Attraction
CN Tower
Toronto's 553-metre communications tower on Bremner Boulevard, with a Glass Floor, an outdoor terrace, the higher Top level, a revolving restaurant and the seasonal EdgeWalk.
High Park
A 161-hectare park on the west side of the city, with Grenadier Pond, a small donation-funded zoo, oak savannah, gardens and spring cherry blossoms.
At a glance
- Type
- Urban park
- Area
- High Park, Toronto, Canada
Good to know
- Free entry
- Small zoo
- Gardens
- Playground
- Summer open-air theatre
Why we recommend it
High Park covers about 161 hectares on the west side of the city, between Bloor Street West and The Queensway. It began as the estate of John George Howard, who bought the land in 1836 and built Colborne Lodge, a Regency-style cottage that still stands in the park. Howard agreed to convey the land to the city in 1873 and the park opened in 1876.
Grenadier Pond, on the western edge, is the park's largest feature, named after the soldiers of the Town of York garrison who fished there. On the slope above it, Hillside Gardens has a rock garden, sunken gardens with fountains and a flower bed in the shape of a maple leaf. Much of the rest of the park is black oak savannah, a rare habitat in Ontario, with oaks more than 150 years old, managed by the city and volunteers with regular controlled burns.
The High Park Zoo is popular with families. Its paddocks hold animals including bison, capybaras, emus, Highland cattle, llamas, reindeer, wallabies and yaks, and it is open year-round from 7am to dusk, funded partly by donations. Children also enjoy the Jamie Bell adventure playground in the south-east corner, rebuilt by volunteers after a fire in 2012.
The park is busiest in late April and early May, when the cherry trees bloom. The first Somei-Yoshino tree was a gift from the citizens of Tokyo in 1959, and cars are kept out during the bloom period. In summer, Canadian Stage presents Shakespeare in High Park in the amphitheatre near the Grenadier Cafe, and roads close to cars on summer Sundays.
There are layers of history around Grenadier Pond as well. The Grenadier Ice Company cut ice from it from the 1880s until about 1920, and skating was banned in 2001 before the council voted to allow it again in 2015. Howard's original gift came with conditions, including that no alcohol be served in the park. At the zoo, llama feeding and petting is offered at weekends from March to October.
Allow a couple of hours for a walk, or longer with children at the zoo and playground. High Park and Keele stations on Line 2 are both on Bloor Street, which forms the northern edge of the park.
High Park FAQs
Is High Park free?
Yes. Entry to the park is free, and the small zoo is funded partly by donations.
When do the cherry blossoms bloom?
Usually from late April to early May; cars are kept out during the bloom.
What animals are at the zoo?
Animals including bison, capybaras, emus, Highland cattle, llamas, reindeer, wallabies and yaks.
When is the zoo open?
Year-round from 7am to dusk.
How do you get there?
Take Line 2 to High Park or Keele station on Bloor Street.
Is there theatre in the park?
Yes. Canadian Stage presents Shakespeare in High Park in the summer.
Is it good for children?
Yes. There is the zoo and the Jamie Bell adventure playground.
Are cars allowed?
Cars can use most roads, but some close on summer Sundays and during the cherry blossom.