High Park

While it does not have the direct downtown location like Allan Gardens, High Park is still one of Toronto’s best known and gorgeous green spaces. A different number of playgrounds, trails, ponds, picnic areas, forestry and animals call this park home, and you could spend a whole day just exploring the area! High Park is a beautiful park, and it is a great place to read a book, walk the dog, or have a picnic lunch!

What a wonderful jewel of a park. You’d never know you were in the middle of a big city like Toronto. My children were enchanted with the adventure playground, which really lives up to its name. So many places to hide and explore and climb. I only wish I had more time to explore the many gardens and nature trails.
This is also the location of Toronto’s Shakespeare in the park, and just an enchanting place overall. Very busy, though, even on a school day. We were lucky to find a parking spot.

This place is HUGE! I love it! It has a zoo with lots of animals, lol, but some are quite stinky!
The park is lovely for the children and they have restuarnt too!

This is a beautiful park I like going to. When I go, I usually stay in the southern part, so I haven’t had the chance to explore the whole park. Other than the beautiful nature (great for photography), there is also a museum, a zoo, kids play structure, a restaurant and other things I haven’t explored. It can sometimes be hard to find parking on busy days. During off season, there is only a washroom open at the restaurant.

One of the hidden gems of Toronto. A massive park in the west end that incorporates a zoo, a outdoor theatre, a historic site and a huge dog park. Its great in every season, with lots of nooks to explore and always lot to see.
John Howard’s amazing legacy to Toronto.

I was participating in the Yoga in the park activity and my cousin suggested we walk around and enjoy ourselves. The park is absolutely amazing looking. There’s a pond, hills for hiking and a Maple Leaf square with beautiful red flowers where the Yoga class was held. We saw the restaurant on our way back and decided to take advantage of the all day breakfast. The food was pretty good and so was the coffee. A tip that I’d like to mention is when ordering pancakes, we had the option of adding «strawberries» for $ 2. What we got was strawberry jam, not the fresh fruit. The only trivial disappointment of the day. Otherwise, I strongly
recommend both the park and the restaurant. Apparently it’s beautiful regardless of the season.

Cool place to hang with the kids. Lots to do. Swimming, tennis, zoo, playgrounds and bbq pits. The dog loves it here the kid loves it here and I like the ice cream vendor so there ya have it. Something for everyone

The show was entertaining at High Park’s amphitheater for «Shakespeare in High Park». Bring or prepare with bug spray/​insect repellent!
As noted on their website, it is «A CANADIAN STAGE PRODUCTION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE IN THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, MEDIA, PERFORMANCE & DESIGN AT YORK UNIVERSITY».
There is parking a walk away outside of the pathway to get to the amphitheatre. Parking is free but don’t park in unmarked spot. They do ticket. I saw them ticketing .
They recommend a $ 20 donation to get in but you can pay what you like. Hundreds of people show. It is best to go by 7pm or earlier to get a good seat. There is concrete/​stone stadium like seating. Other than this you have to find grassy area to sit at the sides or stand up. You can purchase pads to sit on and pay for better reserved seating at the front.
They dont allow lawn chairs but you can bring a mat or blanket or towel to sit on. I see people bring snacks too. Theres also snacks for purchase.
The show is entertaining and the actors do a good job. Its a nice show to watch in warm weather as tge day transitions into night.
Also, final tip, read the summary of what happens in the play and before you go. Otherwise it will be hard to follow what’s going on.
Check out the pics and videos below!

I would strongly recommend the residents who live by this park to visit once every week if not visit everyday! Omg if only I lived nearby. I would go there to chill, workout, and even enjoy the free events they offer there. Such a nice place inside the city. Really loved it!
Got to enjoy Shakespeare play! Great actors!

Great place to go for a walk especially if you live downtown. Nice walking trails and lots of shade

Just a beautiful park! It’s so massive they even have a kick ass (can I say that on Unilocal.?) train that drives you around the whole thing and have stops in between. I know that in early May this park has cool cherry blossom trees which blossom and fall only during that specific time period. After that… I guess they are naked? Anyways, I suggest seeing that one day, even though I have not seen it myself, I’m sure it’s epic.
I went for a picnic here twice and never was disappointed by the wonderful greenery, slopes, hills. water etc. They have a water park (not that kind) with neat fountains and I stuck my feet in it. I’m not sure if you are actually allowed to do that but hey, it’s nice to experience anyways. Plus other people were doing it. You know what they say, follow the crowd! I loved the small Japanese garden and the picturesque-​ness of everything. They have ice cream carts too for your ice cream needs. I got a magnum almond in case y’all were wondering.
It’s yes, free except that train. But I honestly loved the train and it’s nice for lazy people like me who do not want to spend all day walking around the massive park. You are allowed one transfer meaning you can get off one stop and get on the train again without paying double. Adults are 4.50!
So please visit this park if you want to picnic hardcore. It’s a great place!

The central park of Toronto but not very central.
Located in the west end of Toronto, it’s accessible by numerous TTC routes. The park spans from Bloor St all the way south to the lake. I used to live by the park and miss living beside it everyday.
The pros:
— greenery, trees, ponds
— great for bicycling and hiking
— cherry blossoms (look it up)
— lots of dog walkers
— a small and free zoo for the kids
— a huge playground
Cons:
— none!
A great place to hang out all summer long. Don’t miss it!

Do I really need to leave a detailed review? I don’t think so — come visit this park for yourself. It’s beautiful and serene.

I have to say this is my favorite park in Toronto. It’s huge, has nice trails for you to trek through, and beautiful sights. It’s also very quiet despite a large number of people who visit. It’s a great, quick escape from the city. My only beef with the park is the zoo. It’s very small and doesn’t seem to be kept well. The animals seem hot and unhappy. When you go to the Toronto Zoo, it’s fun and interesting (though admittedly I feel bad for those animals as well), but the High Park Zoo is quite depressing. I suppose if your kids like animals and don’t care which ones they see, it’s a good stopping point.
Overall, the park is large, clean, and there are multiple things to do. My suggestion is to take a picnic basket and blanket there some Saturday/​Sunday afternoon and get some much needed vitamin D. Make sure you have some cash on your for some ice cream!

Beautiful park located in Toronto. I came here for the cherry blossoms and they were lovely. Crowds are huge, try to avoid driving because it’s impossible to find parking. There is also a petting zoo. A great park for families.

High Park is a fantastic park in the middle of Toronto. I’ve been here a couple of times so far, mostly for a walk and some geocaching, and I’ve really enjoyed my time.
It has plenty of amenities, from baseball fields to hiking trails, and a snack bar. There’s a shuttle that goes around the park if needed, although both times I’ve been there it hasn’t yet been running.
I really enjoyed the contrasts between the wilder areas and the more civilized ones. This park is pretty gigantic, so there are many reasons to make return visits.

went for cherry blossoms, was very happy with the variety and settings for «camera play»
lots of animals and stuff to capture on film.
lots to see and do, almost too much to cover in a single day.

When needing to feel like you need an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city here’s your answer. Beautifully setup park with a lake and festivals, and outdoors movies on the regular in summertime. There are lovely paths and walkways with benches set up perfect for intimate chats or a picnic. If you live in toronto and have not been here you are missing out. Worth atleast once!

As a frequent Toronto visitor, High Park is one of my favorite spots to visit. Ironically, each time that I’ve been the seasons are different, so I’ve gotten a taste of the park from multiple standpoints.
Go here for:
+ Large open green spaces to roam and get lost
+ Numerous dog trails for your pooch to roam on and off leash (the off-​leash areas are enclosed and are clearly marked)
+ Plenty of outdoor sporting activities that include pools during the summer months.
+ Ample parking, albeit a little tight.
+ Marvelous views at different elevations of the city
+ Picnic grounds to chill
+ Varied, challenging running paths
+ During spring, the cherry blossoms are beautiful.
+ Pretty well integrated into the city’s urban layout
+ Free!
Don’t go here for:
— the zoo. it is in a sad, depressing state and shouldn’t even be called a zoo; unkept and unfortunate.
— exceptional food. it’s a great place to snack and chill with friends.
Out of all the seasons, I have to say that roaming around during winter time is a real treat. Cold yes, but the visuals trump those of what you’re typically used to seeing from a park. Snow banks and with fewer crowds, you feel like the whole world is in your hands. However, for the garden spaces, this place is a delight to see during the other seasons. :)

I’m embarrassed to say that I had never embraced beautiful High Park until this past July. It just seemed so big, daunting and a little too far west for my tastes. Well shame on me, because the travel is worth it for this world-​class patch of grass, fun and tomfoolery.
If you don’t know this beast it’s easy to get lost. Dog paths, paddle boats, zoos and giant uninterrupted green spaces. Perfect for drinking old grape juice with friends, but make sure one of you knows the park… otherwise it will take you years (and tears) to find each other. No amount of Google map pin drops or texted tree photos will help you.