Lake Ontario

The Basics

Most Lake Ontario tours depart from Toronto, Canada’s largest city. Boat tours, which range from dinner cruises to a spin around the Toronto Islands, offer shoreline views and often include the inside perspective of a guide. Helicopter and air taxi tours provide rare birds’-eye views of the lake and its surroundings.

Niagara-on-the-Lake tours frequently depart from Toronto, and often include a visit to Niagara Falls and wine tastings at the region’s legendary vineyards. These tours typically offer convenient round-trip transport from Toronto hotels.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Toronto’s waterfront path is shared by cyclists and pedestrians, so stay alert.

• Boat tours and cruises typically run from May through September, and lifeguards are on duty at Toronto city beaches from June to September.

• Popular swimming spots include Cherry Beach, Hanlan’s Point, and Ward Island.

How to Get There

As Canada’s largest city, Toronto is easily reachable by car, bus, Amtrak, or VIA Rail. Toronto’s lakeshore is accessible using the city’s comprehensive system of metros, buses, and streetcars. Day trips to Niagara-on-the-Lake are also popular, either by car or on tours that typically include round-trip transport from Toronto.

When to Get There

Lake Ontario is best visited in summer, as winter weather prohibits most water-based activities. To enjoy swimming, kayaking, boating, and waterfront sightseeing, visit from May to September.

An Island Escape

Just off the shore of Toronto lies Toronto Island Park, a tranquil escape from the city. The park is comprised of three main islands—Centre Island, Ward’s Island, and Hanlan’s Point—which offer beaches, picnic areas, and plenty of activities, from swimming to stand-up paddle-boarding. The islands are reachable by a 15-minute boat or ferry ride.

Where is the best place to see Lake Ontario?

Lake Ontario is a large lake in Canada and the US, so there are many great places to enjoy lake views. One of Canada's best places for lake views is Humber Bay Park in Etobicoke, as you can see the Toronto skyline from across the water. On the US side, Rochester’s Ontario Beach Park is very pretty.

What is the Lake Ontario circle tour?

A Lake Ontario circle tour is a tour that encircles Lake Ontario, traveling along both the Canadian and the US parts of the lake. A circle tour is usually done independently and takes around two weeks. Typical itineraries usually visit Toronto, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Rochester, the 1,000 Islands, Kingston, and many other places en route.

Can you swim in Lake Ontario?

Yes, you can swim in Lake Ontario (when it’s not frozen in winter), and there are many beautiful swimming spots. It’s a vast lake with many cities, towns, parks, and beaches along its 712-mile (1,146-kilometer) shoreline, and some places are more suitable for swimming than others. Look out for signs advising about local conditions.

Is Lake Ontario one of the Great Lakes?

Yes, Lake Ontario is one of the Great Lakes. It’s the smallest of the five—after Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Erie—and the 17th largest lake in the world by surface area. Lake Ontario is shared by Canada and the US, with the cities of Toronto and Rochester on the northern (Canadian) and southern (US) shores, respectively.

What’s interesting about Lake Ontario?

There are many interesting things about Lake Ontario. It was created by glacial shifting and melting at the end of the last Ice Age and is now home to salmon, trout, migratory birds, and birds of prey, including eagles. Because of its depth, Lake Ontario hardly ever freezes over completely, but it does freeze around the edges.

What has been found in Lake Ontario?

Over the centuries, many things have been lost and found in Lake Ontario. In 2008, a British warship considered the “Holy Grail” of Great Lakes shipwrecks was found. It sank in 1780, during the American Revolution, and was well-preserved by the cold water. Many other ships have been lost in the lake and rediscovered decades, or centuries later.