Toronto is an impressive city. You’ll find towering skyscrapers, architectural marvels, and modern business centres throughout the metropolis. After navigating such a concrete jungle, it’s natural to crave a break in nature, to escape the urban hustle and the roar of traffic. Fortunately, Toronto boasts many wonderful natural locations considered the city’s natural wonders. They inspire and help residents recharge. Today, we’ve decided to tell you about some of them. Read more on the pages of toronto.name.
Islands Located on Lake Ontario
The Toronto Islands are a unique place situated not far from the city’s downtown core. This popular tourist destination is home to North America’s largest urban car-free community.
People get here from the mainland via public ferries that operate year-round from the ferry terminal. Water taxis are also available, though they only run from May to September.
Originally, this was a peninsula connected to the mainland. In 1858, a powerful storm transformed the peninsula into islands, creating a group of 18 islands.
In 1881, the first Royal Canadian Yacht Club was established here. In 1939, an airport was opened on one of the islands.
Today, the islands are a fantastic recreational spot for both locals and tourists. You’ll find several beaches, sports fields, and picnic areas. You can also enjoy cycling, canoeing, kayaking, or paddle boating.
One of the islands features Centreville Park, with rides and entertainment for all ages. There’s also a great petting zoo on the islands that kids will love.
High Park – One of the City’s Largest Parks
Another fantastic spot with amazing nature in Toronto is High Park. It possesses not only unique historical value but also spans 161 hectares, wonderfully combining nature with recreational opportunities.
The park officially opened in 1876 and is one of our city’s largest parks.
What makes the park unique is that one-third of its area remains in its natural state. Here, you can find rare trees and plants from an oak savannah. This section of the park is perfect for nature enthusiasts.
However, if you’re looking to organize a picnic or relax with your children at a playground away from the city’s hustle and bustle, that’s also an option. Additionally, High Park offers several sports facilities: soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. In winter, they even set up a special hockey rink.
For history buffs, the Colborne Lodge historical museum is located within the park. Various interesting events are also organized at the amphitheatre.
Allan Gardens Conservatory: The City’s Incredible Beauty
A paradise for the eyes – that’s how you want to describe Allan Gardens Conservatory. It’s a greenhouse and urban park located in Toronto’s Garden District.
The history of these gardens began in 1858 when George William Allan donated the land to the Toronto Horticultural Society. Just two years later, the gardens officially opened. In 1879, a new pavilion was constructed; prior to this, the gardens had wooden structures. The construction of the new pavilion was financed by a $20,000 mortgage loan taken out by the horticultural society, which was unable to repay the full amount.
In 1888, the municipal authorities acquired these gardens and renamed them three years later in Allan’s honour.
In 1902, a three-story greenhouse in the gardens burned down. Eight years later, it was restored based on Robert McCallum’s design.
Currently, the gardens cover almost 1500 square metres and consist of five conservatories. Here’s some information about these amazing conservatories:
- Arid House. Here you can see unique cacti and succulents, including agave, prickly pear, haworthia, and aloe.
- Tropical House. This will be interesting for lovers of plants from the equatorial regions of the world.
- Palm House. This was once the central conservatory of the garden, but it is currently closed for restoration.
- Orchid and Bromeliad House. An incredibly beautiful conservatory, as orchids and bromeliads grow here.
- Temperate Show House. Here you can see seasonal flowers.
It’s worth noting that the gardens can be visited daily, and admission is free. However, there are some rules. You cannot visit Allan Gardens Conservatory with food, drinks, or pets. You can take photos for personal archives. For professional photography, permission is required.
The natural wonders of this metropolis don’t end here, but that’s a topic for another article entirely. Overall, it’s pleasant to realize that in your hometown, there are cozy places where you can relax in nature. You can spend quality leisure time here, whether alone or with family or a lively group. Such locations truly re-energize us and help us reset from the concrete jungle.
We hope our article was interesting and informative for you and that you’ve drawn appropriate conclusions.
Where do you relax in Toronto? What are your favourite spots?
Sources:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/the-seedy-truth-about-allan-gardens/article773894
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