower is close to the harbour center. This is easily accessible from public transport / downtown Toronto!!

This is a very low-profile (but unique) park in the middle of all the industrial buildings and…read moreplants in Oakville. In fact, you would likely never visit unless you live/work nearby. What makes this park special is its "Cobble Beach" which I believe is one of its kind. The shoreline along this lakeshore beach is full of remnants of red pipes (from former sewage pipes, see image) that slowly erodes over the years and mixed with the rocks. The beach now looks like it's made of red sand/rocks. This is something you'd only see here and I'm surprised that this park is not very well known. I guess it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. It would be nice if Oakville officials promote it more since the reddish beach and the natural erosion is truly amazing. There are two Lakeside Parks in Oakville, the other one being at Front/Navy street, and is more well known. Therefore, they should rename this one to avoid the confusion and really highlight its unique properties. It's not a big park but it has a dog park, kids splash pad, and washrooms. There are two parking lots and they're more than enough since there aren't that many visitors - only those who know this secret gem come here. Unlike the other Lakeshore parks in Mississauga/Toronto, this one is quiet and peaceful. You can really enjoy nature without disturbance. However, certain areas of the beach could be a bit dangerous. You can see from the image that there are still pipes that have not yet eroded. Some pipes are really sharp at the unexplored areas. I'd suggest staying near the pathways and its surrounding beaches. Be extra careful with children. The rocks can be hard to walk on and you should wear good shoes.

This park was Chernobyl-y…read more It does front Lake Ontario, but it is in a rather strange industrial area, surrounded by refineries and other buildings that look like nuclear waste reactors. (It sorta made me sad because it reminded me of all the pollution that was/is dumped into the lake by the surrounding industries. Prime real estate!) Bonuses: By the lake, it is fairly new, paved walking paths, playground for kids, and there were some fenced in areas for dogs. It's just not a pretty setting/area...especially when the trees aren't in full bloom. As I walked along the path, I felt a 3rd nipple sprouting...

Beautiful park right by the lake. Perfect for a stroll or just spending time watching the sunset…read more Love this place! Easy to park your car and go around the park.

Great place to walk around, ride bikes, roller skate etc. The water and view is so beautiful. From…read morecertain spots you can see the CN TOWER. there is plenty of picnic spaces. There are multiple parks and boating areas within the space they are each clearly labeled so its easy to meet up or give directions. I saw people swimming in the lake water for me its a no the waters arent that clear where people are allowed to swim and there was a lot of Canadian geese swimming in the area that people swim.

One of the most beautiful gardens that you will ever see. It is family friendly, and an ideal place…read morefor an outing with kids. There are beautiful flowers, a lake, a fountain, plenty of place to walk around, and play. Pick a sunny day to go here, maybe stay to see the sunset, take a long walk by the lake, let the kids dip their hands in the cold water, take the time to appreciate the lotuses, lilies, and the swans, then walk over the tiny bridge, take a few photos, and you will remember this day you spent with your kids in your old age!

It's a beautiful and picturesque park, specially during cherry blossom season. There's a small pond…read morein the middle of the park that's home to many aquatic animals; beautiful to watch and listen to. There's a short trail alongside Lake Ontario to enjoy a walk and beautiful scenery. Another perk is Art Gallery of Oakville, located on the east side of the park, that you can visit. The only downside is the limited parking space available.

It was such a nice day (sunny and 24C) so Gord and I drove to Marie Curtis Park this morning to go…read morefor a walk. It's about a 20 minute drive west of us and is a park we've never been to. "Marie Curtis Park is named after the Longbranch Reeve (a small village) Mayor Marie Curtis and is one of the few beaches in North America named after a female community leader. This park was created in the late 1950s to help control flooding after Hurricane Hazel nearly swept local homes in the area out into Lake Ontario. Throughout this park, you can find an abundance of wildlife and native plants. There is a playground, wading pool, a public swimming beach, picnic spots and walking trails including a connection to the Waterfront Trail. You will always find something to do at Marie Curtis Park." There was a nice spot we parked near so we sat for a bit and watched the birds. A young girl and her grandparents arrived with bread and it didn't take long for all the birds to come over. There are a couple of piers and beaches. It's a cute park ... we'll be back!

This is a great park with Footvolley and Beach Volleyball courts. The courts are a bit hard to…read morefind, they are next to the parking lot closest to the shore in the right side.