By admin Monday, July 23, 2012

It was too hot.  It was too hot to sit in my apartment with no air conditioning and too hot to go outside.  I was stuck in the miserable heat.  I didn’t know anyone with a pool in the Toronto area and while cold showers helped, it was very temporary and I needed a long-term solution fast!

A close friend of mine lived in the same apartment building as I did and she recommended going to Woodbine Beach for the day.  I was up for anything that would cool me off and be fun.

Settling in for a Day at Woodbine Beach

We got to Woodbine just as it was getting busy.  We talked to a couple of people there that said they usually get to the beach by 9am to get prime spots.  I wasn’t sure what a prime spot is since it is a huge beach and any spot would seem prime.  We found a nice spot to put down our towels and put up our umbrella and settled in for the day.

We had brought a cooler filled with food, water, and beer and were prepared to stay until the sun went down and the city cooled off.  The beach is located at the bottom of Woodbine Avenue and is the gateway to over three kilometers of sandy waterfront beach

Close to Neighbouring Toronto Beaches

Woodbine is a great beach and is one of the most popular, and busiest, in Toronto.  It also is within walking distance to a couple other “quieter” beaches in Kew and Balmy.  Both are very nice and provide an option to the louder and more chaotic Woodbine.  Kew Beach has a great historic lifesaving station and is known to have rock sculptors on some weekends.  Balmy Beach is the quietest and is also located the farthest east and is great for people who want to relax and be a little more tranquil.

We decided Woodbine was the atmosphere we were interested in and it is great for people watching.  It isn’t clothing optional like Hanlan’s Point but it is still a lot of fun.  There is beach volleyball everywhere and my friend and I got in on a few games.  It was nice to get hot and be able to go lay in the water up to my neck to cool off.

A Toronto Blue Flag Beach

The water in the lake is very clean and refreshing, which is kind of surprising with the amount of people who come to Woodbine on the weekends.  It was actually awarded a Blue Flag, which is an international eco-label that is awarded to beaches that reach certain standards for water quality among other things.  So if you happen to run into the lake and get a mouthful of water, like I did a few times, you can be sure you won’t grow a third eye.

After our beach volleyball games we decided it was time to eat.  We ate great turkey sandwiches and had a couple beers before I decided to take a nap in the shade of the umbrella while my friend read her book, which she is obsessed with.  After my power nap we went back into the water and enjoyed the rest of the day, staying cool.

A Relaxing Escape from the City

I was glad I had escaped my sauna of an apartment and spent a great day, with a good friend, at a great beach, while getting at least some relief from this crazy heat.  Luckily for me my air conditioning was back on the next day but I still plan on going back to Woodbine and checking out some of Toronto’s other great beaches.  I might even give Hanlan’s Point a try.

The great thing about Toronto is that there are so many parks and beaches to choose from.  To find out where you can escape the heat you can visit any of Ontario’s beaches or check out Summer Fun Guide for more info.

Stay cool!